Page 29 of A Lot to Unpack
Logan eases me back onto the sofa, and as my body sort of reclines into the mountain of cushions, he ends up sort of on top of me. He kisses my neck for a moment before kissing his way down my body, over my blouse, until he reaches my waist. He lifts my blouse, just a little, to kiss me on the stomach. It’s kind of wetter and sloppier than I’m used to, and – no, Liberty, stop it. Stop being overly critical. Lie back and enjoy it.
It’s only as Logan returns to eye level that I notice what’s happened.
‘Oh my God, you’re bleeding,’ I blurt.
I notice his eyes move to my body and then widen in horror.
‘Fuck, shit, Liberty, I’m so sorry,’ he babbles, climbing off me so quickly he inadvertently kicks his coffee table and then falls to the floor. Again.
The alarm bells in my head almost deafen me.
‘I’ll grab you a towel,’ he says as he scrambles to his feet.
A towel? Is he serious? I look like fucking Carrie at the prom.
What I need is a shower but I guess I’ll wipe the worst of it off here, and then head back to my hotel.
I was looking for a sign, to tell me whether or not I was ready to move on, and I’m clearly not ready. Better luck next time, eh?
I’ve never needed to literally wash a man out of my hair before, but here we are. There’s a first time for everything.
10
I’m on my third trip for Matcher – this time travelling about as far as you can from the UK – and I’m still simply ‘on call’ waiting for something to do. To be honest with you, I’m sort of used to it now. I’d probably be disappointed if things changed. I’m being paid to go on holiday and use dating apps. Maybe that’s it, perhaps that really is just the job, so I’m not complaining, I’m having a nice time… in Sydney!
Yep, I’m in Australia, and I’m loving it. It’s a little bit strange today though, because it’s actually my birthday, and here I am, spending it alone on the other side of the world to everyone I care about, but with my job position being… interesting, shall we say, I didn’t dare turn down what is so far only my third assignment. I’m making the best of it though.
Breakfast at the hotel today was something else. I’m not usually one to rave about eggs – I’ve been known to get the egg ick – but these were poached to actual perfection, perched neatly on thick slices of sourdough that had been grilled, not toasted. That’s an unnecessarily fancy step, surely, to grill your bread, but I’m here for it. The seasoned avocado that finished it off just sealed the deal. Easily a contender for my top five hotelbreakfasts of all time – well, now that I’m staying in lots of hotels, I’m making a list (although this is only the third one so far, so it’s not hard to get into the top five at present).
I’m having such a lovely time not working, seeing the sights, exploring everything the city and the surrounding area has to offer. I’m somehow doing my dream job, whatever it is, so in a roundabout way, Ben did me a favour, because I never would have left my old job were I not leaving him too. Sure, there were easier, less embarrassing ways to get here, but I’m at my destination now – so why stress over the turbulence?
It’s been such a busy few days and I’m positively knackered – mainly because everything I have done has involved so, so much walking.
I have hiked around the Blue Mountains National Park, which was so beautiful, but to me felt more like a climb than a hike. I’ve strolled around Sydney Harbour, taking in the sights of the Opera House, and the bridge – which I also walked up, which again also felt more like a climb than a walk, but that might be because they strap you into a harness and you walk up high, across the metalwork. I was nervous, at first, especially doing it alone, but being alone is something I’m starting to get used to. I shouldn’t miss out on things just because I’m single, right?
That said…
Today, in an attempt to feel like I’m at least doing some work, I have been swiping and chatting on Matcher, and there’s one guy I’ve been talking to for a few days – Liam – who seems nice and normal so we agreed to meet up for a stroll on Bondi Beach. Yep, more walking, but we’re having a lovely time so far. We’re taking it slow (in every sense) and chatting as we go.
It’s December, so it’s summer here, which was lovely but surreal to touch down to, after leaving the chilly weather back home. It’s positively hot – and so is Liam.
I know what you’re thinking: did I swipe right on him because he looks exactly as you’d expect a Bondi Aussie to look? Absolutely. Is his accent driving me wild? It certainly is.
Liam is a lifeguard, and while he may be wearing a vest on his top half now, most of his pictures were of him in his work uniform – shorts. Nothing but shorts. So I know there’s a toned swimmer’s body lurking underneath that top.
‘I’m much happier walking along the beach than I am going in the sea,’ I tell him.
‘If everyone thought that, I’d be out of a job,’ he jokes. ‘Fancy grabbing some food?’
‘I’d love to,’ I reply. ‘What do you recommend?’
‘Fish and chips,’ he suggests.
I laugh to myself. I’ve come all this way – travelling about as far as I can from the UK – and I’m going to have fish and chips for my lunch.
‘Sounds great,’ I reply.
To be fair, the fish and chips here are not at all like they are back home. They have so many different types of fish on offer – they even do lobster – and it’s in breadcrumbs, not batter, which is a nice change – so long as the UK authorities don’t take my passport off me for saying so.
