The Hazards of Skinny Dipping (22 page)

“Why didn’t you?” I brushed an eyelash off
his cheek.

“I didn’t want to push you. I wanted to let
you set the pace.”

I laughed. “What would have happened if I
hadn’t asked you to my semi-formal?”

“I was planning to ask you to mine
anyway.”

“Cutting it kind of close, weren’t you?” I
lifted my head off his chest to look at him.

“Maybe just a little.” His expression
suddenly turned serious. “I love you.” He looked right into my eyes
as he said the words for the first time.

“I love you.” I kissed him as soon as I saw
the expression of pure happiness on his face.

Maybe it was the words, but I knew I needed a
lot more than a kiss. I started unbuttoning his shirt.

“Dare I ask what you’re doing, Oakley?”

“Undressing you.”

“I could ask you to expand on that, but
instead I’m going to do the same thing.”

A few minutes later, he was on top of me. I
giggled as a plane took off. We were really about to have sex
outside with airplanes flying over us. It was kind of surreal.

The sex was even better that night. It was as
if our bodies had really become one. Afterward, I wondered if it
was because he was finally able to give me all of him. He was done
holding back.

“Do you realize it’s 12:02?” Reed asked after
he rolled off me. He had me wrapped up in his arms. I was most
definitely not cold.

“That’s a nice way to start a New Year.”

“I was hoping for a New Year’s kiss, but New
Year’s sex was pretty good too. Maybe we can make it a
tradition.”

“I don’t know. I might be busy next year.” We
were setting up our second tradition. Not bad for two and a half
months.

He tickled me. “Okay, okay. I’ll be
available.”

For some reason, that tickling got me in the
mood again. I moved my hand down to grab him, loving the groan it
elicited. We didn’t get any further before a bright light blinded
me.

“Oh no.” Reed’s groan of pleasure became
something else entirely.

The car stopped right next to the truck. Reed
made sure to cover me up with the blankets before the police
officer reached the bed of the truck. He shined a flashlight on
us.

The officer grinned when he realized what we
were doing. “Do you realize this is city owned property?”

I wanted to pull the blanket over my head. I
was beyond mortified.

“Yes, sir. We were just leaving.”

“Somehow, I doubt that.”

“It’s all my girlfriend’s fault. She couldn’t
wait to get home.”

I opened my mouth to argue but shut it. There
was no reason to make things worse.

The young officer chuckled. “And I’m sure you
weren’t a willing participant. Next time, get a room.”

He walked away.

“Wait, we’re not getting busted?” I sat up,
pulling the blanket with me.

“No, but we probably should get dressed and
head home.” Reed turned on his flashlight and found our
clothes.

“That’s probably a good idea, but way to
throw me under the bus. I couldn’t wait to get home?”

“This was your idea…”

“And you enjoyed it.”

“Of course, and I plan to pick up where we
stopped off when we get home.”

“That sounds good to me.” He kept his word. I
went to sleep that night wishing I could fall asleep in his arms
every night.

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Subject: re: Wow

Dear Juliet,

Love? That’s a pretty heavy word. I can’t
wait to meet him. I haven’t liked any of your past boyfriends.
Maybe this one will be the exception.

Your Excited Cousin,

Amy

The new semester started off fine. I liked my
classes, and I loved spending as much time as possible with Reed.
Being an active member of Delta Mu meant I was done with pledging,
so my commitments there were less. Instead of all the late night
meetings, it was more about events and hanging out with the girls.
I tried to spend time with my friends, but between class, work, and
Reed, there wasn’t much time.

The only way I could balance it all was to
actually use my work time for school work, something that was
getting increasingly harder to do now that Reed and I were dating.
He was way too good of a distraction. Still, I usually got an hour
or two of reading done before the crowds started.

“Can I help you?” I looked up, ready for my
next customer.

“I hope so.”

“Hi, Dylan.” I tried to keep my voice even,
but it felt so uncomfortable to see him, especially since I knew
Reed was so close by.

“Hi. I was hoping you could talk for a few
minutes.” He actually looked nervous. Seeing him nervous made me
nervous.

