Page 92 of Someone Just Like You

I tore my gaze from his moving fingers and raised my head in cautious hope he wouldn’t add a “but.”

He was grinning.

I melted…dazzled.

“I’ve been searching for a little…” He blushed. “A lotof Molly in every girl I date. And you did the same with me. We want each other in spite of…maybebecauseof those traits that make us so different.”

“Well said.” My voice cracked.

He shifted an inch closer to me. “We have staying power, Mole. We’re not always going to agree. And we’ll probably argue a lot. The likelihood of you getting frustrated with me over something I don’t do and you driving me nuts over something youdoare about a hundred percent. But it doesn’t matter.”

“It doesn’t?” I slid to the center couch cushion, reducing our distance even more.

“No. When we’re on the same page, we’re fire. But when things go sour, we’ll deal with it, and it will be okay. We can work it out.” His lips quirked.

I snorted at the Beatles reference. Another trait he had in common with Timothy. Or Timothy had in common with him. “We can and we will.”

Jude nodded. “I just needed time to get here. Alex and Jerry, even Esther, throwing shade, sped things up a little.” His hazel eyes were soft and pleading as they traced a small circle around my face. “I’m sorry I left you hanging, but when I finally came to my senses, I wanted to go big…like you did with your public declaration and amateur poetry.”

The affection behind his teasing wrapped me up like a warm blanket. I placed my hand on his.

He squeezed. “I tried to implement my plan as quickly as possible, but true greatness takes time.”

I was halfway onto his lap before I dropped back. Moved as I was by his grand gesture, I’d spent the last week miserable and heartbroken thinking we were over permanently. Could he have put an end to my pain earlier and chose not to? I stood before him. “You left me hanging for days because you wanted to one-up me?”

“No. Definitely not,” he said assuredly before joining me on the floor. “I promise I’m not that cruel. It just worked out that way. The one-upping part, that is.” A cocky grin appeared half a second before he dipped his chin in typical coy Jude form.

“You!” I shook my head in disbelief, knowing I should be furious, but not quite getting there, thanks to irresistible “bashful” Jude making a convenient appearance. “You’re infuriating. You always have to be better than me! You’re soJude.” But my angry cover was blown by my laughter. I was also impressed heplannedthis weekend at all. It was so not like him, but I refused to ruin this moment by emphasizing our differences again.

Jude smiled with every muscle on his face. “And you’re soMolly. And I love that about you. I love how much effort you put into pulling one over on me when I always emerge the victor.” He thrust his tongue into his cheek. “Except for the one time you lost your mind and didn’t think at all.”

I opened my mouth to apologize…again, but he raised his hand in a stop gesture. Wincing, he said, “Pretend I didn’t go there. There’s more I want to say.”

I nodded. “Continue. At the very least, I deserve a prolonged monologue of all the reasons you love me.” I stilled. He hadn’t said he loved me yet, only that he lovedthingsabout me. “I didn’t mean…I don’t want to presume…” My hair clung to the back of my neck.Could it be any hotter in this cabin?

“I love you, Molly. Of course I do.” He wore his heart on his face, and I knew he meant it. I smiled shyly. Jude Stark loved me.

His eyes glistened. “It used to bother me that everyone saw you as this sweet ‘most likely to subtly remove toilet paper from your shoe’ girl when I knew you were capable of being hardcore ruthless. It infuriated me that you were the apple of everyone’s eye at home while I was always the troublemaker.”

This was a frustration I understood. None of the girls in our class who crushed on Jude had any idea what a jackass he was either, and at home, it didn’t seem to matter how much trouble he caused. Sure, he got punished more than I did, but with an impish grin, he had all the grown-ups wrapped around his finger without ever having to actually lift one to help. But I wasn’t about to counterattack. I had a feeling his speech was going to get much better soon.He loves me.

“There was so much more to you than making good grades, planning for your future, and ensuring your parents’ marriage didn’t implode that no one else knew. You were also so determined to keep up with me and my”—he shrugged—“let’s just call it assholery. And as much as I rejoiced in getting you flustered when you were otherwise so poised, I also secretly gave you props. You were a worthy opponent.” He reached out and stroked my cheek.

I closed my eyes against the sensation.

“Rather than wanting to expose your less-than-squeaky-clean reputation like I did when we were kids, I realize how lucky I am to see a side of you no one else does. I’m special. I’m not just shrewd Jude. I’m the one.” His voice trembled with emotion. “I didn’t mean what I said about remembering why I couldn’t stand you for most of my life. I was angry and hurt, but the truth is I can’t even recognize the version of me who wasn’t anything but desperately in love with Molly Blum.”

Zing zing zingwent my heartstrings. My history of boyfriends flashed before my eyes, like the long line of bridesmaids at the end of27 Dresses. None of them had been right, because looking like Jude, working in the same industry, even loving the same breed of dog didn’t make them Jude. Jude was the original. The first. I’d known him my whole life, but I’d finally found him.

Judewasthe one. The one who knew me, really knew me, whosawme for everything positive and negative I encompassed. I didn’t have to toe the line with him. We could justbe. He knew all my secrets and had forgiven all the bad. I’d mess up again, and so would he, but we’d get through it.

“I have a serious question for you.” I looked him deep in the eyes knowing if I peered hard enough, I’d see the reflection of my own desire. “Is there a reason we’re not kissing yet?”

Jude’s head flew back in laughter. “None at all,” he said before rectifying the situation. We remained on the couch making out for what felt like hours. I kissed him with the desperation of a skydiver with a faulty parachute or a death-row inmate on his final appeal. Like I was drowning and only Jude’s lips could save my life. I kissed him until it was no longer enough. Then I took a breath and held out my hand. “Is there a bed in here?”

Jude’s swollen lips twitched. “Yes. Did you want to take a nap…or something?”

“Or something.” I couldn’t wait any longer. Not breaking eye contact, I grabbed the bottom of his t-shirt and hitched it over his hips.

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