The Hazards of Skinny Dipping (20 page)

“Good. Let me know if that changes.”

“Oh, I will.”

***

I woke up snuggled in Reed’s arms. Early sun
poured into the room, spilling across us.

Reed mumbled something, pulling me close. It
didn’t take me long to realize that even though he was sleeping, he
was definitely ready for action. I decided that if there was ever a
time to wake him up, it was the present. I moved out of his arms,
grabbed the package of condoms he’d left on the night stand, and
climbed on top of him. I let out a deep breath. This was definitely
a first. I adjusted us, and his eyes flew open. “Juliet.”

I didn’t wait for him to fully wake up, but
it didn’t take long. He reached up and fondled my breasts. “I
thought you weren’t a morning person.”

“I’m not—but if I get to do this in the
morning, I don’t mind so much.”

He moved his hands to my hips. “You can do
this any morning—every morning.”

We moved faster, and I was nearly out of
breath when I collapsed on top of him.

“I think we should stay in bed all day.” He
ran his hands down my back.

“That sounds good, but we’ll need food. All
of this has me hungry.”

“I’ll keep you fed.” He smiled.

I rolled off him, glad when he wrapped his
arms around me.

“You are even more amazing than I’d
imagined.” He kissed my forehead.

“The same goes for you.” And that was putting
it mildly.

“It’s good to know you imagined it.”

“Of course I did…” If I was honest with
myself, I’d been imagining it since I’d met him. I’d pushed my
feelings away because of Dylan, but my attraction to Reed had been
there from the beginning.

He laughed. “You had me fooled.”

“I can see that.”

We spent another hour in bed before deciding
to find breakfast. He held my hand as we walked to the elevator,
and pushed me back against the wall when the door closed. “Just so
you know, I’m no longer keeping my hands off you.”

“I don’t want you to.”

“Good.”

I was so distracted I didn’t realize the
elevator had stopped on another floor.

“Ahem.” I peered around Reed to find an older
couple giving us a look.

“Sorry,” I said quickly before looking
down.

We got off in the lobby and went outside.
“Are you in the mood for anything in particular?”

“Something sweet. Maybe a pastry.”

He smiled. “Sweet, huh? The only problem is
that won’t really keep you full. You need protein.”

“Reed?”

“Yeah?”

“I want something sweet.”

He laughed. “Fine. I think there’s a café
around the corner.”

“Good. I can have protein for lunch.”

He took my hand. “This feels so good.”

“Holding my hand?”

“Yes, but I mean everything. Being together.
I’ve wanted this for so long.”

“How long?”

“Since laser tag.” He squeezed my hand.

“Really? You liked me all decked out?”

“You look hot in everything, but it was your
attitude that got me. Most girls would have hid from me instead of
taking me out.”

“I did shoot you in the back.”

“True… I need to remember that.”

I used my other hand to swat at him. “It was
a game.”

“I know. I take it from your reaction that
you didn’t like me then?”

“I obviously noticed you were
attractive.”

“Obviously? That’s good to know.”

“But you were wearing a hat backwards.” I
didn’t actually want to admit it, but I decided to anyway.

“That was enough to write me off?”

“Not write you off… but I kind of assumed you
were a jerk.”

“You do realize how superficial that sounds,
right?”

“Yeah, just a little.”

“What changed? What made up for the backwards
hat?”

“Getting to know you.”

“All right. So when did you figure out you
liked me?”

“I don’t know. It kind of snuck up on me. The
first time I really knew it was when you wouldn’t go to my
Halloween date party with me.”

“I already had plans.”

“I know, but I figured out that I wasn’t just
disappointed about not having a date—I was disappointed you didn’t
want to be my date.”

“I did want to be your date, but it was too
late to cancel.” He dropped my hand to put his arm around my waist.
“I didn’t know you even cared until Aaron called me.”

“So he did call you. I figured…”

“He pretty much called me an idiot and told
me to get over there before you hooked up with some bartender.”

“What?! I wasn’t going to hook up with the
bartender. And why would he tell you that?”

