by R. C. Martin
God, I want inside that mouth, thought Judah, his tongue absentmindedly wetting his bottom lip.
“It’s probably not as interesting as you’d imagine. Our parents adopted me when I was five,” answered Benjamin.
“Oh,” breathed Teddy.
This time, when she looked at Judah, she was not so quick to avert her gaze. She peered at him, as if she thought she suddenly knew something about him. While Judah didn’t hesitate to return her stare, he believed he wasn’t the one with the story—it was always Benjamin’s tale that warranted telling.
“Did you keep your birth father’s last name?” asked Harper.
“No, actually.”
He paused, and Judah knew his brother was silently seeking permission. Reluctantly, he tore his attention away from Teddy and gave it to Benjamin. He then offered a small nod, and his brother continued.
“When Jude was born, mom was single. He has her maiden name. Our parents got married when he was six, and I was brought into the fold a year later.”
“What happened to your biological parents? If—if you don’t mind me asking,” murmured Teddy.
Benjamin shook his head slightly, indicating he didn’t mind at all. He usually didn’t. He was not ashamed of his past in the least. It was one of the things Judah admired most about him, and he wasn’t too proud to admit it. He and Benjamin grew up in the same household, but they didn’t have the same childhood—a fact Judah respected unequivocally.
“I wasn’t born into a healthy or stable environment,” Benjamin began. “My birth parents were very young, irresponsible, and abusive. No one noticed until I started kindergarten; but it didn’t take long before child protective services stepped in.”
“Fuck,” whispered Harper, reaching for his hand. “You never told me that.”
Despite the sympathetic expression which tugged at her smooth brow, Benjamin smiled at her. He then lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles.
“The Delaneys were my second foster home. Judah got attached, so they decided to keep me,” he teased, winking at his brother.
“I tolerated you,” quipped Judah. In an effort to fight his amusement, he brought his second glass of scotch to his lips and took a sip.
“Anyway,” said Benjamin with a shrug. “It all worked out for the best.”
“You were wrong, you know.” Judah watched as a small smile danced across Teddy’s lips before she went on to say, “That story was a lot more interesting than I thought it would be.”
“Everyone’s past comes with some sort of life changing story, right?”
His attention still trained on Teddy, Judah didn’t miss the way her smile faltered at Benjamin’s reply. He realized, if he hadn’t been so captivated by her mouth, he would have missed it. All at once, he was intrigued—curious to know what stories made up her past.
Surely a young, gorgeous, innocent creature such as she does not harbor dark memories that cut so deep.
“Well, damn. We went from zero to heavy as fuck in a flash. We haven’t even ordered food yet,” said Harper.
Judah looked across the table, thinking back on how Benjamin described the woman with whom he seemed to be enamored. The words that came out of her mouth didn’t match the sweet expression she cast at his brother. Suddenly, beautiful contradiction made perfect sense. He felt sure the feisty redhead was a handful. Benjamin’s desire to pursue her rather than simply take her to bed confounded Judah.
Their dinner orders were soon taken, and a lighter topic of conversation was brought to the table. They conversed easily. Their discussion—ranging from work to travel, and all the easy matters in between—helped pass the time amongst new acquaintances. Benjamin, ever the charmer, kept the women laughing throughout the meal. To Judah’s surprise, this filled him with gratitude. He liked the way Teddy’s face changed when she laughed, and he enjoyed the endearing sound of her giggle.
She’s just as delicate as I imagined she would be.
As the night progressed, he grew more convinced he had to have her. He yearned to explore her. He wanted to ravage her to the point of surrender. He wanted to set her free and then leave her begging for more. And more, he was sure, would be exactly what she wanted. He was confident enough in himself and his experience to be sure that’s how he left most of his conquests.
