Chapter 16

Jude had an evil streak a mile long. Why else would he have planted that strawberries and cream idea in my head?

Especially right before I had to drive home and explain to my mom why I needed to pack a bag full of clothes because I'd continue to be away for an undetermined time.

Oh, I knew why he had. He wanted to make sure I wanted him. Wanted more.

Maybe he even wanted to ensure I'd return, although why he'd ever think I wouldn't mystified me. The guy had made me come over and over. He was hot as hell. He had an adorable son who I enjoyed spending time with. Where was the bad side?

None, that was where.

True, we'd not spoken for half a week but I'd needed some time just to…settle. To come to terms with the options on the table.

And oh, how I had.

Even his occasional mercurial personality quirks just increased the interest factor. Maybe something was wrong with me. I probably shouldn't react this way to him.

But between his innate sexiness and his brooding dark blue eyes and his bouts of cluelessness about caring for his son, I was definitely reeled in.

Best of all? He so wasn't a fumbling boy like the ones I'd known in my past. Jude was all man—and could come twice without recovery time between to prove it.

Truthfully, I was fairly sure he'd already ruined me for other men.

I parked in the driveway at my parents' house beside Christian's cruiser and steeled myself for whatever awaited me inside. I glanced down at what I'd put on after my nap. I'd put on some new denim shorts and a T-shirt I'd picked up and tied the shirt off over my bare midriff so it looked sort of stylish.

I hoped.

Inhaling deeply, I grabbed my purse and rushed up the front steps to the door. I was about to use my key to go inside when Christian's authoritative voice boomed out loud and clear.

"What do you expect me to do? She's an adult, twenty-one, and can stay with whomever she wants to, no matter how ill-advised."

Yeah, okay, maybe I'd just use Jude's credit card to buy a whole new wardrobe rather than gathering my own clothes. He'd given me his card to use, so perhaps he wouldn't mind.

And why did Dare have such a big mouth? Because, really, it had to have been Dare spreading this crap around town. He'd even brought up Christian when he'd stopped by Jude's, and here was the man in question, claiming he couldn't intercede in my life.

Which, hallelujah, if he really meant it.

I had my doubts.

"She's not the average twenty-one-year-old, and you know it!"

I didn't know what my mother meant by that. Honestly, I wasn't sure I wanted to. Granted, I didn't date much, but that hadn't even been applicable here because I'd just stayed at Jude's for a while, and then I'd joined him in his shower. No dating necessary.

See, I was a problem solver.

"What do you mean by that, Mom?" Christian asked.

Yeah, Mom, what do you mean by that?

"She's innocent."

"What kind of innocent?"

If my mom thought I was still a virgin, we were going to have a talk. Without many details, because, hello, gross, but still.

I was half tempted to just turn around and go back to Jude's and wing it on the whole clothing thing, but a plaintive meow sounded at the screen door. I looked down to see my Fergus sitting on the other side of the door, his head cocked, as he asked in his own manner what his mama was doing outside instead of oh, coming in to feed him. Or cleaning his box. Or maybe both.

I really hoped he was doing okay on that score since I'd been gone an awfully long time.

Sorry, Fergus, Mama got really lucky and abdicated her parental cat duties. To pay for it, I will now be on trial to account for my orgasmic sins.

Yet somehow I had no shame. No one had gotten hurt. Sure, my parents had worried a little, which I felt bad about, but still, I was twenty-one. Not like my brothers had ever been held to the same standard, even when they'd still been living at home.

I didn't remember them going on any extended sleepovers without prior discussion, true. But still.

My mother charged over to the door and scooped up Fergus. "Maddie? Are you okay? Why are you standing outside?"

"I was waiting for you two to stop discussing me."

"Oh, you heard that?" My mom winced then she cocked her head. "How much, exactly, did you hear?"

Christian moved up behind her and rested his ginormous hands on her shoulders. "We are just worried about you, pumpkin spice. Have you really not been home all week?"

He hadn't used that nickname for me in years. Its reappearance now was not cute.

