I pick up my wine glass and stare into it before setting it back down without drinking.
“Then about six months before the wedding, she told me she wanted to try something before she got tied down.”
Juliette’s lips part on her sharp intake of air. “Tied down? She literally saidtied down?”
“Her exact words,” I confirm. “She told me she’d always wanted to try a threesome, and this would be her last chance to do it, and would I please be willing to give that to her?”
The aqua eyes across from me go round as saucers. “Wow. Okay.”
“Yeah, I wasn’t exactly comfortable with it. I’m not a prude by any means. I’d done that a couple times in the past but with casual hookups. The thought of sharing my future wife with another man didn’t sit well with me.” I scrape my bottom lip with my teeth. “But after a few weeks, I finally said yes. I wanted to make her happy.”
“Oh god, Reno. That’s…” Juliette takes a long drink of her wine. “I don’t even have words.”
A suited waiter appears beside us and sets down a sleek, rectangular turquoise plate between us. “Your seared scallops,” he says. “I’ll have your dinner out shortly.”
“Thank you,” I say, releasing Juliette’s hand and instantly missing her soft warmth. We each put two scallops on our plate and take a bite. The meat is flaky and salty on my tongue, with a hint of sweetness.
“This is really good,” Juliette says, meeting my gaze across the table. Her eyes are bright but soft at the same time. “You don’t have to keep going if it’s too painful.”
Heaving out a long breath, I shake my head. “No, it’s okay. I realize now that Leia and I weren’t meant to be. It took me a while, but… I’m good.”
Shockingly, I realize it’s true. I’d harbored the resentment and hurt for so long, it practically became part of my skin, but somehow I’d barely thought of my former fiancée since I’d been here on this island. Like the pain had been scraped away by the Caribbean air.
And maybe by a certain sweet blonde with big blue-green eyes.
“Okay, so you went through with the threesome?” Juliette asks, and I nod. “How did you choose the other person?”
“I let Leia give me suggestions since it was her idea. She said she would feel better if it was someone we knew instead of finding a stranger online.”
“I guess that makes sense, though I could see where that would have its own set of problems.”
“Yeah, no shit,” I scoff, thinking of theproblemsthat had ensued. “She said she’d feel comfortable with Jeffrey, who was a friend of mine from high school. He’d been to our house numerous times, so she knew him pretty well.”
Juliette took another bite without looking, her attention focused on me. “And was this Jeffrey willing?”
I glug back the remainder of my wine and place my empty glass on the table. “He was. Before that night, I sat down with Leia andtold her this was only a one-time thing, just so she could have the experience she wanted. She completely agreed, so we set it up.”
Reading the unspoken questions on Juliette’s face, I went on. “We went through with it, and everything was going fine, you know… during.”
“Was it difficult for you?” Juli asks.
“I mean, it was enjoyable to a point, but yes. It was difficult. I kept telling myself it was only one night, and then Leia and I could go back to how we were before. We were in the middle ofthingswhen she said she thought it would be totally hot if Jeffrey and I kissed.”
Juliette’s eyebrows practically shoot off the top of her head. “Are you…”
“No, I’m not bisexual, but Jeffrey is. I’ve never been attracted to men.”
My date presses her lips together and shakes her head. “Reno, I’m all for pushing boundaries, but no one should ask you to touch or kiss someone you’re not attracted to.”
“Agreed. Jeffrey looked at me, like he was trying to determine if I was into it, but I just kind of nervously laughed it off and suggested that we concentrate on Leia since this was her fantasy.”
“Good for you,” Juliette says indignantly, the color rising in her cheeks. “I can’t believe she had the nerve to ask that in the middle of everything. She never brought it up with you when you talked about it beforehand?”
“No, and it never even crossed my mind to set that boundary.” Movement catches my eye, and I see our waiter headed our way. “I think our food is here.”
He presents our food with a fancy flourish of his hand and then opens the wine, pouring a taste into a fresh glass for me. The bold flavor is warm and delicious, and I nod my approval before he serves Juliette and I each a glass.
Once he’s gone, we dig into our food, garnering soft noises of satisfaction from both of us. I love watching Juliette eat. She fully enjoys her food, and it makes me enjoy mine even more.
