Page 84 of Elf-ish

“That’s it, Jude,” she whispers near my ear, like when she was coaching me to ice skate.

I continue to hold her, feeling my shoulders start to relax, and my arms loosen from their stiffness. I hold firm, but not so awkwardly. Even my legs begin to mellow, releasing from their stiff stance, like beams holding up a building.

We stand like this another minute as Angelica cups the back of my head, and I slide my hand up to her nape. Slowly, I turn my face into the space between her throat and shoulder, inhaling and exhaling like the nurses taught me.

Only, my heart doesn’t stop racing.

When I feel Angelica pull back, I don’t want to let go, but I don’t want to force her to hold on longer than she desires.

Lowering my arms, I catch her hips as she leans back and slides her hands down my chest again. She watches the path her palms take. I watch as well, liking how her delicate fingers look against my skin. Loving the feel of them against my flesh.

“I’ve never seen you so casual,” she teases about my towel-only attire.

“You’ve seen me in my underwear. Doesn’t get any more laid-back than that.”

She chuckles. “You are a bit shameless.”

“But you like it.” Cautiously, I glance at her, meeting those soft, flaming eyes.

She gently plucks at a few chest hairs. “Yeah. I like it.”

The smile slowly forming on my lips feels strange, almost too large for my mouth, and I dig my teeth into my lower lip as if I can stop the unfurling spread.

But when Angelica smiles back, my grin is inevitable. Like a fool, I suddenly feel like I can’t stop smiling.

Angelica covers my hands on her hips with hers, and I expect her to push me away. Instead, she holds onto them and steps away from me.

“I’m tired, Jude. And it’s late.” She stands tall, but something in the set of her shoulders suggests she’s nervous. “And since we’ve already slept together . . .”

I arch a brow, prepared to make a joke, but the flickering gleam in her eyes stops me. Without another word, she tugs at my hands and takes another step backward, urging me to rise, and follow her.

She helps herself down my hallway, as if she knows where she’s going, as if she’s been here a thousand times before.

With her confidence shored up, she spins to face the last door of the long hallway and leads me into my bedroom.

chapter 26

[Angelica]

My intention wasn’t to have sex with him. Jude still looked like he was hurting. For a minute there, I thought he might combust from my hug. I didn’t miss his hands fisted at his sides, like he hated the embrace. He was so tense.

But when I finally decided to stop torturing him, he began to relax. He slipped his arms around my back and held tight, like I was a buoy in rough seas. I don’t know how long we clung to one another, but once my body settled against his, my eyes drifted shut.

It was late. I was exhausted. And Jude was comfortable.

I should have left. Another twenty minutes, and I’d be home in my own bed, but I didn’t want to leave him. Not yet. My argument was that we’d already shared a bed once, I didn’t see why we couldn’t share a bed again.

Once inside his room, I didn’t know what to do next. I didn’t have a plan.

Thankfully, Jude takes the lead. He pulls a fresh T-shirt from a drawer and hands it to me. “You can sleep in this. Bathroom’s in there.”

“Thanks.” Stepping into the smaller room he pointed toward, which is the size of my entire kitchen, I quickly take care of business. Undress, use the facility, and swipe some toothpaste on my finger to brush my teeth. Not the best bedtime routine, but not the worst either.

When I return to his bedroom, Jude is already in his bed, boxer briefs on, lying flat on his back. A lamp beside the bed illuminates the room. He watches me as I circle the bed and climb beneath the covers. His sheets feel decadent and rich.

Mirroring Jude’s position, I lie on my back as Jude stretches for the lamp, clicking it off. I flinch even though I anticipate the darkness. Jude shifts to his side, facing me, and I turn only my head.

When his fingers touch my arm, delicately stroking up and down the length, my eyelids feel heavy again.