Jude's Salvation: This Love Series

by Smith, Nicole

“You are perfect for me,” he whispers, kissing my forehead. I feel his fingers run through my hair and he inhales. Yes, I secretly shout. I have my perfect man, here in my arms, at least for a few more hours. He flips me over and I laugh as he places my hands behind my head. I watch him as he begins his inspection of me now. He trails his fingers down my neck to my collarbone, across my shoulders and down my arms. He glances up at me then runs two fingers in between my breasts before running them across my ribs where he stops on my tattoo. I watch him read the words I can’t explain. I have no memory of getting the tattoo or what it means. I can’t hide it in a bikini. My sister told me it was something I did with Angie but she told me it was about my mother which I knew was a lie.

  “When did you get this?” he asks, keeping his eyes on it. I breath in and try to be honest without revealing my insanity.

  “When I was fifteen,” I answer and he nods as though that seems right to him which surprises me. I can’t believe I would have done something like that. It doesn’t seem like me at all.

  “You and me against the world,” he reads the black ink out loud and I don’t respond. I feel a lump in my throat and I’m not sure why.

  “I like it. I like the two black birds too. They remind me of a young girl and her mother that I used to know,” he tells me looking into my eyes. He moves back up towards me and kisses my cheek. I smile, grateful he’s not asking more.

  “I ordered room service for lunch. You must be hungry,” he inquires with his raised brows.

  “Yes, I am actually. Must be all that early morning activity wearing me out,” I smirk. He nods, pulling me out of bed and to my feet. I stand naked in front of him, watching as he pulls on a pair of black loose track pants and a snug white tank. He looks so good I struggle to reach back and grab my robe. He grins as he wraps it around me, tying it at my waist.

  “Not just early morning, there was a lot of activity late last night too, my little wild cat,” he said, kissing my nose then releasing me as he turns to walk to the door.

  “Um, yes and please tell me you’re not done with me yet,” I whine. He stops before he reaches the handle and turns back to me. His eyes meet mine and I’m suddenly scared he might be. He shakes his head and walks quickly towards me. I struggle to catch my breath, fear racing through me. Why did I ask? He holds my face in his large hands.

  “Listen to me Eden, I am not letting you go, ever. Distance doesn’t exist in my world, whenever you need me, whenever you want me I will be there,” he said, calming and exciting me at the same time. I guess only time will tell how we make this work. He kisses me so hard my lips bruise but I push him for more. I’m addicted to him, his taste, his smell, his touch, everything.

  After we eat and make love again he walks me back to the hostel later that afternoon. I turn to him once we stop in front of the door. I observe the way he protectively positions himself fully in front of me, like he’s trapping me with his body, guarding me from my hidden enemies. The ones I know are out there but I don’t know why or who, yet.

  Jude gives me his undivided attention. I feel surrounded by him, completely caged by his body and I have no interest in backing away. If anything I want to move closer but I don’t. His all male scent, fresh from the shower, soap and just him makes my head swoon. I am very conscious of how I react to him now. I am aware of my responses but I have no control over them. He takes my control and leaves me at his mercy.

  "I’ll be back here after dinner to pick you up, text me when you’re ready,” he tells me again, wanting me to know he’ll be here, he isn’t leaving me. I nod and wrap my arms around him, kissing his neck. Every time he walks away from me it feels like the last time I’ll see him. He’s caught on and has taken to reassuring me that he has no intention of vanishing from my life. I have never been so needy but the idea of losing him, losing us makes me shudder.

  “I’ll see you tonight then,” I whisper. He pulls away, watching me as I open the door to the hostel and run upstairs. I don’t like the feeling of his absence.

  “Hey, there she is. Did you get any sleep last night, you look a little ragged,” Angie smirks. I smile but can’t fight back. I’m too confused, frightened really. This has moved so fast between Jude and I but it feels right. In the back of my mind, something keeps telling me that I know him somehow. When I rest my cheek against his chest, when I inhale his scent I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve met him before but I know I would have remembered his face and definitely his voice. I also have this strange feeling in my gut that I need him. Not just for pleasure but for protection. He is meant to keep me safe I just don’t know from what.

