16. Chapter 16
How Reno Swain ended up in a nail salon
Here’s how my Thursday went. I got up, ran, and did my daily workout before meeting Juliette for lunch. Then we hit the beach, got horny after a couple hours, and went back to her room for some afternoon delight.
When we were both fully satisfied, she wrote a couple chapters until it was time to go to the dining room, and afterward, we had more sex, which was just as phenomenal as Wednesday night’s romp against the door.
And now… I’m back in my cottage alone. It’s been the only dark spot on an otherwise fantastic day.
And that sends my mind into a tailspin. I’ve never really enjoyed sharing a bed with a woman.
Well, not for sleep anyway. I’m a big guy, and when it’s time to snooze, I like to sprawl out and get comfortable.
But as I lay on my back on the empty bed, watching the shadow of the rotating ceiling fan, I feel the phantom presence of Juliette along my side, like she’s supposed to be here but isn’t.
Which is probably why rule one is a good idea. I don’t need to be having those kinds of thoughts.
Unable to sleep, I get up and pull out my laptop, which I haven’t used a single time since I arrived on Sunday evening.
At dinner tonight, Juliette had asked if I wanted to see her WIP.
I told her hell yes; if she wanted to get kinky, I was down with it.
She’d laughed and explained that W-I-P stood for work in progress .
In other words, the book she was currently working on.
Tucking my laptop beneath my arm, I detour to the window facing cottage four and peek out. I can see the light around the edges of the blinds in Juliette’s bedroom. “Pretty little night owl,” I mumble, knowing she’s probably writing away. I wish…
Shaking my head, I settle back onto the bed, find the document she emailed, and open it.
Then for the next few hours, I get lost in her words. The characters, the humor, the storyline. Every bit of it makes me want to devour more of it. I never thought I’d be a guy who reads romance novels, but here we are.
The ocean laps softly against the shore on Friday afternoon, and I open my eyes and stare up at the blue sky above. A group of clouds lined up in thin rows catches my attention.
“Those clouds look like an air filter,” I say, and Juliette lowers her sunglasses and follows my gaze.
With a giggle, she says, “I always think that too. Those are cirrocumulus clouds.”
I roll onto my side on the bright beach blanket we’re sharing and prop myself on my elbow. She is so goddamn gorgeous.
“I love how smart you are,” I tell her, and she scoffs.
“Need I remind you I’ve been wearing that playtime pineapple bracelet the entire time I’ve been here until you told me what it means?” She pulls her sunglasses back up to cover her eyes and announces, “I’m an idiot.”
I scowl at her. I hate when she says she’s not smart.
“You are not an idiot. Just because you’re not well-versed in a lifestyle you haven’t been exposed to before, it doesn’t mean you’re not intelligent.
It’s obvious by reading your books that your verbal skills are off the charts.
Hell, I had to look up at least ten words when I was reading your WIP last night.
” I kiss her temple. “You are brilliant. ”
Her face flushes, and I don’t think it’s from the sun.
“Thanks, Reno. I know I can be a bit ditzy sometimes, but…” She pauses.
“I was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder when I was eight.” Her teeth fidget with her bottom lip before she continues.
“It made me feel dumb because it took me so much longer to get my work done at school than the other kids. I tried medication, but both my dads agreed it dulled me.”
My lips quirk up on one side. “Juliette, I couldn’t even imagine you being dull.”
“Oh, I was like a zombie when I was medicated,” she informs me.
“Pops did a lot of research and found a psychologist that specialized in kids with ADD and taught them coping mechanisms to get by without medication. She said a lot of kids do need the medicine to get by, but some are able to use other techniques. I wasn’t a hyperactive kid, but my mind always seemed to be in overdrive. ”
“And she helped you?”
Juliette smiles affectionately. “Dr. Hough was fantastic. She wasn’t covered by our insurance, but she worked at the university where Pops taught, so she treated me as a personal favor to him. She also used me as a case study, so I’m written up in a journal somewhere.”
“Ooh, that sounds fancy,” I say, pulling off her tortoise Wayfarer Ray-Bans and placing them in the bag beside her so I can see those pretty eyes of hers.
“I read it once when I was a teenager. It was pretty dry reading, but it was fascinating at the same time. It was kinda cool to see the story of J, which was how I was identified in the article.”
