Trace + Olivia Series Boxed Set (169 page)

“I’m not your mom, make your own damn eggs,” Jude replied.

“You made eggs for her!” Jacob cried, throwing his hands in the air.

Jude pulled two pieces of bread from the toaster and began to butter them. He raised a brow at Jacob. “She’s my girlfriend. You’re just a pain of my ass. I choose not to feed my problems. I find if I do that they just keep coming back for more instead of going off to die like they should.”

“Asshole,” Jacob grumbled, sliding off the stool. Instead of making eggs, he grabbed a bowl, dumped half a box of cereal in it and grabbed a gallon of milk. “I hope your PMS ends soon,” he called over his shoulder to Jude as he left the room.

Jude slid a plate of food in front of me and then sat down a glass of orange juice. “Having roommates sucks.”

“Seems like it,” I agreed, picking up my fork and taking a bite. “Mmm,” I hummed, “this is so good. I didn’t realize I was so hungry.”

Jude sat down beside me and leaned over to kiss my cheek. “Gotta keep your strength up, because I’m not done with you.” His tone held the promise of delightful things to come. My body shook with excitement at the thought of all the things he could do to me.

“Your grandpa taught you to cook,” I said as a statement, not a question.

“Pap and Grams,” he shrugged. “They said it was important that I not starve to death. Plus, Grams was adamant that she wasn’t going to feed me every time I was hungry…which was all the time when I was a teenager.” He shoveled a heaping forkful of eggs into his mouth. “Turns out, I kind of like it.”

I shook my head, a small smile lifting my lips. “Is there anything you can’t do?”

“No, I’m Superman. When I’m not saving the world I make the best damn eggs you’re ever going to eat. Now eat up woman, we have an exciting day ahead of us and,” his voice lowered and he whispered in my ear, “I will have you again today and it’s going to be even better than the other times.”

I should’ve pushed him away and told him he was being presumptuous, but I couldn’t. Instead I leaned closer to him, swaying slightly. The affect he had on me was beyond unfair.

He turned back to his food, smirking. Arrogant jerk. He got me all worked up and left me hanging.

I finished my breakfast, feeling stuffed. 

“I guess I better take you home,” Jude said reluctantly as he gathered up our empty plates to wash them.

“Yeah,” I sighed. “I’d like to at least change my clothes before we have a ‘real’ date,” I smiled. I was insanely curious to know what he had up his sleeve but I knew better than to ask.

“You know,” he grinned, turning away from the sink and crossing his arms over his chest, “we could make our date an all day thing…well, maybe the day part wouldn’t be part of the actual date,” he rambled. Frowning, he said, “I’m not making sense. Let me start over.” He took a breath. “What would you say to visiting Pap before our date?”

“I’d say there’s no other way I’d rather spend my day,” I grinned, feeling excited. 

“How did I get so lucky with you?” He asked.

I laughed. “Lucky? I’m the girl that kicked you in the balls, threw a McFlurry at your head, and slapped you when you kissed me. Nothing about that sounds like you should be lucky to have me.”

His eyes darkened and he sobered. “You shouldn’t underestimate yourself so much, Tate.” Leaning forward he placed his hands on the counter and stared into my eyes. “You make me better.”

I nodded, losing my voice. Clearing my throat, I finally said, “You make me better too.”

He grinned slowly, his brown eyes sparkling with happiness. “Now that we have that established, we should go. But first, I should change. This is hardly appropriate date attire.” He plucked at his plain gray t-shirt and pointed to his black sweatpants. I thought he looked lickable but I wasn’t saying that out loud. I knew he’d only use the information to torture me endlessly later on.

“I’ll wait down here,” I smiled.

“Or,” he drew out the word, “you could come upstairs with me.” He grabbed my hand, trying to pull me off the stool. “Please,” he begged.

“Nice try,” I laughed. “But I know what you have in mind and I need a break.”

He sighed and put a hand to his heart. “You wound me woman.” Lowering his voice, he whispered in my ear, “Do you need me to kiss it and make it better? You know I will.”

My cheeks flamed. “I’m good.”

“You know you liked it,” his voice was a throaty growl. “Admit it.”

He brushed his lips against my jaw and I’m pretty sure I would’ve told him anything he wanted just to keep feeling his lips against my skin. “I liked it,” I gasped. 

“I knew it,” he pulled away, grinning. My cheeks stung slightly where his stubble had scratched it. 

