Run to Love (Triple R Book 1) (23 page)

I sucked in a deep breath and screamed his name. My hips rolled as the orgasm engulfed my mind, body, and soul. A buzz of emotional electricity pulsed through my muscles and psyche.

“That’s it, Beautiful, ride it out, all the way.” His tongue darted back inside as his nose pressed on my clit causing another chain reaction to flood through my body.

My thighs clenched around his head. “I’m still coming, Jude…” I extended his name to almost a melodic chain of letters.

Keeping his attention fluid, he allowed my body to ride the waves of pleasure until I was panting, and my body went limp. He slowed his movements, bringing me down gradually from a place where I wasn’t even sure I knew my own name.

I think I just had a stroke.

His body moved to lie on mine.

“Universe?” he asked smugly, brushing his fingers over my face.

I opened my eyes. “Shattered into a million fucking pieces, Ponytail.”

We laughed and held each other.

It was even better than he promised.

Chapter Twenty-Three

“Good morning, Presley.” I poked my head out of the break room as she walked by.

“Good morning, Jude. How are you today?” With a sexy and satisfied grin, she backed up a couple of steps to face me.

“I’m great. How are you?”

“Same.”

I leaned against the doorframe. “Would you like to come over for dinner tonight?”

Her smile faded. “I work late. Maybe tomorrow night?”

“That works.”

“Can’t wait.”

She turned to leave, but I circled her waist with my arms and dropped a soft kiss onto her lips. Her body responded with a purr of happiness.

I lowered my mouth to her ear. “Is that enough to last you until tomorrow night?”

Presley blushed. Her eyes relaxed into mossy swamps as her fingers brushed over my jaw and around my neck. “Honestly, I’ll never get enough of you, Jude.”

My heart heard the words. The innocent but full-of-meaning statement meant we were getting somewhere. She was opening up to me and letting me in, but I wanted her to be ready before I gave her more. Giving her all of me too soon would make her run faster than a whitetail deer in October.

“If you ever do, you let me know. Deal?” I winked.

My question brought out a small smile. “You’ll be the first to know.”

“I’ll cook tomorrow night. Anything you don’t like?”

She leaned forward and took a long draw of my bodywash scent, making the sexiest raspy moan. “Mmmm…pistachios, creamed corn, and … I’m allergic to kiwi.”

That’s specific.

“Okay, no pistachios or creamed corn and definitely no kiwi. Not sure I’ve ever bought a kiwi.”

“My tongue swells.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yeah.”

I embraced her. That was a little unnerving. Plus, I liked her tongue the way it was.

Just the way it is.

“Okay, I’ll text you with directions to where I live.”

“I’d bettered get to my training session or Kai will think I flaked on her.”

“Have a good day.”

“You too, Jude. Talk to you later.” Her warm lips pecked my cheek and I smiled.

“Bye, Beautiful.”

“Bye.”

I talked to Kai briefly this morning about Presley’s workout, suggesting an emphasis on developing a little more junk in the trunk. Kai punched my arm. Really hard! She claimed that choice was only up to Presley and until Presley said she wanted a bigger butt, Kai was going to maintain
not
growing any part of Presley. Then she punched me again. I wouldn’t want to meet Kai in a dark alley or really piss her off. Not sure what branch of the military she was in, but Kai definitely knew how to strike with accuracy and force.

I admired the view from afar as Kai led Presley through a tough workout. An interesting part of the routine didn’t get by me. Kai added in more lunges and three sets of prone leg lifts on a stability ball and she had Presley do the stair machine for cardio. All three were highly effective ways of developing—or at least tightening—the glutes.

Thank you, Kai.

However, Presley was as perfect, inside and out, as I had ever wanted and dreamed for. No matter what, she always would be. Perfect was a lofty aspiration but when you were patient, which I’m usually not, and you kept your eyes open, which I usually don’t, it could happen. She had qualities I’d come to appreciate in a woman, some of the same qualities I’d found in other women I loved … honesty, humorous, adventurous, and successful, all in a beautiful package that made my head and heart know I’d love to be hers, if she would trust me and let me in completely.

