All About Me

by Joanna Mazurkiewicz

  “So, have you decided what to do?” I ask.

  “You should be happy. I can’t afford to go back, otherwise I’ll be skint for the rest of the summer.”

  I stare at her blankly, wondering if she is fucking with me. This is really happening. She is staying. I want to hug her, but I can’t afford to make that kind of mistake right now, so instead I say, “You don’t realise how happy you’ve made me feel. I’m glad.”

  “Don’t be, because I’m not doing this for you.”

  I don’t say anything else, but I grin like I just won the lottery. Fuck, I want to dance, but instead, I text Dora to let her know that everything is going according to plan. Pure joy spreads all over my body, kicking my libido up to the roof. We are going to spend the best five days ever in Italy.

  Outside it’s blazing hot; the temperature is soaring above twenty degrees Celsius. There are tourists everywhere. Girls are ranting about the town where we are going to stay. India is quiet, looking around. Once we get to the bus, the air feels a bit cooler. India tries to move to the back, but she doesn’t know anyone else in the group and I won’t let her sit alone.

  “So are you going to follow me everywhere?” she asks, once I situate myself beside her.

  “That’s the plan.”

  “This isn’t funny, Oliver. I’m not your girlfriend or even a friend. Don’t make this difficult for me. Despite that kiss outside the classroom, me and Russell are still together.”

  “I respect that. I’m not here to steal you away from him. I’m just trying to remind you that we had been friends for years and I would like to continue with that route.”

  “You need to earn it and so far you haven’t done that.”

  Our conversation is interrupted by Michael, who starts telling us about the next couple of days. We are going to stay in the small tourist town of Cefalu. We will spend a day up there and in the evening we will head to Palermo. On the third day we will visit one of the oldest Greek ruins in Syracuse.

  We have a busy itinerary, but I notice there are some opportunities where I can show India a good time alone. I cannot wait to head back to the hotel. We are sharing a room and that’s the highlight of this trip. I brush my elbow with hers a few times, just to remind her that I’m sitting next to her. I love teasing her and feeling the electricity between us as her body stiffens. I bet she never had this with Evans. We don’t talk much while enjoying the view through the bus’s window until we reach the hotel. Our driver is Italian and he drives like a complete lunatic. It’s late afternoon by the time all the bags are out of the bus and we all gather outside the hotel. A short Italian woman welcomes us. Her reception is cool. Michael sorts out the keys, calling everyone’s name.

  “Morgan and Gretel, here is your key and remember to behave.”

  “Hold on a minute, what do you mean this is our key? I’m not staying in the same room with him,” India starts to protest.

  “Unfortunately, all the rooms are fully booked and it’s full season, so I don’t think you have any choice.”

  India looks like she wants to stab Michael right between the eyes. I take the key, trying not to show that I’m in fucking heaven.

  “Come on, let’s find our room,” I nudge her.

  “You planned all this, didn’t you?”

  “Sort of. I didn’t expect they would put us in the same room straight away, but hey, it’s a bonus.”

  “Just shut up, Oliver.”

  The building seems dated, but clean enough. The rooms are cool and ours is not too bad: standard with two single beds and a balcony overlooking the sea and gardens. I put my bags down and help India with her large suitcase.

  I jump on the bed, trying to catch my breath.

  “We have to establish some ground rules first of all,” she says, wiping the sweat off her forehead. She probably noticed my whacky grin and, yeah, I can’t stop picturing her underneath me. Fuck, I’m getting hard already just thinking about it.

  “Yeah, like what?” I ask, thinking about flying pigs.

  She places her hands on her hips, pinning me down with her eyes.

  “I haven’t forgiven you. All that time, you led me to believe that we were together, so you could humiliate me in the end in the cruelest way possible. If you think that this trip will get us closer, then you are wrong.”

  I’m trying to be serious now, but she looks so cute trying to show me that she is not attracted to me.

  “India, we are on holiday. I’m not planning to take advantage of you. I’ve changed and I’m sorry.”

