Saving Tatum (Trace + Olivia #4)

by Micalea Smeltzer

  “You’re messing with me,” I stated, crossing my arms over my chest.

  “No, I’m definitely not,” he laughed.

  “Name an article I wrote,” I countered. I still didn’t believe him and wanted him to prove it. I didn’t care if he read them or not, but since he claimed to I was dying to know.

  “Hmm,” he thought, watching the road ahead of us, “last month you wrote an article about the merits of the plea bargain. Interesting topic choice, O’Connor.” His grin was wide when he glanced at me.

  “I can’t believe you read my articles,” I shook my head in disbelief.

  “Hey, I might have a pretty face,” he rubbed his jaw, “but I’m not stupid.”

  “Definitely not,” I agreed, not being the least bit sarcastic.

  We arrived at Griffin’s a few minutes later. “Want to study here for a while?” Jude asked.

  “Sure, why not,” I shrugged, grabbing my bag. If I didn’t study here, I’d study at home since I didn’t work today, and I really didn’t want to go home. My dad had come home the past few nights, and while he hadn’t said anything to me, his glances were chilling.

  Jude and I ordered coffee and snacks. I found a quiet table in the back and sat down.

  I pulled my computer and notes out, getting ready to study once more.

  Study, study, study. That’s all I seemed to do lately. Graduation couldn’t come fast enough.

  Jude appeared a few minutes later with our coffee and food. His grin was nearly infectious as he held the steaming cup of coffee out to me.

  I grabbed my coffee from him and took a large gulp—not caring that I probably scalded my throat in the process. I need the caffeine too bad to care.

  He chuckled and handed me a cupcake. I’d ordered a sandwich, so he’d added this.

  I took the cupcake and devoured it like I’d never eat one again.

  Caffeine and sugar? I was a happy camper…until I looked at my computer and realized I was nowhere near done with my papers or studying. It never ended. At this rate I’d be thirty before these papers were done and I only had five more days to finish them.

  Jude leaned back in his chair, sipping slowly at his coffee. He appeared relaxed. I knew I should probably take a short break too, before delving in once more, but I didn’t feel like I had time for that.

  Before I had time to start typing, Jude asked, “So…can I read your paper now?”

  “Now?” I blanched. “As in right now? Where I have to watch you read it? Uh…” I’d thought maybe I could email it to him later. I wasn’t sure I could stomach watching him read the paper I’d so lovingly worked on. I was terrified that he’d think I hadn’t done the medical field justice and he’d hate it.

  “Come on, Tater Tot,” his grin was boyish, “it’s not like I’m going to rip it apart and tell you it’s horrible. After a month of helping you, I’d like to see where all that note taking on your part went.”

  I sighed, knowing no argument on my part would deter him, and brought up the correct word document on my computer. I turned my computer around to face him and slid it across the table.

  My heart raced with nerves as his eyes scanned the screen. No one else had laid eyes on my paper yet, and since he was the one responsible, and the reason it took on a new direction, I thought I might pass out as he read it.

  It was the longest five minutes of my life.

  “Tate?” He slid my computer back across the table to me and a wrinkle marred his brow. My heart stopped and I bit down on my lip to the point that I tasted blood. He hated it. I knew it. “You know how you told me that you wanted to make a difference with something you wrote?” I nodded my head at his words. “I think you’ve done that with this,” he tapped the open lid of my computer. “Your essay is absolutely beautiful,” his brown eyes were warm. “Thank you for letting me be a part of this.”

  Relief flooded my veins.

  Oh thank God he didn’t hate it.

  He had me really worried there for a minute.

  “You really like it?” I asked, needing to hear him say it again.

  “I love it, Tate. You couldn’t have written anything better.” His voice rang with sincerity.

  I let out a deep breath I hadn’t realized I was holding in. “Thank you,” I whispered, smiling bashfully. I always got shy after someone read what I’d written. No matter what I wrote, each paper held a part of my soul. I invested so much of myself in it and always feared that it would be rejected. I understood that rejection was a fact of life, but it’s not always easy to handle when it comes to something so personal. “I’m really happy you love it, Jude.”

