Page 32 of Wanted

Just as my emotions crest at the thought of new beginnings, they come crashing back down twice as fast.

“I’d love to. Truly. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m going to be way more trouble to you than I’m worth.”

“I’m not sure you could be more trouble than you already are, but go ahead. Spell it out for me.”

I avert my gaze in case the sting in my eyes turns into a waterfall. “I have nothing. I mean, look at me. I’m not even wearing my own clothes. I don’t even have on underwear.”

“Jesus,” Jude mutters. He clears his throat and shifts. His thigh bumps into mine. Even that small point of contact injects me with warmth.

“I just couldn’t put on the same dirty pair after my shower last night,” I ramble on.

“Don’t worry about that stuff.”

“It’s not that easy.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

“Jude—”

“I said…” He leans into my line of sight. His hand rises as if he’s considering touching me before it falls to his side. “I’ll take care of it. Anything else?”

I’m trapped in his searching silver gaze. I shake my head quickly.

“Then let’s get you back to the house. We can grab breakfast at the café across the street.”

“Oh, that’s okay. You don’t have to do that.” I don’t even want to begin to mentally tally the amount of money Jude’s just offered to spend on me. Room and board, plus clothes? “Why are you doing this?”

“Hm?” Jude’s size shadows the sun in my eyes.

I exhale a shaky breath. “I asked why are you doing this?”

He stares down at me, a pause lingering between us.

“Call it a mutual benefit. I have an employee on leave and could use the extra hands. A couple of hundred bucks to get you on your feet isn’t going to dent my bank account.”

I suspect the real reason is deeper than Jude wants to dig at this moment.

He jerks his head toward the café. “I’d like to get off this sidewalk and have some breakfast.”

“Is someone hangry?” I tease gently.

“Sure am. I had to chase my van into town before I had a chance to eat.”

A flush paints my cheeks pink. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m not mad, Frankie. Just hungry.”

The resistance leaks from my body with each step across the street to the café. I’ll never ask him for anything, but as my stomach lets loose a loud rumble, I’d say I’m hungry too.

9

Jude

The snap of the front door closing disturbs my morning musings. The cup of black coffee in my hand lacks the steam it had when I poured it sometime ago. While I should have been taking the pack out for their morning walk, I've been here stuck in my own head.

And for once, the delay has nothing to do with the counting.

I glance down into my cup, noticing the murky liquid is precisely the color of Frankie's eyes. The color sharply contrasts her shockingly white-blond hair.

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