“I’m working.” I didn’t want to be rude, but
I still wasn’t comfortable talking to him. Being near Dylan
reminded me of how badly he’d treated me, and how willing I’d been
to go along with it.

“Just for a minute. You haven’t returned my
calls, and I need to talk to you.”

“Is there a problem here?” Reed wrapped his
arm around my waist. He was usually all about giving me my
independence, but I think Dylan brought out the protective side in
him.

Dylan paled. “So it’s true then? You’re
dating him?”

“Yes. We’ve been together for a few months
now.”

“Tell me the truth. Were you guys fucking
when we were together?” Anger replaced any evidence of nerves.

Reed didn’t waste a second. He was over the
counter and had Dylan by his collar. “Apologize to Juliet.
Now.”

“It’s a fair question. I was pretty sure
something was going on. Now I know the real reason she broke things
off.”

“She broke things off—”

I interrupted Reed, and he let go of Dylan.
“I broke things off because you didn’t treat me the way I deserved
to be treated. I should have ended things months before I did, but
I was too blinded by my feelings for you to let go. Reed had
nothing to do with it.” I turned around, not surprised to see
everyone in the restaurant staring at the three of us.

“I thought you wanted space. I thought if I
gave you time, you’d come around.” Dylan put his head in his
hands.

“I never gave you any reason to think that.
Look, we’ve known each other a long time. Maybe we’ll be friends
one day.”

“Yeah, friends. Great.” He didn’t even say
goodbye.

“You okay?” Reed looked at me worriedly.

“Yeah, I’m fine. You don’t need to freak out
like that, though.”

“I can’t help it. No one is allowed to talk
to you that way.”

I smiled. “You’re sweet, even when you go
into crazy mode.”

“I’m always going to go into that mode when I
think someone’s threatening you. I can’t help it.”

Thankfully, Dylan never came back in. I
passed him on campus a few times, but he always looked away. It was
better that way. Hopefully, the weirdness would eventually
disappear.

Things were also strange with Tally. We
tolerated each other, but any semblance of friendship had
disappeared when she realized Dylan and I weren’t getting back
together. I didn’t get it until I found out that Ryan broke up with
her a few weeks later. I had no idea if they were related, but I
had a feeling she thought they were.

***

“Are you still working on that American Lit
paper?” Reed sat down on a stool next to me at the counter. It was
after eight, and I was running out of time to finish my assignment
before we actually had to work.

“Yes. I don’t like my last paragraph. It just
doesn’t feel right.”

“I love you, but you’re absolutely crazy
sometimes.”

“What?”

“You hardly ever care about school, but then
you pick these little assignments to obsess over.”

“Oh, because you are the paramount example of
normalcy?” I rolled my eyes.

“What are you implying?”

“I’m just saying, who are you to point
fingers? You act so big and tough but get all emotional over coffee
commercials.”

“It was once, and I had a very good reason
for finding it emotional.” He crossed his arms.

“Yes, because a guy proposing to a girl over
a cup of cheap coffee makes everyone weepy.”

“Shut up.”

“Did you just tell me to shut up?” I saved my
document. The paper wasn’t getting done that night.

“Maybe.” His grin challenged me. “You’re
crazy.”

I closed my laptop. “Take it back.”

“No.”

I leaned forward. “Take. It. Back.”

“No.”

“You asked for it.” I lunged for him, but he
was already on his way into the kitchen. “Are you running away from
a girl, Reed?”

“I’m running away from a crazy girl!”

“This is your last warning.”

“Or what? You’re going to keep chasing me?”
He laughed.

“No. It’s going to be a lot worse.”

“Crazy.”

I reached into the pantry behind me and
pulled out a bag of flour. “You deserve this.” I took a handful of
the flour and aimed it at him. It barely got the back of his
shirt.

“Oh, we’re playing dirty, huh?” He grabbed
the bag from me and proceeded to pour half of it over my head. The
only positive side was that some of it got on him in the
process.

“Reed!”

“Yes?”

That’s when I went for the sauce. It wasn’t a
small jar.

“You’re not going to throw pizza sauce on
me.”