“He knew how into you I was…”

“Oh. I didn’t think you’d told anyone.”

“I think it was pretty obvious. Well, and I
threatened to beat the crap out of Dylan on a daily basis.”

I laughed. “I’m glad you showed up, and I’m
also glad you’re going to my semi-formal with me.”

“Too bad yours doesn’t involve a hotel.”

“We can still go back to your place
after…”

“Of course. You can do that any night.”

“Good to know I have an open invitation to
the messiest room in the world.” I assumed it hadn’t gotten any
cleaner since I’d last seen it. I wondered how different it would
be to see it the next time.

“It’s not that bad.” He pushed open the door
to the café. It was a small space, but cozy, decorated in all sorts
of French décor—from signs to paintings.

“No, it could be worse. As long as you change
your sheets, we’re okay.”

“I do my laundry. You’re the one who forgot
my stuff in the washer.”

“Maybe, but at least I know how to sort my
clothes.”

He laughed as he led me to the counter. I
checked out the display case, eventually settling on a chocolate
croissant. Reed got one too. He also ordered us coffees. I loved
how he didn’t have to ask how I liked mine. He knew to put in
exactly one and a half packets of sweetener.

We took a seat at a small table, and I dove
right in to my croissant. “Mmm, this is so good.”

“So, you make that sound other times?”

My face heated when a couple at the next
table looked at us. I kicked Reed under the table.

“Hey!”

“You deserved that. Get your mind out of the
gutter.”

“You can’t blame me.”

“I was there too, and I’m thinking about
normal things.”

“I didn’t moan.”

I shook my head. “What’s the plan for
today?”

“Anything you want to do, darling.” He leaned
over and wiped chocolate off my lip. It was such an intimate
gesture, and he seemed to do it without thinking.

“Good. Let’s explore.”

We ended up in Forsyth Park. As someone who
loves Southern foliage, I was in heaven. Yeah, I know I talk about
trees a lot, but they make me happy. Large, mossy oaks lined the
park. I had a feeling they’d be nice when it was hot. It wasn’t the
trees putting me in such a good mood that day though, it was
Reed.

“You aren’t too cold, are you?” He squeezed
my gloved hand. The temperature had dropped into the forties.
Thankfully, the sun helped a lot.

“I’m fine.” I smiled.

“You seem happy.”

“I am. Beautiful day, beautiful park, and
good company.”

“I’m not beautiful?” he teased.

“Of course you are.” I took my hand from his
long enough to pat him on the back.

He took my hand in his again. “Part of me
doesn’t want to go back.”

“I know what you mean. I don’t want this to
end.”

“It won’t end. It will just have to fit into
the real world.”

“Good thing my boss won’t mind me flirting
with you on the job.”

He laughed. “I think he’s going to insist on
it.” He leaned in to give me a quick kiss. “This park is really
nice in the spring. We’ll have to come back.”

“Did you come to Savannah a lot growing
up?”

“I didn’t move to Charleston until my last
two years of high school.”

“Oh… I thought you were from there.”

“No. I moved down from Philadelphia after
Shannon died.” He looked away.

I squeezed his hand. “You just wanted to get
away?”

“From my parents. I can’t even look at them.
I make it my business to stay away when they visit Al.”

“You mean when they visit you…” I said it
softly, but I wanted him to hear.

He responded just as quietly. “Yes.”

“Do you blame them? For not believing
her?”

“For not believing either of us. For caring
more about reputation than their daughter.”

“It’s been five years…don’t you think it’s
time you gave them a chance?”

“You’ve been my girlfriend for less than
twenty-four hours, and you’re already nagging me?”

“Girlfriend?”

“That wasn’t a random hook up, and this isn’t
a casual date.” He said it so confidently, like there was no other
way to view it.

“Girlfriend. I’m Reed’s girlfriend.”

He laughed. “Trying it out?”

“I think it fits.”

“I know it does.” He put his arm around my
waist, pulling me against his side, and I knew I’d found my
favorite spot.

