Chapter 29
Cameron
It’s been three weeks since Juli made the move to Magnolia Cay. It’s been interesting trying to mesh our two separate lives into one life together, one not without challenges, but we’re working through them.
Since I moved out of my parents’ house, I haven’t lived with anyone else.
It’s an adjustment. For her, too, because the same goes for her.
Having someone twenty-four seven in the space you lived alone for a few years can be awkward.
Though she doesn’t mind when I walk around naked, she doesn’t love how my clothes don’t always make it into the hamper.
She says she’s not judging me, but condescension lingers in her expression every time I don’t use a clean towel.
I’m not sure I can get used to having a new one every time, nor if I have to.
I don’t judge her when she comes home from sitting on the beach and leaves sand all over the place.
Okay, I do. In my head, I totally cringe every damn time. Every time I see the faintest hint of sand on the floor in the bedroom or the bathroom, I shudder. So I kinda get the whole towel thing, and it’s not like I do the laundry.
“Hey, I’m home. I brought dinner because I had no desire to cook.
It’s meatballs and lasagna. Hope you’re okay with that.
” Her hurried words drift through the open slider.
I left the resort a little earlier than I planned to.
I knew she was at yoga, but I needed an extra few minutes on the balcony by myself.
“Sure thing. Come join me on the balcony.” My eyes draw in the ocean, the sun dipping below the horizon as day becomes night. Orange hues dance across the top of the water.
“Paradise is so beautiful. I didn’t appreciate I’d been missing this all my life.”
Her voice lures my attention away from one natural beauty to another.
A zip-up hoodie is tied around her waist, emphasizing her bare midriff, the golden skin tone a result from more time in the sun.
Her high ponytail on her head’s a little askew, and her face still bears evidence of the heat from the hot yoga studio.
It’s her latest obsession. She dragged me exactly once, but damn it was stifling in there. She loves it. More power to her.
“Paradise is better with you in it.”
Her hand settles on her purple sports bra, over her heart. “Aw, Came. You say the sweetest things. No wonder I was defenseless in falling under your spell.”
The nickname she bestowed upon me way back when is here to stay, though I’m not sure I’ll ever tire of it when it comes from her plump lips.
“I had the perfect lair to lure you to. I’m so glad it didn’t take too long for you to join me.”
A wave of confusion flutters over her face. Every once in a while, it still happens. One of us will say something that makes sense to us but not the other.
“Doesn’t a lair have more of a negative connotation? I like it here.”
Ignoring her question, I motion her forward, dropping my legs from what she’s deemed “her” Adirondack chair.
“I’m glad you like it here. I enjoy having you here.
” She relaxes against the back of the chair, resting her feet on the ottoman she insisted the deck was missing.
I won’t lie and say she was wrong. It completes the deck.
“Are you hungry or do you want to shower before we eat?”
“I probably smell.”
“Not probably, cutie.” Her tongue shoots out of her mouth at me. It’s well-deserved.
“I didn’t think you’d be home until a little later. I planned to be showered and ready for movie night at Whispering Tide before you were supposed to be home. I hate when you throw a kink in my plans.” She can’t say the word “kink” without smiling.
“Admit it. You love the kinks.”
Thank goodness she isn’t one of those people who lives by structure.
We wouldn’t ever work if that were the case.
We each have our own routine, and we’re ironing out ways not to disrupt each other.
We still need some tweaks, but nothing major we can’t handle.
Especially since we’re both mostly easygoing and not so rigid about things.
Other than her towel fetish.
“Fuck, I do love the kink.” Her face lights up with excitement. “Oh. Because of your kink, I finally executed the Bird-of-Paradise Pose. You should have seen Gunter’s face when I didn’t fall over.”
An unwanted grunt barrels out. Three weeks and she’s already made friends with the yoga instructors at Whispering Tide. Both male and female. Not to mention the ones at the hot yoga studio. It’s only driving me slightly batshit crazy.
“Still on this, are you?” She giggles, as if my jealousy’s funny. “So now isn’t the time to tell you about the photo shoot the photographer booked for next month?”
“Juliana,” I warn. It’s unwarranted and unnecessary, but I can’t help the boiling inside me. Even though she’s mine and wouldn’t ever do anything to jeopardize our relationship.
