Between Us (18+)

57| Amsterdam Antics

***\HOLLIE'S P.O.V/***

"That was such a good idea." I sung back to Josh, absentmindedly swinging my tote bag back and forth, marching ahead of both boys in my excitement to explore. The sky was now more overcast and the sun had decided to hibernate behind a thick bank of cloud, but it didn't diminish my happy mood. I was pretty certain nothing could.

"Told you so." Josh crept up behind me in order to stealthily pinch my side, his hands coming down on either side of my waist. I yelped in surprise but he didn't let go, instead continuing to walk with his arms wrapped around my midriff, his footsteps echoing mine.

"I don't remember complaining, in fact I clearly recall myself agreeing with your decision to visit a café." I defended myself from his unprovoked accusation, playfully jabbing my elbow back into his body just behind mine. When he had suggested getting stoned in a cliché Amsterdam café, I'd been the first to agree.

"If you say so." He hummed before lowering his mouth to my ear, whispering in a low voice so that only I could hear. "Want to join me in the most intense game ever created in order to determine who's right here?"

Ethan was still on the phone just a few feet behind us, forced to pick up a work call despite having just inhaled an impressive amount of the devils lettuce. He was pacing mindlessly up and down, eyes focused on the water in the canal just beside him. His eyes momentarily glanced up, almost as if he could feel me watching him and shot a small smile in my direction before going back to the conversation.

"Sure, Ethan looks like he's going to be a while anyway." I turned away from watching Ethan on the phone and slipped over to the bridge where Josh was waiting for me, two similar sized sticks held out in his right hand.

"Pick your weapon of choice."

"We're going to have a stick fight?" I rose an incredulous brow in his direction, unsure of where he was going with this game of his.

"Of course not, don't be silly." Of course, how silly of me to assume that the man with two weapon-sticks wasn't insinuating a fight. He propped himself against the bridge wall, shoulders bending over the railing to get a good look into the inky water below. "Has no one ever taught you how to play pooh sticks?"

"Pooh sticks?" I repeated his words, unable to hold back a surprised laugh. "I hope this isn't going where I think it is."

"You're disgusting." He shot me a humorous look before pulling me into his side so that I was also looking into the water. Once I was situated at his right side, he passed over my chosen stick and leaned in close to explain. "At the same time, we both drop our sticks into the water on this side of the bridge, and whoever's stick appears first on the other side wins. Ta-dah Pooh sticks!"

After 30 minutes of dropping sticks, the game took a turn. I don't think we would've had the attention span unless high. Well, it had been fun up until my lack of breakfast started to catch up on me and my stomach started to reenact whale mating calls. Josh hadn't missed the noises and grinned every time my stomach complained about missing breakfast.

"I'm starving." I complained to Josh after an intense ten rounds of pooh sticks. He won eight rounds out of ten, although I was adamant it was only due to his stick being bigger than mine. Cheater. "Can't we stop at a café for some actual food? Like you know, the stuff people put in their mouth's to survive?"

"It looks like someone's got the munchies, want to go get something to eat?" Ethan walked over to the bridge where Josh and I had stopped dropping sticks, finally finished with his work call.

"I'm sorry for taking so long." He moved closer, moving in to press a soft kiss against my cheek. I tipped my head to give his lips access to my cheek but completely misjudged which side he was aiming for. His lips skimmed mine and we both immediately broke out in large smiles, my answering giggle causing his lips to only spread wider.