in resignation. “You know Layla…she does whatever the hell she wants. And honestly, I don’t give two shits about references at this point, that cabin’s been empty for too long now as it is. The chick looks pretty harmless, so I was down with the decision to hand those keys over, no questions asked.”
“So, did Juliet pay up front? How much green did she put down?” P.J. stomped out the butt of his cigarette, then reached into the cooler and grabbed himself a beer.
“Yeah, first, last and a security, that’s a pretty good chunk of cash, so I don’t think she plans on skipping out any time soon, if that’s what you’re wondering. Why are you wondering by the way? You interested in your new little neighbor? Got to say, Juliet doesn’t seem your type, man.”
“I don’t have a type.”
“I’d say the strippers over at the Wolves Den might disagree.” Reggie rasped out a chuckle.
P.J. growled into the phone.
“Seriously man, I honestly don’t know much.” Reggie continued. “I only know the basics…name is Juliet Jones, and she’s from Boston, Mass. That’s according to the half assed job she did filling out the lease agreement, but no doubt she could have lied on that. Not sure why she would, but who knows.”
“So, nothing on references, previous residence?”
“Like I said.”
“What’s she doing here? She working?”
“Don’t know.”
“Really? So, you ain’t shittin’ me when you say you got nothing. How is that even possible?” P.J. scrubbed a hard hand through his hair. “Tele-gram, tele-phone, tell-a-Layla.” P.J. and Reggie had recited that old joke too many times to count. “Your woman is always down with knowing all there is to know and likes to share.”
Now, even as P.J. was talking to Reggie and enjoying a beer out on the deck, he kept an eye on Juliet’s house. P.J. sat up in his chair in wide alert when he saw Juliet’s silhouette pass in front of the curtains to her bedroom. Then she stopped in front of the slider and opened the door. For a few moments, Juliet stood still under the star studded sky. With arms heavily laden with an unyielding contraption…a telescope… Layla set the long cylinder up on its frame then tilted it towards the stars. Juliet leaned in, put her eye to the lens and looked through it to view the constellations. She was wearing a soft flannel shirt whose neckline formed a deep v. It was short and covered the top of Juliet’s thighs. Her legs were toned and bare. When the wind breezed up in a sudden spin of fury, the gust lifted and twisted the hem of the short shirt up and around Juliet’s waist, P.J. was gratified to see that his little neighbor apparently liked expensive, lacy panties.
Juliet let out a gasp of shock and surprise when the cool air tickled her. Then she laughed out loud as she played against the wind. Juliet giggled as she pulled and tugged down on her shirt in an effort to cover herself up. Once mission was accomplished, Juliet took one last look at the stars, and inhaled one long, deep, cleansing breath of the crisp night air, before she fled the magic of the starry night and disappeared back into the cabin.
P.J. groaned out a growl of disappointment to see the moment end. Because watching Juliet dancing carefree under a star lit sky, half naked with the wind teasing her clothing and making her giggle? That had been like a gift. It was as if destiny and nature had conspired to give him the most naturally erotic and beautiful spectacle that he had ever had the pleasure of witnessing.
And it certainly had an effect on P.J. His crotch had tightened, his mouth had gone dry, his thoughts had turned impure. An almost impossible urge surged through his body. P.J. was filled with the barely contained need to course through the land that separated Juliet and him. He wanted to fly over the stream, scale the walls to that balcony, crash through the glass door, strip her down, tie her up and claim her as his own.
“You still there, man?” Reggie’s voice cut through the fog of P.J.’s yearning.
“Yeah, I’m still here.” P.J. shot back, but in truth he had completely forgotten that Reggie was still on the phone. He forced himself to refocus. “I’m just wondering what’s up with Layla, and why is it that she picked this particular time to go radio silent.”
“Serious when I tell you, I don’t