Fool for Him (Foolish at Heart Book 1)

by R. C. Martin

  “Okay. So, he’s not a weeknight kind of guy.”

  “But it’s my birthday. And I—”

  I stopped myself from vomiting all my insecurities. The truth was, I let him touch me, and I touched him. We crossed a line, and we hadn’t seen each other since. I was beginning to get confused about what that meant. I wasn’t too young or stupid enough to believe what we shared was unique. Not to a man like Judah. I was very aware that what we were doing—regardless of how it felt or what I was starting to want—was casual.

  “And you what?” Harper pressed.

  “I…” I started and I stopped. I then forced myself to dig to the root of the matter and confessed, “I miss him, I guess.”

  “Aww, honey, that’s so cute.”

  Scowling, I retorted, “Don’t patronize me. I’m being honest.”

  “I’m sorry, but it is. You’re so smitten. I’ve never seen you like this.”

  Annoyed at how much she didn’t understand, I shook my head. I was ready to be done with the conversation. Rather than say anything, I merely reached for my phone again.

  “No. You can’t do that. You’ll drive yourself crazy,” she insisted, snatching my phone from out of my hand. She dropped it in her purse as she said, “I get that you miss him. I really do. This—this feeling you have—it’s what makes dating so sucky. You’re trying to explain his silence. Maybe he forgot. Maybe he’s super busy. Maybe he doesn’t give a fuck about birthdays. Who knows, Teddy? Who the hell knows! But you have to give him room to be Judah while you remember to stay Teddy. Besides—it’s only one o’clock. He might surprise you.”

  “Well, I’ll never know if you’ve got my phone,” I argued.

  She lifted an eyebrow at me, and I could feel her attitude from across the table.

  “Today is about you, Theodora Rose—not Judah and whether or not he’s going to remember how today is about you. You’re too busy being fabulous to worry about him right now. Got it?”

  Harper was right, and I knew it. However, that didn’t make it any easier to let go of my thoughts about Judah. I thought about him all afternoon. When I tried not to think about him, it made me think about him all the more. The entire time I was getting my hair washed, trimmed, dried, and straightened, all I could think about was the way he kissed me after I helped him come. Over and over I tried to see his face as he leaned over me. The more I thought about it, the harder it was for me to grasp hold of reality.

  When we arrived back at my apartment, Harper finally returned my phone. Finding I had only one unread message from my best friend, I almost teared up in response to my mounting disappointment. All of a sudden, the sexy dress I let Harper talk me into for the night felt like a complete waste. I purchased the thing in hopes that Judah would see me in it.

  “Maybe I should text him,” I told Harper as we got out of her car.

  “No way! What did I tell you earlier? You’re too busy being fabulous. We’ve got a dinner to dress up for and friends to meet.”

  “Yeah. My friends and your boyfriend,” I countered sullenly. The childish self-pity I felt was unavoidable—as if I didn’t have the strength to keep it at bay a second longer. “How is it that Ben is going to be there, but Judah isn’t? Do you think he knows? Has Ben told him? Are you sure I shouldn’t text him? There’s no rule that says I can’t remind him, right?”

  “There is a rule,” Harper stated, rounding the hood of her car. She practically glared at me as she clarified, “You’re not desperate, Teddy. It’s your fucking birthday! If he doesn’t at least acknowledge you in the next six hours, then he’s an asshole; in which case, you might need to reevaluate some things.”

  “Harp,” I cried resentfully.

  “I’m sorry,” she sighed. “Look, I want you to have a good time tonight—Judah or no Judah. It’s Theodora Day, which means you are obligated to have a smashing good night. Can we please go upstairs and get ready? I want to see you in that little lacy number we picked out.”

  Glancing at my phone one last time, I tried to imagine what I’d do if Judah completely forgot my birthday. For a second, I tried to convince myself it didn’t matter. He was under no obligation to celebrate my birthday with as much gusto as the rest of my friends—even if one of those friends was his own brother. Except, that thought only lasted a mere second. In the next, I remembered Geoffrey telling him how important this day would be, and that meant Judah had no escape clause.

