Текст книги "Until I Met You"

Автор книги: S. L. Scott

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Текущая страница: 9 (всего у книги 19 страниц)

JUDE SAT AT the other end of the table from her stepfather. Her mother flanked his side, but her place had been sequestered four seats down. This had been where she and her brother had always been relegated, but since he died, she sat down there alone. Some mornings Isla sat by her. This morning Isla wasn’t here. She hadn’t returned from her night out.

After her glass was filled with orange juice, she picked it up and moved her entire place setting down the table until she was across from her mother and next to her stepfather who sat at the head of the table. “What are you doing?” he asked before eating his toast.

“I don’t want to sit alone.” She eyed the juice wondering if that’s how they were drugging her.

Her mother put her coffee cup down and smiled at her daughter. “How was your night, Judith? I heard the Stevens and Barrett boys took you and Isla out. That must have been a nice change.”

“It was. About Taylor,” Jude started.

Her stepfather put his tablet down, and said, “Who’s Taylor?”

Jude tried to hide her nerves by eating and reached for her fork. “Taylor Barrett.”

“Oh,” he replied.

Her mother said, “He seemed nice at the Stevens’s dinner.” She lowered her voice as if Taylor would hear her. “So sad about his illness.”

The forked strawberry touching Jude’s lips was lowered as she raised her eyes to her mother. “What do you mean?”

Her stepfather was agitated. “Can you save the gossip for when I’m gone?” He set his fork down and finished his coffee as her mother watched him and Jude stared at her mother. He stood and walked away from the table. As soon as he was gone from the dining room, Jude, feeling sick to her stomach, asked, “What do you mean sad about his illness? What illness?”

Her mother picked up her coffee cup again and signaled for Nadia, who came and refilled it. Nadia’s eyes were on Jude, the exchange between them one of caution. Surely Jude was misreading her, but she didn’t care about that right then. “Mother?”

“Yes, Judith. Let me get my coffee. The Barrett boy—”

“Stop calling him that. His name is Taylor.”

“What has gotten into you today? She set her cup down and looked exasperated. He has Parkinson’s.”

“What? Parkinson’s? No.” She shook her head. “I thought you had to be older…” She knew nothing of Parkinson’s disease other than the obvious—tremors. She had never seen him tremor.

“Yes. I’m pretty sure that’s what his parents told us at dinner. He was in and out of hospitals for a few months until they gained an accurate diagnosis.” She lowered her voice again as if they were conspiratorial sisters. “That’s when his fiancée cheated on him with his friend.” She made a face of distaste. “Such a scandal. I almost wish we would have known them then. It would have made tea time much more interesting.”

Jude sat there, staring at her, staring through her.

“Are you not feeling well, darling?”

Jude snapped her gaze down. Though she was hesitant to drink anything she had not served herself, she drank her juice to coat her drying throat, Hazel’s words echoing in her head. “I promise to love you always. I promise to protect you all of my days, my entire life.” Then her words. “Your lifeline is too short.”

“I had no idea. How is he? What did his parents say?”

“You tell me. How was he last night?”

Blissful. Romantic. Handsome. Sexual. Marry me? She pushed her plate away. “He was happy.”

Her mother smiled. “Well, that’s nice. Maybe it doesn’t bother him anymore.”

Jude became impatient and stood up. “I don’t think Parkinson’s works like that, Mother.”

“His mother, Betsy, asked me to co-chair a fundraiser for research in June. I think I’ll accept. I’ve been bored with the usual charities.”

Holding back what she really wanted to say, Jude said, “Charities aren’t for entertainment. They’re important in raising awareness and funds. But since you’re bored and all…”

“Jude?” her mother called after her.

Jude stopped under the arched doorway, her hands on the molding. She turned around and asked, “What?”

With her back to Jude, she asked, “What is that ring you’re wearing?”

There was nothing believable Jude could say, so she didn’t say anything at all. Just as she turned to leave, her mother added, “I married your father for love.”

Turning back around, Jude asked the question she had always wondered, “Why did you marry Brewster?”

“For security.” Her mother turned to meet her only daughter’s eyes and asked, “What will you marry for?”

