I felt the blush bloom all over my skin, the heat starting on my chest, rising up my neck, and into my cheeks.I tried to breathe, but I was frozen, my hands still holding the stupid wrap skirt.As we stared at each other, my nipples—my freaking nipples—tightened like they were happy to see him.
Fire spun in my belly, sending sparks scattering through me.I took the moment to absorbhim.Jude’s black hair was damp.His blue eyes were bright with flashes of silver.Sweet hell, he was so freaking handsome.Tall, broad shoulders, lean, and unfairly fit.The man’s lifestyledemandedthat kind of fitness.He was a wilderness guide, an outdoor survival expert, a first responder, and a hotshot firefighter.He was manliness wrapped in lumberjack and topped off with a dose of too sexy for his own good.And apparently, for my nipples.
He wore a royal blue shirt over slacks.He looked much tamer than usual.The man practically lived in battered jeans and T-shirts, all of which did nothing other than show off his sexy, hot bod.But tucking this wild man into civilized clothing for a wedding somehow made him all the sexier.
My lungs abandoned any effort to get air, and my pulse had taken off so fast there was no catching it.We simply stood there and stared at each other for God knows how long until Jude snapped the moment.
“For fuck’s sake, Kendall!”he burst out as hespunaround.“Get dressed!”He clasped the back of his neck, his head bowed.
“Iamgetting dressed!”I protested.
“You knew I was arriving in ten minutes!”
“Yeah, and I just told you on the phone thatTravis ruined my dress!Well, maybe not ruined, but for the purposes of today, I can’t wear it!”I flung my arm toward the dress in question, which was draped over the back of the couch.
It was my own damn fault.My dog loved rubbing his back along the couch.It was like a personal scratching post for him.
“Get dressed,”Jude ground out.
ChapterTwo
Jude Silver
Roughly an hour after picking Kendall up for the wedding, I looked ahead at my eldest brother, who had just said his part of the vows.
Haven was oblivious to everything but Elsa.His eyes were locked on her as she stood in front of him.They were getting married outside, and it was a beautiful day for an outdoor wedding.A soft breeze rustled through the air.The fireweed was in full bloom in the field nearby.All in all, there might as well have been birds chirping.Who knew my grumpy oldest brother could fall so hard that he would actuallynotbe so cranky?
I took a breath, shifting my shoulders.“Are you okay?”Kendall whispered from where she sat beside me in the front row of chairs.
“Fine,” I all but hissed through my teeth.
“Sheesh, I was just asking,” she muttered.
After this afternoon, I would never,ever,everwalk into any space again after knocking without waiting for someone to tell me to come in.Walking in and seeing Kendall bare from the waist up had nearly undone me.I was still trying to recover.And honestly,I didn’t know if I everwouldrecover.
We’d been friends since middle school when she moved to town.For years, I’dtriedto pretend that I didn’t havethat bigof a crush on her in high school.Except I knew better.But then, I’d convinced myself I’d gotten over it.
For a few years, we’d both gone our separate ways.Kendall left town for college.And well, my life, along with the rest of my family’s, had been a hot mess for the past decade or so.
So it had been fine.No crushes for me.Then she moved back, and we fell back into our friendship.It wasallfine.
But, as of roughly an hour ago, I knew what her breasts looked like, and they wereperfect.Absolutelyperfect.But then,shewas perfect.With her wild brown curls, her big brown eyes, the freckles on her cheeks, her cute little body, curvy and soft-looking.Now, I was forever cursed with the knowledge that her breasts were more than a handful and her nipples were a light, dusky pink and puckered up beautifully.Sobeautifullythat it had beenallI could donotto walk across that room in her apartment, cup both breasts in my hands, and suck her perky nipples into my mouth.
I was going to fantasize about that, well,probably for the rest of my fucking life.It would betorture.Her perfect nipples were the problem.
Well,her nipples weren’t the problem.The problem was I was half in love with her, and she was mybest friend, and I didn’t want to screw up our friendship.Yet now my mind would be foreverfilled with the images of her breasts and the way her skin flushed.
Fuck me.
Kendall’s breath drew in with a soft sound of surprise, and I glanced over to see tears shining in her eyes as she pressed her palm against her chest.
Oh, that’s right.We were at a wedding, and my eldest brother was pledging himself to the woman he loved.Focus, focus, focus.
I brought my attention back to the happy couple.They must have just been pronounced man and wife because Haven dipped his head to kiss Elsa.
The next few hours were a blur.No matter how hard I triednotto pay attention to Kendall, it was impossible.She was like a magnet for me.I might as well have been physically attached to her.Of course, we were good friends, and we truly were, so everyone kind of expected us to hang out together because we usually did.Spending time with Kendall was usually one of my favorite things.Until I saw her breasts today.
“Congratulations, man.”I clapped Haven on the shoulder and pulled him into a back-slapping hug.
