Page 121 of Still Bruised
“I… miss you, too,” Jude said.
“You don’t have to work through this alone,” Foster whispered.
“I do,” Jude said. “I can’t think straight when I’m around you.”
Foster fought a smile. “I’ll have to take that as my consolation prize. That… and the fact you admitted you felt something.Finally.”
Jude lifted on his toes and pressed a kiss to Foster’s lips before he spun and walked away. Had he stayed another second, he wasn’t sure he’d have been able to leave. He returned to the club and searched the place until he found Anton.
Anton dragged him outside by the pool, where it was a bit quieter.
“I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
Jude smiled. “You were having fun dancing, so I went and had a little fun of my own.”
Anton grinned.“Whore.”
“You know it,” Jude said, adding a slow smile he didn’t really feel.
“Wanna go back in? I need to find my cute cowboy. I left him to go look for you.”
“Sure thing,” Jude said. He headed for the door, Anton following him.
After they’d worked their way through the crowd, Anton found his friend, Johnny Wayne, and cuddled up to him at the bar. Jude stood on the other side of Anton, the odd man out. That was, until Johnny’s friend, the inappropriate Indian, sidled up to them and gave Jude the eye.
Great.
Jude eyed the headdress and shook his head. His gaze traveled the room, looking anywhere but Tonto Blanco. Near the dance floor, he saw Foster and Cary again.
Foster’s gaze was on him.
“What aretheydoing here?!” Anton yelled near his ear a few seconds later, pointing in Foster’s direction. He then turned to Jude, cocking a brow.
Jude held his palms in surrender and shook his head. While he might’ve taken advantage of him being there, he hadn’t told Foster to come or that they were going to be there. There was no blame on his shoulders. He shrugged at Anton. Anton glared at them and again at Jude.
Thank heavens it was too loud to talk, or he’d likely have been chewed out for something that wasn’t even his fault. He sighed, suddenly exhausted, and turned back to the crowd. His gaze zeroed in on Foster without trying.
Foster watched him over the rim of his drink.
Jude would’ve given anything to have been able to take his hand and go back to the hotel room. He longed to cuddle against Foster in the bliss after coming together again.
They were so close, yet a world away.
He didn’t know if they had a chance, but if they did, he needed to work on himself. He had to let the past go or it was pointless. He dragged his gaze from Foster and turned to find Anton staring at him.
Jude averted his gaze, hating how well Anton knew him.
How much Anton would notice.
He’d have to keep his guard up and ignore Foster as much as possible.
It was going to be a long, long night.
It was toodifficult standing across the room from a man Foster cared so much about without being to be near. Jude had requested time, and he wanted to respect that, even with his mind screaming no. Foster dragged his gaze from Jude and focused on Cary. He reached for his cell phone and typed out a quick message.
Foster
I can’t stand across from him all night. I’m headed out
