Page 80 of Unconventionally, Elle
A tender smile spread across my lips. "He wasn't supposed to be there. He was supposed to be in New York."
"I was," Jude said, eyes on me.
"He caught me," I whispered as my heart throbbed with the memory of Jude's strong arms around my body as I collapsed, cold with shock and grief. I forced my gaze away from his and looked back to the rest of the party. "So, yeah, what was it you said, Sarah? Wedefinitelyhave history." A shy smile crossed my lips as I glanced back at Jude.
Later, and after somehow avoiding all conversation of Barrett, Jude grabbed my hand and leaned over to my ear. "Dance with me?"
The boys were already on the dance floor, and Sarah was fielding texts from James and looking at pictures of her two girls in New Year's Eve glasses with their daddy. She really was the best mother.
I'd told myself earlier that I was sticking with champagne the rest of the night, but after sharing my almost-suicide story, I went back to tequila. I'd had one too many tequila shots and quite a lot of champagne over the course of the evening, so even though my head said,No, no, no, my heart said,Get the fuck out on that dance floor.
Jude led me into the crowd. It was 11:55 p.m. and everyone was getting ready to watch the ball drop. "Levitating" by Dua Lipa was blaring across the speakers, and my body instinctively swayed.
Jude yelled the lyrics to the song as our bodies moved together. His hands held my hips, and I leaned back, my arm up around his neck. It was sexy, it was steamy, it was intimate.
His body felt familiar, and his arms were still strong and safe as he ran his hands down my body. We fit perfectly together like we had all those years ago. His hips moved; my hips moved. It was hypnotic and sexual.
With less than a minute till the ball dropped, I turned to face him. "I Wish" by Joel Corry was playing. I pulled his head down, forehead to forehead, and sang to him while two tears crawled down my cheeks.
He held my face in his hands and sang back to me, the sweat on his forearms gleaming in the club lights.
Thirty seconds left before midnight, and someone tapped Jude's shoulder.
"Champagne?" It was Finn. He had champagne for us for the countdown, and Jackson was behind him, looking at me with narrowed curious eyes.
Realizing how close I was to Jude, I pulled away and took the champagne. The countdown began.
"Ten! Nine! Eight!" we all yelled together.
"Seven! Six!" Jude wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him.
I couldn't resist. I was facing him again, my arms around his neck, one of his strong hands on my waist pulling me into him, the other cupping my face. It was just us.
He mouthed the remaining seconds:Three. Two. One.
"Happy New Year!" rang through the club. Confetti canons erupted and everyone was grabbing someone to kiss. To my left, Finn and Jackson were making out, and in front of me, Jude Ashford leaned down, our noses barely touching, his lips a whisper away from mine. I knew I shouldn't. I knew it was wrong. I had Barrett at home--well, technically in Miami--but hell, I had his dog at home.
I closed my eyes, anticipating Jude's soft lips on mine.
But nothing happened. He didn't kiss me. I opened my eyes and watched, confused, as Jude tilted his head away from my lips and gave me a gentle kiss on my cheek.
"Jackson said you're with someone," he murmured softly in my ear.
When did Jackson talk to him alone?I thought to myself.
"Guys talk in the bathroom too." His devilish smirk made heat pulse low in my belly.
My breath became jagged; I wanted him. My body ached for him. Jude, my Jude.No! Barrett. Your Barrett. Get it together, Elle.My mind was in anarchy, and my heart was in mutiny.
"Yes," I murmured, my voice barely more than a whisper.
His hand was still on my face, and I leaned into his warm palm. Then it was gone. "Then you're still not mine," he said, leaning back from me with a sad smile, eyes full of longing. "I'll have to catch you later, Elle Watson." He took his hands off me but reached for my hand and lifted it to his lips. He kept his golden-brown eyes on mine as he leaned down and lightly kissed the top of my hand.
He stood up and, with a sultry grin, lifted his champagne glass in a toast before turning away. Jude Ashford silently disappeared into the crowd of strangers from which he had emerged only hours before.
Jude was back. Three days later, and he was still at the forefront of my mind.
Barrett had texted me on New Year's Day to let me know the Miami deal closed and he'd be home soon. When he got home last night, he gave me a kiss and walked straight to the bedroom. I followed him in and saw him stripping down to get into bed. He glanced over his shoulder, gave me an exhausted grin, and melted into our bed with Louie snoring beside him.
