6. Chapter 6 #2
“I’m working on my twenty-fifth right now. That’s actually why I came here, to get away from the distractions of home.” She makes little circles in the air with her fork as she ticks them off. “You know, neighbors, family, job.”
I’m a bit flabbergasted. “You’ve written twenty-four books, and you work too?”
Juliette nods and takes a bite of her broccolini. “Yep. I’m a librarian in a small town.”
Visions of a cardigan sweater, pearls, and a tight skirt pop into my mind, and I have to shift in my seat. “Do you wear glasses?”
Her grin widens. “Do you have a sexy librarian kink, Reno?” she asks sweetly, and I chuckle.
“Maybe.”
She darts her tongue out to wet her lower lip and drops her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “I do wear glasses sometimes when I’m writing for a long time.”
“Dear god,” I sigh dramatically, enjoying this flirting game we’ve got going on. “ Tell me more.”
“I also make notes in my notebook, so I usually have a pencil behind my ear.” She leans closer, and her voice turns even more sultry. “And sometimes I chew on the eraser when I’m deep in thought.”
Fuck, that sounds hot. “Mmm. With your hair in a bun?”
Juliette scoffs. “What kind of librarian would I be if I didn’t wear a bun?”
I brush a little bit of sauce from the corner of her bare lips. They’re the perfect shade of rose even without lipstick, and I can imagine them wrapped around the end of a pencil. Or other things. Thicker things.
Our eyes are locked, green ones to aqua. “I’m going to get a library card as soon as I get home.”
“That’s good. There’s nothing hotter than a man with a book,” she purrs. “Make sure to check out some of my books when you get there.”
I’m fully hard behind the zipper of my black cargo shorts. “You bet your ass I will.”
We’re both leaning over the table, so close we’re sharing air, but our flirty little moment is interrupted when someone bumps into our table.
“Shit, sorry,” a woman says. “Oh, hey, Juli.”
“Victoria, hi!” Juliette says brightly, sitting back in her chair and smiling up at the woman and her partner. I’m pleased to see her cheeks have that pretty blush on them again, and I subtly adjust my cock in my pants.
Victoria’s got a cute dark hairdo, and the guy with her is a Latino man who is looking at Juliette in a way that makes me want to punch him in the fucking face.
Victoria glances down at Juliette’s bracelet. “Elvis and I were wondering if you wanted to come over to our cottage and play tonight.” She looks at me. “Your friend can come too.” Then her gaze falls to my bare wrist. “I mean, if he wants to. You’re welcome to come by yourself.”
Juliette reaches out and grasps Victoria’s hand. “That’s so sweet of you, but I’m going to have to buckle down and get some writing done tonight. Maybe another time? ”
“Of course. Just let us know when you’re available.” The woman pivots and stretches out a hand to me. “Sorry, didn’t mean to be rude. I’m Victoria Martinez, and this is my husband, Elvis.”
“Reno,” I reply, not giving my last name as I shake both their hands. “Nice to meet you.” It’s not. Because they want the same woman I want, but I’m trying to be polite.
“Everyone is so friendly here,” Juliette says after they move on. “This morning at breakfast, two other couples asked me to hang out with them tonight.”
I’m sure they did. She seems blissfully unaware of her own appeal, which only makes her more appealing.
“What’s your writing goal for today?” I ask, resuming my meal, but it doesn’t taste quite as good as it did a few minutes ago. I don’t want Juliette to “play” with any of these other people. I selfishly want to tuck her into my bed and keep her there for the next two weeks.
You’re leaving in two days, Reno.
“I want to get two chapters done today and then four tonight. It’s ambitious, but I promised myself a cloud-watching excursion tomorrow if I finish,” she says, taking another bite of her fish.
I resume eating as well, though I have no idea what I’m even putting in my mouth at this point. I’m too busy looking at Juliette. Watching her push food into her mouth. She’s not sloppy at all, but she eats heartily, not like a prissy little food-poker who never actually takes a bite. I like that.
“What time did you sign up for dinner tonight?” I ask.
She pauses with her fork halfway to her mouth. “Sign up?”
