Page 40 of Crossroads of Innocence
“You’ve never been a dumb anything. But in case there’s any misunderstanding…” She lifted up on her toes and pressed her mouth to his.
Stars exploded behind his eyelids. The soft pillow of her lips molded to his, as familiar as his own two hands. Her taste was the same with a hint of something different—something foreign and intoxicating. He moved against her, deepening the kiss, holding her close. His heart fluttered in his chest as though it’d take flight.
With labored breath, he gripped her hips and forced his mouth from hers. “Are you sure you want this? You want me?”
Her lips were red and swollen, and her hair spilled around her face. She braced her hands on his and squeezed. “I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life. For tonight, I just want to forget about all my troubles. I just want to feel loved.”
Her words jolted him like an electric shock and tore him in two. One part of him wanted to spend the night forgetting their troubles. The other cared too much to chance what they could have by falling into bed and doing something she might regret in the morning.
“Wade?” She lifted a palm and rested it on his jawline. “Please.”
Her simple request undid him and sent all logic crashing to his feet. He couldn’t refuse her even if he wanted to. And Lord help him…he didn’t want to.
With no more words, no more arguments, no more resistance he lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed. He didn’t know what tomorrow or the next day would bring, but right now, he didn’t care. If he only had one more night with Jude, he’d make sure it was the best damn nights of their lives.
17
The distant ring of a phone penetrated the thick fog keeping Wade in a peaceful slumber. He ignored the invasion, instead wrapping his arms tighter around Jude and fitting her perfectly against the curve of his body.
Her low hum and the wriggling of her ass told him he’d made the right decision.
He pressed his lips to the tender spot behind her ear. Morning sun might be streaming in through the window, but they didn’t have anywhere to be. Who said they couldn’t extend their delicious night into the next? He planned to only leave the bed to grab some food and rehydrate. He inched his hand lower on Jude’s stomach. The warmth of her body and squirming of her hips urged him on.
The ringing stopped for a brief second before starting up again.
Jude giggled. “You might want to see who’s calling. It could be important.”
He groaned, her words sobering him. Too much was happening for him to shut off the world. Especially when someone was trying repeatedly to get ahold of him. “Do I have to?”
“I’ll make it easy for you.” Shifting to face him, she pressed a kiss to his lips then reached over him to scoop up his phone. Her body stiffened for a beat before thrusting his device at him. “Here.”
He bit back a grimace at the name on the screen then shimmied to sit up and throw his legs over the side of the bed. Summer could be forward, but she only called when it had to do with his mama. “Hey,” he said, finally answering the call.
“Hi, Wade. Hope I didn’t wake you, but I worked the night shift, and your mom was pretty agitated. Hard to get to sleep and fought me about taking her medicine. She mentioned you didn’t come in to see her yesterday. You know how she gets when her routine is disrupted.”
He hung his head, guilt burrowing into his chest. Yesterday had been so hectic, he hadn’t checked in on his mom like he always did on Sundays. Even if he couldn’t visit, he’d at least call.
A shift in the bed had him glancing over his shoulder. Jude sat with her feet tucked under her and back pressed against the headboard. She kept her gaze on the colorful quilt. “Give me a second, okay?” he whispered to Jude, his hand over the speaker on his phone so Summer couldn’t hear.
Jude pressed her mouth in a firm line and nodded.
He pushed to his feet and hurried to the bathroom, closing the door so Jude couldn’t overhear his conversation. He hadn’t told her about his mother’s condition, and he didn’t want her to find out about it like this.
“Wade? You still there?”
“Yeah, sorry.” He sat on the edge of the tub and pinched the bridge of his nose. “How was my mama when you left this morning?”
“Still sleeping.”
“That’s not good. She’ll be off all day.”
“That’s why I’m calling,” Summer continued. “I know the restaurant is closed on Mondays. If you can get to the nursing home and visit with her soon, it might help put her on a better path for the rest of the day.”
He squeezed his eyes shut and willed a solution to come to mind. No way he could leave Jude to go see his mom. Not only would it make her more vulnerable—even within the safe walls of the retreat—but Benji could spot him and follow him back to Jude. “I’ll call her.”
A beat of silence pulsed on the phone. “Are you sure you can’t make the time for her today?”
The question was like a knife in the gut. His entire life revolved around making sure his mom had everything she needed. Being the reason she’d be unsettled and more confused than normal hurt his heart, but he didn’t see an alternative. “I’ll try, but some things are happening that don’t make it easy.”
