The Hazards of Skinny Dipping Read online

  “I don’t have a choice.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.” He put a hand on my back. “Do you need me to do sunscreen for you or anything?”

  “Nope. It’s pretty late.” Was he really changing the subject so quickly?

  “All right.”

  “Is there anything I can do to help? I mean, obviously I can’t fix the job. But anything else?”

  He smiled. “You already do. Sex with you is the best stress relief you can imagine. I plan on relieving a lot of stress this weekend.”

  “Do you?”

  “Uh huh.” He pulled me up on top of him. “In case you didn’t realize, that was the thinking behind this weekend getaway.”

  “And I thought it was for the stimulating conversation.” I kissed him. It felt strangely empowering to be doing it from on top. We never had sex that way. Every time I tried to, he rolled us over.

  “I like talking to you, Juliet, but I love having sex with you.”

  Did he realize how that sounded? I forced myself to shrug it off. “I guess this is a bad time to tell you it’s that time of the month.”

  “What?” The look of horror that crossed his face was priceless. “No. It’s not. You just had it two weeks ago.”

  “Obviously it was a joke, Dylan.”

  “Don’t mess with me.” He pulled my head down to his and kissed me. He rolled us over. No surprise there. “Are you ready to get in the water?”

  “Yes.”

  He shifted off me so I could get up. I didn’t wait. I headed right down to the ocean and walked in. The water was warm, and I eagerly moved further out. Dylan joined me. “You really like water, don’t you?”

  “Of course, don’t you?”

  “Yeah, especially when it involves you.” He wrapped his arms around me. “Speaking of which, want to head home and take a shower?”

  “We just got to the beach.”

  “We’ll come back tomorrow. I need you.”

  I had no desire to leave so quickly, but it didn’t feel worth arguing about. Not after he finally opened up about being stressed. Dylan usually kept so much to himself.

  ***

  After a shower and dinner, I was completely content to curl up on the couch with Dylan. My room at school was all right, but I missed being in a house and having a couch to lounge on. The ones in the dorm common room didn’t quite cut it.

  “I have a surprise for you.” The excited look on Dylan’s face scared me. I hoped this wasn’t going to be another surprise like the thong.

  “Another surprise?”

  “Uh huh. I can’t wait to see your reaction.” He stood up and took my hand to pull me with him. I let him lead me into his bedroom.

  “Close your eyes.”

  “Why?”

  “Just close your eyes. I want to surprise you.”

  “Okay.” I closed my eyes, hoping that the surprise wouldn’t be too awful.

  “Open them.”

  “Oh hell no.” I took a step back. From his right hand dangled a pair of handcuffs.

  “Ryan told me everything.”

  “What? What does Ryan have to do with the fact that you have handcuffs?”

  “I know all about the BDSM stuff. I just wish you’d been comfortable enough to tell me yourself.”

  “BDSM stuff? What did Ryan tell you exactly?” I grabbed onto the bedpost for support. I felt ready to pass out.

  “Everything. How you really want to try it and think I’d be the perfect dominant for you. At first, I wasn’t sure, but the more I looked into it, the more I realized that it fit us. I definitely don’t mind the idea of having you as my submissive. I figured it would be fun to start here—that way we don’t have to worry about interruptions.”

  “What? And why would I tell Ryan about this uh, interest?” I was going to kill him. Ryan was dead.

  “He said you were too embarrassed to tell me and wanted to see if I’d be interested.”

  “Oh my god.”

  “It’s not a bad thing, Juliet. I really want to try it too.” He took a step toward me.

  I backed up. “Dylan.”

  “Yes?”

  “Put those things away. Now.”

  “What? You don’t want handcuffs? I also picked up some other bindings. I tried not to go too crazy on stuff, but I wanted some options.”

  “Stuff? What other stuff?” I looked over at his suitcase. One compartment overflowed with a variety of items I’d hoped to never see in my life.

  “Where did you get this stuff?”