  Either way, Harper was right. It was my day, and I didn’t want to sulk. I offered my sister a nod of agreement, and she grinned at me before planting a kiss on my cheek. She then hurried to the backseat, took out our dresses, and headed for the stairs.

  “Come on. We’re wastin’ daylight!”

  I was right on her heels, so when she stopped abruptly at the landing, I almost ran into her. Grabbing hold of her waist, I mumbled, “What are you doing?”

  She laughed, then winked at me from over her shoulder. I frowned when that was the only response she gave. When she didn’t move, I stepped around her and gasped at what I saw. Placed right in front of my door was a vase filled with red roses. I rushed toward it and snatched them up from off the ground.

  Hugging the vase to my chest, I turned to my sister and gushed, “Not an asshole!”

  With a grin still spread across her face, she closed the distance between us and plucked out the note. She didn’t bother reading it, but turned it toward me.

  ONE SHY OF TWO DOZEN.

  THINKING OF YOU,

  JUDAH

  “Definitely not an asshole,” I murmured.

  “See? All that worrying for nothing.”

  She was right, but I didn’t say as much. It was obvious I didn’t have to. I merely buried my nose in my proof and inhaled the truth I had come to know as certainly as any other.

  He wasn’t an asshole. He was a gentleman.

  Chapter Forty-Five

  I glanced at my phone as I paced another circle around my coffee table. The longer I was in that dress, with what felt like nowhere to go, I grew more and more antsy. At the store, it looked like a daring idea on the hanger. Now that it was on my body, every second I was in it felt like I was a little more naked than I wanted to be. It wasn’t true, of course, but time was getting to me.

  “Would you sit down? Shit—you’re making me dizzy,” said Harper.

  “He’s really late, Harp,” I replied, ignoring her question. “He’s a lawyer. Aren’t they usually more punctual?”

  “Relax. He’s probably stuck in traffic or something. He’ll be here any—”

  She was interrupted by the sound of her phone alerting her to a new text. She looked down at her screen and then smiled at me.

  “It’s time.”

  “Finally,” I breathed as I turned for the door.

  “Wait—hold on.” Harper caught hold of my elbow, and I stopped and peered at her in question. “I just want to get one last look at you.”

  She swept a bit of my hair over my shoulder, then gave me a proper once over. The little black dress I had on was mostly lace. The collar circled my neck then descended and spread to create my capped sleeves; from there, it hugged me close all the way down to my knees. Underneath the lace was a built-in solid, black bra and a matching high-waisted black skirt, the hem of which stopped mid-thigh. While one might argue I was fully covered—it felt as though there was more skin on display than not. It felt way too sexy, but it had been my choice and I was sticking with it.

  As if she could read my mind, Harper told me, “You’re stunning. Happy birthday, Theodora Rose.”

  Reaching for her hand, I squeezed her fingers and replied, “Thanks, sis.”

  “Come on.”

  She dragged me out the door, letting me go only long enough to lock up behind us. As we made our way down the stairs, she took my hand in hers once more, and I could feel her excitement as it seemed to seep from her palm and into mine. When we got to the ground level and I saw what was parked in the lot, I stopped dead in my
tracks. Harper squeezed my hand as the back-passenger door of the massive black, stretch Hummer opened, and my jaw dropped when I saw Judah step out.

  He was in a black suit. That, in and of itself, was nothing I hadn’t already seen before. But him—on my birthday—in a stretch limo and that black suit—it was the sexiest sight I’d ever seen.

  “Definitely not an asshole,” Harper whispered in my ear, repeating my words from an hour before.

  In that moment, it occurred to me that she was in on this. Tearing my eyes away from Judah, I stared at my sister and queried, “You knew? This whole time?”

  “He called me Sunday,” she said, speaking through a mischievous grin. “You might have found a keeper, yourself.”

  At her words, I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth and bit down hard. Shifting my attention onto the man himself, I admitted that I wanted to keep him—so much.

