Page 40 of Play With Me

“She dribbled honey in a little line outside the window and onto the bricks. She had to climb up on the counter and use a little stick to get it the right thickness and far enough away that”—she must see my confused face because she waves a manicured hand. “It doesn’t matter. Point is, she’s the sweetest thing since…well, honey, and she likes you, and no she wouldn’t hit you if you kissed her Jude. She’d probably enjoy it very much. Of course, you can’t tell her I said any of this, okay?”

“Yeah, sure,” I say.

“I mean it!” She plants her hands on her hips again, cocking her head.

For some reason I think of Griff, and how she’s exactly the kind of woman that would spur a reaction out of him. Not a good one, either. Nothing ruffles that guy, but I think Sasha would.

I shake my head. “No. of course.”

Sasha follows my gaze back to Nora. From the corner of my eye I see her smile. “Just think about it, Jude.”

My skin itches seeing those guys still there. I swallow the rest of the whiskey. “Yeah. You too.”

She snorts again.

I think of one of those guys trying what she just said on Nora. Testing out a kiss.

The thought makes my whole body burn. “I’ll just…uh…take this to the kitchen.”

But Sasha’s already gone.

CHAPTER10

Jude

Nora’s words from the other day echo in my mind as I move toward the kitchen.

It’s not working forme.

Is Sasha right? Would Nora be happy if I kissed her? Or was she dancing around something else? Something I’m too dense to understand?

When I reach the entrance to the kitchen, I suddenly don’t know why I came this way. I want to turn heel and get the fuck out. This is too much. I can’t do feelings. Not these kind.

But it’s too late. Nora and the two men have turned around and are all staring at me with wary expressions.

For some reason I think back to my last conversation with my agent, when I finally pitched him my idea. “Just stick to what you’re good at, Jude. I’ve got you set for life, and this will just ruin a good thing.”

“Jude,” Nora says, her voice clipped.

“Ah the famous Jude Kelly,” one of the men says. He’s got a little mustache I’d like to knock off his face. “We’ve heard a lot about you.”

“I’m sure it’s all good. Nora, can we talk?”

“Jude, these are—”

“I don’t really care who these are, Nora. I need to talk to you.”

Her eyeballs go wide. “Jude!”

“You okay, Nora?” the man who touched her says.

He looks nervous. Still, I have to admire his chops, that he’s looking out for her. When I look down at him, I think I finally understand my brother Eli. He broke his now-fiancée’s ex’s nose once. But Nora would never speak to me again. Plus, I’m a lover, not a fighter. A lover who doesn’t know how to love.

Shit, how many of those whiskeys have I had?

“I’m fine,” Nora says. “But maybe we could have a minute please?” She looks apologetically between the men. They both nod and scurry out like the room’s on fire.

“Nora, I—”

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