“Say it again. My full name. In the envious tone. But only if we have time to fuck, shower, and eat before movie night.”
Fuck if her naughty words don’t have me tenting my shorts.
“Just for that, I won’t.”
Truth is, we have time. But bad girls need to be punished. Even if I’m only punishing myself.
She shrugs nonchalantly, as if my answer doesn’t bother her. The way she shifts in the chair says otherwise. “What’s the movie tonight?”
“Bachelor Party Vegas. Have you seen it?”
November is our slow month, and the month with fewer families staying at Whispering Tide, so I take a little liberty with the movie choices.
Her brain works through something. “Once, maybe. A long time ago. At the end of college. I remember it being good, a little on the corny side, but I’m guessing that’s why you like it.”
I lean in over the arm of the chairs. “If by ‘corny’ you mean ‘horny,’ then yep.”
It takes a minute for the meaning to sink in, but when it does, her eyes go wide. “Cameron! You can’t show a movie like that! What if there are kids coming?”
“Checked the reservations. None under eighteen. And hardly anyone comes to movie night during November. Except the staff. And they all approved it.”
She calls my bluff with a crook of one eyebrow. “Even Preston?”
As if I’d be dumb enough to run it by him. But I don’t give him shit about how to do his job.
“Pfft. As if he’d come anyway. Holed up in his office.”
Or involved with some girl.
“Exactly. Back to the sex and the shower. Where are we on that?”
About the only place we haven’t christened is the back deck.
She’s made it clear it has to be late at night or early in the morning, so no one could catch us.
The beach is private to the residents of the townhouse complex, but we aren’t completely shielded from the neighbors.
I see her point to some extent, but one of these days it’s going down.
Or up, in the case of my cock.
“Let me take you from behind.”
She relents easily, as I knew she would. “Fine.”
“And you’ll come only when I say you can.”
“Now you’re pushing your luck, mister. You can’t always be in charge.”
It’s my turn to raise an eyebrow. “Pretty sure that’s not what you said the other day.”
Again, she yields easily. “Jeez, fine. Take me from behind. Take all the control. Make me wait for my orgasm.” Her brown eyes roll playfully. Because she knows she likes it when I’m in control. She likes it a lot.
“Bed. Naked. Be right there.”
She wastes no time scooting out of the chair and through the open door.
Not going to lie. This part of our new routine? Five stars.
For a Saturday night in November, the movie crowd is pretty big. Maybe it’s the draw of the movie. Or because it’s a bit warmer than average for this time of year. Whatever the reason, when Juli and I finally make our way out to the beach where the movie’s shown, there are only a few chairs left.
I grab two and drag them toward the back near the sidewalk. We still have a good view, but also a bit more privacy.
Silas and Zane join us, dragging their chairs closer to ours.
“Hey, Juli. How’s Magnolia Cay treating you so far?”
“It’s been good. I love the way the sunlight streams in through the window in the morning and listening to the waves lap against the shore right outside my bedroom. The only drawback is having Cameron in the bed with me.”
My girl’s a riot, and she has them laughing along with her. She’s sitting too far away for what I want to say, so instead I goad, “I hear the unit next to mine is going on the market next month. Maybe you want a place of your own.”
“Oh, snap.”
I think it’s Silas who says it, but I can’t be certain. I’m too focused on watching her deliberate about how best to respond. After a couple of minutes pass without a response, I add, “It’s not as big as my place. And I know how you like big things.”
She’s sitting directly under the lantern, and the light illuminates the blush deepening her cheeks. “Why are you so crass?” she grits through clenched teeth.
“Admit you love me.”
“Nah, make him sweat it out,” Silas encourages. “He could use to be knocked down a few pegs.”
“Right?” she agrees. “It’s like his shit don’t stink. I’m here to tell you, it does.”
The two guys on my left hoot with laughter, as if there’s nothing funnier in the world. I’d incite them, but the screen erupts to life, previews for other movies playing.
I drag Juli’s chair closer, situating it diagonally in front of me. My hand on her shoulder, I bend forward. “Your earlier punishment wasn’t enough?”
Her breath hitches. I’m not sure why I do this to myself. I’m trying to get her worked up, but it only encourages my cock more.
“Apparently not. Guess you’ll have to show me who’s boss some other time.”
