Chapter 4
Chapter Four
Jude
Kendall stared at me, her brown hair pulled up in a messy ponytail, and her wide brown eyes, flecked with little gold specks, locked onto mine.
I contemplated if we’d ever been this close before. She’d been my friend since middle school, and I’d had a crush on her for what felt like forever. I tried to kid myself that I’d hidden it very well.
But right this second, she had to notice my reaction to her.
She was stretched out on top of me, all soft curves.
I didn’t need any reminders of her curves.
I’d been trying and utterly failing to forget the memory of her bare breasts when I accidentally walked in on her getting dressed months ago. Fuck me.
I wanted to count the freckles scattered across her cheeks like gold dust. I wanted to kiss the corners of her lips. I wanted to unwrap her like the gift she was and learn all of her secrets.
Her lips parted, and she whispered, “Jude.”
I could literally feel the heat of that single word when she spoke it, because a tiny puff of air came out with it. She was so close.
My hand flexed on the curve of her hip, savoring the soft give of it. I wanted to touch more, so much more.
I knew I was about to throw away years of friendship with a careless kiss, because there was no way Kendall felt the same way about me.
Travis, my canine boyfriend, snapped through the moment when he came running over, flinging himself onto the hay-covered floor beside us and rolling over. He let out these little yips before nuzzling my ear, his tongue lolling out in a happy smile when I glanced over.
Kendall scrambled off of me, and I instantly missed the feel of her against me. Travis promptly stood his front paws on my chest, happily licking my chin and making those funny little roo-roo sounds.
I needed the distraction, needed a minute to get myself under control. “Your mom thinks I’m your boyfriend,” I said conversationally.
Travis’s reply was to drag his tongue over my cheek before scrambling off me and sitting down to howl. Kendall smiled down at us, shaking her head. “That’s him telling you I’m right.”
As if to prove her wrong, he turned and gave her a look of love before standing and nuzzling her knees.
“That’s him telling you not to climb on ladders without someone here to hold it,” I said dryly, as I rolled over and stood, dusting off my knees once I was upright.
Kendall walked around me. “You’re all covered in hay and dirt,” she pointed out.
I would never admit it, but I loved every little touch I got from her. Just now, her dusting my back off? Amazing.
“There. Better,” she announced with a last brush of her palm over my shoulders.
A chuckle rumbled out as I turned. “I’ve been out hiking all morning, so,” I shrugged, “it’s no worry. I’ll shower when I get home. Your turn now.” I gestured with a spinning motion.
She obediently turned around. “You have lots of hay in your hair.” I carefully picked it out of her curls. When she tipped her head forward, the urge to dip mine and dust kisses along the back of her neck was nearly overwhelming.
I cleared my throat. “There.”
“No dirt on my back?”
“Nope. Just mine, I guess.”
“Well, you did catch me.”
A smile unfurled across her face as she turned to face me again. “Thank you, Jude.”
“You’re welcome, Kendall.” I felt my lips tug into a smile as she looked up at me.
“I promise I won’t climb on ladders without someone here,” she said.
“I’d appreciate that,” I returned wryly.
Needing another distraction, I picked up the ladder, tucking it onto the hooks at the back of the barn. I gestured up toward the hayloft. “You fixed the railing.”
“I did,” she replied in a sing-song voice.
“It’s been on my list.”
“You don’t need to keep a list to help me at my job, Jude.” She put her hands on her hips, and I tried not to notice the way her T-shirt stretched across her breasts.
“I have a list.”
“You don’t work here,” she pointed out.
“Not officially,” I admitted with a shrug. “It’s just right down the road. When I see your car, I stop and check if you need anything. I’m volunteering my services. My brothers do it all the time too.”
“Not as much as you,” she pointed out.
My heart twisted. “You’re my best friend. That’s what friends are for, right?”
Kendall’s hands dropped off her hips, and she scuffed the toe of her boot in the dirt before catching one of the loose curls dangling down around her neck and spinning it around her fingers, one of her nervous habits. I wanted to ask her what she was nervous about, but I didn’t dare.
Not right now. Not while I was still on fire for her.
“Tommy wants you to come over for dinner,” I said instead.
Her brows hitched up. “Well, if Tommy’s inviting me, of course I’ll go,” she said, referring to my nephew, who was practicing his cooking skills.
“I’ll see you tonight then.”
She nodded. I forgot why I was there, leaving without doing anything else. But then, Kendall had that effect on me.
I forgot everything around her most of the time.