Page 67 of Star Crossed
Jules winced. “You can’t tell anyone.”
Chuito rolled his eyes and looked away. “This is definitely not an experience I want to relive by telling others.”
“No, really,” Jules said seriously. “You know how this town talks. If you tell someone, it’ll get back to Wyatt, and Romeo’s not ready for him to know yet.”
“It’s cool.” Chuito shrugged. “I get it.”
Jules took a shuddering breath, thinking it’d be a minor miracle if this didn’t get out. “Chuito—”
“Jules,I get it,” Chuito repeated slowly and then looked over her shoulder, his gaze hardening for one long moment. “I probably get it more than you do. I won’t tell anyone.”
“Thanks, man, we’d appreciate it,” Romeo said behind her, and Jules turned to see him wearing only his white pants.
“Just, you know, hang something on the front doors next time,” Chuito said, shaking his head like a wet dog as if trying to force the memories out. “Warn me. Save me the trauma.”
He turned to leave without another word.
Jules felt sort of guilty and called out, “Are you gonna be okay?
Chuito held up a hand, not looking back as he pulled open the front doors.
“Shit.” Jules sulked as she watched Chuito walk into the parking lot. “He’s gonna tell someone. He’ll open his big mouth to Alaine, and she’ll tell one of her friends on accident or something and then the whole dang town’ll know. I should’ve told Wyatt before now.”
“He won’t say anything.” Romeo wrapped his arms around her from behind and rested his chin on top of her head. “It’ll be fine.”
“How’d you know?”
“Guys like him don’t nark on their own. It’s just a weird…street thing.”
Jules turned to Romeo, willing him to tell her his secrets, but when the silence stretched out in front of them, all he offered was, “Wanna take a shower in the men’s locker room with me?”
“Sure.” Jules nodded and tried to push away the nagging feeling there was more than prison he needed to tell her about. But now wasn’t the time anyway, so she forced a smile and said, “Showering with you is always fun.”
