22. Chapter 22
My new guilty pleasure
While Juliette takes a call from her editor on Thursday, I stroll over to the gift shop to give her some privacy. Karissa greets me as soon as I walk in.
“Mr. Swain, hi! Did Juliette like the flowers?”
“Loved them. Thank you for your help again. Um, I have a special request.”
A sly grin crosses her face. “What did you have in mind?”
Ten minutes later, I leave the shop with a satisfied smile on my face. Karissa said she’d have my package ready to pick up Saturday.
My phone rings, and it’s a number I don’t recognize. Frowning, I sit on a bench beneath a flowering tree and answer. “Hello?”
“Is this Reno Swain?”
I don’t recognize the man’s voice, but it doesn’t sound like a spam call. “You got him.”
“Hey, man. This is Baylor Ward. From the Dallas Brewers?”
Relaxing against the back of the bench, I smile. I know Baylor from hockey, and he’s always seemed like a nice enough guy. A fucking beast on the ice, and we’ve knocked each other into the boards more than once, but that’s the nature of the sport. He’s a fair player and doesn’t take cheap shots.
“Good to hear from you, Baylor. Though my hip isn’t your biggest fan after that final game last year.”
He laughs good-naturedly. “Sorry about that, bro. If it makes you feel any better, my shoulder still protests from when you smacked me into the glass in that same game. ”
“Old ass,” I tease, though I think he’s around the same age as me.
“And feeling older every day. Hey, I know it hasn’t been announced yet, but a little birdy told me you’re going to join us this season.”
“That’s what a little birdy told me too,” I say, and I’m surprised I don’t sound bitter about it.
“Fuck, man. I’m so excited. Defense was our weak spot last season. I think we could have gone to the playoffs if we’d had someone of your caliber on the Brewers. I respect the hell out of you.”
“I feel the same about you, Ward. You’re one of the best centers in the league.”
“Good. Now that we’ve kissed each other’s asses and we’re practically engaged, let’s get down to business.”
I laugh out loud at that. “I’ll be expecting a particularly large diamond ring. What can I help you with, Baylor?”
“Actually, I’m calling to help you. I know this is a huge change for you since you’ve been with Denver for so many years.
It can’t be easy to switch teams. I have no idea what that organization is thinking by letting you go, but I intend to take full advantage of their idiocy.
So it’s my goal to make your transition as smooth as possible. ”
“I appreciate that.”
“I’d love for you to come to Texas soon. I can show you around and help you find housing or whatever else you need.”
I think about my mother’s request and ask, “Do you know of any nice areas to live that aren’t right in the city? Maybe something with a bit of a slower pace?”
“Hell yes,” he crows, sounding pumped. “I live in a small town on the outskirts of Dallas. It’s a great community, and several of the Brewers live there. Sorry, but I don’t know a lot about your personal life. Do you have a family?”
“Just my mom and grandfather. That’s something else I could use advice on.” Swiping a droplet of sweat from the side of my neck, I say, “They’ll both be moving with me, but Gramps needs… special care. He has dementia. ”
Baylor’s voice grows softer. “Sorry about that, man. That’s a hard situation to deal with, but I’ve got you covered.
We may be a small town, but we have a great retirement facility with a top-notch dementia ward.
Funnily enough, the retirement home is called Shady Pines. You know, like from The Golden Girls ?”
I smile at that. “Sounds like someone has a good sense of humor.”
“It was actually my great-aunt who founded the dementia ward. Using our last name, it would have been called the Ward Ward, so instead she named it the Illumination Ward because she said she wanted it to be a place of light for those who live there.”
A tightness in my gut relaxes at that. “I would love to take a look at it when I come down for a visit.”
“I’ll get that set up. Most of my family volunteers in one way or another at Shady Pines. My dad is an army veteran, and he goes up and visits with the old guys and gals who also served. They love the opportunity to shoot the shit with another vet.”
“Gramps is a veteran too, so he would love that. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this, Baylor. Truly.”
“Like I said, I’m thrilled you’ll be joining us. And I know the other guys will be too once everything goes public. I have a realtor I can set you up with for housing. Does your mom live with you?”
“No, she’ll have her own house. Nothing too big since it’s just her. What’s the apartment situation in your town? That’s usually what I prefer so I don’t have to worry about yard upkeep when I’m away on road games.”
“Only two apartment buildings in town. One is definitely a no-go. Trust me.” I can practically hear his eye roll. “The other is where I live, as well as some of our teammates. Most of the units have indoor plumbing, but for the ones that don’t, the superintendent keeps the outhouses super clean.”
Did he say outhouses? My face scrunches into a scowl. “I’m sorry… what? ”
A bark of laughter reaches my ear, and I relax again.
“I’m fucking with you, dude. Nah, this place is nice.
What my wife calls small-town luxury. You’re not gonna have gold plated bidets or anything, but they’re spacious and have high-end appliances and fixtures.
I’d be happy to set you up with a tour if you want. ”
“That sounds good.”
We talk a few more minutes about what I’d like for Ma, and Baylor says he’ll relay that to the realtor so she can start working on it. By the time we hang up, I’m actually getting excited about the move.
