Trace + Olivia Series Boxed Set (164 page)

“Crazier things have happened.” I reached up, smoothing my fingers through his brown hair. It was unfair that a guy’s hair was that soft. He even had ridiculously long eyelashes too. He was beautiful, inside and out, and he was mine. I needed to appreciate that fact more and not take it for granted. A part of me was still scared that we’d go back to school tomorrow and this would all be a dream. I was strong enough now to accept that I didn’t want to lose Jude. 

“True,” he agreed. He grabbed my hand, placing a long, lingering kiss to the palm before letting it go.

He went about fixing both horses for riding and then we led them out into the meadow. He tied Gimpy’s reigns around the fence and reached out for me. Before I knew what he was doing, he had his hands on my waist and lifted me onto the horse. I let out a small squeal of fright. I hadn’t expected that.

I swung my leg over the other side of Seraphina and grabbed the reigns. I was scared for only a few seconds before I started to appreciate the beauty of seeing the world around me from the back of a horse.

“Wow,” I gasped, “this is amazing.”

Jude chuckled and started to lead the horse. “I want you to get used to being on a horse before we try riding. Let me guide you and just…”

“Just what?” I gazed down at him, an emotion I didn’t even begin to comprehend filling me when I looked at him.

“Just let yourself feel.”

I continued to look around at the green grass, the trees, and the flowers blooming. Spring was here and with it came the promise of new things and new beginnings, like Jude and me. 

Eventually I closed my eyes, holding on tight to Seraphina, and trusted Jude not to let anything happen to me.

A few minutes later I felt him nudge my arm. I smiled down at him and he handed me the reigns. “It’s time for you to try walking her.”

He instructed me on what to do and I listened carefully.

“Okay, try now.”

Seraphina started forward at a slow pace. It felt weird at first, almost like I might slip off, but I soon found my rhythm and when he saw I had the hang of it he helped me bring her to a trot.

“You’re a natural,” he grinned proudly. I was happy that I pleased him. 

Seraphina came to a stop and Jude told me to wait while he jogged back to get Gimpy.

The horse and rider barreled towards us. “He’s such a show off,” I muttered to Seraphina.

She huffed in reply, like she too was disturbed by the display.

Coming to a stop beside me, Jude grinned proudly. I tried to pretend that I was completely unaffected by him, but it was futile. 

He pushed dark strands of hair from his eyes and then raised up slightly, pulling his trusty beanie from his back pocket. He put it on and grinned boyishly. “That’s better.” Straightening, he said, “You think you’re ready for this?”

I rolled my eyes. “I’ll be fine. If I fall off I expect you to tend to my wounds.”

He began to laugh. “Like you took care of mine? Something tells me you wouldn’t take too kindly to being slapped.” 

My cheeks colored. Just when I’d begun to forget that he decided to bring it up again.

“Slapping would not be appreciated,” I muttered.

He chuckled. My God he loved to torture me. “Lucky for you, I’m a real nurse,” he put a hand to his chest, “and I know what I’m doing. You’re in capable hands.”

“I don’t plan on getting hurt,” I assured him.

“Hey,” he raised his hands in surrender, “you’re the one that brought it up. You know what heals scrapes and bruises really fast?”

“What?” I asked.

“Kisses. Particularly my kisses. You’re very lucky in the fact that you’re the only person I would ever suggest this method to. It’s quite radical really. In some countries it’s even illegal,” he said in a hush, like he was letting me in on something top secret.

“Oh, really?” I quirked a brow as we started to trot down the path.

He nodded. “My kisses save lives.”

I snorted, and once I started laughing I couldn’t stop. 

I finally regained control of myself and wiped tears of laughter from my eyes. Only Jude could make me laugh that hard and over something so stupid.

“You thought that was funny?” He asked.

“Hysterical,” I responded, fighting my lips natural urge to quirk up.

His face sobered. “I was serious.”