  “Eden, are you okay?” Mariana asks, pulling me into her arms. I hug her back, needing my friends. Sophie and Angie join in.

  “I’m fine really, I think I’m terribly, horribly in love though,” I tell them and they laugh.

  “Interesting way to describe it,” Sophie muses.

  “Love is nice but how was the sex, come on. Fill me in on his hard rockin’ body girl,” Angie jumps up and down, waiting for me to tell her something. I stand back and lick my bottom lip, thinking of what I can possibly tell her that isn’t too much.

  “Well, he’s right out of a fantasy really. Everything I’ve read doesn’t even compare to the night and day I’ve had with him. He’s incredibly hot, built like no other and the boy has skills Angie. I’ve never reached the stars before but with him, over and over again,” I explain, my voice trailing off as I think of his touch. It’s only been a few minutes but I miss him already.

  “Wow, you have it bad girl, I can see it all over your face,” Angie says, hugging me again.

  “I’m guessing your going back to him tonight?” Mariana asks. It’s our last night in London before catching the train to Paris tomorrow.

  “Not until after dinner and drinks tonight,” I tell them as I reach for a change of clothes and head to the shower.

  Sitting with my best friends in the restaurant feels good but my mind keeps drifting to Jude. I want to be with him. I force myself to join in on the conversation and half a bottle of red wine helps. I keep getting the feeling that we are being watched again but I try and shake it off as just my reappearing paranoia.

  “Paris tomorrow girls and I have a proposition to throw on the table,” Sophie says, surprising us. We all stare at her, nodding for her to continue.

  “Since we stayed the course and roughed it here in London, I suggest that in Paris we stay at my favorite hotel and eat at my favorite restaurants. I’m sure Mariana has a few boutiques she is dying to see again and I know how Angie and Eden feel about the local Pastier. So, would it be okay if we canceled the hostel and stayed in the Latin Quarter at the Citadines, the suites are nice and the location is perfect?” she asks. All three of us gape at her, mouths open, then as if on queue we all shout “Yes!” which leads to a lot of laughter and glasses clinking.

  “Oh, thank god, a comfortable bed, soft sheets and a full length tub and a real shower. A mirror and a view, room service,” Angie rattles on.

  “What about separate rooms?” I ask. Everyone stops and stares at me.

  “Just in case I have a guest or a nightmare, I wouldn’t want to wake anyone,” I grin. I know he promised me Paris and I would love to hold him to it.

  “He’s joining us in Paris?” Mariana asks.

  “Possibly, I’m not sure but he said he might. He’s actually from Paris and said he could show us around again like he did here in London,” I tell them.

  “Wow, not only is he hot, good in bed, smart but worldly too. You know how to pick ‘em Eden,” Angie smirks.

  “Yes I do and he’s mine, remember that,” I scowl. She raises her hands as if in defeat.

  “I wouldn’t dare, unless of course you were done.” She laughs when I stand to smack her.

  “Just kidding, relax, I won’t snag your man,” she sputters through her laughter and I sit back down.

  “Damn right, you will not touch my man,” I tell her, finis
hing off my drink and taking a bite of my pasty. Mariana looked at my dinner plate in horror when they placed it down in front of me. The color of the deep fried pastry disgusted her. I have to admit, I could only eat half of it myself.

  “So I guess you didn’t have any freakish nightmares last night then? Did you even sleep?” Angie asks, seriously watching me for an honest answer. I know she’s worried about me.

  “Yes we did sleep. I actually slept soundly all night. It was the best sleep I’ve had in weeks,” I tell them honestly. I don’t want to sleep without him again but I keep that thought to myself.

  We walked back to the hostel around nine thirty. Angie wanted to stay out later but Sophie said she wasn’t feeling well and wanted to go back. I was secretly relieved but didn’t tell them this. Once inside the hostel I sent Jude a quick message letting him know that I was free to meet him. I packed another overnight bag and promised Mariana that I would be back early this time so that we can all travel together to catch our train to Paris.

