Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 102394 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102394 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
She moaned, and it vibrated down my shaft, causing me to lose control and come faster than I’d wanted. I watched in awe as Juliette swallowed every last drop. My chest rose and fell as I recovered from that mind-blowing orgasm.
She licked her lips and stood. I wanted to burn that sight into my memory.
Juliette kissed me, and I could taste myself on her tongue. “Let’s get out of here…” she whispered.
I couldn’t wait to get to Palm Springs so I could bury myself inside of her again.
As we exited the laundry room, she said, “I’ve never been to Palm Springs, you know.”
“Me neither.” I kissed her forehead. “Pack your bag.”
After Juliette and I threw our stuff together, we headed to the rental car place where I’d reserved a convertible. The weather was supposed to be perfect, so I figured, why not?
We drove with the top down for the nearly two-hour journey to Palm Springs, blasting the music. Juliette lifted her arms into the air numerous times, her hair blowing in the wind. This was what freedom felt like, even if it was only for a couple of days. True freedom with Juliette was likely a pipe dream. But I needed to put the negativity aside for a little while.
Once we got to Palm Springs, we dropped our stuff at the Airbnb before taking a tram ride from the desert to the mountains. Juliette was a bit scared of heights, so I held her hand the entire time. We had dinner at a mountaintop restaurant as we watched the sun set overlooking the Coachella Valley below. Our escape so far had been everything I’d hoped it would be.
After we returned to our Airbnb for the night, Juliette and I sat outside for a bit to gaze at the stars. I’d lit the firepit, which counteracted the chill in the air. We sat together in the same lounge chair, Juliette resting her back against my chest.
“This is the most peaceful I’ve felt since Ortigia,” she said.
“That’s sort of what I was going for.” I kissed the back of her head. “I wanted to give you a little bit of that peace back, since our Italy trip was cut short.”
She sighed. “Maybe we just need to keep running from reality.” She turned around to face me. “I can’t imagine going through this without you, Wes.” She chuckled. “And I don’t know what my father was thinking, sending you and expecting me not to fall…” She hesitated.
Even though Juliette stopped short of actually saying the word love, her admission shocked me, although it probably shouldn’t have; I was falling, too. Before I could conjure a response, Juliette shook her head. “I didn’t mean to, um…” She exhaled.
Even in the darkness, I could see her face turn red as she waited for my reaction. And yet, I couldn’t find the words. More than that, I wasn’t sure if it was wise to unleash them, afraid to give her false hope in what seemed like a hopeless predicament.
I’d let the silence go on too long before I stammered, “Juliette, I—”
“I’m gonna go shower,” she said, getting up before I could respond.
Shit. My heart ached as I continued to sit outside by the fire. I couldn’t let her go to sleep tonight thinking I didn’t feel the same way about her. If anything, my feelings for Juliette might’ve even been stronger than hers were for me. I just hadn’t categorized it as love because I couldn’t dare go there. But that was a protective mechanism and had no bearing on how I actually felt about her.
She was already in bed when I went into the house. I took a quick shower and gathered my thoughts as the warm water rained down on me. But I knew there was no way to rehearse this. I needed to speak from the heart and hope I didn’t sound like a blubbering idiot.
After, I slipped into bed and wrapped my arms around her from behind. Juliette’s body went rigid at my touch. She was so damn tense, and I didn’t have to wonder why.
“You’re not the only one, Juliette,” I whispered. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone.”
She turned to face me and placed a gentle kiss on my lips. But when she pulled back, I noticed a look of worry in her eyes, as if somehow in the time she’d spent lying in bed alone, she’d realized a little of what I was already concerned about.
***
The following morning, the tension from the night before had thankfully dissipated.
After mind-blowing morning sex, Juliette and I had coffee together out on the patio, flanked by palm trees and a cool morning breeze.
We decided to try a breakfast place that had great reviews online.
The outdoor seating area was crowded by the time we got there. Once we found a table, Juliette ordered the chocolate chip pancakes while I opted for eggs, bacon, and toast.