  “A store downtown. I didn’t have time to order.”

  “You went into a sex shop?” I laughed. I couldn’t help it. It was too much to picture preppy Dylan walking into a place like that.

  “I paid in cash. No one will ever know.”

  “I hope you can get a refund.”

  “What? Did I not get the right stuff?”

  “I’m not into BDSM. Ryan was messing with you. Or me.”

  Dylan looked confused for a second before a smile spread across his face. “Oh, I get it.”

  “What?” Oh dear god, what was making him smile?

  “This is all part of the role play. You want me to be the one to push you. I get it. I really think this is going to be good for us. It’s going to help you get over your body issues. You can’t completely be yourself without being properly dominated.”

  “Properly dominated? Where are you getting this bullshit?”

  “I did my research, Juliet.” He took a step toward me. “Take off your clothes.”

  I held my hands up in front of me. “Dylan, I’m not role playing. I have absolutely no interest in being dominated. Like I said, Ryan was messing with you.”

  “Really?” His face fell. “I was looking forward to intensifying our sex life. Why don’t we try it anyway?”

  “Try it? Not a chance.”

  “Fine.” The look of disappointment that crossed his face bordered on comical. Did he really know me so little that he’d believe I was into bondage?

  “Good. Now I’m going to get ready for bed.” I headed toward the bathroom but then turned around as a horrible thought came to me. “Oh, and you don’t have any weird plans of handcuffing me while I sleep, do you?”

  A guilty look crossed his face.

  “Damn it, Dylan. You were going to.”

  “I admit, it crossed my mind…I think you want to try it as bad as me.”

  “I’m going to sleep in Kyle’s room if you keep this up. Or better yet, go next door.”

  He zipped up his bag. “Okay, but—”

  “But what?” I prepared myself.

  “If you don’t want to try the bondage, could we at least try the spanking? I think I’d like that.”

  “Dylan!”

  “Okay, okay. I had to ask.”

  “No, you didn’t. You definitely didn’t have to ask. Now the thong makes sense, you sicko.”

  “Sicko? I only bought the stuff because Ryan told me it was your thing.”

  “If you mention his name again, I’m going to lose it.” I still couldn’t believe Ryan had stooped so low. I wasn’t sure if it was a joke or his way of getting back at me for being rude to him.

  “So no bondage, and no spanking?”

  “None. I’m going to brush my teeth.” My life would have made a good reality TV show.

  Chapter Sixteen

  I survived the weekend. Dylan took out the handcuffs one more time, but when I refused to have sex with him the rest of the night, he got the point.

  On Sunday morning, he made us waffles. Hands down, the best part of the whole weekend was the food. It was nice having access to a kitchen and a grill again. Dylan tried to convince me to stay an extra night, but I wouldn’t budge. I was definitely ready to get back to campus. After a quiet drive home, he dropped me off in front of my dorm. I lugged my suitcase up the stairs, ready to be in my own bed.

  “How was the romantic weekend?” Tally spun around in her desk chai
r when I walked in.

  “Ryan’s so dead.”

  “Hey, that’s my boyfriend you’re talking about.”

  “Boyfriend? Since when?”

  “Last night.” She smiled coyly. Wow, she’d moved on from Gregg quickly. I guess a lot can change in forty-eight hours.

  “Well, he’s dead.”

  “What did he do to deserve that fate?”

  “He told Dylan I was into BDSM.”

  She laughed so hard she almost fell out of her chair.

  “I appreciate the concern.”

  “Sorry.” She steadied herself on her chair. “That’s too funny. What did he do, take out handcuffs?”

  “Were you in on it?”

  She laughed again. “Oh my god. That’s so awesome. I wish I could have seen your face.”

  “It was horrible. He spent the rest of the weekend disappointed. He even asked me if I’d call him ‘master.’”

  “What? He asked you to call him ‘master?’”

  “Yes.” I slunk down on my bed. “He is so incorrigible.”

