Page 103 of Still Bruised
Jude pushed past Foster and took the bottle in hand to pour another glass. “This feels suspiciously close to a date. And we don’t go on dates.”
“It’s not a date,” Foster said. “It’s just dinner.” He smiled. “I need my strength before my next payment, don’t I?”
Jude met Foster’s gaze, his heart slamming against his ribs.
For weeks, Foster had been slowly pulling Jude deeper and deeper. It was beginning to feel like he was drowning. Each time he gave Foster an inch, the guy took a mile.
He was the one to blame, though. He was giving up those inches way too easily.
When panic set in and his head told him to slam on the brakes, one look at Foster and his foot slipped—sometimes to the gas pedal.
He’d started wanting something he knew they couldn’t have, and that was dangerous.
It was only a matter of time before he was shattered again.
Foster closed the gap, took Jude’s glass away, and set them both on the table. When he turned back, Jude knew what Foster wanted. He could’ve backed away and refused it, but he was becoming addicted to Foster’s kisses. Jude closed his eyes and melted against him, already jonesing for another before the first one was over.
The door downstairs slammed shut.
Jude shoved Foster back, wide-eyed, and pointed to his bedroom door.
Foster raced through, and Jude shut the door seconds before Anton appeared.
“Hey, hey, hey,”Anton said, clapping his hands. “You ready?” He stopped after giving Jude a quick perusal. “You’re not ready.”
“Ready?” Jude asked.
“We were going to stop in to Roan’s dad’s retirement party. He asked us on Sunday, remember?” Anton asked, surveying the table. He pointed a finger at it and then looked at Jude. “Are you on a date?”
“Nooo,”Jude said quickly.
Anton’s face stretched into a wide smile. “You hiding someone in your bedroom?”
“Nope,” Jude said.
“Why are there two place settings?”
“Paulie was going to come up and share some of Mrs. G’s lasagna with me, but he had got a call from home and had to go,” Jude lied.
“Paulie gets wine and crystal? I don’t buy it.”
Gimme a break!It had been the best he could come up with while in full panic mode.
“You got someone holed up in there,” Anton said, pointing to the bedroom door. “I know it.”
When Anton took a step toward the door, Jude put himself between them.
Anton cackled.“Knew it!”He grinned. “How long’s this been going on? Besides Sundays, I’ve barely seen you in weeks. Ishethe reason behind that?”
“There’s no one. I’ve been busy at work is all.”
Anton smiled as he eyeballed the table. “I thought something had changed in you. Now I think I know why.”
“Nothing’s changed,” Jude snapped.
“The hell it hasn’t,” Anton said, ambling closer to the table. He lifted one of the two half full wine glasses and lifted a brow. “Roan and I were just talking about it earlier today.”
“Oh?”