Reed kissed me goodbye when he dropped me off
in front of my dorm. Other than that, it could have been like any
night after work. That was one of the best parts of our
relationship: how seamlessly we’d moved from friends to more than
friends. It didn’t stop there either.

We fell into an easy routine during the last
few weeks of classes and exams. We already worked together three
nights a week, and I usually ended up spending those nights at his
place. One side benefit was that I saw Cara tons more. She spent
almost every night with Aaron. Mallory joked that we needed to find
her another Kappa, but I think she enjoyed the single life.

I’d managed to avoid Dylan so far, but he
still left me weekly voicemails to “check in.” I told Reed about
them, just to keep everything in the open. He offered to talk to
Dylan for me, but I was afraid talking might involve a fist, and
the calls weren’t that bad. I assured him it wasn’t that big of a
deal.

“Have you figured out your winter break plans
yet?” Reed moved behind me on his bed, giving me a shoulder rub. I
needed it. Putting off my biology studying was turning out to be a
huge mistake.

“My brother, Brandon, is supposed to pick me
up after my last exam, and my dad is going to bring me back.”

“Any chance you’d come back early for New
Year’s?”

“Won’t the dorms be closed?”

He pulled me back against him. “This house
won’t be.”

“My dad would have a heart attack.”

“Can’t he drop you off at the Delta Mu
house?”

“Reed Bryce, are you suggesting I lie to my
father about my sleeping arrangements?”

He took one of my hands in his. “You’re
already doing it. I doubt they know how often you stay here.”

“True.” I definitely hadn’t mentioned that to
my parents when I’d told them about my new boyfriend. “All right.
I’ll come back early.”

“Good. I want to spend New Year’s
together.”

“Me too.” I turned around and got in his
lap.

“Before I get too distracted, I have another
idea.”

“Yeah?” I asked impatiently. I really wanted
him to kiss me.

“I can drive you home and save your brother
the trip.”

“But then you’d have to drive back.”

“So? I have nothing planned.” He stretched
out his legs. We’d been sitting for way too long. I was so sick of
studying for finals it wasn’t funny.

“You really don’t mind?”

“Nope. The question is, are you ready to
introduce me to your family?”

“My parents are going to be in Vermont
visiting my dad’s sister, so it will just be my brothers.”

“Should I worry about meeting them?”

“Probably a little. They’re kind of
protective.”

He leaned his head closer to mine. “I bet I
can handle them.”

“I bet you can, but let’s stop talking about
my brothers.”

“I like that idea.” He pulled my face to his
and helped me forget about studying biology.

***

“Are you ready for the ultimate road trip?”
Reed stowed the last of my bags.

“We have snacks and music. I think we can
handle it.” I got into the passenger side, still not sure how I
felt about going home for break.

“It’s only eight hours.” Reed must have
mapped out our trip up to Maryland.

“I can’t believe you plan to turn around and
head back in two days.”

“What’s the problem? You don’t think that’s
enough time to show me around?”

“It’s a lot of driving.”

“I appreciate your concern for my
well-being.” He pulled onto the interstate, and I felt a mix of
emotions. I missed my family, but I wasn’t looking forward to
spending even a few days without Reed.

We spent the trip singing along to bad pop
songs and trying to come up with New Year’s plans. An eight-hour
drive had never gone by so fast. We only stopped twice for gas and
food, and before I knew it, we were at my house.

“Nick? Brandon?” I knew my brothers were both
around because their cars were in the driveway.

“Up here,” Nick called down. It sounded like
he was in the attic.

I walked up to the second floor and called up
the attic stairs. “What are you guys doing?”

Reed followed me up the attic stairs.

“Looking for Dad’s old records.”

“Because that’s not weird.”

“You’re weird. They’re for a friend.” Brandon
finally noticed Reed. “Oh, hi.”

“Hey, I’m Reed.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Brandon, and this is
Nick.” He pointed at his twin. They weren’t identical, but people
usually thought they were.

“Great to finally meet you. I’ve heard all
about you.” Reed seemed so comfortable. I’d have been nervous if I
was him.

“Only good things, I hope.” Nick nudged me in
the side. He always did that.