Jude paused to think, but decided it wasn’t anything she wanted to share. Her heart, soul, and mind knew what she would marry for. She left, leaving her mother and that question in the bright room at the back of the house. As she walked up the stairs, Roman said, “Good morning, Hummingbird.”

“It is morning. As for good…”

“You doing okay?” When she looked down at him, he was smiling—warm and welcoming, a gladiator with the heart of the sun inside.

For him, Jude returned a smile, though it was small. She sighed, “I don’t know anymore.”

“You’re stronger than you realize.” He nodded.

Wanting to believe him, she said, “Sometimes I forget.”

“Remember who you are on the inside. You’re strong and fast. Smart and brave. Never forget who you are.”

When Ryan died, Roman had been there for her when her family had mentally checked out. When they returned to their day-to-day, like he had never existed, they blamed her, her stepfather leading the charge…

“If you hadn’t convinced him to go to California, he wouldn’t have been going to the luggage store.”

“You preyed on his kindness by convincing him of your lies. He could have gone to college here in the city. But no, you were always trying to get his attention and when he believed you, you wrote his death sentence.”

Her friend, her only friend other than Hazel, touched her shoulder. Her eyes flicked up to his and he said, “Be brave, Hummingbird.”

She nodded, taking his words to heart. In her room, she went to the back of her closet, dug into a pair of Prada heels, and pulled out Hazel’s phone number. She wanted to talk to him, to see him, to hold him, to cry for him, to marry him. But she wouldn’t call him. It would show on the bill. And she had to protect him from them, from her parents. She had to protect him for herself.

She tucked the number into her pocket, slipped on a pair of flats, and grabbed a light sweater, then waited on the edge of her bed for eleven o’clock. At ten fifty-eight she ran downstairs and out the front door. She had no time to waste, so she hailed a cab and went to Hazel’s apartment. She twisted the ring around her finger the whole ride over. Everything she felt for him hung in the balance of her heart, teetering between love and devastation. She needed to know how he was. She needed to see him, to touch him, to love him.

Entering his building made her feet lighter. She was being carried on the wings of euphoria, each step easier than the last. She wasn’t walking to her future. She was running toward it. Taking a breath, she held it, and knocked on his door.

The door opened and he stood there with his lips parted and confusion furrowing his brow. “Jude?”

Throwing herself forward, she jumped up and wrapped her body around his and kissed him. Then, again. He kicked the door closed and held her against it. When they parted, they remained close enough to share their panting breaths. He said, “You’re here.” When he pressed his abs against her center her head knocked hard on the wood and he kissed the exposed skin of her neck where it met her shoulder.

He was strong. He was virile. He was not sick. That much was obvious to her eyes, but she had to know for sure. “Hey,” she said, bringing his face up to see hers.

Lowering her down until her feet touched, he said, “I thought we were meeting at the park?”

“I couldn’t wait.”

His glorious smile chose to shine on her. “I’m glad you didn’t. Do you want to go to the bedroom?”

Giggling, she replied, “Yes, so much, but I need to talk to you first.”

“Okay.” He walked to the couch and she stared at him, stunned. Jeans that hung low. No shirt. Boxers peeking out the top, and a V that directed her eyes below the waistband. He was an alluring tease as he stood there waiting for her to join him. Sitting on the couch, he patted it. “C’mere.”

She started walking on shaky legs. As she passed the bar, she debated if she should stay there to preserve clarity. That seat next to him was tempting, but she knew she’d be flat on her back within seconds. So she hurried to his side and sat down. His hands were instantly on her. “You know how much I love this dress on you, but man, I want it off so badly.”

He lowered her straps, but she stopped him. “We need to talk first, then we can get to the action.” She backed up a bit and put her hands out. “Wait on that side of the couch or we’ll never get to talk.”

Chuckling, he moved. “I’ll be good. What do you want to talk about?”

“I want to marry you.”

Taylor automatically started moving closer to her again when she said that. “I’m glad to hear that. I want to marry you.”

“What were you thinking about for the ceremony? Because I was thinking we elope. Just do it.”

His eyes flashed with an excitement. “You want to go to City Hall? No ceremony? No white dress? No pomp and circumstance?”

“None of it. Just you and me, Hazel. That’s all I need.”

Suspicion crossed his face. “Has something happened with your family?”