“What kinds of things did she teach you?”
Juliette’s lips twist in thought. “Well, if I was doing my math homework, I’d sit down and get out my papers.
Then I’d realize I didn’t have a pencil, so I’d get up to get one.
After working a couple problems, I’d decide I was thirsty, so I’d get up again to get some water.
And so on and so forth.” The wind catches a strand of hair that escaped her braid, and she tucks it behind her ear.
“So basically, she taught me to make lists. Lots and lots of lists. Dr. Hough gave me a sparkly little pink notebook and a matching pen, and I had to write down every single thing I might need when doing a particular task. Then, before I sat down to get started, I had to make sure I had everything on the list within arm’s reach.
There were a lot of other things too, but that’s what sticks out the most in my memory. I still use a similar notebook.”
My heart flips over at the wistful tone in her voice, and I imagine an adorable little girl with blonde pigtails who didn’t understand how her mind worked. I grip Juliette’s hip and roll her toward me, cradling her cheek in my palm.
“I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. I think you are absolutely brilliant, Juliette. You are such a talented writer, and I think a lot of it is because your brain works differently than other people’s.”
Her smile lights me up inside. “Maybe you’re right.
Sometimes, I just close my eyes and let my mind take off in all different directions like a herd of wild horses.
Then it’s like I can see ideas in the air and lasso the ones I want.
It helps when I want to come up with a trait that makes one of my characters unique.
Or a plot twist that no one sees coming. ”
I laugh. “Your plot twists are fucking diabolical.” My finger follows a droplet of sweat that makes its way down her temple. “Want to get in the water and cool off?”
Juliette nods. “Sounds good. It’s hot as Hades out here.”
Standing, I reach out a hand to pull her to her feet. She’s in a red-and-white striped bikini that makes me have some very wicked thoughts. I’m already sporting a chub from rubbing suntan oil on her luscious body earlier.
As soon as Juliette steps onto the sand, she winces and does a little tippy toe dance. “Damn sand is hot.”
“Hop on,” I say, presenting her with my back. A second later, I feel her weight on my back and cradle her thighs with my hands. Then I take off running, jostling her as much as possible.
“You’re a maniac,” she shrieks with laughter. “Doesn’t that hurt your feet?”
“Nah, the bottoms of my feet are tough as shoe leather.”
A few of the other beachgoers catcall, and I get a wink and a thumbs up from a huge dude sitting on a low lounge chair near the water.
I’ve noticed this quite a bit the past couple of days when people have seen Juliette and I on the beach or at dinner. Lots of smiles and nods of approval. It seems the entire resort likes us being together.
Juliette echoes my thoughts when I slow down and walk us into the water. “You ever feel like the people here are pulling for us? They’re like our own personal cheering squad.”
“I was just thinking that,” I tell her, taking us farther out into the crystal water until I’m in chest-deep. I pull her around to my front, and she koala bears me, legs around my waist and arms over my shoulders.
“This place has a very positive vibe. Everyone is simply here to have fun, and I love that.” The bottom of her blonde braid swirls in the gentle current. “Even though I’m not into this lifestyle, I think I’d come back here.”
“I would too,” I tell her, surprising myself. Just a few short days ago, I’d been ready to abandon this vacation and go back home. But then I met Juliette, and my entire outlook changed.
She unwinds her arms and leans back, floating in the cool water with her legs still looped around me.
Stretching her arms out to her sides to float, she closes her eyes, a serene smile coasting across her pretty lips.
My cock instantly morphs from a chub to a hard-on as I support her lower back with my hands.
When she wiggles her center against my crotch, she notices my obvious change in dick status, and her eyes pop open. Arching her eyebrows, she pulls herself back up and presses those perfect tits to my chest.
“I don’t know how you’re getting hard right now,” she muses. “Aren’t guys supposed to get shrinkage in cool water?”
“You’re here,” is my simple explanation, my eyes counting the cute freckles scattered across her nose. “My dick defies the laws of shrinkage when he sees you. ”
I lean forward to trace my tongue along the tan line over one breast. The swimsuit top she wore yesterday was slightly larger than this one, so she has a sliver of white peeking out, and it’s begging to be licked.
“Don’t get me all excited,” she pants as her nipple pebbles against my chin. “Remember I have a pedicure appointment later.”