Eight Long Years (Heart of Hope 5)

I looked into his eyes. “I want you, Jude. I’ve always wanted you. I just...I thought I couldn’t have you. I thought you’d resent me if August messed things up for you again.”

“There you go again, underestimating me and my love for you.”

My heart leapt that he was using the word love in the present tense. “Do you still love me?”

“I will always love you.”

I wanted to be happy at those words, but there was a sadness underneath them. “But?”

“I’m having a hard time letting myself trust that you won’t change your mind, like you keep doing.”

I nodded. “Then I’ll earn your trust.”

He arched a brow. “Oh?”

“I prove to you that I’ll always love you too, and from now on, I’ll choose you, and if I’m worried about August, I’ll talk to you. I believe you can handle him and yourself. I just...felt guilty that you’d have to. I wanted to protect you from that.”

“I don’t need your protection, April.”

I nodded.

He used the crook of his finger to lift my chin to look up at him. “I might have been a naïve kid when I left here, but the military has a way of turning boys to men.”

I smiled. I couldn’t even imagine what he’d endured to become a SEAL. What he’d experienced while being a SEAL.

“You’re definitely a man.” My gaze inventoried all the hard hunk of man sitting next to me.

His brow arched. “Are you checking me out, April?”

I looked up into his blue eyes, noting an upbeat in his tone that had me hopeful. “Yes.”

He leaned closer, his sexy scent wrapping around me. “Do you like what you see?”

I shrugged nonchalantly. “I suppose. I think I might need a closer examination.”

“Well then.” He put his drink down. Then, he stood, helped me up and tossed me over his shoulder.

“Jude!” This was a good sign.

He smacked my ass. “Let’s go give you a closer look.”

Despite being over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, my libido shot to life. I realized this position offered some advantage.

“The view here isn’t bad,” I said as I smacked his ass too.

“That’s it, woman.” He said, unceremoniously tossing me on the bed. “It’s time to get naked.”

27

Jude

My heart had been on a fucking roller coaster ride today. I’d been high on love and broken by heart ache in a matter of hours.

In between, I’d been shocked by some of the things August had said. Did he really think I’d used him to get to April or her money? Or was that simply what he told himself to justify his actions? I’d clearly underestimated him eight years ago.

In the end, all that didn’t matter. What mattered was that he’d stolen two precious things from me; April and Maya.

He’d left that night giving me the impression he was going to back off on intervening between me and April, but I wasn’t sure that was going to be an issue anymore. Not that I didn’t love her or want the dream we’d once had. But I couldn’t be sure what she wanted or if I could trust her to stick if August started on his antics again. It was wholly possible that he’d act supportive of me and April, but instead continue to try and ruin my business.