Page 107 of Sterling Fight

“Forever?”

Judd continues to watch me. “If that’s what you want.” He presses a kiss to my forehead and pulls back. “Look, boyfriend, fiancé . . . husband. I don’t need a label as long as you lov—” He stops short, biting back words that might be coming too soon. “As long as we just stick together.” He tightens his hold on my hand.

Weathering any storm.

“But my couple goals include us living together. Otherwise, how can I make the kissing every day happen?” He squeezes my body underneath his arm.

Couple goals. I press a kiss to Judd’s chest, almost feeling the thump of his heart beneath my lips.

“As for sex, I’m in no rush, despite wanting to take you on every surface inside and outside this house.”

“Outside?” I chide.

“The greenhouse. The dock. The lake.”

Here, there, and everywhere. My body hums to life at the possibilities.

“The point is, I want you to be confident in our future first.”

He wants me to love him. Because he loves me. It’s in every look, every touch, every unspoken word.

I nod against him, lost to the rhythm of his heart and the patience in his voice. He’ll wait for me to be on the same page of lined paper with unicorns.

And I’m not far off from being where he wants me to be, but talking about love is more than we need to say tonight.

Once more I settle into his chest, while the soundtrack that’s been playing in Judd’s library flips to another song. When the new one starts, my head pops up at the familiar tune.

“I love this song.”

““Just Like Heaven”,” Judd states the title.

I slip over his body and start singing into my fist about running away with him. My body takes over, my feet kicking, left, right, left to the beat. My hips rock, arms flapping forward and back.

Then I hold out my hands to Judd when the song asks, why are you so far away.

I drag Judd upright. He groans at my enthusiasm. But eventually, he gives in and dances, albeit awkwardly, when he said he didn’t know how.

And I fall in love with him when I don’t know how to do that either.

37

[Genie]

Judd and I linger in bed the day after our prom-revival, but on the following morning, I beg off another day in bed.

“I’m going into town.” A little separation might refocus my mind. With Judd nearby, all I can think about is orgasms and the perfection of his body.

Judd is almost insatiable about giving them to me.

He pretends to pout when I make my announcement. He’s taken a seat at his dining room table, set up like he’d hoped we’d spend the day in the space, working side by side like we did earlier in the week, and as much as I’d like to do that too, I have work to do.

If something were to happen and Greetings Ambassador didn’t come through with their proposal, I’ll still need to produce fresh, new calendars for the upcoming year. I need to concentrate. For at least a day. Maybe half. Even just a few hours.

I groan when Judd wraps his arm around my hips and tugs me close to him.

“I have something for you, though.” Digging my hands into his hair, I kiss the top of his head before pulling back. “Check your email.”

“What is it?” He glances up at me from his seated position. His hair mussed. His eyes cautious.