We walked hand-in-hand along a crude trail in the woods. It was getting dark, but Jude knew the path well and all I had to do was stay close to him. Which was certainly no hardship.
I loved being with this man more than anything I could think of. I also loved the fact that we talked pretty much non-stop as we wandered through the trees. I’d fully expected to ease back into the relationship, which is what Jude had seemed to want last evening. Slow, careful, one day at a time.
Instead, I almost felt as though the last few weeks were a dream—albeit a terrible one—and now I was awake again, with everything just like it was before I thought he was JP.
I was beyond grateful for Jude’s forgiveness, and I appreciated this time with him even more now that I knew how awful things had been without him.
As we walked, Jude told me more about JP. He admitted their relationship had gone through many ups and downs during their growing up years, but was mostly all good now. He also revealed that JP hadn’t dated anyone seriously since Myla.
That fact, along with the way JP had looked when he’d asked me about Myla last night, made me think those two had a lot to discuss. Trying to convince Myla of that would be an epic battle, and maybe I shouldn’t even consider it. Let the sleeping dog lie and all that. But I genuinely liked JP, and I couldn’t help but think there was some kind of major misunderstanding that needed to be cleared up.
Jude and I also talked more about the rec center where he volunteered, and he asked again if I’d be willing to hold some volleyball clinics. He explained that back before I’d stopped communicating with him, he’d talked to the director about finding a net. She’d called him last week to say she had one ready to go, and Jude told me he’d make sure it got set up if I was still interested in helping out.
I still loved the idea and told him I was game any time. He took that literally and said he’d check to see if tomorrow afternoon would work for an informal introductory session. Sunday afternoons always brought a lot of kids to the center, and he thought that might be a good time to try something new. He assured me he’d be there to help, too.
I was all for it. Not only because I was eager to play a little volleyball again, but because it also meant I’d get to see Jude. Win-win.
I would have happily walked with him for hours, fingers twined together and my shoulder bumping against his arm every few steps, but it was getting steadily darker, so Jude turned us around while we could still see.
We got back to the house much too soon as far as I was concerned. I went up the deck steps in front of him, but before I could reach for the door knob, he tugged me over to a corner, away from the doors and windows. I ended up with my back against the log wall of the house, while he stood close in front of me, hands shoved in his pockets.
For a few seconds he simply looked at me, his eyes glittering in the moonlight. I returned his gaze, trying to hide the shiver of desire that rippled through me top to bottom.
“I need to know where we’re at, Ava,” he finally said, his voice coming out low and a little rough. “What do you want from this?”
I didn’t even hesitate. I looked him right in the eye and told him what was in my heart.
“I want this to work. I want us to be together. A couple.” He didn’t flinch at my words, and I bravely reached up to trail my fingertips along the defined line of his jaw. “I want you, Jude.”
A muscle jumped in that well-stubbled jaw, right beneath my fingers. Had I ever, ever wanted anything more than I wanted Jude Keller to kiss me right then?
It was impossible to keep my eyes from dropping to his mouth. They just went there, and I didn’t even care if he guessed what I wanted. But it had to be his move, because I was still determined to give him the space he needed. Even though for me, a kiss felt far more like a need than a want at this point.
When I looked back up, his eyes were boring into mine. It felt like he was searching, looking for any sign I wasn’t quite as sure as my words made it sound. I returned his gaze steadily, having nothing to hide. I loved him, and I meant exactly what I’d said.
He closed the half step between us and removed his hands from his pockets, framing my face with them instead.
“I want it to work, too. But there can be no more deciding things without talking it out. No more going silent without an explanation.” He gave a tight smile. “I don’t want to ever repeat the last four weeks.”
“Me neither.” I hooked my hands over his forearms, needing to touch him. “I don’t usually make such bad decisions, Jude.”
His lips quirked up. “Good to know. But I made some bad ones, too. I should’ve never let it go on so long in the first place. And I shouldn’t have made you wait when you finally asked to talk.”
“I understand why you did.”
His thumbs stroked lightly over my cheeks and he leaned in a tiny bit closer. “If you have any misgivings, now’s the time to tell me,” he said softly.