When their server came to collect their dinner plates and inquire about any interest in dessert, both Fitzpatrick women insisted they could eat not another bite. Not long after, Teddy excused herself to the bathroom, which left Judah alone at the table. Or, so it seemed—Benjamin and Harper, seemingly exhausted at having to share each other for so long an evening, were quick to lose themselves in a private moment of whispers and laughter. With the ability to endure their flirtatiousness for only a moment, Judah, too, excused himself from the table. Only, he had no intention of disappearing into the facilities.
The hallway which housed the restrooms was long and narrow. He propped himself against the wall, just beyond the mouth of the corridor, and waited patiently for the object of his desire to make her appearance. He didn’t have to wait long. When she entered the hallway, she was smoothing her hands down the front of her long dress. She was halfway to him when she looked up and jolted in surprise.
“Judah,” she sighed. She brought one hand up to her chest and confessed, “You scared me.”
“My apologies. It wasn’t my intent.”
With a nod, she let her arms fall to her sides. When Judah did not offer her another word, Teddy asked, “Um, is everything okay? I mean—why aren’t you at the table?”
“I don’t relish the part of third wheel,” he informed her. He then righted himself and took a step toward her.
She seemed not to mind, but rather hummed her understanding and agreement. “Neither do I. But they seem to like each other a lot, which is nice.”
Judah merely shrugged, sliding his hands into his pant pockets as he took another step toward her. “If you’re into that sort of thing, I suppose.”
Teddy’s eyebrows knit together as she asked, “What is that supposed to mean?”
Judah hesitated. He glanced down at his feet as he allowed his mind a calculated moment of silence. He thought back on the entirety of their evening and reminded himself of the bond he had witnessed between sisters. It made sense to him that Teddy would be rooting for the budding romance between their siblings; in his own way, he was too—if only for the sake of his brother’s hopeless belief in true love.
Lifting his gaze to find Teddy’s once more, he finally replied, “Nothing. It means nothing.”
She studied him in response, and Judah was curious what thoughts she had whirling around behind her big, hazel-brown eyes. He didn’t have to wait long before she said, “So—what you said the other day.” She paused and shook her head, as if trying to remember. “You—you like to dine before you fuck, those were your words?”
For reasons he didn’t care to understand, the foul word formed by Teddy’s sweetheart lips made his dick stir. He wished to back her against the wall and devour her. He wanted to taste the residue of the word on her tongue. He wanted to steal her breath the way she seemed intent on stealing his. Even more, he wanted her to mutter his name just as she had uttered the curse.
“Am I wrong?” She lifted her eyebrows in question, breaking through Judah’s thoughts.
He took another step toward her, willing himself to remain in control of his desire.
“No,” he replied.
“So—so…”
A smirk made the muscles at the corner of his mouth twitch, well aware that his proximity was making it difficult for her to speak. Her breathing had grown shallow, and it excited him. He took another step toward her, eradicating all but an inch of space between them, and forgot what they were speaking about. It no longer mattered. To Judah, her body responding to his was the most relevant conversation at hand.
“Wait,” she insisted, pressing her palm against his chest.
As if the atmospher
e in the narrow hallway was charged with the static electricity that was their undeniable chemistry, her touch shocked him. For a brief moment, Judah felt more alive than he could ever remember feeling. His eyes widened as his hands clenched into fists. His dick began to harden, and his desire for her felt like more than a challenge—it felt like a necessity.
Except, just as quickly as she touched him, she yanked her hand away. She gasped softly, as if his chest had burned her, and this only fed Judah’s hunger.
“So—you’re saying, that while Ben and Harper are looking for love, you’re looking for—for—for what?” she stammered.
Eager to have her touch once more, Judah pulled his right hand from his pocket and reached for her wrist. When he held her in his grasp, he pressed her palm against his chest and replied, “Pleasure, Theodora. I seek pleasure.”
