Slowly opening the door, not wanting to wake him, she was shocked to smell bacon and see Jude cooking in the small kitchenette. He was dressed just in his jeans, no shirt, exactly like she remembered him last night. With his back turned to her, she was able to see a color tattoo on his shoulder blade of ascorpion.
Surprised to see him cooking, she didn't say anything for a moment. She admired the strong muscles of his back, the way it V'd down from his broad shoulders to his waist. As she imagined what his muscles felt like, she heard the bacon greasesplatter.
"I see you like to live dangerously," she said as she tried to ignore the thumping in herchest.
"You're up. I was wondering when you'd wake up. What are you talking about?" Jude said, his brow furrowed as he glancedather.
"The bacon. And you without ashirton."
He laughed as he plated scrambled eggs, bacon, and buttered toastforher.
"Well, I like to fly close tothesun."
"That's a good line," she said, thinking about his notebook. "So you never answered me last night, do youwrite?"
"We're not talking about that. I hope you like scrambled eggs," he said, changing thesubject.
"Thanks, this is great. But why did you do this? They have breakfastdownstairs."
"I thought after last night you needed a goodbreakfast."
"Well, aren't you a gentleman," she said, thinking about what her mother told her thatmorning.
"Don't let it get out," hejoked.
She wanted to ask why not but knew he'd never tell her. Besides, she might be reading too much into it. She looked over at the notebook on the coffee table. Even from the short distance she recognized the tattered, stained edges that came from carrying a notebookeverywhere.
"There's so much I want to know about you," sheblurtedout.
"I don't think that's agoodidea."
"Whynot?"
"It just isn't. Besides, you're young. Go out with Kat and have fun,"hesaid.
"And whataboutyou?"
"I'm doing my thing, don't worryaboutit."
Getting Jude to open up was like trying to get water from a stone. She almost gave up, especially since she wanted to talk to Jordan so badly, but then thought about that time she saw him play live withSilverlight.
"You know, Silverlight was the only live show I ever saw,"Luckysaid.
"That's too bad, there are a lot of great bands outthere."
"You know, you're impossible to talk to sometimes," she said with a loud sigh. "I'm trying to have aconversationhere."
"Sorry, I just..." he shook his head as he paused. "I think we're better off not getting to know each otherthatwell."
"Whynot?"
"I already told you lastnight."
She was quiet for a moment as she tried to remember what he said last night. But the more she tried to think about it, the more her head started to hurt. The only thing she could remember clearly was her making a fool ofherself.
"Since you came on tour, I've been wanting to tell you how much you inspired me," she said. "I remember that one show like it was yesterday. Your solo was amazing, a realexperience."
"Now you're just trying toflatterme."