  When I reached the bottom of the stairs the door swung open. My breath hitched and fear washed over me. I know my face went pale, my hands shook as I tried to grip the banister. My heart hurt until I saw Jude standing there, waiting for me.

  “Oh, Jude, don’t do that. You scared me to death,” I said, catching my breath, my heart racing out of my chest. After feeling watched all evening my nerves were a little on edge.

  “I’m sorry Eden, I didn’t mean to frighten you,” he said, taking me in his arms. He held me tight and I wrapped my arms around him, not wanting to let go. I felt safe when he was with me. I breathed in his familiar scent and sighed at the confusion building inside me again.

  “Come on baby, let me soothe your fears, you’re with me now,” he said taking my hand and leading me quickly to his awaiting car. Once back in his hotel room I felt more at ease. I sank down on the edge of the laissez and he sat behind me, his strong legs around me. I rested my hands on his solid thighs. His warmth felt so good but when he began massaging my shoulders I let out the breath I was holding and closed my eyes. The tension in my neck caused me to groan out loud when he kneaded it.

  “You’re tight Eden, is there anything you want to talk about?” he asked.

  “No, I just missed you, a lot, too much probably,” I confessed, turning to him, his lips landing sweetly on mine.

  “I missed you too, probably too much,” he grinned. I straddled him, looking into his eyes, his hands holding me in place on top of him.

  “You did?” I asked, surprised he would miss me.

  “Didn’t I tell you this morning that I wanted to keep you with me, always,” he said, kissing my neck. My skin tingling under his warm lips.

  “You may have mentioned it during one of our activities,” I teased, licking his lip lightly. He sucks my bottom lip into his mouth and stands, taking me with him. Wrapping my legs tightly around his hips, I kiss his neck while he carries me to his bed. This will be our last night on this bed and I can’t think about this possibly being our last night ever. If he doesn’t meet me in Paris then I may never see him again. I hold him tighter and he pauses, looking into my eyes. He doesn’t say anything though. I think he knows what I am thinking. He keeps his eyes on mine and kisses me so deeply, I feel completely connected to him. His kiss sends waves of sensations throughout my body. I want, crave, demand him and he obliges. Our tongues circle each others while his lips devour mine. My body aches to have him, the pressure of his hips against mine is driving me insane.

  He places me on the bed and has me stripped down to my blue satin panties in seconds. I’m surprised when he leaves them on me. He stares at them with a slow grin before he settles his shoulders in between my thighs. I moan loudly when I feel his hot breath through the thin material. My back arches as I search for a touch. He nibbles my clit through my panties and I cry out at the pleasure racking through my body. He’s just as impatient as I am, ripping my panties from my hips he pulls my ankles up to my knees and spreads my legs. His gaze focusing on my body and I let him stare, I want him to memorize me, I want him to think of me when we are no longer together.

  “You are beautiful Eden, so fucking gorgeous,” he said before sliding his warm tongue along my thighs. My body shivers under his touch. I can’t resist running my fingers through his hair and down his shoulders. I need to touch him. He makes his way back up to my lips and kisses me so deeply, I feel as though I’ve found my forever and I’m terrified he’s going to leave me. I’m terrified that I’m going to be ripped away from him. I cling to him, wrapping my legs around his waist as he enters me. I arch towards him, his hips thrusting slow and deep. I can feel him filling me so perfectly. His kiss consuming me as he takes me into sheer ecstasy. Every muscle flexes, his body shimmering in a layer of sweat as he continues his possession of me. He moves back and flips me over, pulling me up onto all fours and takes me from behind. I cry out when he enters me again, gasping for air with each thrust. A whimper escapes my lips when he fists the back of my hair and pulls my head towards his chest. He holds me in place with his hips while his other hand comes around and slides across my neck. The pleasure mixed with this dark action thrills me. I need it. I need to feel all these emotions at once. When I am consumed by him nothing else matters. There are no memories surfacing, no one is following me, no one is lying. All that I see, feel, hear, inhale is Jude.