"Not the entire week." I cleared my throat. "But yeah, I wasn't here. Sorry. And I won't be for some more time. Not sure how long." I opened the screen door, pleased to find it unlocked. No need to dig out my keys, although they left the screen door unlocked most of the time. Just not as often when Christian was over because he was Mr. Safety.

Which made my brain track to the condoms I had not used, and within seconds, my cheeks were burning up with my embarrassment. Yep, I was definitely a candidate for maturity.

"Like how much more, Maddie?" my mom asked.

I cleared my throat again. "Jude wants me to be a live-in sort of nanny."

"Oh, I just bet he does," Christian muttered, making me roll my eyes before I held out my arms to my mom so she would hand me Fergus.

She did, reluctantly, and I nuzzled his furry gray cheeks until he gave in and started purring.

"Where did you get all this?" I demanded, motioning between my brother and my mother. "I didn't even have time yet to talk to you much about the job. It just happened."

"You're already the talk of the town. Dare mentioned he dropped your car off, its repairs paid for by Mr. Moneybags," Christian added testily, "and that you came out half asleep during the afternoon. Which concerned him on a number of levels. And he didn't even know you hadn't come home all week."

"I called." I held up a hand. "Belatedly. Sorry. I'll keep you more informed, Mom." Then I tilted my head. "And as far as Dare is concerned, did he assume I'd been roofied before a sex marathon? Why is sleeping so questionable?"

"Madison," my mother gasped.

"Taking a nap is not worthy of concern, Mom. I've taken many naps while in this house too."

"All of it is just strange behavior from you, especially when combined together," Christian interjected. "You aren't an unknown quantity, but this Jude guy is. We don't know him."

"You met him the very first day I did!"

"Even so," my brother said evenly, "I don't feel like I know him in any kind of way. Reagan's worried about you."

I let out a gusty sigh. "Tell me something I don't know."

"I'm going to drive over there and let him know I have my eye on him."

"Oh, God, please do not. Do not embarrass me like that, Christian."

"Then don't go back there until I have time to get a read on him."

"And how exactly are you going to do that? Nope, never mind, don't want to know. I'm packing my bags with some clothes and necessities and I'm out of here. Oh, and Fergus is coming with me." I stomped up the stairs before they had time to lock me in the basement.

The basement we didn't even have, unless they'd used my time away to whip up a dungeon I could be chained in for my own good.

I rushed into my bedroom and deposited my cat on my bed before I yanked out my duffel bag and began tossing clothes inside. I didn't even make sure the stuff went together. I just wanted options, fast.

Then I dug through my vanity drawers for some makeup. I came across the ancient pack of condoms I'd had forever, and I stopped to consider. I wasn't even sure they were still good, but I tossed them in my duffel just the same. Not that Jude would probably even want to use them. I could always insist on it, and otherwise, I would not touch him.

Much as I hated that idea.

I still didn't get why he hadn't insisted on them. He already had a three-year-old kid he hadn't anticipated. Did he want another?

No, that didn't make any sense. He just must've been really into the moment. As I had been too, obviously, telling him to come inside me. But I'd merely meant it in the sexy way, not the hey, fill me with your sperm so I get knocked up way.

I rubbed my achy forehead as a knock sounded on my doorjamb. "Come in," I said tiredly, only realizing what my brother was looking at in my bag when I saw where the damn condoms had landed.

Right on top.

"Maddie," Christian began as I rushed to zip up my bag. First, I had to remove Fergus from where he'd curled up, prepared to snooze his worries away. "I already saw them. What's going on with you?"

"It's good to be safe." I swallowed hard and hoped he didn't press me on that point since I so had not been.

"Acknowledged, but you don't even know this man. He's a good bit older than you too."

"So?"

"Just saying. He's at a different level of life experience."

"Did you think about that when you got with Honey?"

When his jaw tightened, I held up a hand. "Sorry. Low blow."