  “You know,” he paused to take a sip of coffee, “I think you should print it off so I can take it to Mr. Jenkins. He asked me about you every time I saw him this week. He likes you and he’d want to read this.”

  “I can do that,” I smiled, relaxing a bit and taking a bite of my sandwich—I probably should’ve saved my cupcake for after the sandwich, but my sweet tooth couldn’t wait. “I really need to see about volunteering after graduation so I can visit him.”

  “Yes, you do,” Jude agreed, stifling a yawn. “Man,” he scrubbed his hands over his face, “I’m so exhausted I feel like I’m starting to see things.”

  “I know what you mean,” I agreed.

  “No, seriously, that guy looks exactly like your dad, but—”

  I whipped around in my seat to see my dad sitting at one of the tables, chatting with some woman who looked like she was barely thirty years old. He reached across the table, taking her hand in his. I cringed, bile rising in my throat. I turned back around before he could see me. “Yeah, that’s my dad.”

  “Shiiiit,” Jude cursed. “I really thought I was seeing things. Honest.” He raised his hands in surrender.

  “I’m not mad,” I sighed tiredly, “I’m just…done. I’m done with the whole thing. I’m mad at him, but not for that.” I shook my head, taking a deep breath. “How dare he think he can lecture me on my love life when he’s nothing but an asshole and a cheat,” I spat.

  “Tate…” Jude said my name slowly, like he knew something bad was coming.

  I could feel my anger rising inside me, boiling over to volcanic levels. Oh, yeah. I was about to lose it. It was bound to happen eventually. Too bad it couldn’t have happened behind closed doors. Nope, instead I was about to go batshit crazy in public.

  “Grab my stuff, and get out of here,” I warned Jude.

  “What are you going to do?” He asked, his face paling. “Tatum, he’s not worth it.”

  I ignored Jude and picked up my coffee cup. I only had to hope he did as I asked, or I was screwed.

  I marched over to my dad and the woman.

  I forced the sweetest smile on my face I could muster. “Hi,” I said, and both their heads whipped up to look at me. Confusion laced the woman’s face, while my dad looked pissed. Gotcha.

  “Uh…do I know you?” The woman asked me. She had blonde hair, but unlike mine it was obviously fake, and judging from the size of her breasts those were fake too. Great taste dad, I thought to myself, if you were going to cheat on your mental wife you could’ve picked someone a little more…I don’t know, real.

  “I’m his daughter.” I grinned and nodded my head at daddy-dearest.

  “Oh,” her mouth parted and she started spewing out all these silly excuses for why they were together.

  “Look,” I held up a hand to shut up her insane babbling, “I honestly don’t care what y’all are doing, and it’s obvious what that is, I just came over to tell my daddy that he’s an asshole and he can choke on his tongue and die.” I smiled manically and before I lost my nerve I threw my coffee at him. The lid flew off and coffee splattered all over his suit, the table, and Malibu Barbie—that was the nickname I’d given his mistress in my head.

  “Bye, daddy,” I sing-songed before running for the door.

  Jude stood there with both our bags in his hands, his mouth hanging open. He was sh
ell-shocked.

  I pushed his shoulder roughly. “Run!” I screamed.

  That got him moving.

  We ran as fast and hard as we could to his truck, not daring to look behind us.

  When we were in the truck, he locked the doors, and sped out of the parking lot and down the street. We saw my dad standing on the street, chest heaving like a bull, and drenched in coffee.

  I laughed until tears ran down my cheeks. “God that felt so good!” I cried, looking out the back window at my dad’s retreating form.

  I knew I should’ve been fearful of how my dad would retaliate, and I would be later, but right now I felt giddy. Almost like I was high.

  “I can’t believe you did that,” Jude laughed too. “Remind me to never piss you off.”

  I expected Jude to take me back to the library, but he didn’t.

  Fifteen minutes later we pulled into the driveway of the townhouse he shared.

  “What are we doing here?” I asked.

