Hands Off

by Lia Slater

  “Don’t say no. I have one night, remember?”

  A slow shy smile formed. “Take me home with you?”

  Jude smothered a relieved sigh. “Yes, of course.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  THE ELEVATOR RIDE up to his apartment was excruciatingly slow. And the tension in the air was palpable. Naomi leaned into Jude and wished he’d wrap her in his arms and kiss her again. Instead, he kept his gaze directed toward the elevator numbers as they lit up with each passing floor. His hand rested gently at the base of her back. His thumb stroked her skin in steady movements that seemed to match the changing numbers.

  She closed her eyes, reliving what had happened in Millie’s bedroom. An orgasm that had not only made her feel something but had rocked her senses. She’d felt intoxicated afterward.

  And overwhelmed with emotions she couldn’t explain.

  No more tears. She’d spent enough of those. Now, she planned to be happy. If only she could shake the whisper of guilt lingering at the corners of her mind.

  What would Davis think? Jude had been his best friend since high school.

  But Davis was gone, she reminded herself. After three years of grief, she’d finally accepted she’d never again wake up beside him and find him safe and sound. His scent had faded. His clothes and belongings had been packed and dispersed between his relatives and the rest to charity. His financial dealings were wrapped up. His ashes had been scattered. Yes, Davis was gone.

  Jude was here. He was warm and secure and he smelled so good. And somehow he’d become her best friend. Always there. She spent hours on the phone with him. He patiently listened to her talk about her day, at times giving her his no-nonsense advice, like a formula to be solved.

  And she’d listened as he spoke about his newest venture, his latest date, his latest breakup. Mostly she liked listening to him breathe, strange as that sounded. She liked knowing he was there.

  The elevator dinged at the seventeenth floor, the top floor, and the doors opened. Jude led her down the marble-floored hall.

  “It’s likely Rose hasn’t left yet,” he said. “She’s been staying late, trying to earn extra cash for her granddaughter’s college tuition.”

  Rose—his housekeeper, who was more like a mother hen to Jude.

  “That woman is amazing.” So kind. And she was good for Jude.

  But Naomi wanted to be alone with Jude, to explore these new feelings… and this new adventurous side to Jude. The thought excited her.

  “She’s also stubborn,” he said, bringing Naomi back to reality. “I offered to pay the tuition but she refused. She wouldn’t even accept a pay raise, saying she’d take a raise when she earned it. She actually acted offended, can you believe it?”

  “Yes.” Naomi smiled. Jude would undoubtedly find a reason to give her a pay increase within the week. Though Rose was probably already the highest-paid housekeeper in Colorado—a testament to his generosity and the fact that he took care of the people he loved.

  Will he ever love me?

  He keyed in the number combo to his front door and the lock opened. “After you. Careful of the spitfire.” He winked.

  “I’m not worried. She likes me.” Naomi stepped inside and looked around the luxury apartment. Her view, as always, zoomed straight ahead to the expansive floor-to-ceiling windows that showcased Denver’s skyline. During the day, the sprawling Rocky Mountains could be seen to the left. Morning or night, the views were breathtaking.

  Inside, the decor was a mixture of Jude and Rose. Modern with a grandmother’s touch. A large bouquet of lilies greeted guests from the top of the glass-box entrance table. A chenille throw rested over the black leather sofa. Doilies made for coasters. And a “Home Is Where the Heart Is” pillow sat cozily on the swivel recliner.

  If Naomi ever decided to move out of her comfy South Park Hill remodeled Tudor home, she imagined this would be a nice alternative. As long as Jude was part of the deal.

  Don’t get ahead of yourself. You’ll end up breaking your own heart.

  “Jude?” Rose called from the kitchen. “Dear, some woman named Arielle has been calling. She’s been ringing the phone off the hook for the past hour. Honestly, I’ve stopped taking her messages. She’s quite rude. I don’t understand what you see in these—” She rounded the corner and stopped when she saw Naomi.

