Page 34 of Counted
It was the strangest paradox of emotions. She wanted more—desperately—but she was also so nervous about getting more that she had a sudden case of the jitters.
To hide her responses, she said lightly, “I’m kind of thirsty. I’m going to find some water somewhere. Do you want something?”
“Sure. Water would be great.” He watched her closely as she got up, still looking relaxed and not disappointed about the break in their conversation. She had absolutely no idea what he was feeling. “Thanks.”
She smoothed down the skirt of her dress and walked down the block until she found a small pastry shop. They were gettingready to close, so she grabbed two bottles of sparkling water and quickly pulled out a bill to pay for them.
When the friendly lady behind the counter asked if she wanted any of the leftover pastries for half price, Eve couldn’t resist. She picked out two delicious rectangles layered with flaky pastry, cream, and raspberry and waited excitedly as the woman slid them into a bag.
When she returned to the bench, Jude laughed out loud when she showed him what she’d gotten, but he took his without hesitation and took a big bite. “Fuck, it’s good.”
She giggled, pleased with her success. She tried biting into hers carefully and promptly squirted pastry cream all over her chin. Laughing even more, she wiped her face and then tried again even more carefully.
Once again, the cream ended up on her chin. “What the hell?” she grumbled. “Why isn’t this happening to you?”
Jude was on his third bite, and his beard was perfectly clean. He laughed, obviously enjoying watching her trials. “I must be better at eating than you.”
“You are not. Mine must be overstuffed. It’s the only explanation.” She made another attempt, and Jude burst into uninhibited laughter at the trail of cream and raspberry on her cheek and nose.
His eyes were very warm as he reached over to clean up her skin with his thumb. She grew still as he touched her, drowning in that particular expression on his face.
He licked the cream off his thumb, and it was the sexiest thing.
She might have swooned right away had she not taken another bite with predictable results. “This is ridiculous!” Spilling over with amusement, she reached for the piece of pastry he had remaining and put her half in his hand instead. “Now we’ll switch and see whether it’s actually my fault.”
“If you insist. But it’s not going to happen like you think.” He took a bite, and she gave a soft squeal of excitement when the cream squirted out on his beard.
He couldn’t seem to stop laughing as he cleaned himself up and popped the rest into his mouth in one big bite. She’d never seen him laugh so much before. The sound and sight of it covered her like a wave.
She finished the small bite of his pastry she’d taken from him and patted her chin with a napkin. “I told you mine was overstuffed. Next time you’ll listen to me.”
“I will. You were entirely right.” His eyes were on her mouth now.
She held her breath, thinking he was about to kiss her when he leaned over.
He didn’t. He used his thumb to gently rub first her bottom lip, then her top. “Still had a little left,” he murmured by way of explanation.
His touch triggered all kinds of nerve endings. It might as well have been a kiss. Her body hummed in pleasure when he finally dropped his hand.
Then he looked away and the moment ended.
They finished their waters and admired the view until late.
When they finally started walking back toward the hotel, he held her hand even though the sidewalks weren’t busy.
She couldn’t remember when she’d had a better day. She was looking forward to tomorrow.
It occurred to Eve then in the quiet cast of the moon and streetlights. Something that should have been obvious from the beginning but that she hadn’t consciously acknowledged before.
She was going to miss him when he died.
6
Jude wokeup with his head hurting so intensely it scared him. Before he even opened his eyes, he was slammed with panic, absolutely certain he was about to die.
The fear forced him into a sitting position. He gasped as the sudden move heightened the pain in his head. It pounded behind one of his eyes like it could force his eyeball right out of its socket.
He moaned as he grabbed for his head, fumbling until he’d managed to drop his legs over the side of the bed. He leaned over, squeezing his skull in the desperate hope it might ease even a little of the pain.