  I couldn’t exactly run in my stilettos, but I walked as fast as I could toward Judah. By the time I had reached him, there was so much excitement inside of me, I couldn’t help but to jump into his arms. He caught me around the waist, and I almost swooned.

  “Hi,” he said simply, his voice deep and rumbly and so sexy.

  “Hi.”

  “Sorry I’m late. I had to pick up a few people.”

  Tightening my arms around him, I murmured, “I’m so happy to see you.”

  “It’s Theodora Day. I had to find a Theodora to celebrate with.”

  I leaned in to kiss him, not the least bit shy about it. When I flicked my tongue out, seeking entrance into his mouth, he opened up for me and then took over. He held me tighter and kissed me deeper, and I hummed in delight. I almost forgot where I was until Harper smacked her hand against my ass. Startled, I pulled away from Judah with a squeak.

  “Plenty of time for that shit later. We’ve got to get on the road.”

  I glanced over my shoulder just as Harper climbed into the Hummer, then I found Judah’s gray eyes once more. The expression he wore was a clear indicator that he knew where we were going. I stared at him, taking in the fact that he was in the driver’s seat for the evening, and basked in the giddiness this truth aroused.

  “Where are we going?” I murmured.

  “To dinner,” he answered simply.

  “Freckles, they won’t let me open the champagne until you get in here—so get your ass in here,” yelled Geoffrey.

  Laughing, I asked Judah, “There’s champagne? For me?”

  He placed me back on my feet and replied, “Get in, sweetheart, or you’ll never know what I have planned for you.”

  In that moment, I wanted to kiss him again; I wanted to stay lip-locked with the man until I couldn’t breathe, but I refrained. He offered me his hand, and I took it and allowed him to help me step up into the limo. Geoffrey was quick to help me on the other side. Before I knew it, I was in his lap. Giggling, I kissed his cheek, happy to see him, too.

  He gave my waist a squeeze and playfully mumbled, “Looks like I get to keep my balls.”

  “Babe, if I had any balls, I’d owe you both.”

  He laughed and then pressed a quick kiss to my lips. “Happy birthday, baby girl.”

  Our moment was soon interrupted by the sound of someone clearing his throat. We both turned and found Judah standing where I’d left him. He looked right at me with a single lifted eyebrow, his displeasure clearly evident.

  “I don’t think he likes it when I kiss you,” whispered Geoffrey into my ear.

  Smiling at Judah, I reminded him, “Not interested in my lady parts.”

  With a single shake of his head, he retorted, “I don’t give a shit.”

  “Territorial. I like it,” whispered Geoffrey.

  I shifted my smile onto my best friend, then. In a single glance, I was able to express that I quite liked it, too. He helped me out of his lap, and I proceeded to greet the rest of my guests—to include Andrew, Carrie, and Ben. I apologized to him for any anxious vibes I might have sent his way, as I thought he was the reason our ride was late. We all shared a laugh, and then we were off to dinner.

  Everyone enjoyed a glass or two of champagne on our journey down to Denver—where Judah made a reservation at a restaurant he was sure I would like. While there, I managed to consume two glasses of wine. In spite of the food, I was well on my way to drunk. Except, I didn’t care. I felt good, and I was having so much fun. It was just after ten when our final bill was settled and we were all piling into the Hummer—and I was ready for more.

  Feeling bold, I bypassed my empty seat in favor of Judah’s lap. I wasn’t sure how he’d respond, but I wanted to be close to him. When he circled his arms around my hips, my stomach filled with a bunch of drunken butterflies, and I didn’t hesitate to kiss him.

  “Where are we going now?” I asked, my lips still grazing his.

  “Rumor has it you’ll dance on your birthday,” he murmured.

  I nodded my head just slightly, and I could feel his lips as they curled against mine. In truth, I was a horrible dancer—but after a few drinks, it didn’t matter. And with my sister and my friends by my side, it had become a tradition to dance the night away.

  Dropping his voice even lower, he queried, “Are you going to dance for me, sweetheart?”