  “Hi, Rose.” Naomi had forgotten about Jude’s date. Had Jude stood her up? Most likely, since he hadn’t had a chance to leave or call the woman. She wasn’t sure whether to feel guilty or pleased. Both, she decided.

  “Naomi.” Rose clapped her hands, sounding pleased to see her. “Jude didn’t tell me you were coming over or I would’ve straightened up more.”

  “From my viewpoint, everything looks perfect. As usual.”

  “Such a sweetie.” Rose veered her gaze to Jude. “Is everything okay? What’s going on?”

  “Nothing to worry about. I’m spending the evening with Naomi. I forgot to cancel my plans with Arielle.”

  Rose scowled but a tiny smirk broke free. “Call the girl. You know better than that.” She grabbed her purse. “I’ll leave you two alone. There’s chicken and dumplings in the refrigerator for you to heat up. Vanilla ice cream and my homemade chocolate syrup for dessert. Have a good time.”

  “Thanks, Rose.” Jude held the door open for her. “Drive safe.”

  The door clicked shut as Rose whooshed out. And then they were alone again.

  An unexpected flood of heat flushed through Naomi as her eyes met Jude’s. The soft green hue of his irises glinted a wicked warning as his gaze roamed over her. No doubt, a warning he’d given many women. Only Naomi didn’t feel like just any woman. She’d hoped to treat this encounter, this night, like a casual affair. A fun time where she could relax and enjoy this man’s attention.

  Problem was she wasn’t the casual type. She’d fallen hard for Davis years ago. Fast and thorough. It seemed her feelings for Jude weren’t evolving any slower.

  “I’ll step out onto the balcony while you make your call,” she said, needing a brief escape from the sexual tension building in the room and knotting her muscles. She didn’t remember ever wanting Davis this much.

  Stop. She silently chided herself for the unfair observation. She couldn’t allow herself to think that way. The two men weren’t the same. Total opposites, in fact.

  “Thank you for understanding.” Jude walked over with the sexy swagger she’d come to enjoy, the one she’d joked about with Millie more than once. Jude’s “hot ass and swagger” had always been a fun topic on ladies’ night out.

  Her mouth went dry as she thought about gripping that hot ass in her hands as he thrust into her.

  Oh, God.

  He stopped in front of her and brushed his fingers along her cheek, into her hair, creating another round of nerve tingles and heat surges. She was a mess.

  “It’s no problem.” Her voice cracked slightly. Hopefully not loud enough for him to notice.

  “I won’t be long.” He gripped her hair, tugging it lightly as he drew her onto her tiptoes and molded a kiss to her lips.

  She swooned, of course, and felt dizzy as he released her and headed toward the kitchen. He was out of sight before she had a chance to grab him and wrestle him to the sofa. Straddle him and ride him. Feel his lips on hers again. Taste him, drink him in. Something.

  Exhaling a long breath, she swiveled and headed out the large windowpane door, onto his terrace.

  Air. She needed air.

  And that’s what she got. Cool evening summer wind gusted across her skin as soon as she opened the door. She stepped outside, taking in the colorful lights of Downtown Denver. This far up, the rowdy sounds of nightlife were simply murmurs in the breeze.

  Naomi leaned against the sturdy railing, closed her eyes and breathed. She loved the Denver summer nights, cool after a day in the baking sun.

  Another flurry of wind swept through and played with her hair and dress. And the hint of a scent caught her att
ention.

  Davis’s cologne.

  Probably her imagination playing tricks on her again.

  Or maybe not.

  She’d witnessed so many manifestations since his death. Little life tokens telling her Davis was still with her. But she hadn’t noticed any for several months.

  In any case, Naomi never ignored even the slightest sign. She cleared her throat and opened her eyes.

  “Davis,” she whispered into the night air, her throat constricting with emotion. “I love him.” She waited for a response of some kind. A shout from below. An airplane flying over. Something.

  The wind settled into a steady soft stream against her side, as if it were listening, waiting patiently for her next words.

  “Davis, I think you’d agree he needs me. And I need him.” So very much.

