Page 31 of You Had Me at Chocolate

“I won’t,” he assured on a ragged exhalation.

And he didn’t. He just withdrew and entered in the same inexorable fashion, his shoulders hunching as he rose over her with every push of his hips, the big blades in his back moving beneath the clutch of her palms. The flare grew hotter and hotter and bigger and bigger, spreading to her ass and her thighs and the muscles that held him locked inside her.

“God… Jude…” Clem grabbed for breath as her orgasm fizzed like a rocket before takeoff. She snatched at the heated air surrounding them, dragging it in to her starved lungs as everything melted down and the pleasure let fly.

There was nothing gentle about the orgasm, her internal muscles clamping hard on his cock as her ankles locked hard around the backs of his thighs. “Oh… god… Juuuude.”

“Yes.” He groaned right into her ear. “Yes.”

And then his back bowed and his breath cut off and his hips snapped to a sudden halt as he gasped her name and just held her for a beat, his huge body shuddering with his release before resuming the rock of his hips, riding them through the tumult of their orgasm all the way to the very, very end.

Until it winged away leaving them spent.

Clem floated like a dust mote in the aftermath, hovering through a haze of warm incandescent light, falling and twirling, dipping and rising, until the pillow of air finally evaporated delivering her gently to earth. Her limbs were heavy and her eyes were heavy and every cell she owned was drowned in fatigue.

Slowly, she became aware of Jude collapsed on top of her, of his lips at her neck, of the fan of his breath and the erratic belt of his heart through the wall of his chest.

Of the erratic belt of hers.

He shifted then, easing away, slipping from her body. A protest rose in Clem’s throat but he hushed her, scooping her against his side and she snuggled in, her head settling into the crook of his neck.

“That was nice,” she murmured, her lips barely moving. Because it had been. More than that it had been exactly what she’d needed.

His low chuckle, the press of his lips on her forehead, and his whispered, “Good night, Clementine,” were the last things she was conscious of as she succumbed to sleep.

*

A streak of trepidation shot through Clem as she entered the kitchen the next morning at nine. She was showered and dressed in jeans and a sweater. She’d already spoken to her father. Her mom had had a restful night and had woken to a little more movement down her left side, which the doctors thought was promising and had put her mom in good spirits.

She just hoped Jude was in good spirits, too. And that she hadn’t blown things between them because of the sex. She’d hate to have to regret something that had been that good.

And it wasn’t like she’d planned it.

But being with Jude last night had felt like old times and they’d slipped into that easy rapport, which had been the hallmark of their friendship, and then he’d mentioned kissing and her brain had fritzed out a little.

“Morning,” she said, injecting a bright note into her voice. Teaming it with an equally bright smile, she entered to find him in jeans and a T-shirt, putting a tray in the oven. The kitchen smelled sweet and yeasty and fluffy croissants were cooling on the island counter.

He turned and his face warmed and his mouth kicked up into a smile and he said, “Hey.” And it was low and sweet and so sexy Clem actually went a little weak below the belly button.

Of course, he hadn’t meant it to be sexy, she knew that but, hubba-freaking-hubba, Jude sure could pump out the pheromones.

“Sleep well?” he teased.

Clem blushed. “Sorry ’bout that, I guess I conked.” But she did sleep well and this morning she felt utterly rested. Replenished. Ready to face another tough day at the hospital with her mom. And be there for her father.

“Yep.”

He laughed as he stashed the tea towel through his belt loop and Clem thought—do not stare at that part of his anatomy. If she didn’t want things to be awkward then she definitely shouldn’t be staring at his dick.

Leaning his ass against the counter opposite, he folded his arms. “You were out like a light.”

Her cheeks warmed some more and she placed her palms over them. “God, I’m so sorry. I’m usually better company after—”

Clem halted abruptly. After what? After sex? After doing the wild thing? After sleeping together? Making love. Oh Jesus—no. Do not say that, idiot.

Lordy. This was way harder than she’d imagined. Although, to be fair to herself, she’d had nowhere near the amount of one-night stand practice as Jude—if social media could be believed. He was, after all, her first.

His smile grew wider clearly amused at her discombobulation. “It’s fine. You obviously needed it.”

---