I kissed his cheek. “We’ll both be getting naked later.”
“All right, that sounds like a good deal.”
I made a quick phone call while he got dressed.
“You need to drive.” I tossed Reed his keys.
“Okay…”
“Are you going to tell me who you called?”
“I called in a gate pass. We’re going to my family’s beach house.”
“That sounds great and all, but is there any particular reason why?”
“We’re going skinny dipping.”
“Isn’t it a little cold?”
“The pool is ready for the season already, and I have to do this.”
“Normally, I’d argue, but I’d probably do anything you asked right now.”
***
I stared at the water. It even looked cold. Maybe I should have just forgotten it and gone inside, but I wasn’t giving up. I pulled off my clothes and tossed them on the ground—next to the two white towels I’d remembered to grab on our way outside. Reed just watched.
“You don’t have to join me if you don’t want to. It was enough that you drove with me.” I wanted him to join me.
“This really matters to you, doesn’t it?” he asked. I could tell he was trying really hard to look at my face, but I wasn’t making it easy on him—standing there completely naked.
“Yes. But Reed?”
“Yeah?”
“It’s cold. Shut up and get naked.”
He grinned. “Yes, ma’am.” He pulled off his t-shirt, and the rest of his clothes followed.
I took in all of him. I’d never get tired of looking at him. “Ready?”
“Always.”
We jumped in holding hands. The water was even colder than I’d expected—I mean freezing. When we came to the surface, I started to laugh, really laugh.
“What’s so funny?”
“Everything.”
He moved to the wall and pulled me with him. “As much fun as this is, any time you’re ready to go inside, just say the word.”
“I’m ready.”
He didn’t wait another beat. He jumped out and held a towel open for me. He insisted on drying me off before drying himself. Wrapped in a towel, I stood on my tiptoes to kiss him. “I love you, Reed Bryce.”
“You know I love you, Juliet Monroe.”
“I do know, and that’s really—”
“Cool?”
“All I need to know.”
His lips met mine again, and I let him carry me inside. I’m sure you can guess what happened next, but what you might not know is that it was the best ever. But then again, it always is with Reed. Yeah, I said ‘is’, because we’re still together, but none of that’s part of this story. This story was about skinny dipping, remember? One last piece of advice: if you do decide to go skinny dipping, make sure to bring a towel.