Chapter 24 #2
She tipped her head back on the seat and sighed.
“This is amazing. I’ve been going nonstop, unpacking, decorating, cooking, shopping…
and it’s such a treat to take a moment for myself.
I can’t remember the last time I took a bath, did my makeup—” She froze.
“Oh. I can’t believe I said that when, a little over a week ago, I pampered myself for my wedding.
” And then, she shook her head in disbelief.
“Isn’t that wild? How much has changed in a week? I’m living a whole new life.”
Even though he’d asked a few times, he still needed to check in. “Any regrets?”
“Absolutely not. I’ve never been so…” She tilted her head in contemplation. “You know, I was going to say happy. But that’s not what this feels like.”
He couldn’t resist pressing a kiss on her cheek. It held the faint scent of her gardenia bath salts. “What’s it feel like?”
“Contentment.” She sighed, leaning against him.
“A couple of years ago, I took a perfume-making class. Ava won it in a school auction, and she took a few of us with her. Up until that moment, I’d only ever wanted to be a teacher.
But in that room, with the beakers and droppers and essential oils, this weird sensation came over me.
I don’t know how to explain it, but it was like it all clicked into place, and I thought, This is me. ”
“Is that how you got into essential oils?”
“Yes, exactly.”
“And you gave it up because Matt didn’t think it was the best use of your time?”
She tucked her head into his chest. “Okay, we’ve already determined I was a butthead.” She smiled. “But honestly, it was more than that. It was the fact that I trusted my vision board more than my own heart.”
“Not anymore. Now, you get to make new choices.” He poured their champagne and raised his flute for a toast. “To fresh starts.” He pressed a kiss to her mouth. “I can’t believe I get to be with you.”
“It’s wild, isn’t it? How we found our way back to each other?” She tried to climb onto his lap, but the fabric trapped her legs. She flopped back down. “If I weren’t wearing this dress, I’d be riding you right now.”
He hauled her onto his lap sideways. “You can ride me later, but for now, we’re going back to high school. To the night that changed everything. Back then, I didn’t think I was good for you, but now, I know I’m only as good as I want to be.” He tipped his forehead to hers.
“But you’ll still be bad, right?” She scraped her nails across his scalp. “Every now and then?”
This fucking woman. Clamping his hand on the back of her head, he slammed their mouths together. His heart thundered, and his cock went as hard as a pole. She wriggled on his lap, like she wanted him to break through the barrier of their clothing and fuck her.
Hunger consumed him, drove him. As he kissed her, he tried to reach into the top of her dress, but it was too tight. Finding the zipper, he pulled the tab down enough to give him access to her tits. He got a handful of warm, plump flesh, and she arched her back, moaning.
“Okay. We’ve got to stop.” He zipped her back up.
“I’m going to rip your dress apart if we don’t.
” Lifting her, he plunked her down on the seat next to him and closed his eyes to try to regain control over his raging body.
Clothing rustled, the seat belt latched, and he gulped in air to calm himself down. “It’s supposed to be a romantic night.”
“Trust me. It is.” She patted his thigh. “You’re nailing it.”
I want to nail you. “I’m trying to make you feel special. Not maul you.”
“You make me feel like the sexiest woman in the world. And you know what? It doesn’t matter what we’re doing. I don’t need anything but time with you.”
He smiled at her as the pieces fell into place. “Quality time.”
“What?”
“Your love language. I’m thinking it’s quality time, acts of service—”
“And words of affirmation. How did you know about that?”
“Ava. I asked her what to get you for Christmas, and she said I had to figure that out on my own. I have to learn how you receive love.”
“So you looked up love languages?” Again, she unlatched her belt and tried to get on his lap. “Screw the dress. I’m going to rip it open at the seams.”
He laughed and set her back down. “Hold that thought. We’re here.” The limo pulled into the school parking lot.
She was fiddling with her seat belt, so she didn’t look out the window.
“You know what’s funny? Here we are trying to reenact high school, but this”—she wagged a finger between them—“doesn’t feel like it did in high school.
I’m not a girl crushing on a boy I can’t have.
I’m a woman getting to know a man and discovering we’re so much better than I ever imagined we could be together. ”
As they neared the back entrance, he grew anxious. She was expecting a romantic dinner with candles and wine. Instead, he’d set up a date in a gymnasium that stunk of sweat.
This is stupid.
It wasn’t too late to change things up.
“Hang on a sec. Just want to check on something.” He pulled out his phone.
Jude: May-day May-day. Bailing out. What’s a nice restaurant I can take her to instead?
Boone: She hates it?
Wyatt: Sweetwater Resort and Spa. It’s new and fancy.
Ava: Hold on. What did she say?
