“Careful,” she teased. “I might get jealous again.”
I laughed. “I don’t ever want you jealous. You hear me?”
She nodded. “Okay.”
I lowered my face to hers with a hand on one side of her face. My lips pressed on hers and I sighed, deepening the kiss. I meant this. I’d tried for so long to avoid her mouth—to pretend it was only meant for sucking and fucking—but this was ten times better than any of that.
Her mouth was sweet and her lips were so soft. I’d been missing out on claiming these lips—truly owning and devouring these sweet, pouty lips.
She got excited when she felt my cock getting hard in my pants. I could tell she didn’t want to, but she broke the kiss to reach down and unbuckle my belt.
She moved to the middle of the bed and I moved forward on my knees, taking my tie off and unbuttoning my shirt. My pants came down next and I kicked them off, and when I got rid of my boxers, Jenna sat up higher looking up at me with big, doe-like eyes.
“Go ahead,” I murmured, and she eagerly did as told.
That beautiful, sweet mouth of hers wrapped around my cock and I let out a heavy groan, resting a palm on the back of her head.
She took me deep down her throat and then came back up for air, still staring up at me.
“God, you’re so beautiful, babe,” I rasped. “So fucking beautiful.”
She was sucking my cock like she’d been dying to suck it and after dealing with the frustrations of that night, I was about to blow. I pulled her mouth away, clutching her hair and tugging on it lightly. I bent over, keeping her face up in the air, and kissed her mouth, sucking on her bottom lip.
She moaned and I pushed forward, laying her back. Her shorts came down in a flash and I got between her legs. I couldn’t wait any longer. I needed to be inside her.
One full, hard thrust, and I was buried deep. Her chin dropped as she stared up into my eyes.
“Show me,” she whispered. “Show me that you really love me.”
Her words were fucking hypnotizing. From that moment on, I had no self-control. I drove in and out, sliding a palm up her arm until I found her fingers, and kissing her like my life depended on it.
She squeezed the hand that’d found hers and used her other hand to sink her fingernails into my hip. I grunted, my cock hard as hell inside her. I was on the verge of coming.
“Say you love me,” she begged on my lips. “Tell me.”
The sensations had taken full control of me. I dropped my face into the crook of her neck, giving full, hard thrusts, repeating the action over and over again until I felt her clenching around me.
“Oh, Jude, yes,” she breathed out. “Yes.”
I picked my head up again, kissing her harder. Once. Twice. “I love you, Jenna Taylor,” I breathed on her lips. “I fucking love you.”
And with those words alone, she shattered.
She came all over my cock, her legs wrapped like steel around me, leaving me no choice but to come inside her.
“Oh, shit!” I dropped my head again, grabbing her ass with my other hand. “Shit, Jenna. You’re so amazing.”
She whimpered and moaned, shuddering beneath me.
“Fuck,” I panted, rolling over and catching my breath.
Jenna moved closer, resting her head on my chest. Then she said the words I never thought I wanted to hear a woman say. Words that would have scared me months ago, but instead made me feel like the greatest man on earth.
“I love you too, Judas Clement,” she whispered. “So much.”
TWENTY
JENNA
A loud knock woke us up the next morning.
I sat up and rubbed my eyes as Jude groaned, rolling to his side. We were in his bed, completely naked beneath the sheets.
The knocking happened again and Jude pushed out of the bed, going for his pants that were on the floor, and sliding into them.
“Open the goddamn door, Jude!” the voice yelled from the other side and my eyes stretched wide.
Shit! Michaela!
“How did she find you?” I asked hurriedly. I hopped out of bed and picked up one of Jude’s dress shirts, sliding my arms into it and buttoning it quickly.
“My mother knows what hotel I stay at when I come here,” he grumbled as he peered through the peephole. He sighed and looked over his shoulder at me just as I was about to dip off and slink into my room to hide.
“No, Jenna.” He shook his head. “Stay.”