  “Apology not accepted, and that’s the first rule. Don’t talk about us, because there is no us. Once this whole trip is over, you will go back to your life and I’ll go back to mine.”

  “I don’t think I can accept that. We will spend five days together; I want to talk about us.”

  She goes pale, probably because she is so pissed off with me. “I’m going to call Russell and tell him that you’re here with me.”

  “Great, I like honesty in a relationship. I told you, India, I’m not here to seduce you. I want us to talk, to erase the past and start over.”

  “You’re so full of yourself, Oliver, and I hate it. I can’t just forget about the way you treated me,” she snarls, tossing her hair behind her. “My rules stand.”

  “Yeah, I get it. Anything else?” I like winding her up. She glows more when she’s angry and frustrated.

  “If I tell you to leave the room, then you fucking do. I need my privacy.”

  “India, I’m a gentlemen. I’ll do whatever you want. For sure, we will have an awesome time together.”

  She snarls with a grin and starts unpacking her stuff. The tension between us is thick. Okay, she doesn’t want to trust me because she thinks I’m going to fuck this up again.

  The conversation gets a little bit less awkward later when we join the rest of the group for dinner. The food is mouthwatering and I try everything that the hotel has to offer. It’s mostly seafood. India chats with the girls who are studying economics, and I sneak out to use my laptop. Tomorrow, I want to be prepared. We are going to be in Palermo in the evening, so a dinner is in the cards, whether she likes it or not.

  She can’t pretend that I don’t exist. We are going to spend almost twenty-four hours together every day. Sooner or later she’ll give in and start treating me like she used to. I have to be charming and on my best behaviour. I get the details of the best restaurant in Palermo and get back as the group continues to chatter on. The barman serves us a few cocktails and the group slowly starts getting to know one another. There are some guys here who my internal voice tells me are obviously searching for opportunities to get laid.

  You are here for her, to gain her trust. That’s all you should be thinking about. Everything else can wait.

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Hoaxes.

  Present

  “Morning, sleeping beauty, time to rise. It’s a glorious day outside,” I say a few minutes after eight o’clock in the morning. We were supposed to be at breakfast ten minutes ago, but India looks so peaceful sleeping and I feel guilty dragging her out of bed this early.

  “Shut up, Oliver,” she mumbles, opening her eyes and staring at me with her usual frown. After dinner India was on her phone for several minutes. She probably talked to Russell and from her expression, I don’t think the conversation went well. Then things went pretty crazy. India started drinking cocktails, and before I knew it, she was very tipsy and danced on the table. So this morning, she is probably hungover. I was on my best behaviour, making sure that she got back to the room safely and getting her tucked into bed in the middle of the night.

  There is a mixture of different people in the group. Girls ask me if India and I are a couple. I tell them that we used to be, but now she is with someone else.

  “We are already late for breakfast,” I remind her.

  She gets up with a heavy sigh, showing me her perfect legs. I widen my eyes, staring as she runs to the bathr
oom wearing very short pyjama shorts. She is killing me; I don’t think it was a good idea to share a room together if she is going to dress like that.

  India is sexy as hell, and I had problems with falling asleep last night. She was lying in bed next to me, kicking off the covers and revealing her beautiful arse, too drunk to be aware that my small bed was right next to hers. The night was pretty hard going, as I have a great imagination. As I hear the shower, I leave the room, giving her some privacy.

  So far everything is working out exactly how I wanted. No one is going to ruin my good mood. I texted Dora last night, letting her know that I have problems with my phone and I won’t have a chance to call anyone again. I don’t want to waste my time giving her daily reports, because this whole trip is all about India.

  Everyone looks tired at breakfast, and Michael tells me off when I show up. I’m not the only one that is late this morning. At least three girls are still missing. I had a few last night, but the girls were pretty wild, so they probably haven’t woken up yet. The restaurant is busy and I waste no time grabbing a plate of the freshest local produce. All the food looks delicious and I’m keen to try the famous Italian meat. My sleeping beauty arrives ten minutes later, looking glorious and wearing a yellow summer dress. A few guys in the restaurant eye her, but I tell myself to keep it together.