I kept my eyes on his. “No misgivings,” I said firmly. “I’m all in, Jude.”
He tilted my face up and lowered his head slowly, until his lips were barely brushing mine. “Me too,” he whispered.
His breath mingled with mine and I couldn’t help but press my mouth more firmly against his. I had just enough time to wonder how the touch of his lips could be even better than I remembered before one of his hands slid down over my shoulder to the center of my back, drawing me closer, while the other cupped the back of my head as his mouth claimed mine.
And I do mean claimed. There was no teasing, gentle lead in—not this time. Jude kissed me in a way I’d only dreamed about prior to this moment. It marked the end of the frustration and loss we’d endured, and I was so ready to put that behind us. I melted against his warm, strong body, doing my best to show him how excited I was for the next chapter.
The kiss was long, which I absolutely loved, but the very best thing about it was that it said in no uncertain terms, “You’re mine and I’m not letting you go.”
I was totally on board with that. Experiencing this moment with Jude after believing I’d ruined everything made his unspoken declaration that much sweeter.
When he finally raised his head, our breathing was ragged and audible in the still, quiet night air. His eyes were glazed and heavy-lidded and I knew mine were the same.
“Only you, Ava,” he rasped.
I tilted my head curiously, the only reaction my kiss-addled brain could manage, and he smiled.
“This is new to me,” he said softly. “The connection we have—it’s rare. And as good as it is, it’s also why I tried to convince myself it would be better if we stayed apart.” He gave me a half-smile. “It’s too hard to have something like this and then lose it. I don’t want to go through that again.”
My eyes got wet and I put my hands on his chest, smoothing my palms over the hard muscle beneath the soft cotton of his T-shirt. “We won’t. We’ll make it work.”
He nodded slowly. “Yeah. I think we will.” He smoothed my hair back as his eyes roamed my face. “Thanks again for coming to me yesterday. I know that wasn’t easy. I admire you for taking the risk, and I learned from it.”
I swallowed hard and didn’t wipe away the lone tear that rolled down my cheek. “The whole thing was all my fault. I had to try to fix it.”
He kissed me lightly. “We don’t have to assign blame. It’s behind us, and we’re stronger because of it.”
I gave a relieved sigh and hugged him, my cheek against his shoulder. “I plan to show you every day how glad I am about that. Every single day.”
His low chuckle vibrated through his chest. “That would be easier if I was still living next door with Lulu, but we’ll make it happen somehow.”
“There’s always Facetime,” I murmured, grinning when he chuckled again.
***
The next day I was able to concentrate on Pastor Dan’s sermon for the first time in weeks, with no angst clouding my brain. And the sermon was unbelievably timely—as so often happens.
Pastor Dan spoke about forgiveness, both giving and receiving it, and how important it was to let go of resentment if you truly wanted to heal. He also pointed out how important it was to be able to trust again after being wronged. As I drank in his message, it strengthened my resolve to do whatever I could to prove to Jude that he could trust me, that I wouldn’t shut him out again, no matter what the issue.
After the service, Priscilla—dressed once again in the purple outfit—made a beeline to me, extending an invitation to join them at Country Buffet once again. I accepted, because I didn’t have much in my fridge, and I figured I might as well pass an hour or two with the ladies while I waited to hear more about the day’s plans from Jude.
When I sat down between Priscilla and Rosie with my customary plate of roast beef and mashed potatoes, Priscilla asked me how things were going with my “friend.” The other gals were immediately all ears. It was obvious they already knew I was seeing someone—thank you, Priscilla—but they were hungry for details. Apparently, my being unavailable the last couple weeks had left them hanging way too long.
“Things are going well,” I said, and it felt wonderful to be able to say that after thinking for sure I’d lost him. I couldn’t stop my wide smile, and that got all the women tittering.
“He lives in Maisie’s house, right?” Donna asked.
“Not anymore. He was staying there with his cousin who bought the house from Maisie but that was only while he was renovating his own place in Mountain View. He moved back there about a week ago.”
