Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
CARA
We still hadn’t talked about the kiss at her grandmother’s house. Or any of the ones since then. Every time I wanted to, Vera would change the subject, or someone would interrupt us. I wondered why the universe was so against us talking about it. I also wondered if we even needed to at this point.
We already knew how we felt about each other, but what happens now?
What happens after the wedding when we aren’t pretending anymore?
The more time we spent together, the more I wanted to get to know her and see what could actually happen between us.
I was scared, but weren’t all the best things in life scary?
I’d asked Vera if she wanted to come on my walk with me this morning. Of course, she went, and I had to admit I enjoyed her company more than being alone.
I liked my time alone to think about things, but it was nice to have someone to talk to.
She was so easy to talk to and get along with.
And the makeout sessions as the sun came up didn’t hurt.
It was oddly romantic but I tried not to let myself think thoughts like that.
We were just enjoying ourselves. Putting on a show no matter where we were, just in case one of my friends happened to show up.
We had just finished breakfast and needed to get ready. We were all meeting in the lobby of our resort for our Balinese cooking class. Drea had prepared a car to take us to another resort where the class was being held, and she said the route was supposed to be absolutely stunning.
I was super excited to try some new cuisine. We were ending the night after the class with a bonfire on the beach set up by the resort. It sounded like a perfect day to me.
Drea wanted to go whitewater rafting or cliff jumping, but Blair vetoed that idea. We all voted and picked the cooking class. We were all foodies, so it made sense.
Hiking was also on the list, but I vetoed that one. Hiking and I were not good friends. I wasn’t really an outdoor girlie, unless I was playing a sport or at the beach.
“I’m going to jump in the shower. Care to join me? We are on a time crunch, after all.”
“Sure,” I replied, unable to hide my laugh when Vera’s eyes almost popped out of her head.
“Really?”
I scoffed. “Of course not. Nice try, though. I’ll go when you’re done.”
She frowned and I almost felt bad for getting her hopes up. “I’m wearing you down, I know it.”
I rolled my eyes, not wanting to tell her that she was right. She put our dishes in the dishwasher and kissed my forehead before heading off to the bathroom.
I tried to look away when she took off her shirt before she even made it into the bathroom, but I had no control over my eyes. Her back muscles were insane.
“Don’t you dare, Vera!” I yelled as she started to pull her pants down. She barely got her fingers underneath the band of her sweatpants before I stopped her.
“Why? We’ve seen each other naked before. Are you afraid you won’t be able to resist me anymore if I’m naked?” She smirked and I let out a little whine. I freaking whined!
I shouldn’t have said a damn thing. I should’ve known she’d acknowledge me if I spoke to her. Why the hell did I speak to her?
Instead of looking at her bare back, I was now looking at her bare front. She wasn’t wearing a bra, so I had a full perfect view of her small but still appetizing chest and those damn arms.
“Fuck,” I whispered, hopefully low enough to where she couldn’t hear. I cleared my throat, forcing my jaw back up from off the floor. I may have been an ass and arms woman, but I could appreciate boobs of any size, shape, or color, and right now, I was seconds away from giving in. I was pathetic.
She took a step closer and I didn’t know what to do. I was frozen in my spot. Was she going to try something? Was I going to let her? Was I going to be the one to try something?
“Princesa, you can’t look at me like that.”
“Like—like what?” I asked, my voice betraying me and revealing how nervous I actually was.
Another step closer. A few more and she’d be able to feel the heat radiating off my body. The erratic pounding of my heart. I was such a horny mess and she’d only taken her shirt off. She wasn’t even touching me! Cara, pull it together!
“Like you want me. If you keep looking at me like that, I don’t know how much longer I can control myself.”
I groaned. I didn’t either! “Vera.” It was all I could get out. Another step closer and I was giving in.
“Cara, I’m warning you. You need to tell me to leave, right now. Tell me not to kiss you, because if you don’t, I am going to, and I’m not going to stop until we’re both naked and we won’t make it to our cooking class with the group.
Well, what was I supposed to say to that? No? I mean, I supposed that would’ve been the right thing to do. What wasn’t the right thing was to close the distance between us and practically jump in her arms.
