The Deserving Mistress

Jude had been watching the four women concernedly even while he gave the appearance of joining in the conversation with the other three men, an emotional lump in his throat as he saw May stand up and move forward to hug April, tears falling softly down the cheeks of both women.

It was going to be all right, he realised as January and March stood up to do the same thing, May standing to one side of them now, sobbing uncontrollably.

He stood up compulsively. ‘If you gentlemen will excuse me?’ he bit out abruptly, not even sparing them a second glance as he crossed the room to May’s side. ‘Come with me,’ he told her softly even as he took a firm hold of her arm and took her through to the adjoining bedroom, closing the door firmly behind him before taking her into his arms, gently stroking her hair as she continued to cry against his shoulder.

‘I’m so proud of you, May,’ he told her gruffly. ‘So proud!’

He loved this woman—how he loved her—and seeing her cry like this was like a physical pain.

‘This is stupid,’ May finally surfaced to murmur, wiping impatiently at her tear-wet cheeks. ‘I have no idea why I’m still crying,’ she added disgustedly.

Jude moved to the bedside table and gave her a tissue from the box there, giving her a few more seconds to mop up the tear

s. The result, if she did but know it, wasn’t exactly flattering, her eyes puffy and bloodshot, her cheeks blotched with red. But she still looked utterly beautiful to Jude, so much so that he desperately wanted to take her back in his arms and kiss her—something he was sure she wouldn’t welcome from him at the moment.

‘It’s been an emotional time for you all,’ he murmured noncommittally.

‘Yes,’ she acknowledged gruffly. ‘I—we’ll work it out, Jude,’ she assured him determinedly. ‘Love, I’ve just realised, makes people behave in strange ways.’

‘Yes,’ Jude confirmed flatly, thinking of his own reaction now to having fallen in love with May; he hadn’t exactly been gracious about it, had he?

Was it too late for them? Would May ever be able to forgive him for some of the things he had said and done this last week? He certainly hoped so, because the thought of his life without her in it was a very bleak prospect, indeed…

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

MAY looked up at Jude, feeling almost shy with him now in the intimacy of his hotel bedroom. ‘You were going away,’ she reminded him.

‘Yes,’ he confirmed heavily. ‘But I was coming back.’ He indicated he obviously still had possession of the hotel suite, several of his personal belongings in the room, a couple of books on the bedside table, several suits hanging in the wardrobe.

‘Oh.’ She nodded, moistening dry lips. ‘Are you still going?’

He drew in a ragged breath. ‘Not if I can persuade you into making our engagement a reality, no…’

May looked up at him sharply, her gaze searching, looking for signs of mockery in his face. There weren’t any, only the gleaming silver eyes showing any expression, and it wasn’t mockery… ‘Jude…?’ she murmured uncertainly.

His hands clenched into fists at his sides. ‘May, I’ve been a fool, an arrogant, pigheaded—’ He broke off as she began to laugh. ‘It isn’t funny,’ he said exasperatedly. ‘Here I am trying to apologize, and you’re laughing at me!’

‘I’m not laughing at you, Jude.’ She shook her head, her laughter stopping as quickly as it had started. ‘I’m laughing at this whole stupid, painful situation.’ She drew in a determined breath. ‘Jude, I love you. Do you love me?’ That breath lodged in her throat as she waited for his answer; if she had misunderstood what he had said a few minutes ago about their ‘engagement’ she was going to feel so stupid—

‘How could I not love you?’ Jude groaned emotionally. ‘You’re good, and kind, and honest—’

‘Too much so on occasion,’ she put in, a warm glow starting to build inside her, a warmth that was becoming stronger by the minute.

‘Never that.’ Jude gave a firm shake of his head. ‘You’re beautiful, desirable, everything that I could ever want in the woman I love—’

‘You’re making me blush now,’ she murmured self-consciously as the warmth reached her cheeks. ‘Jude…’ She took a tentative step forward, still looking up at him uncertainly.

His hands moved up to cup either side of her face, his gaze intent on hers. ‘Do you care for David Melton?’

‘David…?’ she echoed frowningly. ‘Certainly not. What on earth—?’

‘I love you, May Calendar,’ Jude told her fiercely. ‘I love you, I want to marry you and spend the rest of my life loving you. Will you have me?’ he added less certainly.

Would she have him? The thought of Jude walking out of her life had been tearing her apart for days. Would she have him!

‘Oh, yes,’ she told him forcefully. ‘But on one condition…’ She held back slightly.

‘Anything,’ he promised without hesitation.