Chapter 17
Jude was right there when I opened my eyes in the morning, his arm around my waist and his breathing smooth and even with my head tucked under his chin. Some bits of him weren’t as asleep as the rest.
My whole body tingled from the memory of last night.
I’d slept with Jude.
And I wanted to again.
I’d felt safe around him from the moment we met, and now, with us naked and cozy in his bed, everything felt that much better.
Frustration simmered in my chest over all the years I’d lost getting to be this close to him because Tyler was too insecure for a pack.
I didn’t need a scent match to want Jude, and maybe that would’ve made Tyler even more uncomfortable.
Well, fuck Tyler.
I wasn’t bound by the leash of his insecurities anymore.
Wiggling impossibly closer, I nestled into Jude’s warmth. His arm around me tightened and he drew in a slow deep breath before relaxing.
“Good morning,” he rumbled.
“Good morning.” I rolled over, pulling him with me so I could enjoy the weight of him squishing me into the mattress.
“I take it this means you’re not having regrets?” Jude asked gently, raising up to comfortably look down at my face.
“I promise I’m a happy omega.” I inched my legs apart so he could settle between them. “Could be a little happier, though. Just saying.”
Jude laughed, dipping down to kiss me, his fingers gliding their way over my skin. “Have I awoken the Kraken? Are you going to be insatiable now?”
“What can I say? Feeling safe and treasured apparently makes me horny.” I wanted to recreate last night, preferably every day for the rest of forever.
“So what you’re saying is I should definitely not start slacking on my workouts?”
“I’d say that’s a very good assumption.”
I arched with a whimper when Jude guided his fingers to my inner thigh and farther to my clit, coaxing up some extra slick. He didn’t need to give me much attention for that, with my body so ready for a replay.
This time, we weren’t in the dark. Daylight glowed at the edges of the curtains, illuminating the planes of his face and the tight muscle down his body. His work shirts really didn’t do him justice.
Somehow, having him touch me in the morning versus the quiet of night magnified everything. I was on display now, not covered by darkness and blankets. Just Jude.
I shuddered, biting my lip, and lifting one of my knees to give him better access while he teased a finger into me.
He hadn’t watched me so intently last night, or at least I hadn’t noticed if he did.
Now he studied me, shifting his touch incrementally, testing speeds and patterns to see how I responded.
Having his hands on me at all was plenty of excitement, but he very quickly found what he was looking for.
Each thrust of his fingers was electric, my back arching hard, helpless sounds tumbling from my lips that he muffled with his own mouth until I was pawing frantically at him.
Tension pulled so tight I thought I might implode before I hit the edge.
Jude’s pace was relentless, perfect, unravelling the control I had over my own body. The dam burst in one glorious strike of lightning.
My muscles surrendered and slick gushed all over the two of us. Jude dipped to my throat, teeth scraping over sensitive skin, the tempo of his fingers slowing incrementally until I was bucking with each thrust.
“You’re making me feel so proud of myself, Maddie.”
With my head swimming and my ears ringing, I managed to cobble together a single word. “Why?”
“I’ve dreamed too many times of making you lose control like that. Might be a little proud of myself for figuring it out that fast.”
I whimpered when he withdrew.
A knock had both of us freezing.
“Are we still going to the gym?” Nathan asked on the other side of the door.
Jude kissed my cheek. “Come with us?”
“Bold of you to think I can walk now.”
“You have three seconds until I come in there and wake you up if you’re not already getting dressed,” Nathan announced.
That certainly woke up my brain.
I’d slept with Nathan, but that was so spur of the moment and we hadn’t had a repeat yet. The lusty, impractical part of my brain whispered that if we invited Nathan in, everyone could get their workout right here, without ever leaving the apartment.
“I’ll be out in a second,” Jude said loudly, forestalling Nathan’s arrival. Then he whispered to me. “Decide fast.”
“I’ll come with. My heart already got its cardio this morning, but I suppose I could do with a bit more.”
A meow sounded in the hall. “The cats were crying to get out, but Madison doesn’t look like she’s in her room.
” The door swung open and Nathan stopped short.
Jude was blocking most of me from view, but he dragged a pillow to protect my modesty.
“Well, I guess that explains that. Are you coming with us? What kind of smoothies do you like? I’m going to order in advance so we can pick them up on the way. ”
How was he so casual about this? Poppy and Pepper hopped up on the bed, lying on top of me so I was trapped. Jude gave them some ear scratches.
“You’re not upset?”
Nathan looked as confused as if I’d questioned him in another language. “Why would I be upset?”
My cheeks heated like a volcano. “Because we—we haven’t…again.”
“Again?” Jude’s gaze whipped between the two of us. “When did it happen the first time?”
“On the rescue mission. That’s why we were wet, to cover up the scent.”
“Why didn’t either of you tell me?”
Nathan shrugged. “Figured you’d rather hear it from her than me.”
“I don’t know,” I replied, wishing the mattress would swallow me up. “It was kind of heat of the moment, and I didn’t want to upset anyone.”