  He looked at me like I’d lost my mind. “Do you really think I’m going to let you go home after that display? You need to give your dad a few days to cool off.” His jaw clenched and he stared out the window for a moment before his gaze met mine. His eyes were dark and his face was shadowed with worry. “I’d never forgive myself if something happened to you.”

  “I can look out for myself,” I whispered.

  He picked up my folded hand and kissed the top. “You might be tough, Tate, but there are some things even you can’t fight. I experienced your dad firsthand. He wouldn’t think twice about hurting you. Seriously hurting you.”

  I grew quiet, nibbling on my bottom lip. “Fine, two days tops.” I held up two fingers and waved them around. “Then I’m going back home and you’re not to say anything. Deal?”

  He clenched his teeth and a muscle in his jaw twitched. “I don’t like it, but deal.”

  “I don’t have any clothes,” I frowned.

  Jude’s eyes brightened as he grinned. “That is not a problem.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I don’t think you want me going to school naked.”

  “True,” he agreed. “We’ll figure something out. I’m sure Rowan would bring you some clothes to wear. Y’all are about the same size. I’m definitely not letting you go into that house tonight.”

  “Aww,” I smiled, “look at you being all protective.”

  “This isn’t a joke, Tatum,” he sobered, “he could hurt you.”

  I bowed my head and my shoulders fell slack. “Yeah, I know.” It was easier to make a joke and pretend the situation wasn’t as serious as it was.

  Jude hopped out of the truck and grabbed his backpack. I did the same, following him inside.

  Inside we found Dylan and a guy I hadn’t met yet playing Xbox in the family room. Neither of them looked up when we entered the room.

  “You’ve met Dylan,” Jude said, “and that’s Grant,” he pointed at the other guy. Grant had a sweet face, floppy brown hair, and wore thick-framed black glasses on the end of his nose. “He lives here too.” To the guys he asked, “Where’s Jacob?”

  “Who knows,” Dylan replied with a shrug, his eyes never leaving the video game.

  Jude shook his head and we headed upstairs to his room.

  It was only eight o’ clock in the evening, but I felt like I could sleep for years. All the studying, paper writing, and the event with my dad had zapped my energy.

  “You want to call Rowan?” Jude asked, stripping his shirt off and working on his belt buckle as he head towards the bathroom. “It’s getting kind of late.”

  I shrugged. “Yeah, I guess so.”

  I pulled my phone out of my pocket and called her. The shower started and then Jude reappeared, kicking off his shoes and jeans.

  His boxers soon joined them in a pile on the floor and I instantly became distracted by his naked body.

  “Hello? Hello? Tatum? Are you there?”

  I shook my head and turned away. Jude chuckled, knowing he’d succeeded in distracting me.

  “Oh, sorry. Uh…” I couldn’t remember why I called. Oh. Clothes. Right. “I hate to ask you this, but I was wondering if I could borrow some of your clothes?”

  “Of course, but why?” She sounded worried, not curious.

  I bit my lip and mumbled, “Um, something happened with me and my dad so I’m staying with Jude for a few days while it blows over. He doesn’t want me going home to grab any clothes, so you’re kinda my only hope right now.”

  Rowan laughed. “I’ll bring stuff over within an hour.”

  “Thank you so much,” I told her, and meant it.

  I didn’t know what I’d do without Rowan as my best friend—my only friend, but when one friend was as amazing as her you didn’t need anymore.

  “You don’t need to thank me, Tate, but you’re welcome.”

  We hung up and I tossed my phone on the bed.

  I jumped when a hand came around my stomach. I thought Jude had already gotten in the shower.

  I was pulled against his body and I leaned my head back against his chest, letting out a happy sigh. He pulled my shirt off my shoulder and kissed the exposed skin there.

  My body relaxed against him and my mind began to float away. It was like with each kiss he took my breath away.

  His hands slid underneath my shirt, pulling the fabric away from my body. He pulled it up and over my head and tossed it in the corner.

  “Jude.” I wasn’t sure if I was pleading with him to stop, or to keep going. I guessed it didn’t matter.