  “So, you wouldn’t try it at all?” She actually looked surprised.

  “No! That is so not my thing.”

  “How do you know if you haven’t tried?”

  “Okay, we’re not having this conversation.”

  “Sorry. I was just wondering. It might not be that bad.”

  “Feel free to try it on your boyfriend—make sure to whip him extra hard for me.”

  “How’d you know I’d want to dominate?”

  “Too much info, Tally. Too much info.” I grabbed my keys again and headed to Cara’s room. I knocked, but no one answered.

  I called her.

  She answered right as I expected the voicemail to start. “Hey, you’re back!”

  “Yeah, just got here. Where are you?”

  “We’re at the Kappa house.”

  “Who’s we?”

  “You should have been at the mixer. It was awesome. I’m with Mallory and Claire.” I heard muffled talking, but all I could make out was my name.

  “Who are you talking to?”

  “Reed.”

  “Oh cool.” It felt funny to know that my friends were hanging out with Reed. I viewed him as part of a separate piece of my life.

  “You have to come.”

  I debated it. Dylan would kill me, but I wasn’t exactly thrilled with him at the moment. He deserved it after the handcuff incident, and I really wanted to see my friends. “All right, I’ll come by.” I went back to my room long enough to change into jeans and a black tank.

  “Where are you going?” Tally asked.

  “To hang out with some friends. You want to come?”

  “What friends?”

  “Cara, Mallory, and some Kappas.”

  “No thanks. But have fun.” She didn’t sound particularly convincing.

  “I’ll try.” I grabbed my purse and headed out the door.

  ***

  I knocked on the front door of the Kappa house. I was used to just walking in at Dylan’s house, but this seemed different. I waited, but no one answered. I leaned in, and I could hear music playing and a lot of talking. I decided to go ahead and walk in.

  “Hey, Juliet!” Mallory jumped off the couch and hugged me.

  “Hey. I’ve missed you, too.”

  She laughed. “Everybody, this is Juliet.”

  “We know each other very well.” Reed smiled, patting a space next to him on the couch.

  There was something so comfortable about sliding in next to him. “Did you miss me, Reed?”

  “I did at the mixer. I was hoping to wow you with my dance moves.” He laughed.

  “I bet. I wish I could have been there.”

  “Have a good weekend with Jerk Face?”

  “Fine.”

  “Only fine?” I heard alarm in his voice.

  I shook my head. “Pretend it’s morning.” I referred to my disinterest in talking early in the day.

  “Oh, now I need to hear.” He leaned back and put an arm behind me on the couch.

  “You don’t want to know.”

  “Oh, we do.” Cara grinned. Aaron, the guy running things when we were at the Kappa house before, had his arm slung across her shoulders. She seemed perfectly happy to have it there.

  “I repeat. It was fine.”

  “You’ll give us all the details later.” Mallory took a sip of her drink.

  “And I’m getting them at work tomorrow. I have to hear this.” Reed laughed, but it sounded forced.

  “No to all of you.” I already regretted telling Tally about the handcuffs. There was no way I was telling anyone else.

  “Want anything to drink, Juliet?” Bill, another Kappa, asked.

  “I’m actually fine, but thanks.” I was still exhausted from my weekend and definitely not in the mood to drink.

  “Okay.” He smiled.

  My phone vibrated in my purse. I pulled it out. Where are you?

  Reed leaned over to look at my screen. “Does Dylan keep tabs on you constantly?”

  Out with my friends. Why?

  Friends? That’s not what I heard.

  I groaned. Not this again. How did he even know? Tally—I was going to kill her and her boyfriend. If Dylan knew who I was with, he probably already knew where I was. I hoped he wasn’t stupid enough to come and try to get me to leave.

  I’m hanging out with my friends. I didn’t see them all weekend. Feel free to do the same with your friends.

  Where are you?

  I put my phone away without answering.

  “You need to break up with him.” Reed said it quietly, making sure no one else heard.

