Page 48 of Shattered

“Balls swinging between two little, boney knees.” His voice is filled with disgust and fear, and it only makes me laugh harder.

My eyes are leaking tears faster than I can wipe them away, and my lungs burn for oxygen.

“It’s not funny. One old man dropped his sunglasses. He bent down and I saw things…” his words are cut off by a loud gagging sound.

“Stop! Please stop!” I say around a fit of laughter. “I can’t—I can’t take anymore.” I’m shaking my head, unable to move from the floor.

Suddenly, River looks pissed, but even that doesn’t stop the tickle in my stomach from getting him back.

“Why’d you do that? You had to know this is a nursing home and not regular apartments. How’d you even get us in here?”

I hold out my hand for him to help me up as my laughing dies down. “I didn’t get this place to burn you, but I had to take the opportunity. I know how you hate missing out on once in a lifetime chances.” Another bout of laughter escapes me.

“Jovi?”

Oh my God! I have to stop laughing. Think of something sad.

Katie.

My laughing slows, allowing me to wipe the tears away from my eyes, and I take a deep breath.

I look at River standing in front of me with his hands on his naked hips, eyes trained on me.

“They had a vacancy. After I promised we wouldn’t have any parties, that they didn’t have to feed us with the rest of the occupants, and I would pay for all three months up front, they wavered. I didn’t know about the private nude beach until after the place was reserved.”

“What did I do to you to make you hate me this much?” His face is now showing a bit of amusement, but his skin color is still slightly off.

“The wet and wild walk of shame!”

His head falls back, looking at the ceiling, as a grin takes over his face. “I didn’t do that on purpose,” he proclaims.

“Yeah, well now we’re even.” I poke his chest as I move in to hug him. He starts pulling off my bra and unbuttoning my pants.

“What are you doing?” I ask around my smile.

“I need to see you naked now. That…” he uses his hand to motion toward the beach. “…cannot be the last thing these eyes have seen. I’ll have nightmares.”

I laugh but allow him to pull off my clothes. We’re both totally naked, holding onto one another in the breakfast room when he leans in, pressing a kiss to my lips. When he pulls away, his smile is back in place. “That was a good burn. But I’m afraid you’ve started something here.”

I step away. “Oh no! I wasn’t trying to start something, I was trying to end it.”

“I didn’t do that on purpose!” He points at me as I begin to pull away.

“Whatever.” I reach around his neck and direct his lips back to mine.

He breaks the kiss for just a second. “It’s on!”

* * *

After we take our time enjoying what will be our little home for the next three months, we decide to go check out our surroundings. The place we’re in has its own spa, casino, and restaurant, along with different community rooms where dances and games are held.

I take River’s hand and lead him out the door and across the parking lot towards the main building.

“Are you serious about this?” he complains, dragging his feet.

“It may be fun. Let’s just check it out.”

He grumbles something I don’t catch, but keeps moving.

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