Page 33 of Staging Love
"Alright, your turn," Jade said, handing Camilla a small, square box.
Camilla unwrapped it carefully, revealing the same type of velvet jewelry box. She opened it to find a simple and elegant gold bracelet. As she examined it more closely, her eyes widened in surprise. There, delicately engraved on a small charm, was the symbol for Pisces.
"Jade," Camilla gasped, her surprise genuine. She hadn't known what to expect, and she loved how their presents matched.Definitely a Christmas bonus."It’s beautiful."
As Jade fastened the bracelet around Camilla's wrist, their eyes met. In that moment, all pretense fell away, and the look that passed between them was one of pure affection. The gifts might have been chosen by Camilla’s assistant, but the connection between them was very, very real.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Camilla nestled deeper into the plush folds of their bedspread. The bedroom was bathed in a dim, cozy light, and outside, the muffled world was quiet under a blanket of snow. Her body ached in all the right ways—her muscles tired but content, warmed by the day’s joy.
Beside her, Jade tapped away on her phone, sending quick, lighthearted holiday wishes to friends. After a few moments, she set the phone aside, her eyes softened with a rare, contemplative look. "I’ll tell you what," she began, turning toward Camilla, "I was kind of dreading this job at first. But now? I'm actually sad it's almost over. Part of me wishes we could stay longer."
Camilla smiled as she snuggled closer. “Well,” she said, “we can come back anytime. The house is partially in my name now. Dad left his share of the estate to me. It’s even more beautiful in the summer.”
Jade’s eyes widened. "Seriously? That sounds… perfect." She reached out, her fingers lightly tracing Camilla’s cheek in a gesture so tender it made Camilla’s heart do that soft,flutter thing again. “Maybe next time we could spend more time together, just us—no audience.”
“I’d love that,” Camilla said. “And I want to visit Ohio with you. See where you come from. There’s so much I don’t know yet.”
Jade’s grin spread slowly, her eyes gleaming with a mix of excitement and affection. “I was hoping you'd say that. It’s nothing fancy like this place, but it's home. You’ll see why it means so much to me.”
"I can't wait," Camilla murmured. "But first, we need to do this right when we get back. How about a real date?"
Jade’s eyebrows shot up. “What, this wasn’t a ‘real’ date?” she teased, gesturing around dramatically at the luxurious house and snowy wonderland they had been staying in.
Camilla laughed. “You know what I mean. A classic date, the kind where we dress up and go somewhere fancy. Like that French bistro in Beverly Hills you keep talking about. Wait… is it even real or did you make that up?”
“Oh, that place? It’s real. I promise. I’ve passed it a few times, but I never had the guts to go in. It seemed way too romantic to go to alone or with friends.”
“Well, now you’ve got no excuse,” Camilla said playfully. She shifted and groaned when her back protested.
“Are you okay?” Jade asked. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m fine. Just sore from all the skiing and outdoorsy stuff. It happens every year.”
Jade's eyes sparkled with mischief as she leaned closer, her voice dropping into a playful, flirtatious tone. "I can take care of that."
Before Camilla could respond, Jade was already slipping out of bed, padding over to the fireplace where she began to stoke the dying embers back to life. "Why don’t you undress while I make sure it’s nice and warm in here?" she added over her shoulder.
Camilla chuckled. "What exactly are you up to?"
"I’m going to give you a massage. I saw a bottle of massage oil in the bathroom earlier. And trust me, I’m pretty good when it comes to massages."
Camilla’s pulse quickened at the thought, her body already on fire in anticipation. "I won’t say no to that. She sat up, peeled off her nightgown, and lay down on her front, eagerly waiting to feel Jade’s hands on her skin.
The fire crackled, the warmth spreading, seeping into her bones and Jade returned a moment later, the massage oil in hand. She moved to the edge of the bed and stared down at her. “When I said undress, I meant everything,” she whispered teasingly, tugging at Camilla’s panties. “Can I take these off?”
Camilla’s breath hitched as she lifted her hips so Jade could pull them down.
“That’s better,” Jade said, then climbed onto the bed and straddled her. Rubbing the oil in the palms of her hands, her touch was warm as they smoothed over Camilla’s shoulders. “Let me know if you want me to go softer or harder, okay?”
Camilla nodded, closing her eyes as Jade's hands began to work. Her first touch was light, testing the tension in her muscles, but Jade quickly found the knots, her palms pressing firmly into the tight spots in Camilla’s shoulders. She kneaded the muscle with skill, her fingers expertly working out the aches. Camilla let out a soft, involuntary moan as the pressure released, the sensation both soothing and tantalizing.
Slowly, Jade’s hands moved down her back, her thumbs pressing into the muscles along Camilla’s spine in deep,deliberate strokes. Camilla could feel the heat building under her skin. There was something about the way Jade moved, the care in her hands, that made her body hum with desire.
When Jade reached her lower back, she shifted back onto her knees to apply more pressure as her hands slid down to Camilla’s hips. Every movement was slow, deliberate, teasing as much as it was relieving. Her hands traveled lower, gently massaging her thighs, the oil slick and warm under her fingers.
Her hands started working on Camilla’s calves, kneading with the same careful attention, and Camilla’s body responded instantly, her senses heightened, her skin prickling with the building tension. Every stroke was slow and sensual, Jade’s fingers curling around her muscles and stirring something deeper within her.