  “You’re making this hard for me, aren’t you?” I ask her as she sits with her plate of food.

  “What do you mean?” she asks, looking baffled.

  “Don’t you think that your dress is a bit short? Those guys over there have been eyeing you since you came in.”

  “And why do you care? You have no right to tell me how I’m supposed to dress.”

  “No, but I find it difficult to concentrate, and I think Evans would appreciate my point of view.”

  “Give me a break.” She chuckles. “And if you stop staring, then you wouldn’t have problems with concentration.”

  Unfortunately, for the rest of the breakfast our conversation is a little stiff and awkward. I’ve been waiting for us to get together since we talked at the barn party. So I have to calm down and ease off on my seductive games. This whole friendship thing can’t go according to plan if I keep looking at her like I want to rip her clothes off.

  After everyone is done with the food, the whole group meets outside the hotel half an hour later. India has her camera and we are all ready to explore this beautiful old town. Michael is talking to his Italian guide, a dark-haired woman in her forties, as we walk through the streets of Cefalu. We are heading towards the cathedral that is situated in the centre of town.

  Cefalu is a picturesque and historic town on a rocky headland, surrounded by substantial and elegant buildings. Every year tourists fill the narrow streets, arriving here from every part of the world. The town’s population doubles in the summer season, and now that I’m here, I get why. Cefalu has this unique, magical aura, and as we walk through the streets, I find myself immersed in the silence that radiates from these old buildings.

  India glances all around, snapping pictures. She is more relaxed now, so I try to strike up a conversation again, hoping that this time she won’t mind.

  As we walk further down, our guide points La Rocca on our right, a huge mountain crowned by an old medieval fortress on top. I’ve read about it and I’ve plans to take India there later. As we walk towards the end of the street, the view opens up to a long, sandy beach. I’m keen to take India to all the small shops after a relaxing day by the sea. Soon we reach the famous cathedral, and India lets me take a few photos of her. We stop there for a bit as the guide talks about how two strong matching towers flank the cathedral porch. La Rocca dominates the skyline above it. I take my phone and sneak a few snaps of India in this beautiful background. I can’t help it—she is just too gorgeous.

  The day stretches on and a few hours later, our group relaxes inside one of the coffee shops. Everyone looks a little tired, not being used to the heat. I’m glad when Michael takes us back to the hotel for a bite to eat. The lunch is delicious. The hotel offers buffet style food and there are a lot of choices from homemade pasta, seafood, meats and cheeses.

  “I think we should go to the beach?” I suggest innocently, after we get five minutes’ rest in our room.

  “Why do you automatically assume that I’m going to go out with you?” she asks, glaring at me.

  “Because I’m awesome! Trust me, a beauty queen like you doesn’t want to hang around alone in a town filled with horny and unpredictable tourists. I’m protecting Evans’s interests.”

  She smiles a little. “I can take care of myself. Besides, the girls said that I can go with them,” she says. “And you don’t have to complement me. That won’t get you anywhere.”

  “You’re beautiful, India. Besides, Lydia and Clara have already left. I saw them with those blokes from the cricket team,” I say, grinning. Yeah, no more excuses. There is no way that I’m letting her out on her own.

  “Fine, whatever. Let’s just go.”

  She is annoyed and I’m glad that my compliment smoothed the mood a little. I have no idea what the other people are doing, and frankly speaking, I don’t care, because for the rest of that glorious afternoon it is just India and me. We both had a tough few weeks and this trip is supposed to reunite us, bring us back together again.

  Our hotel is about a fifteen-minute walk to the beach. The buildings stretch along the beautiful sandy beach, giving the impression they are just about to fall into the water.

  “Oh, Oliver, this is amazing!” she sighs as we step away from the busy town straight onto the sandy shore.

  “And you wanted to go back,” I mutter.