Teddy coughed a sigh and stole her hand away from him instantly. She then took two steps back, putting herself out of reaching distance. “Well, then,” she started, her voice airy. “I don’t think you’re a gentleman at all, Judah. More like—like a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”
Tickled by her comparison, Judah chuckled softly. Returning his hand to his pocket, he jeered, “I do like to bite.”
She reared her head back, and he could see it as her blush colored her freckled cheeks. “It’s time for me to go,” she muttered after she recovered herself. When she swept by him, she did so at a pace which prevented him from stopping her. Upon reaching the mouth of the hallway, she stopped and said, “Oh, and Judah?”
He turned slightly so as to see her.
“Consider this our date. No need to return that call.”
Then, without a moment’s hesitation, she was gone.
Chapter Fifteen
I shook my hand out, hoping to rid my mind of the memory of his touch. It was useless. Even just the thought of his fingers wrapped around my wrist, or the hard, warm surface of his chest, made me hot from head to toe. Though, to admit I was turned on by him—even a little—was more than I could manage.
I do like to bite.
His words replayed in my head, coupled with the memory of his devilishly handsome smile. He’d been so close. He smelled so good. I could hardly breathe as I remembered how small that hallway felt with Judah filling it with all that was him. And the way he looked at me—the way he always looked at me—it was overwhelming. So much so that even as I hurried away from him, it felt like I would never truly escape him.
By the time I reached the table, I was on the verge of breaking into a sweat. I hardly even noticed Ben and Harper were kissing as I reached for my purse and tapped my sister’s arm. She pulled away from him with a start, but I was still too preoccupied to feel rude or impatient or anything other than what I was trying to deny.
“It’s time to go. I’ll meet you outside. Better yet—I’ll meet you at the car. Ben,” I paused, forcing myself to inhale. “It was lovely meeting you. I’m sure this won’t be the last time.”
“Is everything okay?” he asked.
I didn’t notice the concern etched on his face, or my sister’s. As I peeked over my shoulder, I fought a blush when my gaze clashed with Judah’s. Well aware his long stride would have him at the table in less than ten seconds, I was quick to begin edging my way toward the door.
“Everything’s fine. Harp, five minutes, okay?”
I didn’t wait for her response before I hurried out of the restaurant.
The night was a balmy one. I was convinced, on any other night, I would have appreciated it—but in that moment, I could have killed for a cool breeze.
I was about to cross the street when I heard Harper call out to me. “Who the fuck is Speed Racer, now? Slow down. These heels were sure as shit not made for running.”
I obeyed only after I glanced over her shoulder to make sure she wasn’t being followed.
“Okay. Lay it on me,” she demanded, spreading her arms wide as she closed the distance between us. “Do I need to dump Ben?”
“What? No!” I insisted incredulously.
“Good.” She grinned at me and then looped her arm around mine. “I love you, and I’m all for solidarity, but he just might be a keeper.”
Her smitten joy was like a breath of fresh air, and I relaxed as we continued toward the car. “He’s great,” I assured her. “Every bit as wonderful as you described him.”
“So, what happened with Jude?”
I opened my mouth to explain, but then he was in my head again. Unexpectedly, I was in that hallway—suffocating on my desire, my repulsion, my confusion, and all that was Jude.
“Teddy?”
I sighed and shook my head, at a loss for words. I couldn’t explain the way he made me feel. I couldn’t make sense of the fact that I ran from him not because he repelled me, but because he intoxicated me. I couldn’t justify myself to the one person in my life who would see through the lie, just as she saw through every other lie I ever told her.
“Good cop, bad cop,” I finally spat. “You got the good one, that’s all.”
“Hey,” she murmured, stopping us as we arrived at the front of her vehicle. She took hold of each of my arms and asked, “Did he do something awful? Do you want me to say something to Ben? I will—you know I will.”
“No,” I assured her with a forced smile. “It’s okay. I’m a big girl. I handled it.”
“You’re sure?”
I leaned toward her and kissed away her wrinkled brow before I said, “Let’s just go home, okay?”