  Her throat clogged and her eyes burned. She wiped a tear from her cheek.

  She hadn’t planned on getting emotional. Not tonight. Of course, she hadn’t expected her first encounter with another man to be easy, had she? Might as well get it out before Jude saw her upset.

  She sniffed. Sighed. “Davis, you’ll always be in my heart and memories. You were the center of my world for years. But now I have to say good-bye. I never wanted to. It’s what life handed us. I hope you’ll understand. I’m going to try to make it work with Jude. If he’ll let me.”

  If Jude had any interest beyond a night of sex. After all this time, she needed to find out.

  A warm gust mixed in with the cool. Naomi breathed it in and decided to accept it as the only answer she’d ever get from her late husband.

  He approved, she decided. Yes, that must be the answer. She could move on.

  “Okay. Good talk,” she said, using the same words Davis had spoken each time they’d hashed out an argument. “Bye, Davis.”

  She took in one last deep breath, made sure she was tear-free, then turned and headed back inside. It really was time to move on.

  Jude sat on the sofa, leaning forward, his arms braced on his knees as he watched her closely. Even in a sitting position, he appeared strong, his shoulders broad, his knit shirt taut against his biceps and forearms. She avoided the look of concern in his light green eyes and went on to admire the cut lines of his handsome face.

  How long had he been waiting? Had he seen her talking to the ghost of her late husband?

  “Everything go okay?” she said, shaking the questions from her mind. “Was your date upset?”

  “She didn’t answer. I left a message. I have a feeling she’s already moved on. Arielle isn’t the type of woman to waste much time on one man.”

  “You’re attracted to those types. The casual kind.”

  “I have been, I guess. But I don’t want to talk about that.” His finger beckoned her forward. “Come here.”

  Naomi suddenly felt stuck in place. Her gaze wandered to the coffee table where a bowl of plump strawberries sat next to a mysterious white bottle.

  “What’s in the bottle?”

  “Rose’s homemade chocolate syrup. It’s decadent. Thicker than the normal syrup and not as sweet.”

  “Ah. Cliché sensual foods?” She joked nervously. “Where are the oysters?”

  “Ha ha. Come here.” He cracked a grin and something twisted inside her gut. How much more could she fall for this man?

  “Seriously. What are you planning on doing with those?” She took another step forward.

  “I plan to eat them off your naked body.”

  She didn’t have a comeback for that. But her body responded, fevered and wanting.

  “You can indulge too, if you like. You said you needed my help to get your senses back. Food-induced orgasms might be the trick.”

  Listening to his confident no-nonsense voice triggered a throbbing pulse between her legs. Listening to him talk about orgasms made it difficult to stand. Naomi forced her trembling legs forward until she stood in front of him.

  Jude sat up and made room for her to wedge between his spread legs. Long, strong legs. His large warm hands gripped her calves, then slid up over her knees, her thighs. They slipped underneath her dress, higher and higher, until his fingers brushed the thin straps of her thong.

  All the while, he kept eye contact—that same wicked warning... now with a hint of something else. She could only hope it was love. Though, with a man like Jude, she knew she was hoping for a miracle. Jude didn’t love women. He waited for women to give up and leave. Most sooner than later. She’d studied his patterns closely the past year.

  From the scant details he’d shared of his past, of his horrible mother, Naomi figured there was a very good reason for the armor surrounding his heart. Davis had shared bits and pieces as well—of how Jude had grown up with an alcoholic mother who couldn’t take care of herself, let alone a child. That had been why Jude had spent so much time at Davis’s house back in high school. He might as well have moved in. Davis and Jude had kept the situation quiet for the most part. Neither of them were the types to spend time complaining about what they couldn’t change.

  Instead, they’d dreamed of the future. Naomi had loved listening in on their conversations. With Davis’s charisma and Jude’s IQ, they’d thought themselves unstoppable. And they were for a while.

  She shook the memories and cradled Jude’s face, pressing her lips to his forehead. She wouldn’t give up on him. She knew the man he was behind the cool, controlled persona.