I stood and headed towards the living room while he went to get dressed. Before we parted his hand shot out and he slapped my ass.

“Jude!” I cried as he ran away.

His laugh echoed through the hall and down the stairs as he ran up them.

Oh, I was so getting him back for that one. I had to think of something good though.

I found myself sitting on the couch by myself. Jacob must have went to his room. I would’ve turned the TV on but there were about fifty remotes and I was afraid of breaking something.

A minute later I startled when a half-naked guy walked in. He had shaggy light blond hair, was super tall, and had abs of steel. I was pretty sure he played on the college basketball team.

“Hi,” he yawned. He picked up a remote, turned the TV on, and sat down beside me. Well, not beside me, but on the couch. He was nice enough to leave a body’s space between us. “I’m Dylan,” he introduced himself.

“Tatum.”

“I know,” he replied, not looking at me but at the TV, “you’re Jude’s girl.”

I was surprised he knew who I was.

“How do you know that?” I asked.

“I’m his best friend,” Dylan shrugged. “He told me about you.”

My mouth fell open in shock. First, from the fact that Jude had actually talked about me to someone whom he considered a friend and the guy was aware that I was ‘Jude’s girl’. As a smart, independent, woman being called his girl should’ve made me mad, but I loved it. I was also surprised by the fact that this guy was apparently Jude’s best friend. I couldn’t recall ever seeing Jude talk to this guy on campus. But it wasn’t like I made a conscious effort to look for Jude. Nope. Not at all. Okay, maybe I looked for him sometimes. Let’s face it, even when I hated him a part of me couldn’t resist the attraction I felt to him. How twisted was that? 

As if conjured by my thoughts Jude appeared in the doorway. His smile was blindingly bright.

I couldn’t help staring at him. He looked strikingly handsome in khaki pants and an aqua colored t-shirt. He hadn’t bothered to shave his stubble and I thought it served to make him even more ruggedly handsome. 

 “I see you’ve met Dylan,” he said as he stepped into the room. I noticed he wasn’t pissed at the sight of Dylan and I, like he had been when Jacob had come into the kitchen.

“Yes,” I replied, “we were talking about the fact that apparently I’m your girl now.”

Jude chuckled scratching his stubbled jaw. “That’s right. Get used to it, because I’m never letting you go.” He nodded towards the door. “We better go.”

I smiled at Dylan. “Bye.”

He nodded in reply. I got the idea he was a guy of few words. 

Jude and I didn’t speak much on the drive to my house. He did hold my hand the entire way, though. It amazed me how just being near him filled me with serenity. He soothed my broken soul. No, he didn’t just soothe it. He mended it.

“Are you coming inside?” I asked him when he parked the truck on the street outside my house. 

“Sure, why not,” he shrugged, unbuckling his seatbelt.

I unlocked the front door and we headed inside, up to my room. 

I closed the door behind us and looked through my closet for something to wear. I eyed what Jude wore and wrinkled my nose. “Do I have to get dressed up for this date?”

He bounced on the end of my bed. “I love how you say that like it’s a bad thing, and no you don’t need to dress up.”

“Shorts okay?” I asked, holding up a pair.

He eyed the length and his eyes glowed. “Yeah, that’s definitely alright with me.”

I laughed. I took the dress off and tossed it at his head. He caught it easily.

I pulled on a tank top, my shorts, and grabbed a plaid shirt for extra warmth. It might’ve been spring, but that didn’t mean it was warm all the time, and with the shorts I could use the extra layer of clothing.

Jude licked his lips, staring at my long legs. “God you’re gorgeous.”

“If you keep telling me things like that I might end up getting full of myself. A bit like someone else I know,” I winked.

He chuckled and leaned back on my bed, resting on his elbows. “There’s nothing wrong with being confident.”

I walked over to him and climbed on the bed, straddling his lap. He grinned, thinking I was up to something. I really just wanted to see his injured eye up close. I reached out to tenderly stroke the skin and he flinched away from my touch. I frowned. “Does it hurt?”

He shrugged. “Not too bad.”

I rolled my eyes. “You don’t have to be such a guy. You can tell me if it hurts.”

“It hurts,” he sighed. Brightening, he grinned crookedly. “Are you going to kiss it and make it better?”

“Maybe,” I smiled, and leaned in ever so slowly. I pressed my lips against the tender and swollen skin. His breath hissed out and I immediately pulled back. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt him. “Sorry,” I frowned.

