Student Exchange

VIII

The next morning, I woke up in Lauren's embrace. Her front was pressed against my back. I was on my side and her arms were around my waist. My shirt had ridden up and her hand lay flat against my stomach. Every part that was enveloped by her was significantly warmer than the rest of my body and my skin felt tingly. This was an amazing way to wake up.

Lauren exhaled and nuzzled her face into my neck.

"Good morning, Camila," She pulled me closer to her; if that as even possible.

"Morning, babe," I answered, pulling my shirt down but I was stopped when she moved her hands higher up. "Move your hands, I need to pull my shirt down."

"Take you shirt off instead." She mumbled, obviously still have asleep.

"Buy me dinner first!" She poked at my side, making me squeal. "Lauren, I already told you," I grabbed her wrist and turned my body to face her. "I will never speak to you again,"

"Just because you're ticklish doesn't mean you have to ruin my fun!" She protested, rolling onto her stomach, her eyes closed. Then, as if she realised something, her head turned to face me and her eyes quickly opened. "I'll buy you dinner, though,"

"Okay?"

"I'm serious, and it's not just to get your shirt off." I laughed. "I want to take you out, Camila."

"Okay, where?" I asked, blushing slightly.

"Not sure yet, I'll let you know." She paused. "Actually, no, I probably won't."

"Incredible," I scoffed playfully.

"I know," She answered, turning over on her back. "Come cuddle, Camila."

"No, the girls are already awake upstairs and I want breakfast," I told her, sitting on my knees.

"Come cuddle," She repeated, whining this time.

"Lauren, I'm hungry,"

"And I want to cuddle. You're really beautiful in the morning, you know that?" I shoved her, hoping to turn the attention away from my cherry red cheeks and the fireworks in my stomach.

Lauren sat up, wrapped her arms around my waist, and pulled down until I was laying with her. I was on my back and Lauren practically crawled onto me. She had half her body on mine, her leg between my own, and her lips against my cheek where she placed quick chaste kisses.

"Can I give you a hickey?" She asked.

"No! What the fuck?"

"Why not?" She asked, calmly and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Because people will see it," I explained.

"Okay, then I'll do it where people can't see it," She tried to reason. "Like here," A sole index finger trailed along the valley between my breasts and I felt myself get increasingly warm. "Or down here," Her hand dropped to the inside of my thigh, close to my knee and began travelling up.

It took me an embarrassingly long time to gather what was going on and to stop my thoughts from running wild before I was able to stop her hand. The second I did, laughter rang out.

"Took you long enough," She chuckled.

"Lauren, you're an asshole," I sat up. "And a tease,"

"You considered it, though,"

"Obviously! I mean we are together," She raised an eyebrow. "It's going to happen eventually, just because I'm not ready for it to happen now doesn't mean we can't talk about it." She nodded and seemed pleased with my response.