  I felt it as the heat of a blush spread from my chest all the way to my cheeks. It was as if he was speaking in a language only I could understand—and I wanted that. I wanted intimate secrets and whispered sweet nothings. I wanted to be seduced by the man in whose lap I sat—and I wanted to seduce him in return.

  Within ten minutes, our ride came to an end, and we were at our destination. I exited the limo and found myself standing in front of what looked like a great, historic cathedral. The front was adorned with stain glass windows, but the music that blared from within was anything but what I had ever heard at a church.

  There was a long line of people waiting to get in, but Judah strode right by them. I clung to his arm, following his lead, curious but not surprised by his confidence. When we approached the bouncer, Judah simply offered his name and we were all granted entrance straight away.

  The club was packed, the music was loud, and the energy that swarmed the place was palpable. The dance floor looked like a living, breathing thing—throngs of people moving to the beat the DJ spun. Judah escorted us up a set of stairs to what appeared to be a reserved space that overlooked the main floor. There were pockets of people scattered about, each party in their own little section. The low-set tables lit up from the bottom, and they were surrounded by lounge chairs and white leather couches. It was very chic.

  “Welcome to The Chapel,” said Judah as we sat. He hooked his arm around my waist and touched his lips to my ear as he added, “This was one of the last projects I designed before I relocated.”

  “Really? You did all this?” I gushed before my eyes sought to take it all in again.

  It didn’t take long for me to surrender to the fact that I was too excited to remember all the finer details. Shifting my attention back onto Judah, I took his face in my hands and shook my head at him. He knew how much I loved his mind, and he had gone so far as to share even that with me on my birthday.

  “You’re amazing,” I breathed in awe.

  “Shots,” announced Ben, effectively stealing my attention.

  Harper clapped her hands as Ben directed the waitress to set down the seven shooters at our table. We each took one, and then looked to the benefactor of the moment.

  “To the birthday girl,” toasted Ben.

  Everyone cheered, and then we all tossed back the clear liquid. I had no idea what it was, but it didn’t make me cringe, which I appreciated

  “I’m going to go get a drink. What would you like?” asked Judah as he stood.

  Looking up at him, I said, “I think I’ll stick with wine. Thank you.”

  He nodded, bent to kiss my lips, and then headed for the bar. He wasn’t gone but a second before my sister took his place.

  �
��I knew he wanted in on my plans for tonight, but I had no idea he was going to arrange all this.”

  “Harper, this is incredible! Seriously, I’m having the best time.”

  Cupping a hand around my cheek, she observed, “You look really happy, babe.”

  “I am.”

  “Good. You deserve it.”

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Judah stood leaning against the railing and admired his view of the dance floor below. Teddy was sandwiched between Harper and Geoffrey as they moved to the beat of the music. When he saw her laugh, he imagined he could hear it—as if the only sound in the room came from her. She was breathtaking on an average day, but he thought her dangerously sexy in her lacey-barely-there dress.

  “You did good, Jude,” said Benjamin as he occupied the space beside his brother. “She can’t stop smiling.”

  Judah didn’t bother hiding the triumph which tugged at the corner of his mouth. Their evening turned out exactly as he’d planned, and Teddy had thanked him a dozen times over. It wasn’t merely with her words that he felt her appreciation, either. It was a collection of all the little things he was stowing away for reasons he couldn’t explain. It was the way her big, hazel-brown eyes grew wide in awe with each surprise, or the way her cheeks grew rosy in a blush; it was the sight of her parted lips when she inhaled a gasp. Her excitement made his chest swell in ways a woman hadn’t been able to do in years.

  Every giggle, every suggestive touch—every kiss, every whisper—every moment with her tonight has been a victory won in my name.

  As he stared at her, he saw not just a woman he wanted in his bed. More than that, he acknowledged she was a woman worth every dollar he spent that night. The way she responded to his generosity made him want to shower her with more.

  “Are you ready to admit it?” asked Benjamin, interrupting Judah’s thoughts.

  “Ready to admit what?”

  “That you have feelings for her.”

  Judah looked away from Teddy for just a second. He said nothing as he gave his brother a sidelong glance before finding his redhead in the crowd.