“But she’ll—”
“I don’t give a damn what she does,” he said, voice still thick and deep with sleep. “I’m not hiding you anymore.”
It was a bad idea and I knew it, but I swallowed hard and nodded anyway. I sat in the recliner and when Jude opened the door, I practically held my breath.
Michaela came waltzing in like she owned the place, wearing a pink sweater, jeans, and red-bottomed heels. “Please tell me your mother is lying,” she hissed at him. “Please tell me this is some kind of sick, twisted—”
She was about to go on a rampage with him, but then her eyes went over his shoulder and she spotted me. I sat up a little higher, pressing my lips together.
Michaela scoffed, taking a step to the left to get a better look at me. She must have realized I was in his shirt because her head shook, and she shut her eyes for a brief moment and throwing her hands in front her before focusing on him again.
“I want her gone.” She faced him. “I want her fired immediately.”
“You can’t tell me who to fire, Michaela.”
“If we are to be married then yes, I can.”
“But we aren’t.” Jude quirked a brow. I noticed he was still holding the door open. “Let’s make something clear, Michaela. I don’t love you—hell, I hardly even like you. Whatever my parents arranged with your parents is between them, but I’m sure it will be over soon.”
“How?” she barked. “You need me—”
Jude’s chuckle stopped her from talking. “Wrong. I don’t need you at all. I never have. My parents may rely on your family’s bullshit, but I don’t. I don’t need it and I don’t need you. I’m a businessman, which means it is my job to find other ways to keep myself afloat, other than having to rely on marrying a woman I literally despise.”
Michaela was shocked. Tongue-tied.
“You won’t show up at my office anymore. You won’t call, or text me, or tell me what to do because you think you own me. Your family thinks I’m their pet—their dog—but they’re wrong in that aspect. See, my parents may go and fetch their little bones and wag their tails when they call, but I won’t. I’m the fucking owner and no one will have a claim over me.”
Wow. I had never heard Jude talk this way to her. And better yet, I had never seen Michaela at such a loss for words.
“You can leave now,” Jude told her, looking out the door.
She let out a short, dry laugh, staring at him as if she had more to say, but couldn’t find the right words. Then she looked back at me, shaking her head.
“Slut,” she spat, and then she stormed out of the door. The door that Jude had no problem slamming behind her.
Jude sighed, coming toward me. He pulled me to a stand and then cupped my face in his large hands. “She’s the slut,” he chuckled, and I laughed, dropping my gaze.
“Did I ruin things?” I asked softly.
“No.” He kissed me on the lips. A full, warm, slightly damp kiss that made heat swim to my core. “You made things better, baby.” He picked me up in his arms, taking long strides to get back to the bed. “Today is Sunday.” He smirked, looking at me with mellow eyes.
I laughed and he kissed my lips first, then kissed his way down. “My favorite day of the week.”
I flew back home with Jude the next morning. His mom wanted him to meet her for breakfast but he told her he had things to catch up on. He knew all she was going to do was talk him back into being with Michaela and he wasn’t in the mood for it.
Christmas was co
ming, which meant that our hours were going to be shorter in the office. I had to catch up on some work by that upcoming Wednesday and then the rest of the week would be mine.
Jude drove me to my apartment when we landed. I wanted to talk to him a little more about Saturday night, but I also didn’t want to ruin the moment. One of our hands were clasped together as he drove with his left hand on the steering wheel, and I couldn’t help the smile that swept over me every few seconds.
He was holding my hand.
He was driving me home.
Maybe he did love me.
Jude had to meet with someone for dinner, so I spent that night alone, but of course I couldn’t stop thinking about him. I told Carrie all about my misadventure when she got home and she devoured every single word. She couldn’t believe he’d stood up for me—that he’d actually kissed me and wanted more.
I couldn’t believe it either.
The next morning, I was on my way to work early.
