AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Maybe I’ll just work subtle clues into conversation. Big mistake! Huge!” I laughed at the annoyed expression on his face and reached over to pat his thigh. “Don’t worry, Jude. I’ll try my best not to embarrass you.”
He looked down at my hand on his thigh and then back at me. “Remembering me fondly?”
I felt all the blood in my body rush to my face while I yanked my hand away and crossed my arms under my chest. “That’s not funny.”
Cursing, he reached over and tried to touch my shoulder but I shifted away from him. “I’m sorry. It just slipped out. Shit, Poppy. Can we just forget I said anything?”
I shrugged. “Fine.”
“Poppy. Don’t be mad at me. I’m an idiot. You know that.” He parked in front of the entrance and groaned when I opened the door for myself and hopped out of the truck. “Goddammit.”
I nearly fell, but caught myself on the door and blew out a soft breath. As angry as I was at Jude for bringing up the whole kissing incident, I didn’t want to embarrass him in front of his business associates. I respected him more than that, even if he was a jerk.
He tossed his keys to the valet and hurried to my side. “You okay?”
I smiled and nodded. “Yep. I’m great.”
He took my hand in his and pulled me into the building and off to the side of the entrance. Once we were alone in the secluded corner, he stopped in front of me and leaned down to look me in the eye. “I’m sorry. If you’re uncomfortable and want to leave, just say the word. I’ll take you home right now if you want me to.”
I could see the sincerity in his face and breathed out a sigh. “We’re staying.”
“We don’t have to, Poppy.”
“Do you think I would do anything I didn’t want to do, Jude? Think about that.” I gave him a genuine smile and gently pushed him away. “Come on. Show me around this atrociously big building and introduce me to your future wife.”
Jude’s brows furrowed for a second but he shook his head and took my hand again. “Thanks, Poppy.”
“Anytime, Judy.”
“Poppy Jo Summers. Do not call me that.”
I grinned up at him. “Whatever you say, Judy.”
8
***Jude***
Poppywasacrosstheroom, speaking to someone I didn’t bother looking at. I hadn’t been able to take my eyes off of Poppy all night. I thought the moment would pass as soon as the newness of that red dress wore off, but the longer I watched her, the more I wanted to watch her.
I wasn’t supposed to look at her like I was, though. She was my best friend and we’d been sure to keep those lines clear until the night of the kiss. Having her writhing on top of me while she came on my leg had blown through every wall I’d built in my brain to separate her from women who were available options. Since that moment, my dreams had been filled with repeats of that kiss. My brain was fucked-up, and putting Poppy in a sexy red dress hadn’t been a great idea if I wanted to get my head screwed on straight.
Every word I’d spoken about Sasha in the truck had been forced. A woman I’d thought might be perfect just days before suddenly felt like a burden to think about.
I swore and made myself look for her. I’d been into the idea of Sasha because I thought maybe she and I could have a connection. It felt wrong to even complete that thought after everything I’d been thinking, but I thought that she and I could have a connection like the one I shared with Poppy. Poppy was my best friend and had been for so long. We knew each other so well and there was just something permanent about the bond between us. I’d hoped to find that connection with a woman I could also have sex with. That connection had been missing from every other relationship I’d tried, and I knew that nothing would stick until I found someone I could bond with like Poppy.
Only after trying to get my tongue down Poppy’s throat, I knew there was sexual chemistry between us too. How the hell was I supposed to find a woman to marry and start a family with when none of them ever compared to Poppy? It was bad enough before I knew the sounds she made while coming. Frustration was my closest friend these days, to say the least.
I spotted Sasha and nodded when she smiled coyly at me. I needed to focus on her. She could be something special. I’d been interested in her for two years and that had to mean something.
Before I could talk myself into going over to talk to her, the sound of Poppy’s laugh filled the room and I was moving in her direction before I even knew what I was doing.
She was in the middle of a group of guys and they were all staring at her like she was a piece of meat. A red-hot feeling grew inside me until I felt like it might be a good idea to rip each of the men limb from limb. When I got close enough to hear what the lead douche was saying, I stopped short to hear everything.
“I have box seats at all the games you could ever dream of. In the fall, I could take you to the Gators game and show you how sweet it is to live that box life.”
Poppy laughed again and shook her head. “Did you see who I came with? Jude Allen has the best seats to any game I ever want to go to. He once got me so close to an NFL game that I could’ve reached out and touched the grass. Box life can’t compete with touching-the-grass life.”
I felt like the biggest man alive as I slid in next to Poppy and wrapped my arm around her waist. I pulled her into me and leaned down to press a light kiss against the corner of her mouth. “Sorry, gentlemen. I need to steal my date away.”
