by C. A. Harms
She bit her lower lip and gently nodded.
Bending my neck just enough so my lips met hers, I kissed her.
The sound of laughter just on the other side of the door caught our attention, and she smiled against my lips. “I guess we better get inside and relieve Mrs. Reames. I’m sure they’ve worn her out.”
Chapter Thirteen
Callie
“Will you braid my hair?” Zoey sat on the edge of Katelynn’s bed, looking up at her mom.
Kate looked exhausted and barely seemed able to keep her eyes open, yet she smiled down at her little girl and nodded.
Jude had taken Matthew to give him a bath, and I sat on the couch, watching the exchange between mother and daughter. A small lump formed in my stomach as I thought about the fact that a year from now, Zoey might not be able to have any more moments like this with her mother. None of us knew just how much time Katelynn had left. We just knew we had to treasure the days we had.
She was just finishing up Zoey’s braid when Matthew came running into the living room with a towel held to his front. Jude was close behind, trying to catch the little streaker. Matt had a devilish smirk on his face as Jude approached, holding his underwear. Watching Jude try to catch him and force him to get dressed was one of the funniest things I had ever seen. Zoey covered her eyes, and Katelynn laughed freely as Matthew darted left when Jude went right. I hid my own laughter behind my hand. Things that would normally get the kids in trouble didn’t mean much anymore. We all had much more important things to worry about now.
Matthew’s laughter filled the room as Jude scooped him up and threw him over his shoulder. His naked little butt wiggled around as he tried to break free. Jude walked back down the hallway, telling Matthew how important it was to keep his treasure hidden. The conversation left a big smile on my face.
“He is so good with him,” Katelynn said, and I turned back around to face her. Zoey was still sitting next to her as she focused on Brave, which was currently playing on television. “With both of them, actually. That thought alone has helped me with facing the inevitable. I know that with him, my kids will always be safe.”
I knew what she meant, but it still made my stomach ache with sadness. She would never get to see her children grow to be adults. There were so many things she would never witness. She had entrusted that Jude would make them into the caring, loving people she hoped they’d be. And Jude took that responsibility very seriously. This only made my feelings for him grow deeper. He was an amazing man, and now that he was allowing me in, he had wedged himself into my heart a little deeper.
“I’m so happy he finally faced his feelings for you,” Katelynn said with a smile. “You have no idea how many nights I sat in this very spot while he went on and on about the girl at work.”
Her words piqued my curiosity. “Oh really?”
“Yeah,” she continued. “He talked about you often, but whenever I would press him on how he felt about you, he would always act like you didn’t affect him, but I knew different. I could see the want in his eyes. His aggravation came from his need for control. I think he thought if he gave in to that temptation, he would only be taking away from us. He was so wrong about that. Being with you has only made him a better person here. I hated that he went without what he truly wanted for so long because of everything the kids and I brought to his plate.”
I knew what she meant. Over the last few weeks, I’d noticed Jude slowly relax. He smiled more lately, and every time I heard his laughter, I couldn’t help but get a warm feeling inside. His happiness was something we rarely got a glimpse of in the past, and it was long overdue.
Kate’s smile grew wider just before a strong hand gripped my shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. I tilted my head back and looked up at Jude.
“What are you girls talking about in here?” he asked with a curious gleam in his eyes.
“We’ll never tell,” I said as he lowered his head and kissed the tip of my nose. The move was so unlike him, yet it gave me a sense of peace.
“Callie, will you read to us?” Zoey asked, and I shifted on the couch to face her. She held out a book as Matthew stepped up to her side, both of them looking back at me with hopeful anxiousness.
I took the book from her and tilted it so I could see the title. “The Lorax,” I said as I looked back up to take in their cute little faces. “I’ve never read this. Is it good?”
Matthew nodded before his mouth stretched in a big yawn.
“It’s one of our favorites. Uncle Jude reads it to us,” Zoey said proudly as she looked up over my shoulder at the man that still stood behind me.
“Do you two want to tell your mommy good night and I’ll take you to your room? Once we get you tucked in, I’ll start the story.”
They wasted no time. I sat on the couch watching the exchange of hugs and kisses they shared with their mother. It brought tears to my eyes immediately. Why did life have to be this unfair sometimes? And why would it choose to take such an amazing woman from her beautiful children? I could feel a lump forming deep in my throat, and I did my best to hide the effect their exchange was having on me. When they turned to face me, I forced a smile. “You ready?” I asked, and my voice cracked with emotion. The both nodded enthusiastically, and I stood up and walked around the couch. The two of them ran off ahead of me, and Jude hooked my waist with his arm as I attempted to pass him.
“You okay?” he asked as he observed me closely. I nodded, because frankly I was scared to speak. I was doing everything I could to tame the heartache that sat heavy on my chest. “You still plan on staying?”
I closed my eyes tightly and willed myself to gain some control. When I opened them once more, he was still watching me intensely. “Yes,” I whispered. “We have a sleepover planned.”
The side of his mouth tilted upward, and I couldn’t stop myself from smiling in return. “I’m gonna get Kate settled, and then I’ll head your way.” He didn’t wait for me to speak or even to agree before he lowered his lips to mine in a gentle kiss, not caring that Katelynn was taking in our entire exchange.
