Page 12 of Saving Tatum (Trace + Olivia 4)

I really hoped I still hated Jude when I woke up.

???

Sunlight warmed my skin. I blinked open my eyes wondering why I’d fallen asleep with the blinds open.

Only they weren’t open and the heat wasn’t from the sun.

A very heavy, manly arm was draped over my chest and I was pulled against a body where I was cradled like a teddy bear.

What the hell happened last night?

I tried to lift the arm off me, but it was futile.

I really hoped I hadn’t done something stupid, but since my clothes were still on chances were good that I was safe.

Since I couldn’t move, I looked around at the room.

That’s when the memories flooded me.

With a strength that I didn’t know I had, I scrambled from the bed and fell on the floor. The noise caused Jude to stir. I hopped up in time to see him stretching his arms above his head and yawning loudly. I kept backing up until I ran into the wall.

This had to be a really bad dream or a cruel joke.

There was no way I slept all night in a bed cuddled against Jude.

“Morning darlin’,” he chortled, running his fingers through his already mused dark hair.

“Why am I in your bed?!” My voice was shriller than I intended. I was in shock, to be honest. I grasped at my shirt, trying to pull it down from where it had ridden up to expose my stomach.

“You fell asleep,” he rolled over and stood, cracking his back. “You were too cute to wake. Don’t worry, I didn’t fondle you in your sleep,” he waggled his fingers innocently. “I’m not that desperate.”

“You’re not desperate at all,” I stated, knowing just how many girls he had probably ‘fondled’ in this room. “I can’t believe Rowan abandoned me,” I muttered, anger filling my body. Some friend she was.

“She didn’t,” he shrugged easily, opening a dresser drawer. He pulled out a fresh shirt and removed the one he wore. I forced my eyes to the ground so that I didn’t stare at his chest. I couldn’t help wondering how he was so muscular. Between school and his volunteer hours I doubted he had very much time to work out.

“What do you mean she didn’t?” I asked once he’d put on the clean shirt.

“I let her know what happened. She checked on you, and since she trusts me, she left you alone.” Shrugging, he added, “To be honest, I think she would’ve had Trent carry you out of here but she said something about not knowing how to get you into your house. Are your parents strict or something?” He asked.

“You still live with them, right?”

I wanted to laugh. My parent’s strict? They didn’t care what I did. Not anymore.

“It’s complicated,” I answered, tucking a piece of blonde hair behind my ear. I felt extremely uncomfortable and I wanted nothing more than to get out of here, but I didn’t have a car, which meant I was dependent on Jude. Something told me this situation had played out exactly as he wanted.

“Since you’re here,” he crossed his arms over his chest and his shirt rode up a bit, exposing his smooth stomach and the small patch of hair that disappeared beneath the waistband of his jeans, “maybe we should go somewhere.”

I cocked my hip to the side and stared him down. I was not going to play games with Jude. I wasn’t in the mood.

“If you’re taking me anywhere, it’s home.”

“Alright,” he grabbed his keys off the top of the dresser and spun the ring around on his finger, “let’s go then.”

I was surprised he agreed so easily. Maybe he knew the chances of me spending the day with him were slim to none.

As we walked through the townhouse I noticed more than one person passed out in the hallway. One guy raised his head and gave Jude a thumb’s up. My mouth fell open in shock as I realized what the guy believed had transpired between Jude and I. There was no need to correct him, he’d only think I was lying. I was stuck looking like I was doing the walk of shame. This sucked.

Once in Jude’s truck I gave him the directions to my parent’s house.

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