  “Jude, take them off,” she said, talking about her panties. With the way he was playing with the straps, she suspected he was second-guessing his next move. “I won’t shatter.”

  “I know. I want you to be certain though. When I have you naked, there’s no turning back. We won’t be able to undo what I’m about to do to you.”

  “Just so you know, your warning turns me on more than anything.” Her hands trembled against his jaw as she eased in shallow breaths. The bare flesh where his fingers lightly played tingled and her pussy strained against her panties.

  Insanity by means of unnecessary foreplay. Not fair.

  He chuckled—a sweet, rare sound. “All right then. Take these off.” He yanked her thong to the floor and made quick work of removing her sandals.

  Then he stood, forcing her back a step. Being this close to him, his height and width dazed her for a moment. Long enough to not feel the shock of him leaning in, gripping the hem of her dress, and lifting it over her head.

  In a matter of seconds, she was naked. Her dress dangled from his fingertips until he draped it over the sofa. She appreciated his concern for the fabric and the dress she’d spent time and energy designing and sewing. Though she wasn’t entirely sure she wouldn’t frame the dress after today.

  Any insecurity she thought she’d have regarding her body flaws were banished toward the back of her mind. All she wanted was to get him equally naked. She’d imagined what Mr. Hot Ass and Swagger would look like. She’d fantasized about him rubbing his body against hers. Now it was time to see the goods.

  Shirt first.

  She grabbed the hem and shoved upward, revealing his muscled chest. Only small faded scars here. The bad ones were on his back. The bomb had gone off as he was running way, a child in his arms. A piece of shrapnel had struck his jaw as he’d turned to look back.

  She’d envisioned the scene a hundred times in her head after he’d finally told her what had happened. He’d saved a life, yet his shame for leaving behind a member of his unit was what he fixated on.

  Was that when she’d started falling in love with him? On the phone that night as she lay in bed, hearing his war stories?

  Hard to tell.

  Jude helped her along by tearing the shirt over his head and tossing it to the floor.

  “I love the way you look at me,” he said.

  “Which way?” She ran her hands over his lean, ripped abdomen, over his chest, then down again.

  “Doesn’t matter.” He brushed his lips against her ear. “Keep doing it.”

  “Shoul
dn’t be a problem.” She worked on his fly, unbuttoning, unzipping.

  He licked the sensitive shell of her ear. His hands braced her neck as his long fingers raked into her hair. Which felt amazing... but why wasn’t he touching her body? Her breasts ached and her pussy pulsed, needing his attention.

  “Naomi”—he stopped her from tugging down his pants—“lie on the sofa.”

  “Here?” Not the bedroom? Not with the lights dimmed?

  “Please.”

  Just go with it.

  She trusted Jude implicitly. She’d do anything he asked.

  The butter-soft leather against her skin wasn’t as cold as it looked, so she relaxed into it and waited for his next move.

  Only the searing gaze he scored across her body made her self-conscious.

  She wrapped her arms around herself, missing his body heat and feeling silly on display. She held out her arms. “Come here, Jude.”

  “I will.” He grinned. “First, we’re going to work on your little problem.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  “WHAT PROBLEM?” The look Naomi gave Jude was one of a woman who’d traveled through hell and didn’t trust the journey was over.

  His heart fell. Would she ever trust him like she had Davis?

  “Your dull sense of taste—the one you’d told me about,” he reminded her gently.

  “Oh, right.” Her bunched forehead relaxed and she cozied into his sofa cushions again.

  He’d never seen a more enticing sight. His hardened cock throbbed while his mind conjured a bittersweet fantasy of fucking her senseless for just one night. Again, helping her through the grieving process. Helping her get over Davis.

  Yes, bittersweet, but he’d resolved a long time ago that he’d take what she would give.

  He pushed down his pants along with his boxers, then tossed them beside his shirt.

  “Jude, you’re incredibly sexy. You know that, right? Your dates must tell you that all the time.”

  What was her fascination with his past flings? He’d have given them all up if only she’d asked.