Jude sat up. “I’m only going to be upset if this is a pack that’s keeping secrets. Who you sleep with and when is your business, but it would be nice to know how dynamics are shifting.”
I still felt bad, but I tried to take his words to heart.
“I haven’t slept with Alve or Leo. I haven’t even kissed either of them, but I want to.
I guess I’ve been kind of skirting around Nathan, not because I didn’t want to do it or anything.
Honesty wasn’t exactly rewarded when I was with Tyler.
I had to tell a lot of half truths and spun versions of things to manage his moods. ”
Nathan growled in the doorway. “Every time I hear something new about that guy, it gives me another reason to launch him into the sun. Am I allowed into this room?”
I patted the sliver of empty bed next to me and Nathan sank onto it. My brain went absolutely wild lying between the two of them.
“Madison,” Nathan said firmly, “we’re big boys.
We can manage our own moods, and if someone struggles with that, they can fucking learn.
No one is going to blame you for behaving a certain way because of what you had to do to survive, but I think we all need you to promise that’s not the way you want things to be with us. ”
“It’s not.” I pet Poppy and Pepper, staring at their content little faces so I didn’t have to look at Jude or Nathan.
My alpha laid gentle fingertips on my arm, his voice soft. “Hey, I swear it’s okay. We’re all learning, but I don’t want you to stay in survival mode for any longer than you have to. If it’s too much, just kick me in the dick.”
My laugh jostled the cats, both of them abandoning ship with offended glances that I’d upset their resting place. “I won’t be kicking, but I get what you’re saying.”
“Good. Now, if you’re coming with us, I need to know what type of smoothie to order you.”
“Peach pomegranate?”
“You’ve got it.” Nathan scrolled through his phone and added my order to an app, glancing at Jude, getting his order as well. Nathan nodded decisively. “Okay. Asses up. The gym awaits.”
I dressed quickly in my discarded pajamas, Nathan politely covering his eyes. After a quick scamper to my nest to wash up and dress for the day, we departed for the gym.
My smoothie tasted like heaven, but it wasn’t nearly as satisfying as watching Nathan and Jude.
My pussy was purring on overdrive while Jude went through his callisthenics workout.
How strong was he? The only people I’d seen move like him were acrobats in shows on the Strip.
A few other gym goers paused to watch him do handstand push-ups on some little bar apparatus.
Nathan sidled up next to me, hands on his hips. “You’re smelling like a whole bakery right now.”
“Do you expect me to be normal looking at that? I mean, come on.”
Nathan only laughed. “Are you planning to actually work out today or just ogle Jude?” At my silence, he added, “Come help me with my workout?”
“How would I do that?”
“Be my weight.”
My curious look prompted him to arrange me into a cross legged position.
“Hang on tight.”
He looped his arm beneath my hands and hoisted me up in a bicep curl. Shock and delight lanced through me, a giggle erupting. Jude glanced over at us, an amused smile on his mouth.
It was a surprising amount of work for me to be Nathan’s weight, so I was choosing to count it as my own workout.
Holding my position engaged all of my muscles, and when we switched to his other arm, he kissed me at the top of the first raise.
Just a peck, but he grinned like a fool, and I almost missed the kiss on the next rise because I was smiling too hard.
“You are way too cute,” Nathan commented, carefully rearranging me into a new position so he could bench press me.
It wasn’t my fault I couldn’t stop giggling. I’d never had so much fun at a workout before, and Nathan was so obviously pleased with himself that it only made the experience better.
“Want to try some pull-ups?” Nathan asked.
“I think you’re overestimating my upper body strength.”
“I’ll help you, but we only get stronger by doing.”
I couldn’t fault that logic. Jude joined us, getting me up on the bar with a jump and him lifting at my hips. Nathan hopped on to face me, his hands spread farther apart.
“Legs around my waist,” Nathan instructed.
My mouth went dry as I complied. Nathan beamed at me as we fell into a pattern, his strength bolstering mine.
His cock hardened between my thighs, but I wasn’t about to put an end to this.
Each lifting and lowering had me imagining him fucking me into the gym mats.
Jude’s gentle bracing hands on my hips didn’t help me keep my cool one bit.
Sweaty hands loosened my grip, but Jude was right there to ease me onto my feet when Nathan lowered us again, leaving me sandwiched and panting between the two of them.
“Is someone a little worked up?” Nathan lowered to brush his lips against mine, a tiny groan I couldn’t suppress sneaking out of me.
“Like you’re one to talk,” I replied with a laugh. “I’ve been guarding your modesty this whole time.”
“Mine too, now.” Jude’s grip on my hips tightened and I shivered as he tucked closer, revealing how strongly I had affected him.
“Well, I don’t know about you two, but I’m not opposed in the least to taking care of our collective problem. Thoughts?”
“No thoughts.” Nathan scooped me up, his hands spread over my ass cheeks. “Jude, you’re driving.”
I giggled the whole way to the car, Nathan sprinting, and Jude following. Today was going to be a good day.