“No, everything is fine.” She moved closer to him and touched his leg. Looking him in the eyes, she said, “I just want to be your wife for as long as we both shall live.” Testing him. Seeing if he would tell her.

He didn’t flinch. He only smiled bigger. “I want you to be my wife for as long as we both shall live too.” Looking down, he said, “I like that you’re still wearing the ring.”

“I’ll wear it the rest of my life.”

Touching her leg, he leaned in and kissed her. “So you really want to elope today?”

“I do.”

“You stole my line.”

“I think we can share it.”

“Fifty-fifty from here on out. Do you want to go shopping?”

“No,” she said, confidently. “It’s the dress I met you in. It’s the dress you tell me I’m beautiful in, so it’s the dress I want to marry you in.”

“To be fair, I tell you you look beautiful in everything you wear.”

“I can give you that,” she said, then laughed.

Standing up, he said, “Give me ten minutes and we can go.”

“I’ll give you a lifetime, if you give me yours.”

“Deal, baby.” He walked into the bedroom.

Jude sat on his couch, waiting, debating if she should tell him she knows.

Pro – If she tells him, he’ll know she married him despite his illness.

Con – If she tells him, he may change his mind about marrying her.

Pro – If she doesn’t tell him, one day he’ll know she married him despite his illness.

Con – If she doesn’t tell him, he may change his mind about marrying her.

Ugh! This was getting her nowhere. She would have to go with her gut.

Hazel came out and spun for her with some fancy footwork added for special effect. Smiling she said, “That’s my favorite suit on you.”

“It’s now my marrying suit.” He stuck his arm out for her. “You ready to go?”

“Ready.”

They spent three hours getting a birth certificate for Jude and then headed to the bureau. After some research online, they applied for the license and left, but Taylor still felt like he should apologize. “It’s only twenty-four hours.”

“We can wait twenty-four hours.”

They walked hand in hand down the street. “Hey, Jude?”

“Yeah?”

“What if you didn’t return home tonight? What if we started our life together now? What will happen?”

She tugged him closer. “They’ll be upset, but they’ll have to deal with it. We’ll be married when they see me again.” Stopping, she faced him. “We can petition for my rights or if I can’t get them, as my husband, you can.”

The tips of his fingers ran from her temple down her neck. Goose bumps covered her skin. “We’ll go to court and get your rights back. I promise. I’ll do everything in my power to give you your freedom back. I’ll do anything for you.”

“And I you. Do you know that? Anything. In sickness and in health,” she said quietly prodding for him to open up to her. She didn’t understand why he wouldn’t tell her about his disease or that Katherine was the one he was apparently supposed to marry at one point. But for some reason, he wouldn’t open up about those two things. Jude felt like she knew him—knew everything that was important—and she would marry him based on that, despite his secrets.

His eyes began searching hers as if she was onto something. “Yes, in sickness and in health,” he repeated then turned away, taking her hand and starting for home.

“I’M WARNING YOU, as your husband, beautiful. I’m going to want all of you. I want all your secrets and your soul.”

She squirmed beneath him, forgiving him of his own sin of denying her his secrets, as he lowered himself. “Don’t you know, Hazel? You’ve had all of me all along.”

He kissed her just above where she really wanted him. Teasing her. “You’re getting demanding.” Kiss. “Is this how marriage is going to be?”

“I can’t help it. You created a monster.”

“You’re lucky I find you so delectable.”

She knew exactly how fortunate she was. “I am. I’m the luckiest girl in the—” She gasped when he kissed her exactly where she had wanted. “Oh God, Hazel. I’m so lucky.” The tips of her fingers dragged slowly up her body as she murmured, “Lucky. Lucky. Luck! E.”

Shortly after, the starburst whitened the insides of her lids, and she returned the favor. He was left helplessly at her mercy until his body was teetering on the edge of ecstasy and what felt like death. Jude got up and kissed his chest. “I want you, babe, inside me.”

He sat up. “You want me? You get me on my terms. On your hands and knees.”

Her body clenched in anticipation. Even though they have had passionate sex, even some rough, play that was fun, he had never made demands of her. But she liked it. She liked feeling wanted sexually. Positioning herself, she felt his warm palms glide over her back and bottom before she felt a gentle pressure. Her breath was pushed out as he pushed in, holding her steady by the hips.