  “No, I don’t. It’s none of your business.”

  “Can we take a walk?”

  “A walk?” Leaving didn’t bother me, but it would just make it harder to dodge his questions.

  “Yeah. A walk. You’re not drinking anyway.”

  I crossed my arms. “I just got here.”

  “Let’s go for a walk. Hear me out, and afterward, I’ll try to keep my mouth shut.”

  “You’ve promised that before.”

  “I’ll try harder.”

  I shook my head. “Fine.”

  Reed put his beer down on the floor next to the couch. “If you’ll excuse us, we’re going for a walk.”

  “A walk?” Aaron raised an eyebrow. “Don’t get lost.”

  “We won’t.”

  I shrugged when my friends gave me confused looks. We walked out the front door and turned left in the opposite direction of my dorm. He must have wanted a long walk.

  We walked in silence for a minute or two before Reed finally spoke. “I know you think I’m just trying to annoy you, but I’m serious.”

  “Reed, I appreciate the concern, but everything’s fine.”

  “You say that, but do you actually believe it? You have to admit he’s controlling.”

  “I stand up for myself. If you didn’t notice, I never told him where I was.”

  “It’s great that you don’t give in all the time, but that doesn’t change what he is. He’s controlling and manipulative. Everything he does is an attempt to dominate you.”

  I so did not need to hear the word dominate in association with Dylan ever again.

  “I can’t just stand back and watch this.”

  I groaned. “Then don’t watch.”

  “Shut up!” His hands fisted at his side. I’d never seen him so angry.

  I shuddered. “Calm down, Reed.”

  “No. This is bullshit. I’m not letting this happen again.”

  “Again? What is this about?”

  He put his head in his hands. “You’re so much like my sister. Too pretty for your own good, and you’re so needy. You want to be wanted so damn bad that you’ll put up with crap.”

  “Your sister? What does your sister have to do with me?”

  “She was like you at your age. She dated an older guy—and six months into their rela
tionship, she was engaged and living with him.”

  “And? Was it the biggest mistake of her life?” I said sarcastically. I immediately regretted it when I saw the look that crossed his face.

  “You know what? Forget it. You want to fuck up your life and destroy your family, go ahead. Do it.”

  “What? Destroy my family? What happened to your sister, Reed?”

  He shifted his weight from foot to foot. In the darkness, I thought I saw a few tears. “She got in too deep. Everyone loved the guy—my parents thought he was a prince. From a well-known family, tons of money. Sound familiar? They got married when she was only nineteen.”

  I nodded. I needed to hear the rest.

  “Eventually, things got worse, and she wanted out but felt like she couldn’t leave. I’m the only one who believed her when she said he’d become abusive.” He got this far-off look on his face. “My parents told her to be loyal to her husband. He started talking about kids. I don’t think she wanted to bring kids into her world.” Reed was a mix of anger and hurt, and I didn’t know which one was harder to watch.

  “Wait? What happened?”

  “She killed herself. I guess she thought it was her only way out.”

  I touched his arm. “I’m so sorry, Reed.” I couldn’t even imagine how hard that must have been for him.

  “Don’t be sorry. Just don’t make the same dumb mistake.”

  “I’m not going to do something like that, and I’m not planning a wedding anytime soon.”

  “Please be careful.”

  I still hadn’t moved my hand. “I will.”

  “Promise me something.”

  “Okay.” I would have promised him anything in that moment. He looked so vulnerable.

  “If you ever feel like you’re trapped, talk to me. I couldn’t help Shannon, but I can help you. I’m not a puny sixteen -year-old anymore.”

  “Puny? You could never be puny.” Without thinking, I moved my hand up to touch his bicep. Reed was a giant. The last thing he could be described as was puny.

  “I make it my business to make sure I never am again.”

  It all clicked. The obsession with lifting weights, his issues with his parents, living with Al. “I promise.”

  “Good. Want me to walk you home?”

  “Yeah, that would be nice.”