I needed to see him. He’d sent me a text last night and told me he’d be in the office in the morning, which meant I had to be patient. I could only be patient for so long. I got to the Clement building around 7:00 a.m. and took the elevator up with a smile, eager to see him.
But as soon as I walked through the doors, my smile immediately collapsed.
Mrs. Clement and Janelle were standing in Jude’s office, and as soon as they heard the elevator chime, they looked back at me.
It was clear they were not happy to see me.
TWENTY-ONE
JENNA
Jude was in there as well, and it seemed they’d been going back and forth for a while now. Janelle seemed irritated at that point while Mrs. Clement was trying to uphold her patience.
I placed my things down on my desk and sat, but as I turned my computer on, Janelle came marching out of his office, cursing “Fuck this” beneath her breath. She was about to go straight for the elevator, but then she stopped, coming back and standing in front of my desk.
“I hope you’re happy, Jenna. You’ve cost us a big deal,” she growled lowly.
“I—I didn’t mean for this to happen.”
“Oh, please. Yes, you did. Every time I saw you, you made googly eyes at him. You’ve wanted my brother ever since you laid eyes on him. Don’t pretend you weren’t after his heart.”
Well, shit. Maybe I was. Maybe I did want his heart. Was it so bad to love him? For him to love me? These are questions I wanted to ask, but I kept my mouth shut and watched the anger radiate off her.
Janelle rolled her eyes and walked away from me, stalking toward the elevator. When she got into it, I could hear her jam her finger into the button. The doors closed right away. I was glad she was gone.
One down, one more to go.
I could hear Mrs. Clement talking. Her voice was getting louder by the second. I stood from my desk and walked to the filing cabinet, pretending to sift through it. From there I could see her very clearly, as well as Jude, who was sitting on the edge of his desk with his arms folded and an aggravated look on his face.
“Since she can’t keep her hands to herself, I think it’s safe to acknowledge that she needs to be fired,” Mrs. Clement said.
“No, Mom.” Jude stood up, squaring his shoulders and clenching his jaw. “She’s not fired. I told Michaela this yesterday morning and now I’m telling you.”
Mrs. Clement looked at him with wide eyes, appalled. “Excuse me?”
“Jenna is my secretary,” Jude continued. “I’m the C.E.O of Clement Architecture, so that means I make the decisions. I control what goes on here. Dad gave this place to me, not you or Janelle. Unlike you two, I don’t react emotionally. I think things through. Being with Jenna doesn’t affect the business. It doesn’t ruin anything and nothing will change. She is not fired. In fact, I’m thinking about giving her a raise for working so hard and putting up with the hell she received from all three of you.”
I smiled at that, but kept listening.
“You mean working so hard to get in your pants.” Mrs. Clement shook her head, taking a few steps closer to him. “Judas, you will fire that girl and be with Michaela. She’s already agreed to forgive you and to make it work. She hasn’t told her father yet but I’m sure she will if you don’t make amends with her. That secretary can easily be replaced and we can get you one that will be less of a distraction for you.”
“I don’t want her to be replaced,” he snapped. “I want her as my secretary and that’s what she’ll be. And you know what?” Jude walked around his desk. “I’m sick of this arranged marriage bullshit. I couldn’t give two fucks about Michaela. She’s not the woman I want to be with and she isn’t my type.”
Mrs. Clement gasped, stunned.
Jude continued. “We don’t need her or her father’s investment anymore, Mom. I worked out a deal where our futures and the future of the company will be safe. The Joles are offering way more than Mr. King is even willing to put up. Why put ourselves under someone else’s thumb when we can do it ourselves?”
Mrs. Clement was about to speak, but the words failed her.
“You fail to realize that we don’t need them—that I don’t need them,” he said. “I am good at this and you know it, so stop treating me like a child, stop trying to force me to date selfish women who you know aren’t good for me, and let me live my life the way I want to live it.”
How could I not smile? I bit my bottom lip, grabbing a folder and walking back to my desk. From there, I could still hear their heated debate.
