Fourteen

Fourteen

Max

I wanted so badly for Jude to tell me the rest of his story. I could tell it was deeper and darker than he had let on. But he wasn’t willing—or ready—to tell me the rest, so I didn’t push him on it. Lord knew there were things about Patrick I could never talk about. It hurt too much. But Jude’s obviously hurts in a different way.

It’s unfathomable to me how someone could hurt him. He’s rough and can obviously take care of himself, but there’s a vulnerability and tenderness to him that takes my breath away. My soul can feel it. He’s been through hell too, just on a different level.

When I pull open the front door to the bar, I’m bolstered by how packed it is. It’s usually pretty slow at this time of day, but we always have the people who believe it’s five o’clock somewhere.

I make my way to the bar, where Rowan’s making drinks and trying to keep up with all the orders. I’m about to offer to help when I see Jude with his back to Rowan behind the bar, making an incredible looking martini.

He flashes a charming smile at the man he hands it to, and the young guy stammers out a thank you. I glance around and realize quite a few of these people must be here for him. How long has he been behind the bar?

When Rowan catches my eye, he offers an apologetic half-smile. “Sorry,” he says when I get through the crush of people to reach the bar. “Someone was recording in here and posted it on some social media website, and the place was packed before I could even call Delilah in.”

“What did they record?” I ask. We have a social media presence that definitely helps bring in customers but not like this.

“Um…” Rowan glances back at his brother. “Someone took a video of Jude playing around behind the bar. I shouldn’t have let him back here. I’m sorry.”

I wave his apology away with a hand. “When it relaxes a bit in here, could you send him to the office?”

“Sure.”

Even though I’d rather stay and watch Jude in action, I turn and make my way into my office, shutting the door in an attempt to drown out the noise.

But I don’t get much work done, even with the muted sound. I keep thinking about Jude on the couch last night. In the shower before. In my bed the other day. I’d told him I wasn’t ready to be in another long-term relationship yet, but I’ve been wondering all morning if that’s true.

It figures the first guy I really like isn’t staying in town longer than a week.

***

About an hour later, there’s a knock on my door, and my heart jumps into my throat.

“Come in,” I call, trying to look unaffected.

The door opens, and Jude steps into the office, a half-smile pulling his lips up at the corner. “You wanted to see me?”

“Yeah.” I clear my throat as he closes the door. “I just wanted to make sure that was okay…what was going on out there.”

Jude’s smile widens a little. “You called me back here to ask that? You’ve been in here for an hour. If it did bother me, that was kind of a weird way to stop it.”

My cheeks warm. “I didn’t love the idea of talking about it in front of Rowan. But I don’t want you thinking I’m trying to use you.”

A strange look crosses over his face, softening his smile. “I didn’t think that. Unless you planted that woman in the crowd to start recording me.”

“No, I definitely didn’t do that.”

“Then why’s it bothering you?”

I watch his face for a minute. I think it would bother him if I told him it has to do with last night. Even though Jude wouldn’t really go into detail about his ex, it obviously hurt him. And I think it was on a deeper level than he’s willing to admit. I just don’t want him thinking I’d use him in any way.

When the silence stretches, I finally shrug. “I guess I just don’t like the idea of guys looking at you.”

Heat fills Jude’s eyes. “I never would’ve thought you were a territorial kind of guy.”

“Well, how do you think you would’ve liked it? If you’d come in and seen those guys staring at me?”

“Well, I would never let that happen,” Jude says, his voice darkening. “If I saw anyone looking at you like that, I’d let them know you were unavailable.”

Heat shoots into my stomach, but I try to ignore it. “How?”

“How would I let people know you were unavailable?” Jude smiles and reaches his hand back to lock the door. “Why don’t you stand up, and I’ll show you?”

The heat in my stomach grows, spreading to my arms and legs. Slowly, I stand. My brain tries to tell me this is completely unprofessional to do at work, but I ignore it. I just want to feel Jude again.

“Take your clothes off,” Jude orders.

I don’t hesitate to strip. Maybe I should be embarrassed by how quickly I do it, but I’m not. Especially when Jude’s gaze runs over my body, and there’s nothing but hunger in his eyes.

