Page 12 of Judas

She laughed as well, fully relaxing for the first time in as long as she could remember. She lifted her top to reveal the delicate lines along her ribcage and trailing down toward her hip. It was truly beautiful. Shades of vibrant green and deep black were placed so perfectly that the entire snake seemed to shimmer and shine like it was alive. Its rounded off head pointed its nose just under her right breast as the body curved into an intricate S-pattern down her side.

Without even realizing what he was doing, Judas reached out and ran his fingers along the coiled snake. Eliza trembled at his touch and he felt goosebumps rise on her skin. He quickly pulled his hand away as they stared at one another for a long moment. Pulling himself together, he turned his attention to the windshield and put the car in drive. Eliza typed her address into the GPS as he pulled out of her father’s long driveway.The silence between them felt tense but only because it was so loaded with the chemistry building between them. Without even realizing it, they both were thinking the same thing at the same moment: that resisting the temptation of one another might be more than they could withstand.

“So why a snake?” he asked, desperate to fill the space with conversation that might drown out his thoughts.

A giggle bubbled up from Eliza, “Because I couldn’t think of a single thing that would make my father more mad than a literal serpent.”

He smiled, “So what did he have to say about it when you showed him?”

“Ha!” she cried out with the most beautiful smile Judas could imagine, “I didn’t have the guts to show him. I must have known I wouldn’t since I put it somewhere he would absolutely never see.”

Judas glanced at her as he drove, “You really think he would be that mad? So mad that you can’t show him?”

“Oh, most definitely,” Eliza said with a sigh, “He would never forgive me. Your body is a temple and all that.”

Judas felt an unexpected pang of intense protectiveness for her. He itched to fight this man who couldn’t love this amazing woman, his own daughter, sacrilegious tattoo and all, “I’m sorry,”

Eliza waved off this apology, “It’s fine. That’s just who he is. Set in his ways and stubborn.” She shrugged her shoulders and changed the subject, “What about you, Mr. Christian? Any tattoos of your own hidden under there somewhere?” She bit her lip at the thought of his flesh beneath what remained of his suit.

He caught her flirtation from the corner of his eye, “Please, call me Judas. And no. My body is a temple and all that.” He smiled at her as she giggled. “I have a feeling my family wouldn’t approve either.”

“If your body is a temple, you should decorate it as you please,” Eliza replied.

He slowly depressed the brake at a stoplight before turning to look at her, “I suppose you’re right. What should I get?”

Unable to withstand the intensity of his gaze, Eliza moved her eyes back to the road, “Hmm… Well, that depends. What’s important to you?”

This question sent Judas’ mind racing. Whatwasimportant to him? He didn't know. He rarely took the time to know anyone well enough that they might ask anything like that of him. How would one answer a question they hadn’t considered in literal eons?

“I’m sorry if that was too personal,” Eliza said softly, seeing the wrinkle forming between his eyebrows.

“No, not at all,” he responded before pressing on the gas. “It’s just that no one has asked me anything like that in a very long time and I’m not sure how to answer.”

“Well, we’re a good four minutes away from my apartment. I have time,” she said and they shared another laugh.

“I guess,” he said with hesitation, “Honor. Home. Doing what’s right.”

Taking his answer in, she found herself appreciating the man more and more with each passing second.

He shook his head, “That’s a stupid answer, sorry.”

“I mean, it would be hard to pick a tattoo for those things,” Eliza said with a laugh before reaching out to place a hand on his arm, “but I can’t imagine anything better to hold near and dear.”

Hearing her words of affirmation to his inner thoughts and feeling her hand gently on him knowing the only thing between them was his shirt sleeve sent waves through his body that sent him reeling, just like every time before. He wasn't sure he had ever felt that kind of… what?

Contentment?

Joy?

Understanding?

Whatever the emotion was, he never wanted to stop feeling it. It put warmth through his entire being. It made him glad he had lived as many years as he did just to have felt what this moment gave him.

“Thank you,” he said, looking directly into her sapphire eyes, “Thank you.”

Giving him another smile, Eliza motioned towards the buildings that surrounded them, “This next one is me. Thank you for your help tonight. I appreciate all of it more than you know. Especially, the chance to talk and just be myself. I don’t get to do that very often.”

Pulling into a parking spot just outside her building, Judas was disappointed that the night was coming to and end. He reminded himself that he had a job to do and he would have to ignore any spark he may have felt and any desire to sweep her into his arms. He settled for taking her hand, still resting on his arm, and kissing her soft skin. It sent electricity through them both and Eliza hesitated leaving the car. She could stay with him forever. She wanted to, but she couldn’t. She knew they were something that just could never be for so many reasons, no matter how many times tonight she had tried to convince herself otherwise.

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