“Yeah, you have to sign up for a time. Apparently it keeps everyone from showing up at the same time and overcrowding the restaurant.”
“Shit, I didn’t know that. Where do you sign up?”
“In the lobby. There’s a sheet on the reception desk. Most of the early spots were full when I signed up earlier, so you might get stuck in the nine o’clock time slot.”
Her face drops. “Oh. Well, I’ll just eat in my room tonight.”
“We can add you to my table,” I say hopefully, but she shakes her head.
“No, it’s fine. I’ll probably be working anyway. And the room service was good when I ordered in last night.”
“What about tomorrow night? Since you’re sleeping in, I can sign us both up in the morning before my run.”
She smiles that brilliant smile again. “That would be great. My last name is McNamara, and I’m in cottage four, if you need to put that down.”
“Cottage four? I think we’re neighbors then. I’m in five,” I say, like I’m not fully damn aware she’s staying in the house next to me.
Her eyes narrow playfully. “Are you going to be one of those pesky neighbors who drops by unannounced to ask to borrow a cup of sugar?”
“Would you give me some sugar if I came by?” I flirt.
“I might, if you ask me nicely,” she shoots back, and fuck, I like this woman. Her eyes dart down to my forearm, which is resting on the table, and she scrapes her teeth along her bottom lip. I’m not ashamed to admit that I flex. Just a little bit.
Juliette continues staring, and I make a huffy noise in my throat. “My eyes are up here, sweetheart,” I say sternly, and those aqua orbs lift and widen into saucers before she picks up my teasing tone.
“Shut up,” she scolds with a giggle, throwing her napkin at me. “You shouldn’t just leave those things lying around where anyone could see.”
“So you’re into forearm porn?” I ask, catching a whiff of pomegranate on her napkin.
Her lips tip up into a smirk. “I’ve been known to appreciate a nice set.”
I hold one out for her inspection. “And are mine nice?”
Juliette drags a hand from my elbow to my wrist, and my blood ignites.
“Hmmm, very muscular, and you have nice soft hair. Not too much like a Sasquatch but enough to be manly.” Then she traces a thick vein with a single fingertip.
“Your veins are nice and bulging. I’d say you definitely have porn-worthy arms.”
My veins aren’t the only things that are bulging right now, I almost say, but instead, I nod to her empty plate. “If you’re done, I’ll walk you to your cabin and let you hold one of my veiny, muscular, hairy-but-not-Sasquatchy arms on the way.”
“That’s an offer I can’t refuse. You sure it’s not too far out of your way?” she asks with a sweet, teasing tone.
I rise and walk around behind her chair to pull it out. “I think I can manage.” Doing my best not to strut like a goddamn peacock when she wraps a cool hand around my forearm, I lead her out into the tiled corridor.
“There’s a side door that leads to our path over here,” she says, tugging me lightly toward a side hall on our left.
I resist, guiding her in the direction of the lobby. “Let’s just check the dining sign-up sheet. I hate to think of you eating in your room by yourself tonight.” And I want to spend more time with you before I leave on Wednesday.
“N-no, that’s okay,” she stammers nervously. “We can—” Juliette cuts herself off and makes a little squeaking noise before diving behind a large potted plant.
What the…
I spot one aqua eye peering between the wide leaves of whatever tree is planted in the green pot and think, fuck it. Ducking behind the tree, I squat down beside her, pretty sure the huge planter is not effectively hiding my large frame. I don’t exactly have the kind of body that can go incognito.
“What are we hiding from?”
“Shh,” she cautions, pressing a finger to my lips. I valiantly refrain from biting the pad of it, though I desperately want to.
“What are we hiding from?” I ask again, this time in a whisper. My eyes follow her finger as she points at a familiar figure tapping past in a Pineapple Island uniform and high heels. “We’re hiding from Kat, the manager?”
Juliette nods vigorously, her gaze staying on Kat until she disappears behind a wooden door marked Employees Only. Then she stands and lets out a sigh of relief that’s so heavy, it rustles the leaves on our hiding place.
