Chapter 32 Arden
ARDEN
It’s Saturday and so very domestic it’s hard to believe it’s real.
After the incident with my mom, things between Jude and me have only gotten better.
It’s hard not to see the correlation between the two and because that hurts my heart, I’ve relegated that particular thought to the bottom of the pile.
For now.
Jude is sitting on the recliner doing a sudoku while Dez and I lounge on the couch. I was trying to read an e-book on my phone but my sister is making that impossible.
ELLISON: Have you seen these social media trends?
BEA: You’re going to have to be more specific
ELLISON: Like the book boyfriend ones
NESSA: As the person who only shows up to book club to drink, that’s completely unhelpful
ELLISON: Okay like the one where she’s got her back to the wall and then he cages her there with his body, turns his hat backward and kisses her
LANA: That sounds hot—hold on I’ll report back
ELLA: Can confirm it’s so good!
BEA: You go girl!
ARDEN: Is Lana really doing that right now?
NESSA: I bet Jensen would do it—I’ll have to wait till he gets home
LANA: 10/10 totally recommend
Blushing, I duck my head a little, peeking through my hair at where Jude is sitting in the recliner with his feet propped up. I have no idea why this, of all things, has me squirming but it does.
Maybe it’s the role-playing piece of it because Jude Rhodes can be absolutely filthy, but that’s all him. Asking him to do this would be something else entirely.
ELLISON: I’ll have to wait till Grandad goes to bed—don’t want to ruin my perfect image in his eyes
NESSA: (gif of woman spitting out her drink and laughing)
BEA: Oh that’s precious – 0/10 chance Grandad hasn’t caught you guys doing it
ELLISON: He has gotten the tractor stuck twice this week…
BEA: Poor Grandad…
ELLISON: I can’t help it. The second trimester is no joke—I want sex all the time
BEA: I’m sure Montana is heartbroken
LANA: I just want it because Mason is hot as hell and has abs
ELLA: And it has nothing to do with the way that man worships the ground you walk on
LANA: It’s honestly ridiculous how perfect he is
NESSA: I told Jensen he was breathing too loud today
NESSA: So same
A surprised laugh bubbles up from my chest, drawing Jude’s attention, his pen hovering over his book of sudokus.
“Do I even want to know?” he asks, his drawl low and sexy.
It has a rush of need coursing through my body.
Dammit.
“Ellison saw some trend on social media, Lana tried it with Mason and said it was a success, among other things, and Nessa thinks Jensen breathes too loud.”
“What’s the trend?”
“It’s a book boyfriend thing. People trying to recreate different things they find attractive in books.”
“That’s something you do?”
My cheeks heat as I brush my hair back from my face. “I mean, some people do. I’ve never been with someone that I was comfortable being, like, so hey, there’s this thing…”
He blinks at me.
And then again.
Unhurried, he sets his book and pen on the end table, the footrest of the recliner slowly returning to the floor as he stares at me.
“What are you doing?” I manage, proud of myself for not pressing my palms to my flaming cheeks.
“Giving you what you want.”
“But I didn’t ask for anything.”
He doesn’t argue. Instead, he offers me his hand, his palm huge and rough as it slides against mine.
I let him pull me up, my heart racing as my breasts brush against his chest, the side of his finger lifting my chin up until I meet his gaze.
“Show me.”