  He drew lazy circles on my bare stomach, still kissing my neck.

  His body was warm against mine and I found my eyes closing.

  My bra fell to the ground and soon my shorts and panties joined them. I protested no more.

  I needed him.

  He turned me around so that we were front to front. His hot skin seared the palms of my hands where they rested against his chest.

  He lowered his head and gave me a heated look before capturing my lips.

  My legs went out from under me and he carried me into the bathroom.

  “Screw the shower,” he growled as he set me down.

  He reached over and turned the water from the shower to the faucet. He reached down and pushed in the plug so the water would hold in the bathtub.

  “Girls love baths, right?” He asked, his brows furrowing as if he suddenly seemed unsure.

  I nodded, letting out a giggle. “Yeah.”

  “Good,” he grinned. He moved closer to me, as if he was going to start kissing me again, but stopped himself. “Bubbles. We need bubbles.” He looked around the bathroom, coming up empty. “Shit,” he cursed. “What’s a romantic bubble bath without bubbles?” He put his hands on his hips, unembarrassed to be standing in front of me completely naked. Then again, I wasn’t trying to hide my nakedness either. Jude made me comfortable in my own skin. I didn’t feel like I needed to hide from him. Suddenly he snapped his fingers together. “Grant’s girlfriend stays here a lot. There might be some in his room.”

  He started to walk out of the bathroom, but I called him back. “Jude?”

  “Yeah?” He turned around.

  “You might want to grab a towel,” I laughed.

  He looked down at himself and grinned. “Oh yeah. That might be a good idea.”

  I grabbed one of the fluffy white towels and tossed it at him. He tied it around his waist and it should’ve been illegal how good he made that towel look.

  I closed the bathroom door just in case someone besides Jude showed up, and waited for him to return.

  It didn’t take long.

  “Aha!” He chanted, opening the bathroom door and holding up a bottle of lavender scented bubbles proudly. “Found some.”

  He poured a generous amount into the steaming water and it started to foam. He hung the towel up and reached for my hand.

  He climbed in first and I sat down in front of him. He pulled my back against his chest as the water slos
hed around us.

  “You know what would make this better?” I asked, suppressing a laugh.

  “What?” He asked as his fingers glided over top of the skin on my shoulder.

  “A rubber ducky.”

  He laughed heartily at that. “I’ll remember that for next time.”

  “Next time?” My brows rose in surprise.

  “This is kind of nice,” he wiggled around, “we should make it a rule that we take a bath together once a week, sort of like the no pants thing—which I have to add, we haven’t done yet. What’s up with that?”

  “You are…” I shook my head, at a loss for words. I finally settled on, “One of a kind, Jude Brooks.”

  “What’s the point in being like everyone else?” He asked, leaning back and pressing a hand to my stomach so I went with him. Water sloshed out the side and I reached up with my foot to shut it off before we made an even bigger mess. “I like being me.”

  I tilted my head back and lifted to place a light kiss on his heavily stubbled jaw. “I like you too.”

  “You do, Tate?” He grinned, his hands sliding up my body to cup my breasts. “Do you really like me?” He gave them a squeeze and I let out a moan I couldn’t contain.

  I nodded my head.

  “Say it,” he growled, nipping my earlobe. “I want to hear you say it.”

  “I really like you,” I panted, unable to catch my breath. It was completely unfair that with a few simple touches he could make me want him so much. In fact, it scared the crap out of me just how much he affected me.

  “I really like you too, Tate,” he whispered in my ear.

  Suddenly his hands were gone from my body and he started playing with my hair. “Let’s talk,” he said, bringing the blonde strands up and rubbing his fingers against the back of my neck.

  “Talk? About what?” I asked.

  “I don’t know.” I felt him shrug. “Anything. I haven’t seen you much this week, we’ve both been so busy. Don’t get me wrong,” he whispered low in my ear, “I love having sex with you, but you and I…we’re so much more than the physical.”

  His words made me feel giddy and I couldn’t help smiling. “Well, for starters, I love my job.”