“Damn, girl. You’re what he needs in his life. Someone to remind him where his place is.”
I’m sure Silas means nothing by it—no one else knows about Juli’s investment but me and Preston—but his comment doesn’t sit well.
“I’ll be back.”
The words aren’t out of my mouth before I’m walking away, leaving Juli to fend for herself with the guys. She’s already proven she can do it—fitting right in with the other two owners—and the previews have ended, the movie starting.
I wander for a bit, trying to get a hold of my unruly emotions.
Every once in a while, I let the fact she fronted the money eat away at me, if only for a bit before I come to my senses.
It came from a place of good, and without it, I wouldn’t be here.
Heck, no way our paths would have crossed again if I weren’t working at Whispering Tide.
I remind myself of this every time my mind gets carried away.
When it tries to tell me I’m not good enough for Juli. That I’ll never be good enough for her.
“Hey.”
I don’t realize she’s behind me until her voice sounds in my ear. With a deep breath in and out, I turn around.
She steps closer, starting right in. “I get it, Cameron. I do. I don’t expect you to forget about it overnight.
It’s going to take time.” I love and hate how she knows me so well, knows exactly why I got up and needed to leave.
“Several weeks isn’t enough, but I’m not going anywhere. Not now, not ever.”
“You can’t . . .”
Stepping into my space, she puts her hand on my chest. “I can say that with certainty. I’m here. With you. For whatever comes our way. No matter what.”
“It won’t be easy.” I’m not sure why I say that. Life is never easy, nor would I want it to be. It would be boring.
“I didn’t sign up for easy. But that doesn’t mean it has to be hard, either.
The opposite of easy doesn’t have to be hard.
There’s a lot of middle ground. That’s where I want to be with you.
” She pauses, her head tilting, her bottom lip tucked into her teeth.
“We’ve done a pretty good job of finding it so far. ”
“It’s been three weeks,” I protest.
Her head shakes in refusal. “It’s been fourteen years.
Neither of us knew it. I was always looking for exactly what you’ve given me—the man who supports my dreams, the one who doesn’t snub my towel idiosyncrasy.
” A snort escapes, but it doesn’t deter her.
“Someone who loves me for me, for what I bring to the table, even if it’s more than he can offer me.
Because in the end, I want someone to share my life with. For me, that someone is you.”
Her speech tears down all my walls, even the ones trying to be rebuilt with stronger material like mortar.
Without thinking, I divulge, “I want to be that someone for you, Juli.”
A smile cracks her expression. “Great.” Her arms wrap around my torso. “Your friends are the best. Even when they’re ragging on you. Shows how much they care.”
It’s my turn to take another breath. My eyes scan the view from where we stand, taking in the palm trees illuminated by the lights on the beach.
“This place . . .” I trail off, not able to put my feelings into words.
At least not without being a total sap. “It’s given me everything.
A job I love. Financial stability. The best friends.
And now you.” My fingers brush away a wayward strand from her cheek. “It always comes back to you, Juliana.”
“Good. For me, too. It always came back to you, Came.”
My derisive laugh echoes around us. “Will I ever live that nickname down?”
“Not a chance in hell.” Her voice is adamant.
“Figured, but had to try.”
“It was the start of us. Without that night, we wouldn’t be here now.”
“That night was the perfect middle ground between wonderful and horrible.”
Her head tilts back up to the sky. “And the boy gets it.”
“Sorry it took me so long. I’m too quick on the uptake or a slow learner. Not much in between.”
She reaches her hand out, and I waste no time interlacing our fingers. “I’ll let you have that for now, but for the record, I disagree.”
“You’re too generous, Jude,” I deadpan.
“One of my many assets.”
“Adding modest to the list. And . . .”
She glares up at me, effectively cutting me off. Reaching for my wrist, she notes the time. “We should get back to the movie. It should be at the good part right about now.”
“Pretty sure it’s all the good parts now.”
She throws her free arm into the air. “Exactly what I’ve been saying. Finally.”
The walk back to the movie takes longer than it should, but it’s only because I’m not ready to share her yet. These are the best times, when it’s just her and me.
Came and Jude.
Quite a pair we make.
Even with sand in our boots, I wouldn’t trade this life for the world.