Page 91 of Wicked Temptations
I wanted him so fucking much.
Up close, Jude looked good. Better than good. His face paint was sharper than mine, all angles, and shadows that made his cheekbones look like they could cut glass. The crown sat crooked over his messy curls, but somehow that made it perfect. He’d been radiant this last week, glowing when the costume was off, and laughing maniacally when it was on. He’d twisted his usual character—the Hunter and stalker—into a bored spawn of hell, eager for entertainment and attention. His dark eyes locked on mine, and the crowd might as well have disappeared.
“Name your prize, Champion.”
The words were theatrical, meant for the audience. But the way he looked at me was private. That was just ours.
I knew what I wanted. I had known since the moment I took this job, since the first time I saw him perform and felt my world tilt sideways when he glanced over his shoulder.
My hand closed over the elaborate backrest of his throne, and I leaned in, close enough that only he could hear over the music.
“You. Always you.”
I don’t know what I was expecting him to do with that confusion, but that wasn’t my problem. I had to say it. The words had been welling in my chest for so long now, and this last week had been torture. They’d been sitting right there on the tip of mytongue every time I looked at him, and maybe I was an asshole, but I had to make them his problem as well—ourproblem.
Jude’s eyes widened. Just a fraction, just enough for me to see I’d surprised him. He hadn’t expected that at all.
His mouth opened with silent words, and I watched as his eyebrows furrowed under all that face paint.
Butfucking Judewas never one to be outdone.
His hand shot out, fisted the strap of my tactical vest and yanked me down.
His mouth crashed against mine.
The crowd went absolutely fucking feral, but I could barely hear them over the blood roaring in my ears.
Jude kissed me like he’d been waiting his whole life to do it in public, and I melted into him. My hand went to his hair, messing up the gel and pulling until his mouth opened under mine. I tasted mint and adrenaline and the chemical tang of his face paint. It smeared and blurred where our skin met, black and white mixing into gray and seeping into our mouths. I couldn’t give a flying fuck; I’d lick it from his skin if he asked me to.
Jude’s fingers dug into my vest, and my other hand found his jaw, holding him like he might disappear if I let go. There was no hiding now. No pretending this was just physical or just a good time. A dirty little secret made for dark corridors and grimy bathrooms.
This waseverything.
His teeth caught my bottom lip, and I groaned into his mouth.
“How’s that for a finale?” Jude’s voice was wrecked, just for me, and even though I was addicted to the sound, I was more hooked on his lips.
I kissed him again before he could say anything else.
Chapter 23
@screamqueen87EXCUSE ME???? THEY JUST KISSED??? ON STAGE??? IN FRONT OF EVERYONE??? I NEED TO LIE DOWN
@octoberfanaticholy fuck holy fuck HOLY FUCK they’re CANON
@darkromancereaderwait so does this mean jude can’t be my book boyfriend anymore or...
@nightmarefuel99@RealScaryAshDo you do weddings? As the groom, I mean. You can bring your boyfriend too...
@ashleysimonfanNO BUT WHAT ABOUT #SIMASH??? WE WERE SO CLOSE TO HAVING IT ALL
@itsapizzagirl simon has a GIRLFRIEND. he was never gonna rail ash. let it go
@thirsttrap2000I need to know who tops. For science. And also because I’m feral about it
@crowdaddy_foreverjude’s definitely a power bottom fight me
@monstertruckerya’ll see oct28th? ash picked him up like he weighed NOTHING. ash tops. case closed
