“You can stay here tonight,” he finally said.
I leaned back, searching his eyes.“Were you reading my mind?”I asked, a hint of disbelief creeping into my tone.
He chuckled, shaking his head.“Were you thinking about staying here?”
“I was thinking I need to go home,” I replied, feeling a twinge of anxiety.
He shook his head adamantly.“Nah.”He stepped back and threaded his fingers with mine, pulling me toward the clubhouse.“I drank too much, and so has everyone else.I’ll take you home in the morning.”
“No, I can—”
But my protest died on my lips as I realized I didn’t really have anyone to call.I was stuck, and as much as I wanted to resist, there was a part of me that craved the comfort of his presence.
“Stay with me,” he said, looking back at me with a sincerity that took my breath away.
I hesitated, uncertainty gnawing at me.“I don’t want to inconvenience you,” I blurted, but the words felt hollow even as I spoke them.
“Inconvenience is the last word I would ever put together with you,” he replied, the warmth in his tone making my heart flutter.
The sounds of the band and the singer drifted from the backyard, but I couldn’t focus on anything but Jude.“Uh, maybe we should go check out the band.I heard Eden really likes them,” I suggested, trying to shift my thoughts away from the uncertainty.
He stopped and looked at me, his expression curious.“Is that what you want?”
“I’d rather just go to your room,” I said before I could think twice about it.
He didn’t respond, merely turned back toward the clubhouse and pulled me behind him.I followed willingly, my heart racing at the thought of being alone with him.
As we walked through the now-empty common room, I took in the familiar surroundings, but everything felt different with Jude beside me.We passed a few doors before he stopped in front of his own.Pulling out his keys, he unlocked the door and stepped inside, leaving me breathless at the threshold.
He shut the door behind us, and as he turned to face me, the weight of the moment settled over us.
“Ever,” he whispered, stepping closer.
“Jude,” I breathed, my heart pounding in my chest.“Kiss me, Jude.”
This all felt like a dream I had so many times before, and I wasn’t going to let it pass.
Our mouths met again before either of us could think better of it.
This time there was nothing hesitant about it.
Jude’s hand slid into my hair, tilting my head just enough to deepen the kiss, and I felt it all the way down to my toes.I pressed closer without meaning to, my hands finding his chest, then his shoulders, gripping like I needed something solid to hold onto.
He tasted like beer and something darker, something that was just him, and it made my head spin in the best possible way.
His other hand found my waist, pulling me in until there wasn’t any space left between us.Every inch of him was firm, warm, real.My heart pounded so hard I was sure he could feel it.
I should have been nervous.
I should have slowed it down sooner.
But all I could think washim.
His mouth moved against mine, slow and deliberate, like he wasn’t in a rush but also wasn’t holding back.My fingers curled into his shirt, and when he shifted closer, I let out a soft breath against his lips that turned into something more when he kissed me again.
It wasn’t careful.
It wasn’t polite.