  I can’t hold back, my body shakes as the waves of my orgasm wash through me. I fall onto my elbows while he continues fisting my hair, he releases my neck and grips my hip, pulling me back up against him. He impales me with his full, thick erection, with each thrust I tremble around him until he releases into me, shaking as his arms tighten around my waist, holding me so close I can feel his heart racing. He loosens my hair and it falls around my shoulders. He keeps himself in me as he brings us both down to the soft cool sheets. He begins rubbing circles over my shoulders, trailing with kisses as he goes. His love is intense and I don’t want it any other way ever again. My body still trembles slightly under his touch, knowing the heights he can bring me to.

  “I think I’m in too deep Eden,” he whispers and I nod. I know how he feels, the fear of the possible pain that is coming when we have to say good bye is growing inside me. He slides out of me and I feel cold suddenly. He wraps the blanket around us, turning me to face him. I roll on my side and press into his warm, muscular chest. Jude is my safe haven. He kisses my forehead and I fall into a deep sleep.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Always Paris

  Eden

  Staring out the window, looking at blackness I can't help but think that I may never see Jude again. I may never kiss those sexy as sin lips or feel his hands around my waist, pulling me close to him. We may actually be over before we really had a chance to begin. I thought that maybe I rushed things between us, I may have been too quick to get into bed with him but I knew we didn't have much time. Now I wonder if I should have just walked away. I don't need this heartbreak. I suppose foolishly I was hoping it would be like my Hawaii adventure. Fun for a short while with no real feelings involved. We both knew what it was and so when we said goodbye it was easy. I left Hawaii with a grin on my face and never cared if I ever saw him again but with Jude, it isn't the same, not at all.

  Looking at him this morning, lying in bed beside me after we made love again, I saw someone I knew. I saw someone I trusted. He is someone that has protected me before. He has cared for me. I don’t know why I have these feelings about him but I do. I can’t help but think we’ve met in some other time and some other place. I haven’t had another vision since that night in London but I could feel a memory looming in my mind, threatening to break free while lying there, looking into his eyes. He smiled and kissed me.

  “Don’t look so anxious Eden. Don’t try and force yourself to figure this out, let it come naturally,” he said and I couldn’t help but wonder if he was talking about my memories or us. He took my hands in his and kissed my palms.

 
“I’m not letting you go, I promise. We are going to stay together, this isn’t it for us. This is too good to let go of. Promise me you’ll remember that when I’m not with you, because in those times I will be doing everything in my power to get back to you,” he said, easing the pain and the knots forming in my stomach a little.

  I'm actually close to crying and never stopping. How can being without someone you just met three days ago be so heartbreakingly painful? He promised me Paris, it is that promise that is keeping me together. Angie sits beside me and wraps her arms around me.

  "You fell hard didn't you Eden?" she asks, sensing my pain. It must be written all over my face. I nod, a tear sliding down my cheek.

  "Is it that obvious?" I ask, knowing the answer. I wipe my tear and glance at her.

  "I think you found something real, something honest and true. I really hope he doesn't hurt you Eden. I know I'm not one to talk, I break up with guys before they have the chance to touch me so deeply but I know you and this is new to you too," she says and I understand her fears.

  "I don't know what happened, I was instantly attracted to him and thought maybe I could have a fling on this trip, it's been done successfully before and you just move on but I fell for him, hard like you said. He's all I think about and it hurts to miss him. I feel as though I’ve known him a lot longer than a few days," I confess with a sheepish smile. She doesn't reply, instead she wraps her arms tighter around me.

  "You'll see him in Paris," she tells me and I smile at the idea. The romance of it, being in Paris with a man I love.

  "I will, he promised," I tell her, almost in a whisper as I look back out the window.

  I must have dozed off because I awake to Angie poking me in the stomach. The train has stopped and people are beginning to get off. I stand on wobbly legs and reach for my suitcase. Sophie leads us to an awaiting car again. I am grateful this time, my energy has waned since London. We had all agreed to staying at Sophie's favorite hotel, separate rooms for four nights then we share a room for the last night in Paris. We know we'll end up in each others rooms at some point but having our own room to sleep in will be nice and if by chance Jude finds me here, I'll have the privacy we need. Just the thought of being with Jude alone again causes my body to shiver. I miss his touch already.