“No!” I insist. “If you tell him, I will sneak into your house and paint the soles of all your Louboutins black.”
Her face contorts in horror. “You wouldn’t!”
“Oh, I would. You know how Bubba likes to tease me, and I don’t need to give him any more ammunition. I’d never live this down.”
“Okay, fine,” she huffs, pursing her lips in a pout. “You don’t let me have any fun.”
“You’ll live,” I deadpan.
“And so will my Louboutins.”
“As long as you don’t tell. Otherwise…” I draw a slash across my throat in warning.
“Evil bitch,” she mutters before blowing me a kiss. “Love you, crazy.”
“Love you too.”
After we disconnect, I spring from the bed with urgency, slipping my sandals on and heading for the front door. I need to find Reno immediately and explain this whole situation. And to find out exactly what he was talking about yesterday. If he wasn’t judging my author career…
Slinging open the door, I rush out and run face first into… flowers? I stumble backward and almost fall on my ass when I feel a strong hand grip my upper arm to steady me.
“Whoa, Juliette. Are you okay?”
Rubbing my nose, I try to hide my surprise. “Reno?” He’s on my front porch with a gigantic floral arrangement in a pretty aqua vase.
His face is as solemn as a judge’s. “Yeah, I, um, I’m sorry about yesterday.”
“I’m not a swinger,” I blurt, and his eyebrows shoot upward as I go into full babble mode. “I booked this place online, and I had no idea about pineapples. I mean, of course I know about pineapples, but not the upside down ones and the symbolism behind that. My friend just told me, and I was shocked, and I’m totally not into that lifestyle. In case that’s what you were thinking. Not that there’s anything wrong with it.”
“So you’re not into swapping and sharing sexual partners?” he asks suspiciously, and I shake my head vehemently.
“Not at all.”
Reno’s lips curl into a slow smile. “Somehow, coming from you, that explanation makes perfect sense.”
“I thought you were judging me because of the kind of books I write, and that really pissed me off.”
His face falls. “No, I would never. In fact, I started reading your books last night.” He gives me a shy smile. “I finished one and started on another. You’re such a talented writer, Juliette.”
I’m grinning so big, I feel like my face may crack in two. “Thanks. You really like them?”
“I really do. I’m reading your cowboy series and couldn’t put them down. Spent the whole afternoon reading at the beach.”
I know. I saw your tan lines.
My cheeks heat at the memory of naked Reno as he continues. “I hate Martin, by the way. What a douche.”
A laugh escapes me at the scowl on his gorgeous face. “Everyone hates Martin, but he redeems himself in book four.”
“Then I’ll have to keep reading.” Reno scrapes his teeth over his bottom lip as he holds out the vase filled with roses, dahlias, orchids, and a lot of other blooms I can’t identify in a multitude of colors. “I wasn’t sure exactly what I did wrong, but I got you flowers because I’d obviously hurtyour feelings.”
Melting. That was the only word to describe my insides because that’s about the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard. He didn’t even know what I was upset about, and he brought me apology flowers.
“Thank you,” I tell him, taking the flowers and leaning forward to kiss his cheek. “These are my favorite color.”
A little furrow appears between his eyebrows. “Which color is your favorite? There are, like, ten different ones.”
I tilt my head. “All of them. It changes depending on my mood.”