  We chose a spot somewhere in the middle. The guide mentioned that in July, this beach is completely packed with tourists. India looks fucking hot in her black bikini and I have to stop myself from staring at her perfect arse. We both sit down and she takes the suntan lotion and starts applying it.

  “Do you need a hand with that?” I ask, looking straight into her eyes. She hesitates, staring back. As we look like that at each other, we realise this is our moment, and we both know that if I touch her, I won’t stop until I devour her. She then shakes her head nervously.

  “No, I’m fine.”

  Her tone is hoarse and I don’t push, because I know there will be plenty of opportunities for me to try to seduce her.

  I stretch out my arms, lying on my back, watching her through my dark sunglasses. My heartbeat is unsteady as she applies the suntan lotion over her flawless skin. She has a high factor, as her skin is fair and she burns easily.

  “You know that you’re going to burn if you don’t let me put the lotion on your back,” I remind her.

  She scowls at me. “Fine, just be quick.”

  Okay, this is going to be much more difficult than I expected. I squeeze a lot of lotion on her bare back and apply it while she leans over. She stiffens her muscles. A wave of heat automatically rushes to my pants, but I have to continue running my palms over her back, massaging it. My breathing gets ragged and I try to calm down, tightening my throat. Our hot kisses start dancing in front of my eyes. The sun is burning the nape of my neck, but I keep rubbing the lotion in. My fingers don’t want to stop touching her.

  I spread the lotion over her shoulders as a small gasp of pleasure escapes her. My cock goes hard in an instant, which restricts my movements and puts me in a really awkward position. Now I’m totally fucked because I can’t get up. I need to feel her. There is only one way to get out of this situation, so before she lets me do anything, I get up and run towards the sea, diving in as soon as I can. The water is cold and refreshing. India turns me on and there is nothing I can do about it. But I don’t want to look like a complete prick in front of her.

  India keeps staring at me, confused and pissed off at the same time. I dive in, wiping any sexual memories out of mind. I swim, thinking yet again about flying pigs. That does the job, so when I sit next to her again, m
y Johnson is flat. She doesn’t say anything to me and goes for a swim later on. I sunbathe for a bit and then go to the shop and buy ice cream.

  “Here, I got you some ice cream. Toffee, your favourite.”

  “You shouldn’t have,” she mutters back.

  She reapplies her sun tan lotion, this time around without my help, and an hour later we both decide that it’s time to call it a day. We don’t talk much on the way to the hotel. My whole strategy is slightly off at the moment. I ditched sex with random birds and now I’m frustrated. Whatever happens, I have to keep going and focus on the only woman that is right for me.

  It’s just before five in the afternoon when we get back. The heat is a little less overwhelming. I don’t want her to feel forced to be with me, but I want to take her to La Rocca and then try to apologise once again. I give her some alone time and go to the bar to grab a drink. All these new emotions are confusing. Our mutual attraction is making it worse. She is resisting, pushing me away.

  Surprisingly, she joins me half an hour later. She caught the sun and her freckles are much more evident.

  “Hey, ready to climb the mountain and experience the stunning view?” I ask.

  “Yeah, let’s do it,” she agrees.

  I look at her, surprised, but don’t say anything in case she changes her mind. Maybe I’m lucky today! She is slowly understanding she can’t fight with me and forgetting about my nasty shit.

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  Pushing for it.

  Present

  Climbing La Rocca is fucking hard work. I normally don’t complain, but this heat takes all my strength out of me. Sweat is surging down my face, but we keep walking, climbing farther and higher. India is right behind me. So far I haven’t heard a single complaint from her and I’m impressed. We are both fit enough. Not wanting to sound like a wimp, I don’t say anything, just carry on. A few tourists walking back greet us on the way. Now I get why most of the people from the group turned down my offer to accompany us. They prefer to stay on the terrace lying in the sun, rather than climbing this tough mountain. There are some old fortifications on the way. We stop, trying to catch our breath, pretending that we can carry on just fine.