“Yeah. Okay.”
We both climbed into the car without another word. As we started toward my apartment, I tried my damnedest not to think of Judah. I didn’t want to remember the way he made my body feel just by occupying the same space as me. I didn’t want to understand why his deep voice called to me when he spoke only loud enough for me to hear. I didn’t want to admit the way he looked at me was as though he would never tire of doing so. Instead, I tried to push him from my mind entirely.
I tried, and I failed, barely aware of the way I fisted and flexed the hand he’d trapped against his chest.
We were halfway to my place when Harper reached over and took hold of my other hand. She gave my fingers a squeeze and murmured, “Thanks for tonight. It really meant a lot to me.”
Leaning my head back against the seat, I sighed in defeat. Truth of the matter was, I wasn’t sorry I tagged along—even if she didn’t really give me much of a choice.
“Anything for you, Harp.”
Chapter Sixteen
She was beautiful. Of this, he was certain. His dick didn’t settle for plain. And yet, she was nothing. She was no one. She was nameless and unmemorable. She was a distraction—a warm, wet, willing diversion on an otherwise ordinary Monday.
She unlocked her door and then grabbed his tie, tugging him inside. Judah slammed the barrier behind them, then brushed away her hand as he circled one of his arms around her waist.
Pulling her to him, he pressed his erection against her backside and muttered, “Where are we doing this?”
“Anywhere you want, baby. We’re alone, now.”
She spun around in his grasp, pressing both hands against his chest as she reached for his lips. He kissed her, but there was no fire. There was no desperation. All he felt was the absence of passion. He was fueled by frustration—his excitement derived from the truth that seduction was the name of the game, and he was no loser. But she wasn’t the woman he craved.
He grunted in agitation when he saw her in his mind’s eye—Theodora Fitzpatrick.
Judah opened his eyes, relieved he and the woman in his arms were shrouded in darkness. He didn’t wish to sink himself into another woman whilst dreaming of Teddy—but he didn’t wish to shatter the illusion of desire he’d managed to grab hold of, either. Cognizant that he could not keep thoughts of Teddy at bay for much longer, he leaned down in order to lift the hem of this woman’s skirt. She giggled, wiggling her legs in assistance, and took hold of his tie once
more.
He growled—only this time, it wasn’t in irritation with himself.
He brushed her hand away from the silk accessory, then spun her away from him. He took hold of her hips, and quickly guided her to the wall in front of them. When her skirt was bunched around her waist, he made quick work of his own clothing. He knew what he was doing was degrading, to both of them—but he couldn’t find it in himself to care.
Tonight, this small victory will have to do.
Chapter Seventeen
It was mid-afternoon, and I was tucked away in the storage closet, filing paperwork which had accumulated on my desk throughout the week. I was inserting the last form when Andrew appeared in the open doorway.
“Teddy, could I see you out front?”
“Yeah,” I replied with a nod.
He turned away from me, disappearing from sight instantly, and I furrowed my brow. I couldn’t think of any reason why I would be in trouble, but he was acting out of the ordinary. The sound of my high heels echoed through the gallery as I followed after him. When I rounded the corner into the main room, my steps faltered and my pace slowed as I closed the distance between the gallery cousins and me.
Geoffrey was wearing the biggest, shit-eating grin—his hands wrapped around a mason jar full of flowers. This was the third bouquet I’d received since Tuesday. To say I was getting an education in flowers was an understatement. As I eyed the arrangement in front of me, I recognized sunflowers, roses, and calla lilies; but there was also something in the mix I couldn’t name. Embarrassed as I was at yet another delivery, I knew there would be a google search in my future to identify the unknown blossom.
“Buzzkill over here thinks this is getting ridiculous. I, for one, think it’s fantastic,” said Geoffrey as he handed me the jar.
I fought any hint of an expression that would imply we were in agreement as I accepted the gift, then directed my attention to Andrew.
