Chapter 23
Cameron
Excluding Juli, it’s been a while since I’ve been on an actual date with someone. I can’t remember when time and energy went into planning something special for a woman.
This date isn’t about impressing her. I’ve got her right where I want her, and she’s on the same page as me.
It feels great, like this is where I’m supposed to be in life.
I finally have a job I love, one I’m good at and offers financial stability, one I’m “stuck” with for the long haul.
It’s time other parts of my life fall into place.
With less than twenty-four hours to plan a date, my options were limited.
Being on an island also limits what’s available.
Though it wasn’t a “real” date, I don’t want another boat ride.
I want something exciting. You’d think being the recreation director at the resort, I’d be full of ideas.
I scrounged through all the suggestions we offer to guests, and finally came up with a good one and scored a last-minute reservation. Perks of the job.
Juli
Three things. Are you showering here? What time are we going? What should I wear?
Her text comes through as I finish paying for the reservation.
1. Yes. Join me 2. We need to leave by 5:30. 3. Shorts and a fancy top
I hit send before I overthink giving her specifics of what to wear. But she asked, right?
Follow-up question. What time will you be back here?
Four-ish. Need to finish up a few tasks. That give us enough time to shower?
Sure
I like how we’re usually on the same page, and she’s so easygoing. It makes planning activities much easier.
Okay. See you then
She doesn’t respond, so I get back to work, making sure I can finish up the day’s tasks and make it to her room by four.
I’d say we have time for a quickie, but she made it clear last night that since we have much more time for extracurriculars, she’s not prepared to be sore all the time.
I wanted to refute her statement, but then I remembered a few weeks ago.
With “all the time in the world,” no need to do that to ourselves again.
Of course, in the moment, when she’s naked and on display, it will be hard to ignore my body’s response to her.
But I’ll deal with it. It’s a small price to pay for being in a relationship with her.
I make it back to Juli’s suite a little after four. She made sure I had a key so I could come and go as I please.
“Cutie, I’m home.” I toe out of my shoes at the door, depositing my laptop bag on the table. Silence shrouds the room, and I wonder where she could be.
I check the balcony first, but she’s not there. Next, I try “our” bedroom. The bed’s made, but it’s empty. A quick peek into the bathroom reveals it’s empty, too.
“Hey, where are you?”
“In the extra bedroom.”
Crossing the suite, I wouldn’t have thought to look there. Juli sits in the room, her back against the headboard, her legs tented in front of her, a tablet resting on them. Her hair’s in a twist on the top of her head, and she’s got a writing utensil in her mouth.
I could get used to this, coming home every day to her.
The thought barrels through my mind, and damn if it doesn’t make my heart skip a few beats.
“What are you working on?”
She gazes up at me, a concentrated expression on her face. “Promise you won’t laugh if I show you?” She nips the bottom lip with her teeth.
“Never, Jude.” I place my hand over my heart so she knows I’m serious.
Cautiously, she flips the tablet around. Needing to inspect it closer, I sit next to her on the bed, taking the tablet into my hands. There’s a blue background on the screen, with an illustrated couple as the focal point. I’m uncertain what they’re supposed to be, nor how to react.
“I start a digital drawing class in a few weeks, but I wanted to get a head start. I’m not sure I have clients who want covers like this, but it’ll look good in my portfolio and will attract new clients, considering it’s a new trend in the market.
It needs a lot of work to be cover-worthy, but I’m up for the challenge.
” She pauses, her nose scrunching to the side. “I think.”
I latch on to the class part so I don’t mess up about the actual image. “That’s cool about the class. Is it on a campus or online?”
She looks at me as if I have three heads.
“Virtual. I don’t do many things in person unless it’s a necessity.
” Now it’s my turn to question her. She does plenty of things that require her to be out and about in the world.
“Work-related. I love the freedom of working from home. Sometimes at coffee shops. Or occasionally a five-star resort in South Carolina. Why would I want to give that up for a drawing class?”
“I’m not sure?” I ask more as a question than a statement.
“Exactly.” She saves her work and shuts down the tablet. “Shower time?”
“Get out of my head.” I yank her hair out of its twist. “Wear it down tonight?”
“Okay. It may take a little longer to be ready since I only have use of the hotel’s blow dryer. Where are we going anyway?”