I stepped back and walked down the narrow hallway toward the kids’ room. This night had turned into a whirlwind of emotions, and those feelings had yet to settle for me. Jude was making it hard for me not to burst. Yes, his sweetness gave me butterflies, but I was already raw from Katelynn’s exchange with the kids. I was teetering on the edge of emotional overload.
Chapter Fourteen
Jude
Kate fell asleep almost immediately after I got her settled in bed. She was exhausted and was already up past her normal bedtime. I’d noticed she was beginning to look more frail each day. I also knew I would have to hire someone to come in and help with her needs, because what I could offer was no longer enough.
Walking toward the kids’ room, I could hear the sweetness of Callie’s voice. I paused just outside the door, listening to her read and change her voice for each character. The kids would giggle when she did, and watching the three of them share this moment did something to me. Instantly, the reality of my life hit me hard, and my chest filled with intense love.
As I stepped into the doorway, Callie lifted her head and smiled at me before motioning for me to enter. Matthew’s eyes were sagging as he fought to stay awake, and Zoey was solely focused on the book Callie held.
As I sat in the empty spot at Zoey’s side, I reached out and curled my arm around her waist. It felt good having her in my arms. I had fought against my urge to have her for longer than I should, and now that I had given in, I had no intentions of holding back any longer. Life was too short to waste any more time.
I sat at her side as she continued to read the story, smiling as her face contorted with each sentence to mirror what each character felt. Callie wrinkling her nose and squinting as she shook her head was one of the cutest things to see.
When the story was done, she looked over her shoulder, and I followed her gaze. Just behind her, tucked securely within h
er big purple comforter was Zoey, lightly snoring. In the bed just opposite hers was a little arm sticking out from beneath a blue blanket, indicating that Matthew was in there somewhere.
“They’re both out,” I said as I leaned in closer to her ear. Pulling back just enough to look at me, she bit her lip and nodded in agreement. I freed her lip with my thumb before placing my lips against hers. A soft moan escaped her as I trailed my tongue over the seam. That moan alone had my cock twitching in anticipation.
“You ready for bed, sweet girl?” I asked, my lips only inches from hers.
“Yes,” she confessed, and I wasted no further time. Standing up from the floor, I held my hand out to her.
***
Callie was beautiful. I knew that already. But the sight of her lying in my bed, wearing only a pair of white, satin panties, was confirmation. She looked up at me with her lips barely parted, and I continued to take in her beauty. She was fucking perfect, and after tonight, there would be no doubt that she was mine. And I take care of what is mine.
“Why aren’t you over here?” she asked with a little pout.
Placing one knee on the bed, I began crawling toward her. “I was just taking you all in,” I told her as I parted her legs with my own and settled between them. “You’re beautiful, baby,” I whispered just before lowering my lips to hers.
She wrapped her legs around my waist and pulled me tighter against her. The heat of her body radiating straight through my boxers drove me wild. Thrusting my hips, I pressed my hardness against her, and she whimpered.
Callie wove her hand through my hair and fisted it aggressively. The pain was enticing, and it drove my undeniable need for her.
“I’ve wanted you for so long, it’s like I can’t control it,” she confessed, and I knew exactly what she meant, because I felt the same.
“I got you,” I assured her. “I’m gonna take care of you.”
As I began kissing down her neck, she arched upward and pressed her tits against me. The moment I wrapped my lips around her nipple and sucked, she moaned loudly. Lifting my head, I looked up at her as she panted. “You gotta keep quiet, Cal,” I told her, and she nodded. Testing her, I flipped my tongue over the hardened peak, and she gasped. I chuckled at her reaction and quickly continued my path down her stomach.
She was needy and showed her excitement as she lifted her hips. “You in a hurry?” I asked, and she nodded again.
“I want you so much,” she whispered.
I slid my fingers along her hips, hooked them beneath her panties, and began lowering them. The white material slid along her thighs and over her knees. As she lifted her legs to kick them the rest of the way off, I fought my laughter. She was serious about wanting this badly.
When she settled her hands at my waist, she hurriedly pushed my boxers lower. When they were on the floor along with her panties, she grabbed at me and tried to pull me closer. My cock slid against her arousal, sending chills over me as I fought the urge to fill her.
“I need to get a condom,” I said, but she shook her head.
“I’m clean, and I take the pill religiously, the same time every day. Please,” she begged.
“You trust me?” I asked.
She already knew I was clean. Hell, it had been a long time since I’d been with a woman. I barely had time for my responsibilities as it was.
“Yes, I do,” she replied and reached her hand between us. As she wrapped her fingers around my dick and stroked gently, I closed my eyes, taking in her touch.
When I felt her part herself with my cock, I wasted no further time. Her hand fell away and a loud moan ripped through her as I drove deep within her. I covered her mouth with mine to muffle her pleasure as she lifted her hips to take me in just a little deeper. I rotated my hips, rubbing against her sweet spot. Callie bit my lower lip, and I groaned in return, pulling back just enough to look down at her. She was fucking insane with need and felt incredible, but if we didn’t want to get interrupted by one of the kids, we had to keep this under control.