I walk back onto the path and see a familiar blonde up ahead.
She’s staring at the sign in front of her that leads back to our cottage, and I grin.
Juliette has been here for almost three weeks and still consults the little signs to make sure she’s going the correct way.
Her lack of a sense of direction is adorably endearing.
Sneaking up behind her, I grab her cute ass and whisper, “Got your goose.”
Juliette squeals, whirls, and throws whatever is in her right hand straight at my face. I easily catch the small bright yellow bag and laugh when she recognizes me.
“Reno, you ass!” She pats her chest. “I think you scared ten years off my life.”
“Sorry,” I tell her, putting on my best puppy dog eyes as I hand over what I now recognize as one of the gift shop bags. She’s holding another one in her left hand.
Her face softens, but she still gives me a mock glare. “Just for that, maybe I won’t give you the little prize I bought for you.”
Gripping her hips, I back her against a palm tree and take her mouth in a long, sensual kiss. She tastes like cherry Starbursts.
“Please, dream girl,” I murmur against her lips, smiling when I feel her melt like a Hershey bar in the sunshine. “I’d be more than happy to earn my reward.”
Juliette giggles before pushing me back a couple steps and rummaging in one of the plastic sacks.
“It’s nothing big. I just wanted to get you a little treat for being such a good listener and for opening up to me yesterday.
I know that wasn’t easy to talk about.” She produces a large bag of Cheetos and blushes when she holds it out.
“My guilty pleasure snack,” I say, my heart on fire for this woman. She is so kind, so thoughtful. Sure, it’s just a bag of chips, but she remembered that conversation we had weeks ago.
I pop open the bag and pull out one of the cheesy snacks, putting the end of it between my lips. I lean forward, and she grins, getting my drift. Then she wraps her perfect lips around the other end of the Cheeto, a la Lady and the Tramp style , until our mouths meet.
We both bite off our ends, and I give her a peck on the lips, tasting the salty, cheesy taste there. Someone passes behind us and lets out a little woohoo , and then we hear giggles as they continue on their way. Juliette and I smile at each other.
“Sorry I scared you and thank you for the Cheetos. That was really sweet of you.” Her cheeks flush even deeper, and I’m reminded of the pinkening of her neck and face when she comes. My cock remembers too and makes an appearance against the soft fabric of my crotch.
“You’re welcome,” she whispers.
“What else do you have in those bags?”
“Nothing else we can use to act out romantic cartoon moments. Just some souvenirs for my family.”
“What did you get for them?” I ask, guiding her down the correct path toward cottage four.
“I tried to get items without the resort’s logo so my family doesn’t suspect that I’ve been up to any hedonistic activities.”
“Then you probably shouldn’t tell them what I’m about to do with these Cheetos,” I tease, walking up the steps to our temporary home and unlocking the door.
After setting down her purchases, her eyes narrow on me, and she props her hands on her hips. “If you think you’re going to put a Cheeto in my pussy, you better think again, mister.”
Huffing out a laugh, I shake my head. “I had something else in mind. Take off your clothes.”
She eyes me skeptically but peels off her clothes and undergarments while I grab a towel from the bathroom. When I return, I drag my gaze up and down her form, over the swells of her breasts, the dip of her waist, the curve of her hip. She is so fucking hot.
I unfold the towel and lay it out on the marble countertop before lifting Juliette to sit on it. “Put your feet here,” I direct, tapping two spots on the edge of the counter to indicate that I want her spread for me. Her teeth dent her bottom lip as she complies.
“You’re such a good girl for me,” I tell her, setting the bag of snacks beside her and stepping between her thighs. Then I touch her, my hands roving over every pretty inch of her tanned body. Except for the parts she wants me to touch the most.
When she’s whimpering for me, I pull a Cheeto from the bag, and her eyebrows lift. “It’s not what you think,” I tell her, dragging the stick across her lips and then licking off the powdery residue.
“Oh,” she breathes, catching onto my plan.
I trace a line down her neck and chest before following it with my tongue.
When I circle each nipple with the snack, her breathing hitches.
I pause with my mouth an inch from her right breast, watching it peak before my eyes as I let the anticipation build.
She parts her lips and whispers, “Please, Reno.” It’s quiet, but the plea is as loud as a bullhorn.
So I give her what she wants, my mouth around her rose-colored nipple.
Juliette's head falls back with a thunk against the teakwood cabinet behind her, and she emits a satisfied moan.
The sound of her pleasure is music to my dick.
I give equal attention to the other perky tit before continuing to make trails down her body with the Cheeto.
And I lap up every trace of seasoning left there.
As promised, I don’t put anything inside her. I wouldn’t want to cause any kind of fake-cheese-related health issues to her perfect cunt. But I do take two of the snacks and roll them up and down the insides of her thighs, coating her with the faint orange powder .
Then I kneel and very thoroughly clean her up with my mouth before finally getting to the promised land at the apex of her thighs. Her arousal is dripping onto the towel beneath her, and the smell of her has me feral.
I lock eyes with her before diving in and claiming my new guilty pleasure snack.