Page 78 of Play With Me

“Okay,” Jude says. “They’re not.”

Then his eyes go pointedly to my breasts.

I’ve seen myself in the mirror with this pajama shirt on. It’s innocent. Though I haven’t worn them since I got to London…and my mirror in my apartment back in Quince Valley had bad lighting. Oh God. I walk over to the desk/vanity combo on the side of the room and look in the mirror over it. My nipples are clearly visible. The whole curve of my breasts are visible. I swallow the mushy bite of waffle before I’ve properly chewed it. Then I cough, nearly choking. I have to reach for the glass of water on the tray. Jude comes over, clapping me on the back.

“I know how you feel,” he says. “It’s how I feel every time you’ve worn those around me.”

“You’re teasing me,” I cough.

“I am, but I’m not lying. How else would I know you’re wearing those pink underwear you wear when you’re feeling out of sorts?”

I drop the fork I’m still holding with a clatter. Then I fold my arms across my chest. “Why haven’t you ever told me?”

“I tried. I said, ‘You need new pajamas’ more than once. I bought you some, remember?”

I remember. I remember him saying that too, and him never looking at me when I wore them. “I thought you just really didn’t like them.”

“I like everything you wear, Nora,” Jude says, his mouth muffled.

He’s sprawled out in the chair next to mine at the table, eating my waffles. “Hey!” I run back to the table, grabbing my plate back. This is just like old times with us, only not really, not after these past few days.

And now I’m sitting next to him in see-through pajamas. But I’m too proud to get back up and cover up, so I sit there with my arm folded over the table to try to hide my chest.

My cheeks are hot as I stuff a bite of waffle in my mouth. I swallow, then ask, “Why are you here, Jude?”

“Because you can’t hide anymore. Cap’s been asking about you nonstop.”

Guilt twinges. I miss him. And this thing with Jude is getting in the way of me seeing him.

“Well, I’m all ready to hang out with him today. Maybe I could take him out somewhere, give Farrah a break.” It’d be a good break from Jude.

“I already promised him you’d come tubing with us today.”

I freeze. “What?”

“You heard me. He can’t wait. We’re meeting at the chair lift in”—he glances at his watch—“twenty minutes.

“Jude, flying down a mountain in an inner tube isn’t exactly the kind of thing I’m any good at.” It also sounds terrifying. “Besides, the book says it takes ten minutes to get over to the lift from here!”

“Guess you should have answered my texts sooner then.”

I don’t have to look at my phone to know there’s a whole string of texts from him. And probably Sasha too. She’s going to murder me for dropping that and running. I make a mental note to text her later.

I take a breath and look over at Jude. He’s examining me with what looks like a smirk. “You’re enjoying this.”

“Maybe.”

“Did you choose tubing as today’s activity?”

“Maybe.”

He did, too. He’s playing with me. Fine. I can play. “Why did you kiss me yesterday?”

Jude doesn’t miss a beat. “Because I wanted to.”

Irritation flickers through me. “So it’s okay for you to kiss me but not me to kiss you?”

“You could kiss me now, see how it goes?”

---