Page 53 of Can't Get Over You
Not like Jude. Who was dark and menacing.
Except not when he’s with me.
With me, he’s sweet and protective.
Generous, loyal, and kind.
And a really good kisser.
The memory of his hungry mouth sent a hot current through her body, making her restless.
I kissed Jude McKenna.
And it was so, so good. He wasn’t tentative and careful. He wasn’t being gentlemanly like Matt always was.
No, he’d grabbed the back of her neck. He’d plundered her mouth. He’d taken what was his.
No, I’m not his. I know that.
I do.
But God. The way he’d cupped her breast so possessively, like he’d longed to do it for ages and had finally gotten a handful. Well, more than a handful.Let’s be honest. His palm pressed over her nipple… She’d felt his restraint, and it had made her desperate to be naked with him when he lost control. She wanted it rough, hard, wild.
She just knew it would be like that with him.
He’d given her a taste, and she wanted more. She wanted Jude McKenna unleashed.
“That’s extremely insightful for someone who’s had two and a half peach wine coolers. And I’m sure it’s true for all of us.” Willa had grabbed snacks from the convenience store on her way to pick her up from Jude’s house. But she had a flight in the morning and needed to go right to the office to catch up on work, so she wasn’t drinking much.
But this conversation was helping. Because fantasizing about Jude: Bad. Figuring out what went wrong with Matt: Good. “Hethinks I’m being unreasonable. Like, you know, everyone makes mistakes. No one’s perfect. I should forgive him and move on.”
“Honestly?” Willa said. “I don’t care what he thinks.”
Ha. Fair.Still, she had to probe a little deeper. Root out every shred of doubt. “I’m sure he has a million things he can’t stand about me, but he’s willing to get past them. Why can’t I do the same for him?”
“Oh, for sure. I’m surprised he’s put up with you this long.” Willa held up her free hand. “You have no athletic ability at all.” Her pointer finger folded after revealing the first flaw.
“Excuse me?” Finlay swiveled her head to stare at her friend.
“Remember when we tried out for softball, and you ran your little heart out to first base all while peeing your pants?”
Finlay burst out laughing. “That’s because you were making fun of the way I ran, and I was laughing so hard a little bit of pee came out.Also,I’d just had a Gatorade. And anyway, how is that a flaw?”
“Bladder control issues. And your cooking? That’s another thing.” Willa set another finger down.
“Well.” While she couldn’t argue with that one, she felt compelled to try. “I make grilled cheese sandwiches. And quesadillas.” Unsuccessfully, but she got an A for effort, right?
“You literally only bake things. When have you ever made an actual meal?”
“I don’t like meat.” And she hated preparing it. It was the rawmuscleof an animal. “And what even are vegetables?”
“Uh, the bounty of nature, that’s what.”
“Okay, but do you strip bark off a tree and steam it? Do you stuff a handful of grass in your mouth and call it salad? What’s grown in the earth?—”
“Gets peed on by bugs and four-legged creatures,” Willa said. “I know. You’ve said it a million times. You like baked goods. But Matt’s a beer-and-steak kind of guy. What kind of life is that forhim? ‘Honey, I’m home.’” She lowered her voice to sound like a dude. “‘What’s for dinner?’” She raised her pitch to say, “‘I made yummy brownies and cinnamon rolls.’”
Finlay laughed. “That’s fair.”
