Page 45 of Embracing Trust

Chapter Twenty

Ryan

I was only teasing when I started talking about having the cabin to ourselves and Julia skinny dipping. She got so quiet.

I’m gonna have to take it slow and not rush her into anything she isn’t comfortable with.

I rub the back of my neck. “You ready to head back and eat those sandwiches or do you want to ride more?”

“I’m ready to go back to my house, if you are.”

“Sounds good.”

When we get back to Julia’s house, she puts together a lunch for us with the sandwiches, the root beer I brought, and she has some fruit ready.

Julia puts our food into a small picnic basket and once we’re outside, she grabs a blanket from a cabinet next to her outdoor shower. We make our way outside onto the warm sand and find a nice spot in the shade of the rocky cove.

“Remember this spot?” Julia asks. When she reaches into the picnic basket, her shirt dips down enough in front that I catch a glimpse of her lacy bra.

“Absolutely.” I hold in a chuckle. I have a feeling I know where this conversation is headed.

“What about in there?” She points to the narrow opening in the rocks just behind her back.

I nod with a smile. “We had a good time in there one afternoon, didn’t we?”

Julia pushes the hair away from her eye and pops a grape in her mouth. She grins. “You remember?”

The memory of our slick bodies practically blasts my hormones on a one-way trip to sex town. Hopefully, she won’t notice what’s happening in my shorts.

“Of course, I remember. How could I forget?”

Julia takes a drink of her root beer and nods her appreciation. “If you’re up for it, I was hoping to take a walk into town later.”

“Sure. I’m down for whatever.” Other suggestions might have been more realistic of what I feel like doing, but a walk on the beach sounds good too. I don’t want to rush things.

After we finish eating and put our lunch items in the house, we take off down the beach toward The Market Place.

The sun is warm and it’s a perfect day to spend with this woman who is creating a place in my heart.

My phone buzzes in my pocket, I pull it out and glance at the screen. Mom.

“Everything okay?” Julia asks.

I type a quick response and tuck the phone back into my pocket.

“Just Mom.” I run a hand through my hair. “She’s having the family over for dinner tonight.”

Julia’s eyebrows raise. “Oh, we can change our plans to another night. I don’t want you to miss a family dinner.”

“Pfft.” I shake my head. “I was just over there earlier this week.”

We continue our trek down the beach as my bare feet dig into the warm sand. I grab Julia’s hand.

“I love walking on the beach.” I take a deep breath of the salty ocean air.

“Did you get to see the ocean much while you were in North Carolina?”

“Some. It was a few hours from my post. Occasionally, I’d head down there on the weekends with friends.”

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