“I’m sure you were.” My hands tightened on the reigns as I tried to regain my balance. Riding a horse wasn’t as easy as it looked. It took balance and grace. Balance, I had, grace…not so much.

“Do I need to give you a demonstration of the miracles it can perform?”

I shook my head. “How about another time? Right now, I’d like to enjoy myself.”

“Sure, sure,” he agreed. 

We grew quiet and I enjoyed the peace nature brought.

The birds chirping.

Bugs buzzing.

The clopping of the horse’s hooves.

It was all so simple, but it centered me. I felt at home here on the farm with Jude and his grandpa. More than that, I felt like I belonged.

I turned my face up towards the sun, soaking in the warmth.

I was strong enough now to admit to myself that I loved it here and never wanted to leave. I wanted to be a part of Jude Brooks’ life for forever. It scared me to death, but it was the truth that lived in my heart. I’d never believed in love at first sight, and that certainly hadn’t been the case with us, but something had forced us together—not even my stubbornness could overcome us. Destiny? Fate? I didn’t know and I didn’t care. All that mattered was that we’d happened and I was so incredibly thankful for that. I’d fought hard against him and my feelings, but it was a fight I could never win. The heart wants what it wants, and mine beat for Jude.

“There’s a field up ahead,” Jude pointed, interrupting my thoughts, “I thought we could stop there and sit for a while.”

“Uh…” I looked around us, feeling stupid. “Aren’t we in a field?”

He laughed heartily. “Yes, but this one’s a bit different. You’ll see what I mean.”

Sure enough, a few minutes later I did see what he meant.

This field was full of flowers like the other one, but there was a huge pond with a dock. It was surrounded by trees on three sides, but cleared from where we approached. The grass was getting high and in need of a mow, but it was beautiful. A dragonfly flew by my shoulder heading for the water.

“This is beautiful,” I gasped. “I didn’t know this was here.”

“No one does,” he shrugged. “It’s our property and we don’t want word getting out about it. It wouldn’t be fun having to chase people off our property every day. Besides, Pap is too old to deal with that crap.” Jude jumped off Gimpy with ease. I knew there was no way I could dismount Seraphina with such poise. Luckily, I didn’t have to. Jude reached up and helped me down. Once I was off the horse he kept ahold of me, like he didn’t want to let go. He stared into my eyes, resting his forehead against mine. “I wanted to share it with you, though. This is my sanctuary.” He looked away from me and out towards the water. “When the weather’s nice, I spend a lot of time here. It’s…”

“Magical,” I supplied.

“Not the word I was going for, but it works,” he laughed. His thumb found the belt loop on my jeans and we walked forward to the water’s edge. “The water is a bit too cold still, but soon it’ll be warm enough to swim in. You can even fish.”

“Do you normally ride…Gimpy…out here? It seems like it was pretty far from the farm.”

“Honestly,” he shrugged, “I usually drive my truck out here. This terrain is nothing a Ford can’t handle,” he winked, pinching my side. 

“Poor Gimpy,” I wrinkled my nose in distaste at the name. “He probably hates being locked up all the time.”

“You really hate that name,” Jude’s laughter filled the air. God, I loved the sound of it and he laughed a lot. I liked that Jude wasn’t afraid to show his emotions, whatever they may be. “Once again, I was five and I thought it sounded cool. I don’t even know what it’s from.”

I reached up and tapped his forehead. “It’s from this strange brain of yours.”

He captured my hand and held it. “This strange brain comes up with some pretty amazing ideas.”

“Like what?” I asked, smiling.

“Hmm,” he thought. “Well, first there was the vodka soaked gummy bears I set out that led to the first night I got to sleep with you in my arms. If that doesn’t have brilliant idea written all over it, I don’t know what does.”

“And I also threw them up,” I stated.

“That was merely a minor hiccup,” he shrugged, grinning crookedly.

“What other brilliant ideas have you had?” I challenged, quirking my head to the side as my lips threatened to turn up in a smile. 

He tapped his chin, thinking. “There was the time when I kissed you in the shower…you know, we should really do that again, for research purposes of course.”