Jude: She hasn’t been inside. We’re just pulling up. But she’s expecting an elegant restaurant, not a smelly gym.
Ava: Stop worrying. She’ll love it.
Wyatt: Remember why you’re doing this. It’s not about feeding her steak and chocolate mousse.
His brother was right about that. Damn, that helped calm him down.
Ava: Yes! It’s an apology. It’s healing a wound.
Dad: And if she hates it, pack the shit up and take her out to dinner.
Jude: Good point. Thanks.
Feeling better, he pocketed his phone. “Ready to go?”
She leaned over to look out the window. “We’re at school?”
“Yep.” After sliding out, he reached back inside for her hand. Like some dude in a movie, he linked their arms and walked her to the entrance.
The door was propped open, so all he had to do was push, and they stepped through a curtain of streamers. She came to a stop when she saw what his family had done.
It was a big gym, so they’d only decorated one section with balloons and crepe paper. A folding table with a ruffled paper tablecloth held a punch bowl and various snacks. Music played softly from a tablet.
Finlay picked up a bag. “Ghost pepper chips?”
Jude laughed. “That’s Boone. It’s a joke in our family to see who can eat the spiciest food. So far, he’s the winner.”
“Are you saying your brothers did this?”
“The whole family. Ava got us into the gym, and my brothers and dad did the rest.”
“I can’t believe this.” She gestured around the area. “You did all this for me.”
“One decision cost me a lifetime with you.” He gazed into eyes brimming with gratitude and affection.
“I don’t know what would’ve happened if I’d said no to Marco that night, but knowing what it’s like with you now, I have no doubt I’d have done anything to keep you.
” Which meant he wouldn’t have had to go through twelve years of exile and loneliness.
“I’d have done anything to stay with you, too.”
He believed that. He believed in them. “When I was lying on my cot in an FOB in Afghanistan and had enough distance to get a clear picture of my past, I understood my loyalty to my friends was not more important than my integrity.”
“That’s pretty insightful for a jarhead.”
He laughed, but he wasn’t finished. “So when you asked if I’d make the same choice today, the answer is no. Because now, I get it. A real friend wouldn’t ask me to betray my values, my morals, or my own happiness.” He reached for her. “I’ll never do that again.”
As they swayed to All-4-One’s “I Swear,” she set a shaky hand on his chest. “This is all so sweet, so romantic, but Jude…what’re we doing?”
“What do you mean?”
She gazed up at him, those hazel eyes clouded with worry. “I’m trying not to blur the lines. I know we can’t make promises beyond this six-week fake engagement, but when you do something like this for me…when you say those things… It’s confusing.”
A sense of urgency took hold. “I know it’s too soon. You just walked away from your wedding, but I’ll wait as long as you need. I’ve never felt this way for anybody but you, and I never will. It was you twelve years ago, and it’s still you today.”
“But what happens when Carlo comes home, and he’s healthy, and he wants Cody back… What happens to us?”
“This isn’t about Cody. It’s never been about him. It’s about you. It’s us.” He cupped her neck, forcing her to look him in the eyes. “I’ve wanted you since I was eleven years old.”
“Eleven? I thought you said fourteen?”
“Fourteen was when I wanted to touch your boobs. But in sixth grade, it was a whole different kind of want.” The memory dropped into his mind so vividly that the same emotions seized him. “Do you remember when Mr. Pettino asked if anyone wanted to volunteer to spend time with the preschoolers?”
“Oh.” She stuttered out a laugh. “Yes. I jumped out of my seat, waving my hand. I was desperate for him to pick me.”
“I’d always thought you were pretty, but when you raised your hand like that, you were…
” Luminous. “I don’t know how to explain it.
You lit up like the Fourth of July. Back then, everyone was worried about being cool, wearing the right clothes, hanging out with the right people, but you knew exactly what you wanted, and you went for it, not giving a shit what anyone thought about you. ”
“Well, that was after Leia dumped me, so maybe I had nothing to lose.” She was teasing, but he wouldn’t let her dismiss it.
“I’ll bet that’s the reason she kicked you out of her group. Not because you didn’t have money, but because you wouldn’t fall in line. You’ve just always followed your own tune, and she couldn’t stand it.”
“I never thought about it like that, but it’s possible. Because, yeah, her friends went along with everything she did.” She sifted her fingers through his hair. “But let’s get back to the part where you fell for me when you were eleven.”
“Words of affirmation,” he muttered, kissing first one cheek, then the other, then the tip of her nose, and finally, her sweet mouth.
“Jude McKenna.” She sighed. “Talking love languages.” She fanned herself.
Laughing, he caught her around the waist. “You see what a man’ll do when he wants a woman?”
Her smile faded, and her eyes filled with awe. “Yeah. I really do.”