“Sh, baby. We gotta keep it down,” I told her. “Can you do that for me?”
She nodded and bit her lip, taking in slow, deep breaths through her nose.
I watched her eyes as I pulled back and then slid inside her heat again with ease. Her big, green eyes rolled back in pleasure, and in that moment I almost lost my shit. Fuck, she felt amazing as her pussy began to tense around me. “You feel so good, Callie. Fucking unbelievable.”
She wrapped her arms around my shoulders and pulled me down closer. “I’ll be quiet, I promise,” she whispered. “Just move, Jude. Please, I need you so bad.” Biting her lips once more, she locked her eyes with mine. My heart swelled in my chest as I began to move at a steady pace. Her body accepted me, feeding off what I was giving her. And I knew in that moment that I would never be the same.
Callie was changing something inside me. She was giving me something I needed, yet had no idea just how much until then. She gave me hope that even in all the impending darkness of my life, there was still good. Callie was my light.
Chapter Fifteen
Callie
I stretched my arms above my head and smiled at the ache I felt throughout my body. After a night of incredible sex, it was a welcome ache. I always knew Jude would be incredible in bed—the man had a sinful body—but I had never imagined he would possess skills like that. A grin covered my lips as I remembered how he took me from behind as I muffled my cries in the pillow.
“Why are you smiling so big, baby?”
My eyes shot open, and I looked to my left, taking in his naked chest and broad shoulders. “Memories,” I said as I allowed my wandering eyes to finally meet his.
He chuckled. “You’re gonna kill me.”
I giggled as he gripped my waist and pulled my body on top of his. My legs parted, and I straddled him with his cock resting between us. I rocked against him and he groaned.
“I think I created a monster,” he said with a smile.
“I think so too,” I agreed, lifting up just enough to place his hardness against me. I began lowering my body over his, and he gripped my hips before thrusting upward and filling me.
It was as if we’d been sharing our bodies with each other for years as we began to move in sync, and in no time at all, we had both reached the point of ecstasy.
***
“Someone has a pretty big smile on her face,” Harper said with a knowing grin. Quinn and Harper started in on me the moment I entered Allure for our usual spa day, minus Avery this time. She was still recovering, and she and Kade were settling into parenthood.
Quinn and Harper were both looking at me, their gossip radar tuned to maximum capacity, in need of some dirty details.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I said as I set my purse on the counter and pulled the clip from my hair. Running my fingers through the knots, I avoided eye contact.
“You are such a liar,” Quinn squealed. “Spill. No one walks around with that kind of smile without a reason behind it.”
“Yeah, one really big and magical reason,” Harper added. I looked up at her and knew she wasn’t done yet. Her filter was never in place. She was worse than any man I had ever met. “Jude just strikes me as the kind of man that leaves a woman very satisfied. He may not show it, but I bet he is a fucking machine.”
“Oh my God, Harper.” Quinn hung her head and laughed.
“What? I’m just stating the obvious. Callie is glowing, and that’s a sure sign she has just come off one hell of a ride.” Harper shrugged before she looked back at me with a smile. “And by the look on her face right now, I know I’m right. Jude finally gave Callie a good, hard romp.”
“You are awful,” I said and flopped down in the chair next to Quinn, a grin pulling at my lips. “And you’re entirely accurate,” I confessed.
“God, I knew it. He’s all dominating and headstrong, but behind closed doors, look out.” Harper faked a shiver of excitement.
“Um, what are you getting all excited about? I’m sure Easton has some skills of his own,” I replied.
“Fuck yeah, he sure as shit does,” she said. “But he’s in Miami and has been for three days, and I swear I am going through withdrawal. I’m half tempted to drive down there just for a quickie. I have an itch that batteries just ain’t satisfying. I need the real thing.”
Harper pouted, and that was something she rarely did. Quinn and I shared a look before we began to laugh at her irritation.
“I’m glad things finally shifted for the two of you,” Quinn offered with a smile. “Jett said he’s never seen Jude smile so much.”
The image of Jude smiling filled my mind. He was gorgeous no matter what mood he was in, but when he smiled, it truly made my knees weak and did crazy things to my heart.
“So how is Katelynn doing?” Quinn asked, but I could sense her hesitation. Kate was a touchy subject for anyone who knew the impending outcome of her illness.
“She puts on a pretty brave face in front of the kids, heck, even in front of Jude, but at times it’s impossible to hide. She’s tired more often than not, and lately she’s been getting sick in the middle of night.” Tears filled my eyes. “Zoey’s picking up on it, but Matt’s still oblivious. It’s just hard to watch. I feel helpless.”
Silence set in, and Quinn squeezed my shoulder supportively.
“It scary, and unpredictable. I just wish there was something I could offer.” I shrugged.
“You are,” Quinn said. I looked over and met her gaze. “You’re there for them. The kids adore you and Jude.” She smiled. “That man loves you, and you being there helps more than you give it credit for.”
I was just terrified of what losing Katelynn would do to all of us. I had grown so close to her, and losing her would not only shatter the kids and Jude, it would break me too.
