Page 101 of Hawthorne

Yes, god! What were you thinking when you decided to create this sinful woman and put her in my path?

My hand keeps massaging the skin on her hips, caressing her birthmark over and over. I’ve never given much attention to it—at least not enough—but as these feelings grow inside me, I can’t help but feel attracted to it. At the same time, her forehead falls against mine, and I groan at the sensation of being buried inside her. It doesn’t get old.

After a moment, we keep still, breathing heavily against each other, trying to contain the monster that is this addiction. But it’s not possible.Not anymore.

“Ready?” I breathe, and she nods weakly. “Because I am fucking your brains out to make up for the fact I won’t be able to for the next two weeks.”

30

Camilla White

My heart is torn.

I have been having more fun than I could imagine, and yet...it feels like something’s missing.

“I am starving after all of that!” Rachel sighs as we walk through Commerce Square.

Much prettier by night than it is by day, the National Gallery imposes in front of us. In mid-December, the sun sets by five in the afternoon, but it hasn’t stopped us. We’ve been walking around the city, visiting and shopping since early this morning, with a couple of breaks for lunch and afternoon coffee.

For the past two weeks, Rachel has been taking me to the most amazing places here in Livia.

First, we went to the old medieval castle—the luxury!In many other European countries, those old structures have long been abandoned and turned into museums, but not this one.

The royal family has kept it in their possession and turned it into a “small vacation residence.”Small, my ass!Those people are crazy wealthy!

Then, we went to our old university and had a tour down memory lane. Or even, Holycross neighbourhood for an afternoon stroll, the home of our most famous writer, Johnny of Kaisken. Its small, windy roads and picturesque buildings have stolen my heart.

Being out and about with Rachel and getting to know a little bit more of my island has shown me how much I’ve been missing being holed up inside that house.

The last couple of days have been dedicated to Livia, though. We did the tourist sightseeing bus tours and all the free museums there were to visit. We’ve had a relaxing afternoon feeding squirrels in the public park after that horrendous walk through the zoo.

I hate zoos. Those poor animals deserve to live in freedom—in their habitat—but Rachel begged me to.

Today, we visited the famous Triumphal Arch, the one that would welcome all visitors arriving on the island by boat before our airport was constructed in the seventies. Afterwards, we went to the parliament and this fifteenth-century tower that was supposed to be a military defence construction.

It has been wonderful.

And while it has been new for Primrose to be in a different house, she’s been adapting quite well. I make sure to always walk her before and after our visits and to give her extra attention whenever we’re home. It’s been so easy that I often think I won the lottery with how effortless it is to take care of this dog.

One would think that between all the places we’ve been visiting and taking care of Primrose, it would all be enough to keep my mind away from Vincent.

It hasn’t.

We’ve been keeping the texts to a minimum. I wanted this time apart to bring me more clarity, and instead, it’s making me even more confused and making me realise that my feelings arealready much more profound than they should be. Then whatcanthey be?

“Cami? Are you listening to me?” Rachel’s voice brings me back to the present.

“Sorry! What were you saying?”

“After walking in the cold, I am in dire need of some greasy food! What about Chinatown?”

“Oh, my!” I fake gasp. “A blue blood in Chinatown? Who are you and what have you done with my friend?”

“Oh, shush.” She waves me off. “My father’s a Baron, not me! But whether I keep within my rank or not is the question.”

“Jesus, you talk like it’s the biggest drama in life. I am a commoner. Life isn’t that bad!”

“Oh, it isn’t. And the truth is, all I’ve ever wanted since I was young was to fall in love with my soulmate, get married, and have my own family. As the years go by, it seems further and further from my reality.”

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