“God, Jude. You feel…” His words trailed off as he picked up his pace.

It didn’t take long before he slowed down, out of breath, and reached around her leg. Touching her between the legs, she needed him to move. “Please, Hazel. Faster. Harder. Move. Please.”

He stilled completely and chuckled. “I thought you said you never want it quick?”

“That was before you started torturing me with pleasure like this. God, please. I’m so close.” She squeezed, tempting him into action.

“You are very bad, Jude. So bad, but feel so good.” He grabbed her shoulders, and said, “Hold on.”

Minutes of beautiful torture were shared until they collapsed together onto the mattress. He moved to her side and kissed her cheek, tasting her sweat. “It’s almost tomorrow.”

She turned to look at the clock. “It is.” She smiled. “Are we going first thing?”

“We are.”

“Then what?”

“Then we tell your family and get your stuff.”

Rolling onto her back, she moved against his arm with her arm resting over him. “Can I go back to school?”

Watching her face as she kept her eyes lowered from his, he asked, “You want to finish your degree?”

“I have two years, but I missed too many days to get credit for the other courses.”

“Yes, I think you should finish school. I think you should do everything you haven’t gotten to do.”

The silence engulfed her gulp and she kept her tears at bay. They were happy tears but she didn’t want to cry again, not right now. “I don’t spend much.”

Kissing her cheek again, he leaned back on the pillow and stretched his arm behind his head. “I can afford it if you do.”

“I don’t know anything about your financials.”

“If my financials concern you, we should talk about them.”

Tilting her head down, she said, “I can’t contribute. I’ve never had a job and I don’t have my degree yet.”

His fingers went to her chin and he lifted her up. “I have a solid job and a large stake in my family’s company. We don’t have to worry about money, Jude. You don’t have to worry. You can leave your family behind, everything, and we can replace it all. You’re twenty-two. I had friends who didn’t graduate until they were twenty-six because they partied so hard in college. You can start this summer or fall and finish up. Then you can do what you want.”

She smiled at the thought. “I used to want to be in publishing. I wanted to be an editor. But I might want to be a librarian now. I like the calm environment.” His body tensed under her hand. “Oh my God, are you hard?”

“The librarian fantasy is a very real thing.”

She burst out laughing. “Good to know. Maybe you can check out my books.”

He rolled on top of her. Pushing her hair back from her face so he could look at her, really look at her. “I’d rather place my books in your slot.”

Grinning bigger than the sun, she lifted up, and kissed him. “You are a dirty, dirty boy.” They rolled over and made love again.

Taylor woke up to sunshine staring in from the outside and Jude ironing inside. He rubbed his eyes, and with a groggy voice he asked, “What are you doing?”

She spread the skirt of the chartreuse dress out on the board the best she could and replied, “I want to look pretty.”

“You’re always pretty.”

“I want to look extra pretty.” She ran the iron over the dress a few more times. “I’m going to the store in a few minutes. I want to buy some makeup.”

“I don’t want you to wear makeup. You don’t need it.”

Her eyes met his sleepy ones. “I have dark circles.”

“So do I.”

“My lashes are lighter.”

He shook his head. “I have no idea about my lashes.”

“I have a pimple. I don’t want a pimple in our wedding photo.”

“Where? Where is this so-called pimple because I’m pretty sure I covered your entire body with my mouth at some point or another and didn’t see one… or lick one.”

“Ew.”

He laughed and rolled onto his back, then yawned, closing his eyes and going back to sleep. When he woke up, he smelled food. Muffins to be precise. Lazily, he flipped the covers off and walked into the other room with a smile on his face. “Good morning.”

Jude turned around and presented a platter of muffins. “Good morning.”

“What kind of muffins did you bake?” he asked taking one, then taking a bite without waiting for a response.

“Blueberry. You had them in the fridge.”

“It’s really good. Thank you for making these.”

“My pleasure, soon-to-be-husband.” Her voice had an excited lilt to it, which made him smile again despite his mouth full of food. “The courthouse opens soon. I’m going to shower if you’re so inclined to join me.” She swaggered past him, naked, and so very tempting.