"It was something that concerned me, yes." He huffed out a breath as he sat on the edge of my bed and scratched the back of Fergus's head. "You're so level-headed. If something is up with you, just let me know, and I'll do whatever I can to help you."

Frustrated tears popped into my eyes and I tipped back my head until I could blink them away. I was just overtired and overstimulated and not sure what the hell I was doing. But I was doing what felt right.

"I like being with them, Jude and his son. I don't really know them, but I like spending time with them. And I was gone for so long because I took some time to think. Is that so awful?"

"No, of course not. You know I understand. Just go slow, okay? Don't be rushed into anything. Or if you get weird feelings, just come home. We're always here for you."

I smiled and gave him a quick hug. "You'll always be my favorite big brother."

"Pretty sure that's a lie, but I'll accept it." He rose from my bed and brushed a hand over my braid. "Maybe while you're here, you can give Rea a call so she doesn't worry herself to death."

"I will. Is she going with you guys to the fireworks tomorrow? I'm assuming you're taking the fam."

"Yeah. We're bringing Jacob. Not sure he'll be into all the noise and excitement, but it's our first holiday as four. Also, the last one before the wedding."

"You're very much a sap." I gave him another quick hug, "And I love it."

"Honey is starting to freak out with the wedding in just a few weeks. Most of the planning is done now, and it's just a matter of her fitting in her dress. As if she could look anything but stunning." He rolled his eyes.

"Have you said that to her?"

"I tell her all the time how beautiful she is. But she keeps fretting about losing the last few pounds of baby weight…"

"I'll talk to her."

"Would you? I'd appreciate that."

"Sure." I could use some Honey time. As much as I loved Rea, Honey was a few years older and less focused on certain danger around every corner. And I definitely could use a different female perspective on the opposite sex.

Preferably one who wouldn't blab to Christian, so I wasn't certain Honey was the right choice. But I'd play it by ear.

"Also, have you finally RSVP'd?"

"As if I wouldn't go. I just didn't have a plus one and didn't know how to answer on that score."

My brother looked away, swallowing hard. "If you want to bring him, you can. We'll just leave an extra space for you and you can do what feels right on that day."

"Okay, thanks."

Christian left a few minutes later and then my mom stopped by my room to ask if I needed money so I could pay back Jude for the car items he'd paid for. I told her he'd be taking the cost out of my pay, although I don't know how convincing I was since I had no idea what that pay would end up being.

Or if it would end up being.

Maybe things had shifted when I'd slipped into his shower? I just had no idea.

Our conversation ended abruptly when Mr. Brooks called to ask if I could work a few hours because three of his part-timers had called in sick, and with the holiday tomorrow, he didn't want to close if anyone needed any arrangements at the last minute.

Of course I said yes, though after I took a quick shower, I realized I couldn't take Fergus with me when I was going to work a shift before I went back to Jude's.

"Fergie, don't worry, Mama won't forget you again. Maybe I'll come back tomorrow after fireworks and take you over to Jude's then. How does that sound?" I kissed his nose where he was curled up on my bed, but then I recalled exactly how much Fergus did not like the loud noises that came with the annual holiday display.

Not to mention, Jude's house was very close to the lake, which meant very close to the fireworks.

"On second thought, it's probably better if you spend tomorrow night here with your family. But the next day, it's on. Assuming Jude is cool with cats, and he better be, because cats are the best." I rubbed Fergus under his chin, his favorite, and was immediately rewarded with his rumbling purrs and then even a belly rub, as he rolled on his back, paws up.

That was a truly rare, special treat.

While I was giving him some extra lovings to make up for being gone, I remembered that I was supposed to go with Jude and Owen to get his new sneakers. But I couldn't let Alan down again. I'd been MIA for the better part of a week. I'd just work a few hours and then I'd go back to Jude's.

Maybe we could take Owen for more sneakers tomorrow before the big fireworks shindig.

And I couldn't call to let him know I'd be longer than I'd planned because we hadn't exchanged numbers. We'd already had sex, but we didn't even have each other's numbers. Why was everything between us so backward?

It would only be a few hours. No big deal.