Page 88 of One More Time

“What’s wrong then? How can I help?” Jude asks, and I reach my hand up and clasp on to his wrist, bringing his warm skin to my lips, pressing a kiss to his pulse. He’s so fucking alive, so fucking real.

Of course he is. I knew this would happen when I started this game with him, and I did it anyways. Jude has always been and will always be my weakness.

“We can go. This isn’t important,” Jude says, his voice growing raspy.

“No,” I finally manage to say and then close my eyes, trying to center myself. “Let’s do this first. Then I’m gonna take you home.”

He nods and our bodies part, and for a moment I feel bereft at the loss. But then he links his hand with mine and pulls me around the room, talking about the puzzles the room has set up, and managing to figure them all out without any help from me. When a hidden door opens across the room, Jude nearly squeals, looking so pleased that my heart just squeezes.

It’s painful.

Loving him hurts.

Oh my god.

He pulls me into the other room, his entire body nearly vibrating with excitement, and I watch as he tries to help me figure out the rest of the clues, but my mind is in a haze. I’m seeing everything through a fog.

I can’t fucking breathe.

When we finally find the last clue with time to spare, Jude leans up and presses a soft kiss to the corner of my mouth. The man who locked us in frowns at us, so he must know this is dire.

This is fucking insane.

I can’t love Jude Martin.

I can’t.

“That was fun. Thanks for indulging me,” Jude says almost shyly. “Did you have fun?”

I nod even though I barely remember it. But I’d do it again if he asked me. I’d live my life in an escape room if that’s what he wanted.

“Should we go home?” he asks, and I nod, pulling him into my side, tilting his head up and pressing a slow kiss to his mouth.

He sighs into it before pulling away and looking around.

“No one’s looking, baby,” I say, taking in the empty parking lot.

“Okay. I’m not…I’m not ashamed of you. I don’t want you thinking that. I’m just…I’m afraid that my sister is gonna take the kids away from me if she finds out.”

“I know. And I’d never jeopardize that for you. I promise.”

I’d promise a whole hell of a lot more if I could, but I just can’t.

This guilt is eating me up. I need to tell him. Soon.

Killian is right. Jude should know who I am to him. Who we were.

I glance over at Jude as he peeks at me under those long lashes of his, and I tell myself that I’ll come clean tomorrow.

Tomorrow.

I can do it tomorrow.

CHAPTER 15

JUDE

Alec is kissing me like he’s starving, his mouth roving down my jaw and neck as I keen and moan like a man totally gone for another.