He shoved the rest of the muffin in his mouth and followed her.

An hour and a half later they stood in line with the number fifty-five in their hand. Jude was nervous and starting to take her anxiety out on Hazel. “You’re not allowed to take showers with me anymore.”

Teasing her, he tapped her nose. “Was I a water hog or a Jude hog?”

“Both. We lost an hour to your antics.”

“You didn’t mind those antics when we were in there.” His sexy arrogance was showing.

“That’s my point, Hazel. It’s like I have no self-control around you. Forget about saying no. I have no desire to turn you down, like ever. I could lose myself to you if I’m not careful.” She stated this as if it were of real concern.

“Nothing wrong with losing yourself in something you love.” He nudged her. “Anyway, that will just put us on an even playing field.”

She rested her head on his shoulder and her hand on his thigh. “They are up to twenty-four.”

Thirty minutes later…

“What’s that?” Jude pointed to the small leather-bound notebook Taylor carried.

His hand stilled with the small pencil in it. “That’s the sunroom.”

“Ohh. I like that.”

He watched her smile over his blueprints, and felt happy she liked the plans.

She pointed to another rectangle room on the pad. “What about this room?”

“That’s your library.”

She sat back with her mouth open and looked at him in disbelief. “I get a library?”

With an easygoing grin on his face, he said, “Of course. I have the plans at home, but I like to work on it when I’m out.”

“I can’t believe you’re creating our house.”

“So you like it so far?”

She kissed his cheek. “I love it.”

They both looked up when an announcement came out overhead. “Thirty-one.”

Forty-five minutes later…

Jude slid down in her chair, her arms hanging over and her legs straight out. “They sure do know how to suck the fun out of getting married.”

Taylor tapped her leg, then bent over and rested his forearms on his knees. “Not much longer. I can feel it.” With his body stationed, he lifted his gaze up to the number board. Forty-seven.

Thirty-eight minutes later…

“Fifty-five,” Taylor said, shaking Jude. “That us.”

“Thank God!”

“I thank God every day,” he added, taking her hand.

They turned in their number and were escorted down a short hall to a small room and told to wait.

In that moment, they looked at each other but the moment seemed to have stolen their voices.

Three minutes ticked by, the clock on the wall loud. Jude finally said, “I have no doubts, just in case you were wondering.”

“I wasn’t wondering, but is this like reverse psychology where you’re really reassuring yourself?”

She laughed, and it felt so good in the moment. “No, I really meant I have no doubts. We haven’t known each other that long, but I think you said it best when we first met. It feels like we’ve known each other our whole lives.”

Just as he leaned down to kiss her, the door opened and they stepped apart, not used to sharing what they mean to each other in public.

A man in a black robe stopped as if he was walking in on something he shouldn’t, but then he continued and said, “It’s okay to kiss her. She’s about to be your wife, son.” He set a book down on the table in the corner and introduced himself. Looking at the young couple, he went through his standard protocol. “So you want to get married?”

Taylor answered, “Yes, Sir. We do.”

He smiled, then looked at Jude. She returned a sweet smile, and squeezed his hand. “Yes. I very much want to marry him.”

“Very good. I reviewed your papers. Are you ready, Taylor and Judith?”

“We are,” they answered together.

“Repeat after me.” He went through the civil ceremony vows they had chosen.

Facing each other with their hands held tightly together, Jude looked into the eyes she fell in love with, the ones that held hope and possibility, an impossible sexiness. “I, Judith Ann Boehler, take you, Taylor Hazel Barrett, to be my husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward through sorrow and joy, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish as long as we both shall live.”

The justice reassured her with a nod, then turned his attention to Taylor and repeated the vows that Taylor had memorized already. He faced Jude. “I, Taylor Davis Barrett, take you, Judith Jude Boehler, to be my wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward though sorrow and joy, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish as long as we both shall live.”

“By the power granted me by the state of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Now’s a good time to kiss her, again.”

Jude stared into her own forever, her heart racing, and her chest swelling with love. Taylor cupped Jude’s face and leaned down to her. When their lips were almost touching, her eyes closed, and he whispered, “I will always love you, Jude, and I will always protect you,” and he kissed her.