“Oh yes, of course,” I agreed, but he was already talking again.

His voice grew low and gravelly in my ear. “Then there was the night you let me touch you,” he groaned, his fingers digging into my hips almost painfully. “God, you felt fucking amazing. You’re amazing.” He nuzzled my neck. My eyes closed as his arms wrapped around me. “I want you in ways I’ve never wanted anyone else,” he whispered so softly I wasn’t even sure I heard him correctly, “it scares the crap out of me, but in the best way possible. You tear me apart and build me back up. You make me better without even trying.” He looked into my eyes, smoothing his large thumbs over my cheeks. 

He lowered his head and his lips formed a seal over mine in a soul-stealing kiss. His fingers tangled in my long hair and I grappled for something to hold, settling on the cotton of his shirt. He kissed me for so long that I began to feel lightheaded. 

Panting with loss of breath, he ran his index finger over my bottom lip. “With others, kissing was never enough, but with you…everything is different. It’s more important. I could kiss you forever and be a happy man.”

“You sure about that?” Leave it to me to have a sarcastic reply to his deeply romantic words. 

“Absolutely,” he rubbed his nose against mine. 

“Jude?” I asked. “What are we?”

He started to laugh. “What do you mean?”

“What are we?” I repeated. “We go back to school tomorrow and I want to know where we stand on our…relationship.” Basically, I wanted to know if I was going to have to watch him fawn over other girls. 

He nipped my chin lightly with his teeth, almost as if he was punishing me for my question. “You’re my girlfriend, Tate. Don’t question that.”

I let out a weak laugh. “I’m twenty-two years old and you’re my first official boyfriend. I don’t know what that says about me.” I tucked a piece of hair behind my ear—I couldn’t stand it being in my face.

He pressed his forehead against mine. “I’m the same age as you and you’re my first girlfriend. I never cared about official titles until you.” Until you. Those two words were the truth of our relationship. Until Jude I’d never imagined much of a future for myself. Until Jude my heart had been a frozen tundra. Until… Until… Until…

I laid my head against his chest and he wrapped his arms around me, holding me close. I wanted him to heal all the parts of me that were still broken. I wanted him to make me better. But healing took time, and hopefully we had plenty of it.

Eventually we broke apart and lay on the ground. I curled my body against his as his fingers lazily rubbed the skin of my arm. My eyes began to grow heavy from the heat of the sun and the feel of his fingers. Before I could drift off completely he interrupted the silence.

“You know,” he started, then almost seemed unsure if he should continue, “we haven’t played our question game in a while.”

“Isn’t it kind of pointless?” I asked, sitting up to gaze down at him.

He shook his head. “I just have one last very important question.”

“Alright,” I shrugged, settling back down. “What is it?”

“Did I win the bet?”

Of course. I should’ve known that would be his question. I smiled to myself and sat up once more. I kissed him softly, letting my lips linger against his as I spoke. “You won the bet.”

He won the bet.

He won my heart.

He won it all.

I was his.

“I HONESTLY DON’T KNOW if I’ll ever get used to this,” Rowan clapped her hands giddily, then pointed to where Jude and I sat across from her at the cafeteria table, “but I’m so incredibly happy you two finally got your shit straightened out.”

“Um,” I leaned towards her, propping my elbow on the table and my head in my hand, “If I recall, didn’t you resist Trent for like…years.”

Her cheeks colored slightly. “That was different.” She pretended to pick lint off her shirt to avoid my eyes.

“Mhmm, sure it was,” I laughed.

Beneath the table Jude’s hand found my thigh and gave it a slight squeeze. I’d been getting nasty looks all day from the female population. Even in college, there were still high-school-like antics and the women were pissed that Jude was off the market. I half expected one of them to grab me by my hair and try to throw me around. Jude acted like he didn’t notice, but I knew he did. Even the guys on campus seemed surprised that Jude was holding my hand and we were acting like a…well, like a couple, because that’s what we were.