“Oh, I’m not?”

“Nope. You don’t have it in you.”

“I don’t?” I took a step toward him and tried
to get him with it, but of course, I slipped on some sauce that
spilled on the floor, and I ended up wearing half the jar before he
caught me in his arms.

He pushed me back against the counter. “You
are such trouble.”

“Am I trouble, or am I crazy?”

“Both, but right now, mostly trouble.” He
wiped flour and sauce off my cheek.

“I bet I look pretty hot right now, huh?”

“Actually you do.” He leaned over me. “Very
hot.” The last words were whispered against my ear before his lips
began to descend to my neck.

I moaned. “You actually look pretty hot,
too.”

“Do I?” His lips hovered just above mine.

“Yeah.”

He teased me, brushing his lips against mine
before pulling away.

“No fair.”

“I’m not kissing you until you admit that
commercial was emotional.”

“No.” I wet my lips. I wanted to kiss him so
much, but I hated admitting defeat.

“No? That’s too bad. I was looking forward to
kissing you.”

He ran a finger over my bottom lip. “Are you
sure about your answer?”

I squeezed my eyes shut. This was stupid. His
macho ego wasn’t going to give up. “It’s an emotional
commercial.”

“I’m glad you finally admit it.” His lips
brushed against mine again. I was about to complain when he sped it
up. My hands tangled in his hair as his arms wrapped around my
waist. I slipped my hands under his t-shirt as his hands did the
same to mine. He got my shirt off first, but I tugged on his to
move him close to me again. “Take off your shirt.”

“First you attack me with food, and now
you’re ordering me to remove my clothing?”

“I’m your girlfriend. I’m allowed to want you
shirtless.”

“At least you’re not telling me I have the
‘roid look anymore.” He pulled his shirt over his head.

“Nope, just the Reed look.” I ran my hands
over his chest. A little bit of the flour from his shirt had gotten
on him. It was nothing compared to the sauce that had seeped
through my shirt onto my skin. He kissed my chest between my
breasts and continued down to my stomach. “Tomato basil? At least
you picked a good sauce.” Something about the way his mouth felt on
me drove me wild. I reached out, unbuckling his belt. “I know this
is going to violate at least ten health codes, but I’m not waiting
until we get home.”

“Hopefully, we won’t get busted this time. At
least we’re not outside.”

I laughed against his mouth as I leaned up to
kiss him. He stepped out of his pants, kicking them to the side. He
unbuttoned my jeans, sliding them over my hips with exaggerated
slowness. “I love undressing you.”

“Then finish.”

“I love this bossy thing. It works for you.”
He slipped off my panties and dropped his boxers before lifting me
up and placing me on the counter. “This is going to violate a lot
more than ten codes, but I don’t care.” He pulled on my legs to
position me on the very edge of the counter. A small smile spread
across his lips.

I bit his shoulder to stop myself from crying
out as he moved inside me. I could have been flying, it felt so
good. Confident I wouldn’t scream, I leaned my head back to let his
mouth move to my neck. I raked my nails down his back.

“Reed!” So much for keeping quiet.

“Juliet.” Right as I thought he was about to
reach his release, he sped up, as caught up in ecstasy as I was. He
pushed me over the edge again just as he shuddered. Breathless, I
leaned forward into him. I’d never experienced anything like
it.

“Oh my god.” My heart beat a mile a
minute.

“Yeah, this bossy thing definitely
works.”

“Maybe it’s the sauce,” I managed to choke
out after my breathing returned to normal.

“If that’s true, then I’m taking a case
home.” He leaned his forehead against mine.

That’s when we heard the bell on the counter.
We hadn’t locked the front door. Did we actually have a
customer?

We hurriedly got dressed. My t-shirt was
completely soaked with sauce, so I had to take one of the
extras—the smallest size was large. I looked like I was wearing a
clown shirt.

“Are you guys decent?” Danny called back. At
least it wasn’t a customer.

“Why wouldn’t we be?”

Danny laughed. “Dude, I heard you guys as
soon as I walked in.”

I buried my face in my hands. “It was still
worth it.”