“So you want to know how I would let everyone know you’re unavailable?” Jude’s voice is low as he moves closer to me. He lowers his mouth to my shoulder and bites.

I hiss at the sharp sting of pain, and Jude runs his tongue over it.

“No bites?” he teases before sucking on my neck hard enough to leave a mark. “How about a hickey? That certainly sends a signal.”

I reach out and grab his hips, trying to pull him closer.

“You feeling greedy today?” Jude asks with a slight laugh. He trails a hand down my back to the curve of my ass, where he grabs a handful of my cheek. He slides a finger along my crack. “You want something?”

I nod pathetically. I don’t care how he takes me. All I care about is that he gets in me as soon as possible.

I expect him to bend me over the desk, but instead, he grips my waist and lifts me up onto the edge of it. Then he tilts his head and brushes his lips over mine. It’s a soft kiss that barely lasts a second, but I feel it shoot through my body. I don’t think Jude realizes how electrifying he is.

Jude pulls away. “Lie back.”

I do what he says, lying back on the desk, my head resting on the stack of files I’d just gotten through.

Jude runs a hand down my stomach, on the inside of my thigh. I shiver at the lazy touch, and it makes him grin.

Then he kneels and lifts my legs to rest on his shoulders. Without hesitation, he leans forward and licks a stripe up my ass.

I cry out and feel Jude smile against my skin.

“Quiet, now. You don’t want people to hear, do you?” It’s the only warning he gives before diving back in, eating me out like no one ever has before. When his tongue slides past my tight ring of muscle, I press a hand to my mouth to smother my moan.

Jude’s relentless, using one hand to fondle my balls as he eats my ass. My thighs are trembling on either side of his head, and I need to come so bad that it hurts.

“Jude,” I breathe. “I need to…”

“So do it,” Jude replies, his voice muffled from his position.

“I can’t. I…” I thrust my hips, my cock seeking friction. I feel lightheaded and hungry with want. How the hell can Jude do this to me? Make me feel like this so quickly?

Jude laughs a little and moves up, taking my cock deep into his mouth. As soon as that tight, wet heat surrounds me, I come with a shout, spilling down his throat.

Jude takes all of it, keeping my cock in his mouth until I’m spent and dry.

I collapse back against the desk, my heart pounding.

Jude straightens a bit so he can lay a hand on my stomach, but he’s still between my legs. “Okay?”

“Yeah.” The word barely makes it out of me, I’m panting so hard.

“You think you can take me?”

“Yeah.” In truth, I’m not a hundred percent sure. It’s going to hurt like hell because of the sensitivity from the orgasm, but there’s a small part of me that doesn’t mind the pain. Because the pleasure on Jude’s face will knock it out.

I reach blindly to the left, opening a drawer to pull out a condom and hand it to him.

He rips it open quickly and slides it on, keeping his gaze on my face the whole time. “Green?”

I nod before I realize I’m doing it, and he lifts one of my legs high so I’m a little twisted. Then he smacks my ass twice. It burns, and I hiss at the intensity.

“How many times am I going to have to tell you to use your fucking words?” Jude demands. Then he spreads my legs and slides inside of me in one long thrust.

I cry out at the suddenness, and fuck, it hurts. More than I anticipated. But I’m not about to tell him to stop.

Jude sets a punishing pace, dragging almost all the way out before slamming back into me hard enough to scoot my desk.

“I think you don’t use words on purpose,” Jude says, his words coming out on a pant. “I think you like getting your ass spanked. Is that it?”

I don’t respond. I do like it. I think I might love it. It turns me on that he takes control like that over me.

“I asked you a question,” Jude says, punctuating each word with a sharp thrust. “Fucking answer me.”

“Yes.” The word is barely a whisper, but Jude hears it.

“Yes what?” he asks.

“Yes, I like it when you spank me.” My face is hot, my ass is on fire and throbbing. It’s the best I’ve felt in a long time.

“Fuck.” The word is guttural as it leaves him. His hips snap against me again and again, until I’m squirming and panting from the sensitivity.

Jude slows a little, watching my face. So I say, “Green. Go ahead, Jude. Take what you want.”

He thrusts into me one more time before he comes, whispering my name.