Page 61 of Strangely Normal

Her shoulders shrank some in disappointment.

Jude combed his fingers through his hair as he headed to the stairs. “Eden, can I see you a minute?”

I looked at Finley feeling as if I should get permission before abandoning her.

She mouthed the wordshurry backto me, and I walked out to the hallway. Jude had already disappeared around the corner, and as I turned, he reached out and pulled me into his arms.

“What about the sweat and dirt?” I wiped my finger across his chin.

“Serves you right for wearing that dress.” He kissed me long and hard, and instantly, I felt like melted butter beneath his touch. His gaze went beyond hunger, and his fingers grasped my arms in a way that seemed he had no intention of ever letting me go. “Lose your buddies. I’m not sharing you with anyone tonight. I’ve been going nuts all day thinking about you.” He lifted a swollen red finger where the nail had begun to turn black. “And it’s dangerous.”

I took hold of his wrist and kissed the finger. “How’s that?”

His dark lashes lowered, shadowing his ravenous gaze. “It’s a start.”

“I can’t leave your sister. That girl Cole invited has been awful. She’s all over Max, and I think she’s doing it just to get a rise out of Finley.”

“Sounds like Teresa hasn’t changed much.” His rough finger traced along the strap of my dress. “Finley will survive. I need you more.”

And here it was, the major piece of complication I’d stuck into my life puzzle. I was here to be a companion for Finley, but I’d let Jude get into my head and my heart, and now I was being torn between responsibility and my own needs.

I placed my palm against his chest and pulled my eyes away from his.

“What’s the matter,” he asked quietly.

“Please, Jude, don’t make me choose. If things had been going better out there, I’d find a way to be alone with you. But your sister told me to hurry back. I need to get back there— for her.”

“And me?”

No one had a right to look that tired, that dirty, that hurt— and that appealing.

“Please, Jude, don’t do this.” My throat burned with the words.

His arms dropped. His disappointment was palpable as I walked away from him. I fanned my face to keep from crying. Finley looked up over the back of the couch as she heard me return.

“Is Jude coming down after he showers?” she asked.

I shrugged certain that if I spoke I might cry.

Finley knew something was wrong right away. She got up. “I need to go talk to Jude a second,” she said. “Cole, let’s move this into the theater. But no horror and no giant boob show either. Something decent.”

I stopped her as she passed me. “Don’t, Finley. Please.” My eyes watered, and I could have kicked myself for allowing it. “It’s fine and he’s tired.”

She peered up at me through her long bangs, and she seemed to be assessing if I was truly all right or if she still needed to have a chat with Jude.

“Really, Finley. It’s no big deal.”

“If you’re sure.”

I was definitely sure. The last thing I wanted was for Finley to get involved. Jude would probably cave just because he didn’t want to upset her and then I would have to live with the bitter truth that he‘d been forced into sitting through a movie with me.

Finley took my hand and we headed to the elevator. “We should have just eaten all those friggin’ cookies ourselves,” she sighed. “We would have had way more fun without everyone else.”

I swiped away the few tears that had escaped. “Totally agree with you there.”

Max and Cole argued about movies for awhile and then settled on one of the many Batman movies. Cole pulled Teresa into the third row, and she giggled wildly about it. Finley and I rolled our eyes for the hundredth time. She and Max sat up front in the corner, and I sat in the back by myself. I probably could have easily left to find Jude, but I wasn’t going to run to him. He’d put me in a really bad spot and I wanted him to know it.

I sank down in my chair. The air conditioner seemed to be plowing through the vent right above my head, and I got up to move over when a hand brushed mine. I looked back. Jude’s face was apologetic, and even in the dark, I could see that he looked as down as I felt. He motioned to the furthest pair of seats in the darkest, deepest corner of the room. I sat and he pushed up the arm rest and pulled me against him.

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