My phone buzzed in my pocket.

Kiera:
Hope all okay. I’m in Omaha for couple of nights on business. Can you do dinner or are you still busy with your “something”?

Kiera was a good friend. I could talk about Presley to her.

Jude:
I’ll make you dinner, my house 6pm?

I prepared for my next appointment.

Kiera:
Great, text address. See you then.

Jude:
Will do.

Kiera:
Lots to catch up on. Have a good day

Jude:
Me too. Later.

My four scheduled clients did a great job to help the day move along. This was what I was meant to do, helping people be healthy and create the body they’ve always wanted or keep the body they’ve always loved. I felt like a Frankenstein wannabe—in control, but without all the electricity and dead bodies. I liked my clients alive, and I attempted to keep them that way.

I met with a new client. Jack had been given doctors’ instructions to lose weight or, as he told me, “I’ll be dead in five years.” When someone said that to me, the pressure was huge. I wouldn’t let him down. Now my job was to keep him coming here so together we could help him get healthy. We set up a reasonable plan for commitment. Baby steps.

After work, I bought groceries to make dinner. I showered and prepped the meal while drinking a beer and listening to a Fitz and the Tantrums CD. I texted Presley while I waited.

Jude:
Missing you. Have a good evening.

I stopped and considered telling her that Kiera was coming over. It was just two friends getting together. She didn’t need to worry. She would. I decided against it. She texted back almost immediately.

Presley:
Hi. Missing you, too. Enjoy your night. Get some rest, you’re gonna need it. See you tomorrow after work.

Great that she’s coming out of her shell.

Jude:
Looking forward to it.

Presley:
:-)

****

The doorbell rang right before six.

“Hey, Kiera.”

“Jude, God, it’s been forever.”

I ushered her in and she walked into my chest, her cheek planting against my collarbone, her arms wrapped me in a long squeeze. The moment felt good but the usual physical attraction wasn’t there.

She took in the surroundings as I took her in. Kiera’s crystal blue eyes and deep violet-red hair had always been a potent combination. Add in her peachy clear skin and she turned heads faster than a Playboy centerfold. And her body … curves, curves, curves. She was
all
woman, everywhere. Successful as a contractor in the information technologies field, a powerful woman in a mostly man’s world, and she liked it that way.

“Great to see you. What brings you to Omaha?”

“Well, let’s have a seat and I’ll tell you, Mr. Impatient.”

Maybe I’ve always had that personality trait?

“Let me check on dinner.”

“Smells great.” Kiera rounded the corner to the kitchen.

I pointed to the breakfast bar seats. “Thanks. White wine or beer?”

“You’re a bartender and all you have is white wine and beer?”

I sighed loudly. This was the way we were. She busted my balls, and I enjoyed every minute.

“Beer, please,” she said with a cute smirk.

I got her a bottle and checked on the chicken and rice dish.

Mom insisted Zane and I learn to cook. Got a dump truck-load of shit from my friends about how “Mommy needed to turn her big boys into little girls,” but I’m pretty sure those assholes are the ones eating what tastes like shit now, cause I could cook just about anything. I’d be the first to admit Mom was right. A guy who can cook is, as she would say with that tone that told me it was very important, “A very,
very
attractive quality to a woman, Jude Elliott.”

              “I’m moving to Omaha, Jude,” Kiera said to my back.

I closed the oven door and removed the oven mitts. “That’s great. Can’t wait to introduce you to—”

I turned around and Kiera was right in front of me. She had backed me into the countertop.

“I’d like us to start over.”

Her hands wrapped around my neck and yanked my head toward a kiss. It took a moment for every part of me to comprehend what was happening and I pulled away from her. When I raised my head, my eyes didn’t meet Kiera’s blue ones. They stared over her head into shimmering green ones outside of the kitchen window. I stayed locked to those gorgeous eyes and Kiera spun to see what I was looking at.

