Heroic Measures (Blackbridge Security 6)

I snort at her rather unconvincing declaration. “That’s absurd. It’s the twenty-first century. Call that man up and ask him out on a date.”

“No,” she snaps out just as quickly as Jude did the other night.

“Then fake some sort of security system emergency.” My mind starts turning, thinking of reasons I can use when I take my own advice and show up unannounced on Jude’s doorstep.

“Absolutely not. He’s busy. He works a lot. He said so himself, Parker. I’m not going to lie to him just to be able to see him.”

“The man is hot for you. He wasn’t able to keep his eyes off you in class. Why do you think I teased you so much about him?”

“Making obscene comments about how his ass looks in jeans, and—”

“He does have a fabulous ass,” I tease further with a waggle of my eyebrows.

“I thought you were going to go after him.”

“I was trying to get you to make a move,” I confess.

“You tried to get me interested in Jude.”

My eyes instantly focus on something across the room. “Who?”

“His friend?”

I shake my head as if it doesn’t even ring a bell when what it’s done is ramp my heart up a few notches.

“The shy guy from the bar that came that night with Quinten.”

“If you say so,” I say, dismissing the topic of Jude altogether. “I never really wanted to date him. The man is too serious for me. I wanted you to realize you liked him.”

“There’s a difference between finding someone attractive and liking them.”

“Don’t I know it,” I mutter before I can stop myself.

“You know I’m here if you need to talk about anything, right?”

The sincerity in her voice nearly cracks me wide open, which really just makes me angry. I hate all emotions other than pleasure. I hate the vulnerability of them.

I give her a quick smile. “Things are going very well in my life. I’ve been more worried about you after the break-in than anything else.”

It’s a shit way to change the subject, but she has backed me into a corner.

“Things are okay. I’m sleeping a little better with the new alarm system.” She explained just before getting on the topic of Quinten that he came by last week and had a security system installed, something she was having trouble getting scheduled because the local companies have been all booked up.

“That’s good. Are you—” My phone chimes with a text, and the message that flashes on the screen makes me freeze. Trying not to look suspicious, I leave it on the table.

“Aren’t you going to get that?”

“Naw. Nothing important.” And yet all I can see is Unknown: Are you in a better mood today?

The text is from Jude. I can feel it well… everywhere, and it’s hard not to smile or jump for joy or clench my thighs together.

“You sure?” Hayden leans over and reaches for my phone.

I snatch it up before she can grab it.

“It’s umm—Yep. I’ve got to go.”

“To work?” she asks, challenging me to lie to her face.

“Duty calls.”

“It’s Saturday.”

“No rest for the weary.”

“You don’t work on Saturdays,” she reminds me.

“This is a different project.”

“Clearly.”

I drain my wine glass.

“Are you sure you’re okay to drive?”

“Only had one glass, Mother. I’ll be fine.”

“And your boss is okay with you working after consuming alcohol?”

I grin but don’t answer. I work in a bar for heaven’s sake. Even if I were really heading to work, no one there would be able to smell a little wine on my breath over all the other spirits being served.

“See you later!” I snap out with a quick wave as I’m walking out of her house.

I knew I had to escape before the second round of her inquisition started, but I didn’t walk out of there with the intention of going right to Jude. He threw me out the other day. Yeah, it needed to be done. I’m adult enough to admit that… to myself, not anyone else, and certainly not him.

But what I can do is show up with a better attitude, a plan to have my enthusiastically wicked way with him, and not talk about what happened two nights ago.

I don’t go home, but I do hit the grocery store, the pharmacy, and the liquor store, weighed down by multiple bags by the time my knuckles meet his door.

“So, I have a proposition,” I say the second he opens his door.

I don’t know if he anticipated me coming, but he does not disappoint.

I didn’t text him back but seeing him shirtless in a pair of basketball shorts—and that’s it— with the outline of his thickening cock makes it clear he’s already ready for me.

“Is that right?” He steps to the side so I can enter, taking the bag handles out of my hands.

“Yes.”

I follow him into the kitchen where he starts to unpack the bags without being prompted.