“I think you’re going to enjoy it.”
She kneels on the bed, running her fingers over the scruff of my face. “That’s not an answer. Maybe don’t shave?”
“No razor.” I shrug. “Once we’re back at my house, I’ll do it then.” I help her down off the bed. Not because she needs it. Because I can.
“‘Back at your house’?” she wonders. I can’t decipher her tone.
Our plan for when her four nights here are up isn’t set in stone, but we briefly mentioned her staying with me for a bit.
Did I read that wrong, make a wrong assumption?
Thankfully, she clarifies before I have to ask. “I like the sound of that.”
“I like the sound of you coming on my cock.”
Scampering away, she calls out, “Those two things are totes unrelated.”
“Not in my book, they aren’t.”
With a shake of my head, I follow her to the shower.
Five bars later, we’ve made it to the end of our Charleston “Cocktail Crawl.” Juli’s more than a little buzzed.
In her words, the snacks “aren’t doing it for me,” so her food intake has been less than her alcohol consumption.
Thank goodness it’s over after this one.
It’s been a fun time, but I’m feeling it.
And I ate all the snacks plus her share.
“This was fun. Which one’s your fav’rite?” Her words slur, her body sways. I drag her stool closer to me so she doesn’t fall off.
“Um, the one with the coconut.” I’ve lost track of the names.
“Tequila for me.” She smacks her lips together adoringly. It’s more of a sloppy smack, her lips not fully connecting.
“You don’t say.”
All she did at stop three was talk about how much she enjoyed the tequila.
I’m calling it her truth serum because it unleashed a part of her I never knew existed.
She was chattier, more reminiscent of the past, bubblier.
I kinda adored it. Took notes for future activities and ways for Jubilant Juli to come out and play more.
She places her hand on mine, and her glassy eyes connect with mine. Though a bit glazed over, happiness twinkles in them. “Great date, Came. We should do this more often.”
“I’m glad you think so. If you lived here, we could go out every night.”
Oops. That’s the alcohol talking.
My statement almost knocks her off the stool completely, but at the last minute, she grabs onto the edge of the table and hangs on.
Her eyes blink rapidly, and she’s quiet for quite a few minutes.
I’m not sure what to do. Do I backpedal and try to take it back?
Do I pretend I didn’t say it? Maybe she didn’t understand what I was saying.
I take a breath, holding it until she speaks again.
“I can’t live in a bar.”
More relieved than anything, my breath whooshes out on a laugh. I run with her comment. “Think of the possibilities. All the liquor you could want. People coming to visit you. Your very own communal bathroom. You’d never have to clean the floor. Did you notice how sticky it is?”
She sits there, a little wide-eyed, a little dazed. I’m hoping she won’t remember this conversation once it’s over. It’s more than ridiculous.
Her mind’s working out something. I can’t tell if she’s impaired by the liquor or because of the absurdity of the conversation. Perhaps a combination of both.
“You should take me home now.” She makes no attempt to get up and move, but her comment is serious.
“I’m thinking that’s a good idea. Want to stop for food on the way back to the resort?”
“Yeah. Something greasy.”
“I know just the place.” It’s a little out of the way, but luckily it’s open late.
“I have to pee.”
We’ve made it to the “no-filter” portion of drunkenness.
“You’ll have to manage without my help. No unisex bathrooms.” Clearly, I’m at the same stage as her. When I stand up, the floor rocks slightly. Good thing I had the sense to use rideshare rather than driving home.
“Think I can manage.” Again, she doesn’t move off the stool, just sits there blinking.
“Though I may fall off. Help me down?” She holds out a hand, waiting for me to help her down.
I do one better and wrap my arm around her waist, lifting her off the stool and planting her feet on the floor.
She leans into me for support. “You always smell good. Why can’t I smell like you? ”
It’s not in my nature to let comments like that go.
“Pretty sure it’s your body wash you’re smelling.”
“It smells better on you.” Her mouth pouts. If she weren’t quite so tipsy, I’d kiss it away.
“Sorry?”
“You definitely should be. It’s not fair.”
We stumble to the bathroom, Juli getting all her support from me. The doors to the men’s and women’s rooms are directly across from each other. “I’m going to use the bathroom before we leave, too. You going to be okay?”
She leans against the wall for support. I’m almost afraid to let her go in there alone.