Page 40 of Can I Tell You Something?
Cameron
Wakingupalonefeelswrong. All I can think about is Hannah’s warm body, in her warm bed. That’s where I’m meant to be. Tucked in behind her where I can smell her shampoo and play with the waistband of her shorts.
I’m half-hard and I’ve barely opened my eyes, longing for her touch, the curve of her hips, that smooth swell of her beautiful tits. I thought last night might have been risky, but not only did it work, it ended up being the hottest thing I’ve ever done. Watching Hannah come for me, silently moaning to the words I knew would get her worked up. I want to do that again, all day, every day, but today is already working against me.
Apparently, Christmas Eve is the main event in France, and the Richmond family has a bunch of traditions they take part in. I’m unlikely to get Hannah to myself much today.
“Are we skiing this morning?” I ask, pouring my first coffee of the day.
Please say yes, so I can convince Hannah to stay behind with me.
I need some alone time with her like I need air.
“Oh no, my boy,” Mark booms. “Today we feast. If your trousers aren’t elasticated, you may want to change.” He hooks his thumb into his waistband and stretches it out for emphasis.
“You’ve really caught the bug, huh?” Ryan says. I murmur my agreement as my eyes fall to his sister.
“Yeah, this place is pretty special.” I don’t add that my intentions aren’t entirely pure.
“We could try to get a few runs in later,” Hannah says, reading my mind. “But it’s Christmas Eve, and there’s a lot of other stuff you won’t want to miss out on.”
“Starting with breakfast,” Cheryl calls over from the kitchen door. “Which is almost ready, so please get comfy. Mark, fetch the champagne.”
I take the seat next to Hannah and give her knee a squeeze underneath the table while her dad ducks into the kitchen. If I could, I’d kiss her right here, and I hope she knows it.
Cheryl insisted we leave her alone to set the table last night, and it’s quite the sight to behold. Stacked plates, crystal flutes, and multiple knives, forks, and spoons. Neatly rolled napkins in wooden rings painted with holly. Bowls of freshly sliced French bread, cream cheese, and pale yellow butter are at either end of the table, with sprigs of real holly scattered between them. It’s fancy, but homely and, like so many times on this trip, I’m struck by a feeling of belonging. Something I haven’t felt in a long time.
“Let the feast begin!” Cheryl says, appearing with a long wooden platter held aloft. Mark pops the cork on the fizz and Cheryl sets the board down in the middle of the table. It’s piled high with smoked salmon scattered with fresh chives, wedges of lemon tucked into the pink folds. She returns to the kitchen, reappearing with a hot pan of perfectly scrambled eggs.
She takes off her apron and flings it into the kitchen before taking her seat. “Right. Tuck in then.”
Beside me, Hannah stands to snap a bird’s-eye photo of our meal, then sits and gestures for me to dig in. “Guests first.”
“This looks incredible, Cheryl. Thank you so much.”
“It’s my pleasure, darling. You’ve really picked the best time to come and stay with us. We love eating.”
“I feel like I should have dressed up.”
“Oh no,” Hannah says, shaking her head. “Save that for dinner.”
“Um, I didn’t bring anything fancy with me.”
“No top hat and tails?” she says, cocking her head to one side.
“You’re testing me, right?”
“I am. Don’t worry, wear whatever you like.”
“The French call thisLe Réveillon de Noël,” Cheryl informs me. “It’s tradition to have a long family meal in the evening. We just like to make it more of a day long experience.”
Mark pours the sparkling wine into our glasses as I help myself to salmon. “Is this your first Christmas away from home, son?”
“Sure is, Sir. Only my second time out of the US, actually.”
“What’s Christmas like in California?” Cheryl asks. “Ryan said he missed the snow when he couldn’t join us.”
“It’s a strange experience. All the movies and books we grow up with show Christmas like this.” I point my thumb over my shoulder toward the window behind me. “Snow everywhere, families having fun together, enormous trees, piles of presents. December is still pretty warm where we are on the west coast, so it’s sometimes hard to feel like we’re having a proper Christmas, you know? We give it a good shot, though. Everywhere is lit up, we have markets, and there’s the Hollywood Parade down Hollywood Boulevard.”
