Share
32. It's Complicated
Kaugnay na kabanata
Loving Jude 33. Getting There
“Are you sure you’re okay?” I ask, frowning. It’s Thursday evening and I’m on a video call with Nicki. Who’s lying in bed and doesn’t look like she has gone anywhere in days. She smiles…or attempts to. “I’m good. So, what’s the emergency?” “You look like you’re dying,” I point out. She cackles. “We both know I’ve looked way worse than this. For real though, girl. Don’t worry. Just had a couple rough days.” “How’s Steve?” Steve is this guy she has been seeing for a few months now. She met him while she was still undergoing rehab. “He’s not being an asshole, is he?” She makes a face. “I’m offended on his behalf. You know he’s a good guy, Jo.” I sigh. “Yeah, well. People change.” And she’s right. He’s a good guy. He’s good for her. Otherwise, her family wouldn’t let him a foot near her. Not after what happened with Cole. She rolls her eyes. “I should be the one with the trust issues, not you.” She wiggles her brow. “So, how’s you and Jude? When’s the wedding?” I give a dry laug
Loving Jude 34. Isn't this Getting Old?
The moment I see her appear and walk down the runway, I go speechless. Until now, I’ve been enjoying the night. Jude and I have front-row seats with an unobstructed view of the runway. The atmosphere here is exciting, and none of that anxiety I had when we first arrived at the venue is bothering me anymore. Well, that’s until she appears. But I wouldn’t call it anxiety. A whole lot of confusion, that’s what it is. Because Bethany Hill is the last person I expected to see tonight. I cast a glance at Jude to find his eyes glued to her. Then, as if he can sense me staring at him, he turns to me. Sighing visibly, he says, “She’s signed to my agency too.” I give him a disbelieving look. She is? “And you didn’t think to mention that?” I whisper, looking back at her. She has reached the end of the runway, where she does some poses before walking back up. I don’t miss it when her eyes land on Jude, a secret smile on her face. Oh my God. Jude has been around Bethany Hill all this tim
Loving Jude 35. Of First Loves
When I get into the elevator at our apartment building, I press the button for the top floor. When I get there, I take the short flight of stairs leading to the roof.I badly need fresh air and to be alone with my thoughts. Jude tried calling me while I was on my ride over, but I switched off my phone after he called a second time. I need some space to think everything over without him trying to affect my reasoning.I push the door to the rooftop and emerge on the other side. Pushing it closed behind me, I notice it’s empty, just the way I hoped. I walk forward, heading to a bench set on one side of the rooftop.“Elevator girl?”I freeze in my steps at the sudden voice. Confused, I look towards the direction it emerged from, the other side of the rooftop. I can’t see much on that side, given the only lights currently switched on are the pool’s accent lights. But I’m able to make out some movement before the lights around the rooftop come alight.I blink at the sudden brightness, then
Loving Jude 36. Interlude: Fix It
Jude's POVBy the time I get back to our apartment, I'm already regretting leaving her up there with him.Dammit!I kick the door behind me and proceed to the living room, getting rid of my coat and throwing it onto the couch.Should I go back up and get her?I shouldn't leave her alone with some strange dude, no matter how pissed off I am.I wasn't even pissed off until a minute ago when I walked onto the rooftop and saw her with him, undressed. Before that, I was worried, wondering what the hell Beth told her that had her running out of the event without telling me.I understand that she's upset after finding out about me and Beth, but I didn't think she would be this angry. I never made it a secret that I tried to move on after Cole lied about the letters.Someone would think I cheated on her or something.Cursing, I head into the bathroom and reach for the first aid kit. Reaching for a cold pack, I squeeze it before pressing it to my face, which is smarting from the blows I just r
Loving Jude 37. Good Girl
Back to Jo's POVDo you know one of those characters in TV shows who wakes up with no memory of what happened after they got drunk the previous night?I would give an arm and a leg to be one of those characters right now.Because everything I said and did last night wastes no time rushing to the front of my mind the moment I wake up.For heaven’s sake, it was just two glasses of wine. I wish I had given in to Simon’s temptations before, that way, I would have known exactly how much of a lightweight I actually am, and what kind of drunk I am. That way, I would have saved myself this embarrassing aftermath.Fuck, how am I going to face Jude?My face heats up, both in shame and embarrassment as the conversation about his condition flashes through my mind.Was I insensitive?Did I say something wrong?I kick my legs beneath my comforter when I recall everything that happened on the rooftop. Everything I told Ben. Now, that’s someone I never want to see again. I would legit die of embarras
Loving Jude 38. The Only One
I toss for the hundredth time, unable to fall asleep. I don't think that's going to be happening any time soon. My mind can't stop thinking about what happened on the bus. And my body doesn't want to let it go either. It's been at least four hours since that moment on the bus. We got to the hotel we'll be staying at, settled in our rooms, and had dinner. And through all that, all I wanted was to grab Jude, pull him somewhere private, and have him finish what he started. God knows when we'll get that chance. The thought that I might have to wait until we get back isn't a welcome one. Maybe when I wake up tomorrow, this horniness will be gone. All I need to do is fall asleep... I groan, pressing my face into my pillow so I don't wake Melissa, the massage therapist who's going to be my roommate for the next two weeks. What's this boy doing to me? My inner turmoil is interrupted by the sound of my phone buzzing. I reach for it quickly and check the text. Jude: I have some good new
Loving Jude 39. All Of You
Heat crawls up my neck and onto my face. He smirks and pushes a stray strand of hair behind my ear.“Still want to finish what we started in the bus?” he asks.I push my embarrassment aside and nod. My breath is already going askew in anticipation as his fingers trail lightly behind my ear and onto my neck.He releases my chin and takes my hand in his, then brings me around the side of the bed.My heart’s thudding violently in my chest. When I walked in a few minutes ago and kissed him, there were no nerves at all. Back then, I was operating on pure hormones. But that’s no longer the case. My arousal is not the only thing at work here—so is my brain.Jude sits on the edge of the bed and pulls me onto his lap, straddling him. His hand moves to the top of my bun and frees it, dropping my hair tie on the bedside cabin.Then, burying one hand in my hair, he brings me to him, his lips meeting mine. His kisses are soft, tender. His other hand drops to my waist, and he rests it on the small
Loving Jude 40. Something You Must Know
Two Weeks Later“Jude, we have to wake up at some point,” I mumble, lifting my face to look at him.His eyes flicker shut as he shakes his head. “Just a few more minutes,” he says. “Don’t worry, we won’t be late.”“It’s already eight and we haven’t even showered.”He nods, humming. “An hour is a lot of time.”“We also have to eat breakfast…”His blue eyes open and meet my gaze. My heart flutters in my chest as I look back at him. He looks especially adorable like this, early in the morning, with his hair tousled, a few strands brushing against his forehead. Soon, they’ll be long enough to reach his eyes.He groans. “Can we skip? I just want to lie here with that you, all day.”“Eager to get into coach’s bad book so soon?” I poke his arm. “You can’t miss today’s team meeting, it’ll be important.”We got back from camp on Saturday and it’s now Monday, the start of the last two weeks of training before we take a two-week break. The past two weeks have been magical. I managed to sneak into
Pinakabagong kabanata