I wrapped my arms and legs around her, fusing us together even more. She couldn’t say things like that, look at me like that, and expect me not to give in. I was only human and this thing had been building between us for far too long.
She backed me up until my back was against the wall. I gasped and kissed her harder. Her hands were on my hips and she was tearing me apart from the inside with that kiss. There was no part of my body that didn’t want her.
My hands were roaming from her face down to the waistband of her pants. I went to pull them down, but she put her hands on top of mine, stopping their movements.
“Mierda,” she whispered, breaking the kiss.
Shit was right. What the hell had we been thinking? Kissing was one thing but sleeping together again? That would’ve really complicated things.
“Yeah. Shit,” I panted, trying to come back to earth after that kiss. She had about one more time to kiss me like that before I just said “fuck it.”
“I’m sorry.”
I frowned. “You’re sorry? For what? I started it. I should be the one apologizing to you.”
She shook her head, taking a few steps back. “No, princesa. Please don’t apologize for one of the best kisses of my life. Kissing you always feels like the first time, but we shouldn’t do anything more until we can talk about things. I don’t want to be something you regret, and I know you will.”
“Vera—”
“We’re okay, I promise.” She came closer and cupped the side of my face, pressing a soft kiss to my lips. I tried not to pout when she pulled away too quickly. “I’m going to start getting ready.”
She smiled and turned away before I could say anything else. Before I could say I didn’t think I’d regret it. Before I could say I wanted it.
The resort that housed the cooking class was similar to ours. The layout looked the same, just different vibes. The one we were in was more island vibes and this one was more health and wellness, which I absolutely loved.
“If I ever come back here, I need to stay in this resort,” I said as we walked to our class.
Since there were about ten of us, we had the class to ourselves, which was so nice. Our instructor came in and introduced herself. She’d been teaching the class for over ten years at that resort and owned her own restaurant before that.
Her voice was very calm and relaxing and I loved that. It felt like a yoga class, but with delicious food.
“Today’s menu is going to be an easy one.
We’re going to start off with a Lawar Salad, which is just a green bean, fresh coconut, and chicken salad.
Then we are going to move on to Tum Ikan, which is steamed fish in a banana leaf.
And finally, we’re going to make Dadar Gulung, essentially a green pancake cooked with palm sugar and rolled up and filled with shredded coconut.
Does anyone have any questions before we begin? ”
We all shook our heads and let the class proceed.
There were two of us at a table, and of course, Vera was at the table with me, which I wouldn’t have minded if she hadn’t worn that bourbon cologne she always wore that got me riled up.
I didn’t know why that cologne sent a message to my brain begging for it to tell my body to strip naked, but it always did.
The class was so much fun and I never thought fish in a banana leaf would’ve tasted so amazing. The salad was to die for and I made a note to remember the recipe so I could make it at home.
Kaia and Daisy looked so adorable measuring things out together and feeding each other. They were really in love and it melted my heart to see. Fallon and Mackenzie kept looking at me and Vera and smiling, and I wasn’t sure why.
Vera kept “accidentally” brushing our hands together and kissing the top of my head.
I didn’t think it was an accident when she put her hand on my thigh while the instructor was talking.
Did it affect me? Absolutely. Did I tell her to stop?
Absolutely not. I probably should’ve but we were putting on an act, and I actually wanted her touch.
After the class, we headed to our respective rooms to change our clothes and meet at the bonfire before the sunset. Since we’d already taken a shower, we changed our clothes and headed downstairs, hand in hand.
I’d chosen my favorite green dress that I took with me on every vacation. It was short and flowy and so comfortable. And Vera chose board shorts and a tight white t-shirt. I didn’t think it would, but I really hoped it rained.
The sun was setting just as we approached the bonfire and it was absolutely breathtaking. I stopped her before we reached everyone.
“I don’t know if I’ve thanked you yet for doing this for me. For coming along on this trip and keeping me company.”
“You haven’t. I can wait.” She smiled.
I rolled my eyes and placed a soft kiss on her lips. She pulled me closer and deepened the kiss. “Thank you,” I whispered when we parted.
“For the trip or the kiss?”
“Both,” I said.
“Okay, you two. Get a room.”
I jumped at Drea’s voice behind us. I turned around to see her and Blair walking towards us. Shit. I thought they were already down at the beach with everyone else.