“So, did Mia say anything about …” I pause, not wanting to be too blunt. I’m almost positive that she hasn’t said anything because I don’t think Juniper would be acting so casually. “I mean, I was wondering if …” My voice trails off as I hear the bathroom door open.
“Who are you talking to?” Mia sashays out of the bathroom with a fluffy white towel wrapped around her body. Her long blonde hair is damp and sits in a bun atop her head.
She looks at me with a shy smile, but then she spies Juniper, and her lips twist into a wide grin.
“Yay, you made it.” She rushes over to Juniper and practically jumps up and down.
Her towel clings to her body in all the right ways, and I try to ignore the dip of her curves and her long, slightly wet legs.
“I can’t stay long, as I have to get to the beach so I can open the bookmobile, but I wanted to make sure you had some clothes. You sounded kind of desperate in your text messages.” Juniper points to the duffel bag on the ground. “I packed some dresses and skirts and stuff for you.”
“Thanks, girl. I didn’t want to leave here, doing the walk of shame. Though maybe that would have really sold the relationship to everyone.”
Mia giggles loudly, and my eyes fly to her to see if she’s losing it. She looks at me, and for a couple of moments, I search her face, trying to see what she remembers, trying to see if she’s upset, mad, happy, excited. I can’t tell from her expression what she’s thinking, but I don’t think she’s mad at me, which is good. I’m not getting a tense vibe, which is what I was worried about when I woke up.
“Maybe some of the tourists would have thought I was a hooker, slinking away in my cheap dress.”
“Nah, that dress was too hot to ever be anything other than fabulous.” Juniper jumps off of the couch and picks up the crumpled dress that Mia took off the evening before. “It is so pretty, and, wow, this room is absolutely stunning as well. I love the wallpaper and all the decor.” Juniper walks around, her fingers touching the linen wallpaper, filled with seashells, pearls, and sand dollars. “This is so pretty.”
“Isn’t it?” Mia says. “If I had a mansion, I would definitely have a room that had wallpaper with seashells and maybe dolphins. That would be so cool.”
“What do you mean, if you had a mansion? You can do it now in your bedroom if you want. I can help you whileI’m in town.”
“My room is small, Luke. I wouldn’t put it in my bedroom, but I would definitely put it in a guest room or something. But Juni and I are poor, and we don’t have a guest room.”
“You’re not poor, Mi-Mi.” I suddenly realize that I’m still in my briefs. “I should get myself ready as well. Can’t go down to breakfast in my briefs. I don’t want to scandalize anyone.”
“Just me and Juni?”
“You weren’t so scandalized last night,” I tease, but then I wonder if I’ve gone too far.
Mia shoots me a look and then just shakes her head.
“Ignore Luke. You know he’s just trying to show off that he has abs now.”
I notice that her eyes linger on my chest, and as I take a step back, her eyes meet mine and then dart away quickly. So, she’s thinking about my body as well. The idea that I’m also in her head pleases me.
“Juni, we’re about to head down to breakfast. Would you like to join us?”
“I wish, but I really do have to get to the beach and open up Salty Pages. I think a couple of tourists are coming by to grab some psychological thrillers for their boat ride later today. So, I need to go through and see what we have.”
“Ooh, awesome, I think we have some books by Steve Cavanagh. I loved his bookFifty Fifty.” Mia gazes over at me as she grips her towel.
I can see that her body is still damp. I try not to look at her legs or her exposed shoulders. I try not to think about her naked body under the towel.
I will not let my mind swim in the gutter. I will not think of her ample breasts.
“I think you will like it as well, Luke.”
“Like what?”
“The book I was just talking about.”
“Oh, okay.” I’m not going to tell her that I wasn’t paying attention to what she was talking about.
“On that note, I should be going.” Juniper spins around. “I’ll see you guys later.” She heads to the door and waves her goodbyes before she leaves. “See you guys. Have fun. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” She closes the door behind her.
I turn to look at Mia, who is staring at me with a guilty expression on her face.
