Rush of Insanity (10 page)

“You were good enough.” She stared at him, seeing a kaleidoscope of facets when before he’d only been in 3D.

“Yeah? Well, I still feel like you’re out of my league.”

Her lips parted.
How?
How could he think that? “But you’re—”

“I’m petrified.” His arms fell at his sides. “I can’t see myself with anyone else. I can’t imagine another woman ever allowing me to feel this real. If you leave, I’m scared of settling with someone in the industry and becoming the persona I loathe. And I’m fearful that if you stay my pride will get in the way of keeping us together.”

“Your pride and my fear of rejection.”

“I’ll never reject you.”

She believed him. Believed that he was adamant. Honest. At least for now. They had so much to learn about one another and there was always the possibility he may hate the new parts he was exposed to.
Damn it
. There were too many opportunities for heartache.

“I have a thousand reasons to walk away.” The list was too long to skim over. “There’s only one pulling me to stay.”

“What’s the reason?” he murmured.

A burning path trailed down her cheeks. More weakness and vulnerability there for the world to see. “I love you. I love you so much. I’m just worried that this thing between us doesn’t make sense.”

“It doesn’t have to. As long as we’re happy together.” His throat convulsed with a heavy swallow. “Do I make you happy?”

“Of course you do.”

He nodded and the movement lacked confidence.

“You do, Judd. But maybe this is all too hard. Maybe I should go.” She frowned at herself. “For real this time.”

“No.” Judd chuckled and shook his head. “You shouldn’t.”

He didn’t move, didn’t approach as she took a step back.

“I attempted to stop a bus with my body. I think I’ve reached a level of crazy that shouldn’t be encouraged.”

His lips quirked in the devilish way she loved. “I threw half a million dollars across a stadium. I think we’re matched perfectly.”

She gave him a half-hearted smile. “What if you don’t like the parts of me that you haven’t seen yet?”

Finally, he stepped forward, closing in on her, bringing them thigh to thigh. “I know you, Harper. I know everything about you.” He placed a hand on her hip. “I see your defenses fall away after we sleep together. I see the love in your eyes when you watch me on stage. I hear the way you talk about me to Tank, and he also tells me how you feel just so I’m not kept in the dark.”

“You spy on me?”

He leaned into her, brushing his lips over her ear. “Trust you to consider it spying, princess.”

A shiver trickled down her spine and nestled in her belly. “I’m scared.” The truth scraped her throat raw. Walking away was easy. Placing herself in the hands of vulnerability was terrifying.

“I’m done, Harper. I’m lost in those eyes of yours, and I’ll happily never find myself again. Whether you introduce me to a softer side of yourself, or you remain my constant crazy bitch, I’ll always love you.”

She buried her head against his neck and smiled. “I really hate those words.”

“What words?”

“Crazy bitch.” She pulled back and met his gaze.

He smirked, the long strands of his damp hair framing his face. “But it suits you perfectly.”

She leaned into his chest and snapped her teeth. “Fuck you.”

“Fuck me?” Excitement flared in his eyes as he gripped her waist.

She nodded as he walked backward, dragging her toward his room. She was stepping off the ledge, leaping into a life that only had Judd as her safety net. “Yeah.”

“Okay,” he murmured against her lips. “Let’s do that.”

He smashed his mouth against hers and stole a squeal from her throat. She gripped his shoulders, tight, unwilling to let go as his tongue parted her lips. They were going to do this. Be together. Be a couple. Be in love.

He continued dragging her forward, into his room, and she kicked the door shut with her foot.

“I still can’t believe I saw you throw away my ring.”

“Believe it.” The gentle grip of his fingers encircled her wrists and he raised her hands above her head. “It was tainted. I don’t want to see it again.” He pressed her into the door and made her drown in the scent of his familiar aftershave. “But you don’t need a ring. You’re mine, with or without it.”

She raised a brow and bucked her hips against his. “Oh, I am, am I?”

He flashed his teeth, and sank his body against hers, rubbing the thick length of his shaft against her pelvis. “You sure are, princess. Even if I have to kidnap you for the rest of your life.”

THE END

Eden Summers
is a true blue Aussie, living in regional New South Wales with her two energetic young boys and a quick witted husband.

In late 2010, Eden’s romance obsession could no longer be sated by reading alone, so she decided to give voice to the sexy men and sassy women in her mind.

Eden can’t resist alpha dominance, dark features and sarcasm in her fictional heroes and loves a strong heroine who knows when to bite her tongue but also serves retribution with a feminine smile on her face.

For more information on other books by Eden, visit her website:
www.EdenSummers.com
.

Samhain Publishing

A Shot of Sin

Union of Sin

Self-Published

Blind Attraction

Passionate Addiction

Reckless Weekend

Sultry Groove

Undesired Lust

Harlequin

Ravenous

Etopia Press

Concealed Desire

Halloween Heat V

Sneaking a Peek