Page 16 of Staging Love
Jade tilted her head from side to side. “Yeah,” she said. “I’m happy. I may not be wealthy – in fact I’m totally broke – but I wouldn’t want to trade places with anyone else. Andright now, I’m actually very, very happy. You’re great company. I like spending time with you.”
“Me too,” Camilla whispered, meeting her eyes. Jade's words hung in the air between them, and she felt overwhelmed by the realization that despite all her success, she'd never felt as alive as she had in the past few days with Jade.
Chapter Eleven
Camilla slowly drifted into consciousness, her mind still hazy with sleep. The first thing she became aware of was a deep sense of warmth and contentment. She felt safe, comfortable, and utterly at peace. It was a feeling she couldn't remember experiencing in a very long time, perhaps not since childhood.
As her senses gradually sharpened, she began to register more details. The softness of the sheets against her skin, the gentle rhythm of breathing that wasn't her own, the weight of her arm draped over something warm and solid. Her eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the darkness of the room.
And then, in an instant, the peaceful bubble burst.
Camilla's heart leapt into her throat as she realized her arm was slung over Jade's chest, her body snuggled close against her pretend fiancée's side. Panic surged through her veins, chasing away any remnants of sleepy contentment. Her pulse quickened so dramatically that she was certain the thundering in her chest would wake Jade.
She lay there, frozen in place, hardly daring to breathe. How had this happened? They had gone to bed on oppositesides, a respectful distance between them. Now, here she was, practically wrapped around Jade like a vine.
Despite her rising panic, Camilla couldn't help but notice how... nice it felt. Jade's body was warm and soft against hers, their curves fitting together in a way that felt oddly natural. The gentle rise and fall of Jade's chest under her arm was soothing, and she could smell the faint scent of Jade's shampoo - something floral and fresh.
Camilla blinked, trying to clear these thoughts from her mind. This wasn't the time to be noticing how nice Jade smelled or how comforting her presence was. She needed to extricate herself from this compromising position before Jade woke up and things became unbearably awkward.
But how? Camilla's arm felt like lead, and she was acutely aware that even the slightest movement could disturb Jade's sleep. What if she did wake up? What would she think, finding Camilla wrapped around her like this? Would she be uncomfortable? Amused? Or worse... what if she thought Camilla had done it on purpose?
Taking a deep breath, Camilla steeled herself. She had to at least try to move. Slowly, with infinite care, she began to lift her arm from Jade's chest. Every millimeter felt like a mile, and she held her breath, listening intently for any change in Jade's breathing that might indicate she was waking up.
Just as she thought she might succeed in her escape, Jade shifted in her sleep. Camilla froze, her arm hovering awkwardly in mid-air. But Jade wasn't waking up. Instead, she was rolling over, turning towards Camilla, and before Camilla could react, Jade had settled against her, one arm draped over her waist.
If Camilla thought she had been panicking before, it was nothing compared to the riot of emotions coursingthrough her now. Jade's body was pressed all along her side, soft and warm. She could feel Jade's breath, slow and steady, against her neck, sending little shivers down her spine.
This was too much, too intimate. She wasn't used to this kind of closeness with anyone, let alone another woman. And yet... part of her, a part she was trying desperately to ignore, wanted to lean into it. To enjoy the comfort and security of being held like this.
She squeezed her eyes shut, willing her racing heart to slow down. This was ridiculous. She was a grown woman. She shouldn't be lying here, paralyzed with indecision over something as simple as sharing a bed. But it didn't feel simple. It felt monumental, like something was shifting inside her, something she wasn't sure she was ready to face.
As she lay there, hyper-aware of every point of contact between her body and Jade's, Camilla's thoughts drifted to the events of the past few days. The easy companionship she'd found with Jade, the laughter they'd shared on the ski slopes, the way Jade had seamlessly fit into her family gatherings. It had all felt so natural, so right.
And then there were the moments that had made her breath catch - the casual touches, the brief kisses for show, the way Jade looked at her sometimes when she thought Camilla wasn't paying attention. Camilla had brushed these moments off, attributing them to Jade's acting skills and her own overactive imagination. But now, in the quiet darkness of their shared bed, she couldn't help but wonder if there was more to it.
Was it possible that the attraction she felt wasn't one-sided? Jade had admitted to finding her attractive, but Camilla had dismissed it as part of their act. Now, shewasn't so sure. And if it wasn't just an act... what did that mean for her?
She’d never seriously considered the possibility that she might be attracted to women. She'd always assumed her lack of interest in relationships was due to her focus on her career, or perhaps just not meeting the right person. But what if the right personwasout there, just not in the package she'd expected?
The thought both thrilled and terrified her. If she allowed herself to explore these feelings, to admit that what she felt for Jade might be more than friendship or a business arrangement, it would change everything. Her life, her understanding of herself - all of it would be thrown into question. Would that be such a bad thing?
Jade stirred and Camilla felt her tense slightly, as if she was becoming aware of where her hand had come to rest. Jade lifted her head and soft chuckle escaped her lips, warm breath tickling Camilla's neck.
"Oops," she mumbled sleepily. "Sorry 'bout that." She began to retract her hand, the movement slow and groggy.
Camilla surprised herself by catching Jade's wrist. "It's okay," she whispered, her heart pounding. "I... I don't mind." She was conflicted, terrified and thrilled all at once and there was a pause, during which Camilla could almost feel Jade's mind processing her words through the haze of sleep.
"You sure?" Jade asked, her voice a mix of confusion and something else Camilla couldn't quite identify.
"I'm sure."
With a soft hum of acknowledgment, Jade shifted, turning to fully spoon Camilla. Her arm draped over Camilla's waist, pulling her close. Camilla felt the full length of Jade's body pressed against her back.
"Mmm," Jade murmured, her words slurring slightly asshe drifted back towards sleep. "You're so nice... and warm..."
Camilla lay there, basking in the intimacy of the moment. Her panic became muted, overshadowed by a growing sense of arousal, and as Jade's breathing evened out, signaling her return to sleep, fantasies started swirling through Camilla’s mind.
If it felt like this to be close to Jade, then… what would it feel like to kiss her? To touch her? To be touched in return, with purpose and want? Those thoughts were more than she could handle.