“Come on,” she says, grasping my hand and dragging me toward the side exit. I have no idea what the fuck is going on, but I’m damn well about to find out.
Once we’ve made the turn to the narrow path leading to our cottages, I haul Juliette to stop and step in front of her. “What is going on? Did that woman hurt you or something?” My blood boils at the thought. They both wore the pineapple bracelets. What if they’d hooked up or something and…
“Nooo,” Juliette wails, covering her eyes with one palm. “I just embarrassed myself to death in front of her yesterday, and I’ve vowed to avoid her until I leave.”
I pull her hand away from her face and lift her chin with my knuckle. “Tell me what happened.”
She blows out a raspberry and rolls her eyes.
“It was stupid. She mentioned the clothing-optional parts of the resort and pointed them out on the map.” Juli shakes her head.
“It’s not like I’m offended by nudity or anything, but it caught me off guard.
A bunch of naked people all walking around and just being all nakedly casual struck me as funny, so I let out this weird-ass fake laugh. ”
She demonstrates, and I press my lips together to keep from busting a gut. It was a bizarre laugh. “Is that all?” I manage, and Juli winces and shakes her head.
“No. Then I started rambling on about sand in personal crevices and coochie chafing and ass rashes. Then I flashed her.”
I choke on my own spit. “You flashed her?” Lucky Kat.
“Well, it was more like pretend flashing. She mentioned that there were robes you could wear to the nudey parts of the resort, and I envisioned myself showing up and having to take off my robe in front of a lot of people.” Juliette pulls open the lapels of an imaginary robe and loudly says, “ Patow! Naked Juli is here. I literally said that, Reno. Out loud. To a perfect stranger.”
By this point in the story, I’m about to bite a hole in my cheek to keep from laughing. “I’m sure Kat has heard much worse,” I say in what I hope is a soothing tone.
“She thankfully cut me off when I started going on about the orifices that sand crabs could wander into.”
I can’t hold it back another second, and a loud laugh escapes from deep in my chest. Juliette plants her hands on her hips and glares at me for a long moment while I guffaw like a hyena, until the hilarity gets the best of her and her lips curve into a reluctant smile. Then we’re both laughing our asses off.
My sides ache when I’m finally able to catch my breath. “I can’t decide if coochie chafing or the whole patow thing was my favorite.”
Juli drops her forehead to my chest and lets out a residual giggle. “Why am I so ridiculous?”
I rest a gentle hand on the back of her head. “You, Juliette, are the most delightful person I’ve ever met.” We stand like that for a long while, both of us content. Every inch of my skin feels warm, and I don’t think it has anything to do with the tropical heat.
She finally steps back and takes my arm again. “I’d better get to work if I’m going to meet my goal for the day.”
When the path forks, we take the one toward her cabin. “So our date tomorrow is contingent on you finishing six chapters?” I ask as we reach her door. Did I just call it a date?
Juliette nods. “Yep, I can do it. I already have one partially written.” She turns toward me with her back against the front door.
I take the opportunity to prop an arm against the doorframe. Gotta show off my porny forearms after all. Grasping her chin between my thumb and forefinger, I tilt her head up and put on my sternest look.
Leaning into her space to put my mouth against her ear, I whisper, “I want you to get inside and finish all your chapters. Do you understand me, Juliette?” I deepen my voice into a growl. “Can you be a good girl for me?”
My words have the desired effect, and her fingers clench against the microfiber of my charcoal-gray shirt at the same time she lets out a sensual whimper.
“Answer me,” I command, loving the slight shudder that runs down her luscious body.
Juliette’s hands flatten against my chest, and she draws back her head to look up at me. Her eyes are slightly glazed for a moment, and I internally high-five myself for my dazzling ability to induce that lust-fueled daze.
But then a sexy smirk plays with the corners of her mouth, and something flutters in my belly and shoots down to my groin. Juliette McNamara has taken charge of the situation, and I’m her rapt audience.
Taking a step closer, she pats my cheek and, with her sweet southern drawl, purrs, “Baby doll, I’m always a good girl.”
Fuck me. Now I’m the one in a daze.