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“There aren’t that many Spanish-style buildings here,” she said, more to herself than anyone else.
“There are in the older areas,” Joe said. “Some of the government buildings and museums have great Spanish architecture.”
“Not as many as Lima.” Julia nuzzled against the warm cotton of his t-shirt. She could have sworn it helped with her nausea. “I wanted to go to San Francisco Monastery in Lima. It has an ancient library and a mosaicked courtyard. The ceiling is carved Moorish design, and there are catacombs underneath it.” She felt wistful. All she’d seen of Lima was a prison, a bar and lots of bad roads. “Did you know that someone rearranged all of the bones in the catacombs in pretty patterns? There’s a circular pit full of skulls arranged in matching concentric circles.”
“Bones in circles, huh? You’ll get to see it, baby. Once this is over, I’ll take you sightseeing.” Joe’s voice rumbled through her cheek, making her melt inside. “We’ll take the train from Cuzco to Machu Picchu village, then the bus up the winding mountain road to the old ruins. You’ll feel like you’re sitting on top of the world.”
“Joe.” Julia gave him what she hoped was a stern look. “I feel like I’m at the top of the world right now. Hello? Altitude sickness, remember?”
He laughed again, making her body shake along with his.
Julia’s attention turned to the strange city around her. It seemed to be made up almost entirely of tall buildings crammed into small spaces, each one vying for the title of highest residence in the highest capital in the world. It made her dizzy looking up at them.
“I didn’t realise,” she said.
“What, baby?”
“I mean, I knew academically that we would be at a high elevation. But we’re on the same level as the mountaintops, and if that wasn’t high enough, I booked the presidential suite at the top of the hotel.” She looked up at Joe. “I can’t go any higher. I can’t. You need to change the room. Get me something on the ground floor. Or a basement room. I can do a basement room.”
“You’re going to be fine.” He kissed her forehead, making her shiver.
“I’m going to be sick, that’s what I’m going to be.” She’d been given medication at the airport by a sympathetic man with a medical bag and a big red cross on his vest. Seemed she wasn’t the only idiot tourist who turned up in La Paz and instantly fell ill. The medication had helped, but she still felt like she was travelling inside a tumble dryer.
“It will get better. Some rest, taking things easy, some tea, and you’ll be good as new.”
“You think you can tell someone anything in that sexy drawl of yours and they’ll believe it, don’t you?”
His grin was smug. “You think I’m sexy?”
“I didn’t say that.” She felt her cheeks burn and concentrated on the view, instead of on the man she was draped over like a limp noodle.
“You booked the presidential suite?” Joe asked,.
“It was the only one with three bedrooms.” She groaned. “I forgot to tell them we needed four beds. I’ll get them to reconfigure the queen-sized one when we arrive. Gran and I will share a room.” She gave him a hopeful look. The thought of another night listening to her gran snore was really too much. “Unless you want to share with Ed.”
“We aren’t that close.”
There was more laugher from the front of the van. Julia ignored it. The van was pulling up in front of another massively tall building. She felt nauseated looking up at it.
“I can’t go up there,” she said.
“Sure you can.” Joe climbed out of the car and reached in for her.
Julia had no option but to let him help her. Her limbs had turned to jelly. She felt like she was weighted down, and each step was taken through ankle-deep mud. By the time they’d made it the short distance into the marble and brass lobby, she was completely weak and gasping for air.
“I need to lie down.” She hated saying the words, but it was true. And she didn’t mean in a bed. She meant right there, on the lobby floor.
She heard Joe and her gran talking, and the next thing she knew, Joe had put one arm under her knees and the other around her waist, and then he was cradling her to his chest like a child. She was too disorientated to protest. She lay in his arms, shutting her eyes tight, and let him take her to their suite. The long ride up in the elevator didn’t help her nausea.
“I feel silly that you’re carrying me,” Julia said as they entered the suite. She noticed nothing about it—she was completely captivated by the man who held her tight against his chest.
“And I feel honoured.”
His words melted something inside Julia, and the wall she’d built between herself and Joe crumbled a little.
“I don’t understand you,” Julia mumbled as her eyes closed.
“You will, baby. You will.”