“It’s okay,” he sighed, smoothing his fingers through my hair. “You didn’t mean to hurt me.” He chuckled, grinning widely as his eyes flicked down. “I really like this position. Your breasts look great from here.”

I rolled my eyes. Such a guy.

“Should I say thank you? Or hit you? Because I’m not quite sure.”

He laughed heartily, but before he could reply the door to my room flew open. I hadn’t bothered to lock it. I hadn’t thought it was an issue. I was wrong.

“Tatum!” My dad bellowed. Standing in the doorway he looked like a raging bull. His face was red, but it was quickly turning purple. A vein in his forehead throbbed, ready to burst. “What the hell do you think you’re doing in my house with this boy?!” His fists clenched so hard at his sides that the knuckles turned white.

I slid off Jude’s lap and stood. He stood up too, positioning his body so that he was in front of me, protecting me.

“Sir—”

“You will not speak!” My dad yelled at Jude. “You are not welcome in my house! Get out!” 

I couldn’t figure out why he hated Jude so much, I guessed it really didn’t matter, I just knew it wasn’t for the same reason I’d hated Jude for so long. The man clearly wasn’t in the right frame of mind. I didn’t understand why he was suddenly coming home so often. It used to be rare for him to come home, and when he did he seemed to time it so he knew I wasn’t home. It was like that day he told me I seemed happy something changed in him. Like, if he was still miserable, then I had to be too. 

“Sir,” Jude repeated, his tone calm. I could tell from his stance and the slope of his shoulders that he was anything but calm.  I knew that if it came to it, he wouldn’t hesitate to hit my father to protect me. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“You’re leaving! I’m a lawyer! I know my rights and you need to get out before I call the cops!”

“Then she’s coming with me.” Jude reached behind to grab onto my hand. He gave it a reassuring squeeze. I hadn’t realized it until he touched me, but I was shaking.

My dad’s face went from purple to blue. I thought he might pass out from lack of oxygen. He opened his mouth to start yelling again and this time I couldn’t mistake the stench of alcohol on his breath. He reeked.

“I want you away from my daughter! You are a no good son of a bitch from the wrong side of the tracks! She,” my dad thrust a finger in my direction, “is an O’Connor! She will not end up with a scumbag like you!”

“Pardon me, sir,” Jude sneered, “but who’s the real scumbag here?” He looked my father up and down significantly. “The guy who cares about your daughter? Or the father who’s yelling at her and looks like he’d love to put his fist to her face?”

“You!” My dad screamed rearing back to attack Jude. He was drunk though and therefore his movements were slow.

Jude beat him to it, tackling him to the ground. My dad was stunned by the turn of events and didn’t seem to know what to do with himself. 

“Come on,” Jude reached for my hand. I gave it to him and he pulled me past my dad who still lay on the ground. He was starting to try to get up, though. “We’ve got to get out of here.”

He all but pulled me down the steps. I couldn’t seem to get my feet to move.

I was numb. Lost. Floating.

I didn’t know how to handle what had transpired.

Jude sped out of the neighborhood, breaking at least ten traffic laws. “That man,” he growled, clenching the steering wheel so tight I was surprised it didn’t break off in his grasp, “is a piece of shit. That’s what you live with, Tate? Why? Why don’t you get out of there?”

The floodgates opened up then. “I’m trying!” I screamed at him. I wasn’t even mad at him, but my God I needed to scream. I hadn’t wanted him, or anyone else, to know how bad it had gotten recently with my dad, but now that he’d witnessed it firsthand I let all my emotions out. “I’m trying my hardest to get away from there!” I started to sob. “I’m trying,” I repeated, over and over again for lack of anything else to say. I couldn’t seem to stop my tears. My face was soaked with them and they fell from my chin to my shirt. 

“Oh, baby,” Jude’s voice cracked. Suddenly, he pulled the truck off the side of the road. He parked the truck, undid his seatbelt, and pulled me into his arms. My elbow bumped into the horn and the sound of it reverberated around us. The tears kept coming and I was helpless to stop them. He wiped them away with his fingers as fast as they came. He even kissed some of them way, like he hoped maybe his kisses could heal the broken pieces of me. I was doing better, I was, but there always seemed to be something that knocked me down again. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered, kissing the top of my head. “Let it out, baby.”