Page 59 of Harper's Holiday Romance
“One hundred thousand miles? Seriously?” Billie interjected. “Surely that’s impossible.”
“I thought so too when I first started studying. There’s enough to circle the earth approximately four times,” she confirmed.
“I feel like Harper right now. You’re going to laugh at me in a second, aren’t you?” Sarah glanced at me and then studied Julia’s face intently. There was no sign of deception.
“That’s mean.” I sulked.
Julia placed her arm around my shoulders and pulled me in. I allowed my body to fall into hers, despite her essentially comforting me for my woeful naivety.
“No, seriously, it’s true. Crazy for something the size of a small cauliflower.” Julia grinned.
Billie was speechless. Sarah was watching me fold into Julia’s arms like some kind of melting icicle, and all I could think about was the musky jasmine aroma oozing from her neck and arousing me by the second. When I reluctantly peeled myself from the warmth of her body, I sighed. I actually sighed out loud in front of everyone. It wasn’t a—I’m upset with the outcome of this evening—kind of sigh. No, this was a—I wish you’d continue to hold me in your arms whilst I inhale your scent and nibble on your neck—kind of sigh.
Billie and Sarah had to walk away. I could see them sniggering as they rounded the corner, no doubt looking for more Cantaritos. I was left to explain myself.
“Are you okay?” Julia chuckled.
“Uh-huh. Yeah. Fine. Great. Why wouldn’t I be?”
At least I was fine until my mouth betrayed me and turned me into a bumbling buffoon with no idea how to befine.
God, it was embarrassing.
I felt sorry for myself.
“You sure?” She did this cute thing with her hip, where she half bumped it into me, not enough to knock me off balance, but enough to make her presence felt. It felt like a high school flirting tactic.
Was she flirting with me?
As long as she didn’t try to rub my face in sand at the beach or stick her leg out to trip me only to pull me back to safety. Cringe.
God, I hated that—tell your mum I saved your life—was the chat up line, and me as a teenager deemed that appropriate behaviour to snog someone behind the back of the science labs. Ahh, to be young again.
“I’m okay, are you?” I was, aside from feeling weak in the knees because Julia Hanlow was smiling at me in that way she smiled, like she had no idea how captivating she was. I hated that, not Julia, just that thing some people had, that overbearing sex appeal and ability to ooze charismatic energy. She could bring someone back from the dead with the electrical voltage radiating through her body, and I could barely string a sentence together without falling at her perfectly proportioned feet. I had no proof they were perfectly proportioned, but the rest of her was, so I assumed.
“Yes. I like this.” She nudged me again. I was one touch away from writingSOSin the sand. My head felt fuzzy. The Cantaritos were to blame, also the three or four pre-drinks I had in the room beforehand.
I was nervous. Give a girl a break.
“Me too.” I looped her arm. It felt natural to have a PG part of my body touching hers. It didn’t always have to be PG—I hoped. The effects of the tequila were ready to spring to life and turn me into Tequila Harper. It was a nickname I’d never been given, but it would be appropriate were I to start climbing Julia like an un-neutered dog.
We stopped by a stall of hand-beaded jewellery. In between serving people the artisan was at work creating each piece, one intricate bead after another. The most beautiful black and yellow tones of an embellished beaded bracelet caught my eye. The artisan explained that the beads were made of glass, strung with nylon thread, and had a button closure.
“Can I take one of those please?” Julia asked. The artisan obliged, reaching for a small cloth bag to package the bracelet.
“Good choice,” I observed.
“It’s for you.” Julia handed the artisan ten dollars.
“Really? You didn’t have to.”
“I wanted to.” She smiled softly. “Reach out your hand.”
I obliged.
Julia carefully held the bracelet underneath my wrist, buttoning it on the inside with ease.
“It suits you.”
