Page 76 of Trial and Error

Bridget leans into my touch and climbs across the couch onto my lap.

Her thighs cradle my own as she hugs me, her face buried in my neck. And as the two of us sit like this, I feel the anxieties of not being wanted fade away and knowing that she feels the same as me has me feeling like I’m on cloud nine.

If I could take this moment and put it into a jar to savour it I would, but I can’t, so I settle for her body against mine and pray this is the start of something good.

bridget

Packing for a mini vacation with Elias’s family feels like the most natural thing in the world.

After I let slip about my feelings for him earlier in the week, and he confirmed his feelings were mutual, we fell into a little bubble. We watched movies and cuddled—a lot. And as soon as I closed the door behind him, after he left, I missed him. God, I sound pathetic but it’s been a while since I’ve felt this way about someone, and the whole experience is exciting.

Natalie was right, sometimes putting yourself out there does pay off.

Elias told me he’d come and get me after he was finished work around lunch time, and seeing as I had some vacation days to take, I decided to take the day off to get ready.

Going away with your fake fiancé’s family isn’t something I’m experienced with.

Tom and I hardly spent prolonged periods of time with each other’s families, so this is all new to me. Elias reassured me this would be relaxing and that I could be myself without worrying but that didn’t get rid the anxiety I feel about being around them. It’s not like they’re not amazing, because they are, but I’m worried that I might slip up and ruin this whole thing.

I’m lacing up my boots when there’s a knock at the door. I pull it open and smile, happy to see Elias’s face. He looks incredible in his casual attire—dark navy jeans and a khaki green hoodie underneath a light brown jacket. His hair looks messy and slightly overgrown, and I want nothing more than to run my fingers through those silky locks. I feel my mouth going dry at the sight.

God, he’s so fucking beautiful.

“Hey,” I breathe out, struggling to find my voice. “How did you get in?”

I grab my puffer coat from the rack and fold it over my arm as he drops down to pick up the duffle bag that sits at my feet. He lifts his left shoulder and a coy smile pinches at the corner of his mouth.

“Your neighbour.” He smirks. “Plus, I wanted to help with your bag,” he tells me as he steps forward.

His large, warm hand finds the dip in my waist, and I watch as he leans down to press a soft kiss against my lips. My body has a mind of its own and I lean into his touch almost immediately. I’ve never been so reactive to someone before and the comfort his presences brings me is something I’m not prepared go to without.

“You look beautiful,” Elias says against my mouth as he peppers me with a few kisses.

I scoff as I pull back. “I look like I just rolled out of bed.”

A mischievous look twinkles in his chocolate irises. “If you just rolled out of bed, there’s no chance you’d be wearing clothes.” I feel my cheeks heat at his words. “Especially if I had my way.”

I shove him back ever so slightly and shake my head, chuckling as he reaches down to intertwine our fingers, giving my hand a squeeze. There has been a shift since the two of us admitted how our feelings for one another are developing and it feels like things are slowly falling into place.

Elias holds my hand the entire way down to the car, only letting go to shut the passenger door once I’m situated in the seat. I wait as he puts my bag into the trunk and comes around to the driver’s side. He slides into the car and smiles.

“It’s about a six-hour drive, so we should be there around seven if the roads are clear.”

The two of us fall into a comfortable silence as Elias navigates his way out of Briarwood, toward Nelson. Once we’re on the highway Elias’s hand finds refuge on my right thigh and turns on a playlist. “I Wanna Be Yours” pours through the speakers and my ears prick up instantly.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Elias look over at me hesitantly. “You said this was your favourite song, right?”

I nod, swallowing the lump that begins to form in the back of my throat. “You remembered,” I whisper.

Elias squeezes my thigh. “I want everything that’s important to you to be important to me, too.”

It’s almost seven thirty when we turn onto a winding driveway, and as we get to the end, a large barn conversion appears, tucked in amongst several fir trees. It’s a two storey building and has a large gravel entrance where two other cars are parked. Elias pulls up next to a Lexus and shuts off the engine.

“This place is gorgeous,” I say in awe as I look up at the cream panelling and dark oak shutters.

Elias climbs out the car and rounds the front, opening the door for me. I step out of the car just as the pale blue front door swings open. Olivia comes bounding out of the house, and Oscar laughs as he watches his daughter run straight past Elias to me. Elias looks at his niece in disbelief as she wraps her arms around my legs. I bend down and lift her into my arms and hug her.

“Hello, angel.”