“You love this girl,” Mrs. Clement said, her voice flat, like she was just now coming to the realization. “Why?” The question was incredulous.
“Because she treats me like a man and doesn’t expect me to eat out of the palm of her hand. She treats me ten times better than Michaela ever would. She loves me just as much as I love her and I’m not about to sacrifice my happiness just so you and Janelle can have your way. I’ve worked out a deal with the Joles. The contracts have already been signed and Dad has seen them. He’s okay with it. In fact, he said I did a superb job of landing such a large investment. Go ask him yourself. I’m sure he’ll tell you all about it.”
“I just…I can’t believe you’re doing this.” She sighed, and I saw her take a step back. “You deserve better than this, Judas. You know it.”
“She’s everything I could ask for in a woman, Mom.” Jude met up to her and held her shoulders. “I’m happy—truly happy for the first time in my life. I…I feel like I can’t live without her. I see her and I feel my heart beat a little faster. I have never experienced that with a woman.” He paused and my heart was booming, my breaths shallow. I didn’t want to breathe too loudly, for fear that I’d miss what he had to say next. “You always told me not to kiss until I was sure—not to fall for a woman unless she deserved my love. Well Jenna does. She may not be what you expected, but she’s who I want. Am I not allowed to be happy?”
She inhaled deeply and then let it go. “Of course, you are, Judas. I only want you to be happy. I just…” She sighed. She had nothing more to say on the matter. That, or Jude was giving her a stern look.
Mrs. Clement stepped back and straightened her back. “I want the contracts sent to me so I and the attorney can look over it too. Make sure there aren’t holes in it.”
“Sure.”
I heard her heels click on the marble floor. “I’ll see you for Christmas,” she murmured, and then she turned quickly, walking out of his office, trying so damn hard to cling to her pride.
She was coming my way and I panicked, keeping my eyes down, focusing on the words on the paper below me. She stopped for a brief moment, clearing her throat.
I looked up, meeting hard blue eyes.
“I expect to see you for Christmas too,” she insisted. “You and I have a lot to talk about.” She trotted away and was on the elevator, going down in no time. I let out a small sigh of relief.
“Think I got through to her?” I looked up and found Jude l
eaning against the wall with his arms folded.
I grinned, pushing out of my seat and walking around the desk to meet up to him. He dropped his arms to wrap me up in them and I leaned in, kissing his lips.
“I’ve never spoken to her that way,” he confessed. “But I was tired of them treating me like a child. I should be able to be with whomever I want to be with. Love whomever I wish to love.”
“You should,” I agreed. “You did good.”
“Thank you, Miss Taylor.”
I smiled. “You think I should show for Christmas? Feels a little too soon…”
“The sooner they realize this is real, the better.”
“I guess. I can’t believe you said all those thing about me. You’re…happy with me?”
“I am.” He smiled, showing off his beautiful, pearly teeth.
“Michaela will be so pissed,” I teased. “Losing Judas Clement to a secretary.”
He chuckled, low and deep. “The best secretary on this earth.”
He wrapped a hand around the back of my neck and brought his face closer to mine. It seemed that after that first kiss, he couldn’t get enough of kissing me. I couldn’t blame him. I couldn’t get enough either. I melted in his arms, letting him take charge. Letting him devour me, making up for all the months we hadn’t kissed.
I loved this man.
I loved him so much.
Now, nothing would stand between us, and that thought alone made me the happiest girl in the world.
TWENTY-TWO
JUDAS
Six Months Later
“Hold still. You need some on your back too.” Jenna squirted some sunscreen into her palm and began lathering it on my back. I looked at the pool in front of me, a warm breeze blowing by. We were on vacation.
I hadn’t had a vacation in years, but Jenna insisted that we go on one so I could let loose and forget about work for a while. It felt fucking impossible to do and because I always felt the need to check my cellphone, Jenna took it away and hid it, telling me I would get it back when the vacation was over.
Crave: The Nora Heat Collection Page 9