NERDGASM (Camren)

Chapter 14

Lauren

I need to buy Harry a gift basket or a drink or something because his advice was pure gold. I tried my best to remember what he said and follow his direction when I went down on Camila for the first time, and judging from the way she's been initiating sexy time the past couple of weeks, I'm honestly surprised he doesn't have an even larger herd of women following him around.

I turned Iron Man red when he asked me how everything worked out the first time we saw each other post-Mission Orange, and the smug grin and wink he gave me in response just showed how confident he is in his abilities.

If I've learned anything since then the past few weeks, it's to be confident in myself. Camila and I still haven't had sex yet, and I'm glad that we've been taking our time. Outside of the time we've spent on bases one through three, the connection we have has been building naturally.

I truly love spending time with her, and I'm so grateful she doesn't try to force me to be anyone I'm not.

I think back to the last time I had a girlfriend, which was in high school, and the differences between my ex and Camila are like comparing night and day.

 If my experiences over the years with bullies have taught me anything, it's to embrace who I am. The negative attention I've received because of my stutter has made me shy, but I've learned that being like everyone else isn't necessarily a good thing. Unlike my ex, Camila accepts my Marvel-loving, sometimes stuttering, nerdy self just as I am.

 I'm a lucky girl, and instead of being afraid of my growing feelings for her, I'm diving in with both feet.

"You ready, hot stuff?" Camila bounds over and leaps into my arms, effectively breaking me out of my musings.

"Ready when you are." I spin her around before setting her down with a kiss on the top of her head. "Let's go."

We're heading to an indoor skating rink for one of our dates, and while I only really excel in a swimming pool, I thought it'd be fun to try this out together. It's a quick drive to the rink, and before I know it, we're both lacing up our skates and heading onto the ice.

"Now I know why you picked this as a date." Camila squints at me as she looks at me, and I can't help but laugh at her funny facial expression. "I'm onto you, Lauren."

"Oh, really?"

"Yep, you chose ice skating because it's cold and we both suck at it, which means we need to bundle close together and be attached at the hip." As she says this, she wobbles and almost falls, her arms flailing around like a windmill.

She manages to grab my arm to keep steady, and once she finds her equilibrium, she continues. "Basically, you want to be close to me."

"If that were true, why bring you out in public? We could've just stayed in if you wanted to be close." I raise an eyebrow and waggle it suggestively, which causes her to burst out laughing.

"Oh, my God, I've turned you into such a perv." She slaps me on the chest playfully, and I chuckle at her words.

"You only have yourself to blame."

"Hey, I'm not complaining."

We smile at one another and continue to make our rounds around the rink, getting more competent on our skates with each rotation we make. Time passes quickly as we challenge each other to skate backward or across the rink without hugging the wall, but we always end up back together, our arms linked. Warmth fills my chest to have her by my side.

"You're right, you know," I say, filling the peaceful silence we were enjoying.

Camila glances up at me; her nose and cheeks are flushed pink from the cold and exertion. "I'm always right," she jokes. "But really, what was I right about?"