Page 25 of Sand in My Boots

She’s covering her ears, her eyes wide, but a faint smile belies the rest of her. Finally, she squeaks, “Oh my god, yes! You need to know. Happy now?”

“Incredibly.” I don’t gloat my victory over her. Not yet anyway. “But first, I believe you owe me lunch.”

This time, she tucks herself into my side. “It’s only fair.”

We continue our trek, though I’m a little lost where we are in relation to the café I chose for lunch. However, I’m too comfortable to ask for directions or consult a map. The village isn’t that big. We’ll eventually find it.

True to her word, Juli treats me to lunch. And while the food kinda sucks—I’m not sure why I remembered it better—the company does not.

“Do you still sleep with a night-light?”

Juli nibbles her bottom lip, looking everywhere but me. “Not every night,” she finally admits in a low voice.

I lean in over the table, her sweet floral scent washing over me. It takes every ounce of willpower not to inhale and take a whiff. “So, every night?” I’m not sure why I don’t believe her comment. Probably because there’s no way she gave it up.

Locking gazes, she holds my stare. And because my eyes are locked on hers, I miss all the other body language cues. What I don’t miss is the way her brown eyes deepen, the way her purple tank top has a power to change the hue.

She relents first, her eyes closing as if needing a break from the intensity. And for me, it’s welcome, too. The longer and deeper I look into her eyes, the more I see into her soul. The more the need to spend time with her surges.

“There was this guy I was seeing for a little while, maybe a year. I knew it wouldn’t last even before he constantly made fun of me for having a night-light on while I slept. But that was the final straw—when he told me it was childish. ‘Adults shouldn’t be scared of the dark.’” Her voice deepens on the crappy impression of this guy who obviously enraged her in the past. Hell, I’m infuriated for her. “When I kicked his ass to the curb, I added an extra light at night to spite him. Not that he ever knew, but it was my personal ‘fuck you.’ That lasted a week because he wasn’t worth my time.” She finishes with a shrug of one shoulder, almost as if she’s putting up a brave front though she’s definitely still affected by it however many years later. “So, yeah. Every night it’s still on.”

“What a dick.”

“Understatement. And not an impressive one.”

I wasn’t expecting those words from her, so I choke on a sip of beer. Thankfully, it doesn’t exit my mouth and slides haphazardly down the esophagus, burning on the way down.

“I could have lived my entire life without that visual, Jude.”

“Pfft. His wasn’t even the worst. This one guy⁠—”

I hold up my hand. “Not over lunch. I’d like to enjoy what’s left.” She calls my bluff with a scan of the table. We demolished lunch, leaving only a few sips of our drinks. “Just no.” I don’t need images of other guys’ dicks, especially in relation to Juliana.

Silence joins our conversation, and I finish up the last of my beer. Though not before she quietly adds, “Yours was the prettiest I’ve ever seen. And the biggest. And you were barely out of your teens.”

Beer sprays from my mouth, coating the table and her boobs with liquid. I can’t apologize because I’m gagging, the last remnants of beer trying to slide down my throat yet having a hard time.

I chance a peek at Juli, who seems pretty unfazed as she blots at her chest with the white cloth napkin. “I’d apologize, but I’m not all that sorry.”

“Not even a little?” I sputter out, wiping drool and beer from my chin, the epitome of sophistication.

She holds up her right hand, the thumb and pointer pinched closely together. “Maybe this much.” Inching them closer, she shakes her head. “Nope. Only this much.”

I have no comeback. No witty retort. No quick humor. She’s rendered me speechless. And not for the first time in our lives.

The waiter drops the bill off. With a flashy smile in his direction, Juli takes it and inserts cash inside, all while he stands there, his eyes focused on the wet spot on her chest, a chest his eyes never leave as he asks, “Need anything else?”

“Oh, no. We’re great here. Though I am glad for the double showerheads back in my room at the resort. I’m going to need a long one to get rid of this sticky mess.”

Now, not only am I speechless, but I’m turned the fuck on. Because there’s so much—too much—innuendo in her comment.

Similar to me, our waiter seems flabbergasted. His attention volleys between the two of us before he grabs the check and darts away.

When I finally find my voice, Juli’s innocent look is almost enough for me to say something stupid. Something I would definitely regret at some point, even if it’s the only thing I want to do and say at the moment.

“I’m a little scared of you right now. I don’t know if we can share any more beverages together.”

She purses her lips. “It’s not like I invited anyone into the shower with me. Should I call him back? Tell him where I’m staying? Ask to see his dick to add to my list of good versus bad ones?”