And the emerald gems were gone.

“Presley, wait!”

Kiera jumped. I moved her out of my way and sprinted to the door. My heart pounded to the quick beat of my feet.

“Presley! Stop! Please!”

As I hit the driveway I only saw taillights of a white sedan screaming down the street. I pulled out my phone and dialed Presley. No answer. I turned around and in front of the garage was a bag full of Chinese food, dropped. A surprise. For me … for us. Containers broken open, like Presley surely felt.

“Shit!”

I ran my hand through my hair. With her trust issues, this wasn’t a smart idea. She was my girlfriend and even if I thought she wouldn’t like the truth, she deserved to know that I was having another woman to my home.

Man, you messed up. No, you fucked up royally.

“Jude, are you okay?” Kiera’s voice called from the porch.

“Yeah. Give me a minute,” I returned almost calmly.

She headed back inside.

I picked up the bag and scooped up its contents, opened the garage door with the keypad, and dumped the bag into the trash. I tried Presley’s phone one more time.

Please, answer.

I resorted to a text.

Jude:
Please give me a chance to explain. What you saw was a moment—not the full story. She’s an old friend

I stopped typing because that was not the truth and she deserved the truth. I backed that bullshit off the screen.

Jude:
Please answer your phone and give me a chance to explain. If I don’t hear from you in ten minutes I’m calling you again.

Back inside, I explained to Kiera what was going on. She apologized. I reminded her that she couldn’t have known. I didn’t tell her and I should’ve.

“Jude, you want to go find her?”

“Kind of, but I also want Presley to realize that I’m a good guy and I wouldn’t hurt her on purpose. I want her to trust me.”

“You trust her?”

“One hundred percent.”

“You love her?”

I smiled at what I used to think was my future. I didn’t hesitate. “One thousand percent.”

“Wow.” Kiera took a long drink of her beer. She cleared her throat. “Honestly, a little hard to hear, but I’m happy for you, Jude. I’m glad you found someone. She was beautiful, from what I saw streak past the window.”

“She is. What do you think? Do I go after her? Give her the night to sleep on it? Text her? I texted her I would call her.”

“Then call her!”

Woman, you were always so bossy, but usually right, too.

“All right.” I held up my hands in surrender at her redheaded temper.

I dialed. No answer, again. My shoulders dropped.

Kiera pounded her fists on the table. “Fucking text her!”

“Okay. Okay!”

Forgot how overbearing she could be.

Jude:
Here’s the truth. That was my girlfriend from ISU, Kiera Maxwell. She’s in town for the night. I invited her to dinner at my place. No, I didn’t tell her about you and no, I didn’t tell you about her. Didn’t think there was anything to tell. She told me she was going to be moving to Omaha and she tried to kiss me. That’s what you saw. I did not kiss her. Then I ran after you, because Presley, I only want you. Beautiful, I want YOU! Not her.

Before sending the text, I showed it to Kiera.

She frowned. “Well, the start is okay, except say
ex
-girlfriend—not girlfriend.” She rolled her eyes and I made the reasonable change. “And delete ‘I didn’t think there was anything to tell.’ Are you asking to be slapped? Of course you should have told her you were having dinner with another woman!”

I mumbled a curse word under my breath.

“You’re not gonna unless you make this right,” my irritating friend responded under her breath before taking a drink of her beer.

I chuckled. “Okay. Then…” I motioned for her to continue her mocking and pseudo-helping me.

“The rest is good, until ‘Beautiful, I want you!’ I can’t believe I’m actually doing this! I’m getting you together with another girl? I’ve got to be nuts ‘cause I know what a catch she’s getting. Judas!”

“You know that’s not my name … Kiki.”

She smiled. “Just wanted to hear you call me that one more time.” She narrowed her sparkling blue eyes at me. “You’d bettered find me a nice guy here in Omaha for this. Pronto!”

“I think I have more important things to work on right now, but I’ll see what I can do.
After
I get my girlfriend back.”