“Come on,” says Harmony, pulling me by the arm. “Girl, you need lingerie!”
An hour later, I’m freshly showered, with my hair blown out, and my face made up into a sun-kissed glow. I’m wearing Harmony’s least revealing lingerie option, a pale pink silk chemise with a matching robe. Flanked by the girls, I go back to the flagpole to meet Kei. He’s surrounded by the guys, who clear the way for me as I approach. I watch him take me in.
“You look beautiful,” he says, kissing my cheek.
“Thanks. You’re looking pretty fine yourself.”
And he is. He’s wearing a classic men’s pyjama set made of navy silk with white trim. The shirt hangs open, exposing a strip of his golden-brown chest. What would it be like to lick that patch of chest?
Nope, put that thought away.
We follow Teddy, the camera guy, to the beach and then onto a path I’ve never noticed before. He assures us he’s just there to film the first moments in the Treehouse, and then he’ll be out of our way.
Unlike the rest of the camp, the Treehouse is beautiful. Even though it’s a simple structure made from wood planks, the fact that it’s a new build makes it feel luxurious. It’s only slightly bigger than the bed it contains, but the beauty is in the details. White fairy lights hang in acrisscross pattern from the beams that make up the ceiling, casting a warm, sexy glow. A cluster of ivory coloured pillar candles of varying sizes flank each side of the bed. On one bedside table, a bottle of Prosecco chills in a sweating ice bucket, and on the other, there is a platter of fresh fruit.
The bed is a queen-sized mattress adorned with a fluffy white duvet and a stack of colourful throw pillows, and looks like it’s made for rolling around in all night. A warm flush passes over me as I imagine us in it, followed by a pang of regret that Kei and I will do nothing but sleep in that bed.
Teddy captures some footage of us for what I imagine to be a montage—feeding one another grapes, linking arms and sipping Prosecco, having a pillow fight. I try to keep it light and sexy, but my chest burns with anxiety.
“I just need the ‘under the covers’ shot and then I’ll get out of your way,” he says, switching out the lens on his camera. Kei and I look at one another. “You know,” Teddy continues, “that shot where you guys are kissing in bed and then you pull the covers up over your heads. You’ve seen it before.”
Kei exhales slowly, then gives me a look as if to sayare you ready?
I nod. He lowers himself down first, lying on his side with his legs stretched out long. He pulls the duvet back, making a space for me. I crawl in, pulling my robe tight around me. Even though it covers far more than my bikini, I’m feeling very exposed.
“Go ahead with the kiss,” Teddy instructs.
Kei cradles my chin with his thumb and forefinger, tilting my head up toward him. His mouth is arranged in a soft smile, but his eyes are dark with something I can’t quite read.
And then his lips are on mine. The shock of it causes my breath to catch in my throat. But then he pushes the full length of his body against mine, and I feel everything else in the world fade away.
“Beautiful, beautiful,” I hear Teddy say, as if from far away. “Now Kei, turn Cleo onto her back and pull the covers over your heads.”
Without breaking the kiss, Kei does as he’s told, rolling so that he’s partially on top of me. I wrap my leg around his, pulling him in closer. The world darkens as the duvet covers us, bringing us into our own private sphere. I grab his ass and raise my hips up to meet his, a shock of desire moving through me as I feel how much he wants me.
He pulls away from me with a gasp. I grab the back of his head, hungry to bring him back to me, to kiss him until we are nothing but bodies, pulsing sensations, but he resists. I open my eyes. In the darkness, I search his face. His mouth is set in a grim line. He has that look in his eyes, like he’s asking me a question.
What would happen if we let go?
“Why—” I start, in a breathy whisper, but he just shakes his head. He doesn’t want to kiss me when no one is watching. It’s not part of our deal.
“Cleo, can you just stick your foot out and curl your toes for me?” Teddy’s voice shatters the moment. Kei gives me a sad smile as I pull the duvet up to expose my foot.
“Beautiful. Okay, I’ve got what I need. Have a fun night, you two,” Teddy says, chuckling as he lowers himself down the ladder.
Kei pulls back the blanket, and the rush of cool air makes me shiver.
“So,” I say, biting my lip.
“So,” Kei says, fiddling with a tag on the blanket.
“What should we do now?”
Kei laughs, but he doesn’t smile. “This place is really only made for two things—sleeping, and—” He trails off.
And the one thing we won’t be doing.
“Right,” I say.
