Page 42 of Counted
“But you might like something. If there’s nothing here you like, we won’t buy anything.”
A stylish brunette came right over to them. She scanned them quickly, no doubt accurately assessing the quality and cost of Eve’s ring, Jude’s watch, and his shoes as well as the name on the shopping bag he carried.
Knowing good customers when she saw them, she smiled at them warmly and devoted herself to them as they browsed the clothes. Jude handed the woman any piece that Eve lingered over even slightly. Then he made Eve try them all on and come out to model for him.
She was flushed and smiling and deliciously soft as they picked out three dresses, two skirts, a handful of tops, something kind of like a shawl, and a pair of boots. Eve kept asking how much things cost, but Jude shook his head at the salesperson after the first time and that put a stop to her worrying about prices.
Eve didn’t argue much. She seemed very happy as they rang up her purchases, so that made Jude happy too.
“It’s too much,” she told him one last time. “I don’t need all this.”
“It has nothing to do with what you need.”
“But you shouldn’t spoil me so much.”
Her cheeks were pink, and her hair was slightly tousled. She was gazing up at him, tender and appreciative. He had to hold himself back from kissing her.
“Why not?” he asked thickly.
Eve clearly didn’t have an answer for that. She glanced back at the woman behind the counter.
The woman smiled. “You’re married, yes?” she asked in her accented English.
“Yes,” Eve replied.
“So he’s supposed to spoil you.”
“See?” Jude gently brushed some of Eve’s hair back behind her shoulder and then trailed his fingers down her warm cheek. Shit, he was dying to kiss her. How the hell was he supposed to keep holding back? “She agrees with me. I’m supposed to.”
Eve must have been suddenly hit with self-consciousness. She buried her face against his shirt for a minute, but she was smiling when she lifted it back up toward him. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“You’re a really good husband,” she told him in almost a whisper.
Okay. That was it. There was absolutely no holding him back anymore. He tilted his head and leaned down until he could reach her. Pressed his mouth against hers very lightly.
It felt so good he couldn’t withdraw when he intended. He brushed his lips against hers again, ripples of pleasure spiraling out from the touch.
Eve made a breathless sound and reached up to press her hand against his beard. She stretched toward him eagerly, as if she wanted the kiss to last longer too.
They withdrew at the same time, both of them flushed now. Both of them smiling.
The other woman laughed softly as she cut a significant look over at Eve. “He’s a good one. Don’t let him get away.”
7
That evening Evewanted to have sex.
Reallywanted it.
And Jude wouldn’t make a single move.
She was actually getting rather annoyed with him.
They’d gone out to dinner after shopping and taken their time over four courses, chatting and laughing and sitting in companionable silence. It was after ten now, and they were back in the hotel room. She’d tried to give him a few subtle hints—asking how he was feeling, mentioning she wasn’t very tired, and checking on his plans for the rest of the evening.
He told her he was taking a shower and then would probably go to bed.