“What’s his name?” Evvie asked eagerly. “We’ve been dying to find out whether any of us knows him.”
I took a sip of water. “Jude Keller. He works for Owens Construction.”
“Keller?” Donna repeated, frowning. “But isn’t that the young fella Myla was seeing before she left town?” All eyes were suddenly on me, wide and shocked, because these ladies loved Myla dearly and had taken her leaving hard. Me dating my best friend’s ex would not sit well with them.
“That was Jude’s brother,” I said quickly, not wanting to get that rumor started even for a second. “His name is JP. He’s the guy who was hurt in the accident a couple weeks ago.”
“Oh, yes, JP. That’s who it was,” Donna said, and they all relaxed. “And how’s he doing?”
“He’s getting better,” I assured them. “He had a lot of broken bones, but he’ll be up and around again in a few weeks.”
“So…..back to you and your Jude,” Priscilla said, her blue eyes sparkling. “Is it getting serious?”
I told them the truth, not caring if they gossiped far and wide. “For me it is, and Jude seems to be on the same page. It’s still new, of course, and we’ve had a bump or two in the road, but things are really good right now.”
The ladies all had lots of questions and I answered the best I could, while the two husbands in attendance carried on their own conversation at the other end of the table.
“Do you happen to have a picture of your Jude?” Evvie asked sweetly. “I bet he’s just as handsome as he can be.”
“I do, and he is,” I said, grinning as I dug my phone from my purse. As soon as I lit the screen I saw a text from Jude. I looked up and waggled my brows playfully at my friends. “Hang on, ladies, I need to respond to a text.”
They all giggled and nudged each other, and I’m pretty sure I heard a mumbled “ooo-la-la” from across the table. I quickly replied to Jude’s question about whether I could meet him at the rec center at three-thirty, telling him that would be fine. He responded right away, saying he’d text directions on how to find it in a few minutes.
I sent him a thumbs-up emoji, then opened my photo album and brought up the selfie we’d taken that wonderful night in the park—the one I’d used as my phone’s wallpaper ever since. We’d been sitting on the blanket when I’d taken the shot, my head on his shoulder as we looked at the camera. His eyes were vividly blue, his smile the sexy, smoldering one that got me every time. He’d only agreed to take the picture if I promised to send it to him, which I’d done right away. As I looked at it now, I wondered whether he’d stared at it as often as I had over the last few weeks.
I knew the ladies would love the photo, and they didn’t disappoint. When I handed the phone to Evvie her eyes went wide and her jaw dropped.
“Let me see,” Priscilla demanded, reaching across the table and snatching the phone from Evvie’s limp hand.
“Oh. Well. I see,” she said, her perfectly penciled brows rising. “Very nice-looking young man you’ve got there, Ava.”
The others eagerly awaited their turns, and by the time my phone got back to me there was a lot of sighing and swooning going on.
“And here we thought we could tempt you with Pastor Dan’s Devon,” Donna said, chortling as she fanned herself with a napkin.
“But is this Jude a nice boy?” Evvie asked, full of concern. “Is he good enough for our Ava Ann?”
I nodded. “Definitely, Evvie. I can say without a shadow of a doubt that my grandma would approve.”
“Well that’s good enough for me,” Donna stated. “I only wish she was here to give you her blessing in person.”
“Me, too,” I said, “but she’s the reason I moved to Hidden Creek, so in a way, she’s also the reason I’m with Jude right now. She’s still making sure I’m happy.”
“She loved you dearly, Ava Ann,” Priscilla said, pulling a tissue from her purse and wiping her eyes. “We all miss her, and it means a lot that you take time out of your busy schedule for us. You’re very much like her, you know, and being with you keeps her spirit alive for us.”
Hearing those words, especially from the rather pompous and stoic Priscilla, melted my heart.
“Oh goodness, that’s sweet of you to say, and I hope it’s true. I’d be proud to be even a little bit like her.” I looked around the table, smiling at each lady in turn. Priscilla, Donna, Rosie, Sarah Beth, Evvie, Constance, and Liz. Grandma’s friends, who loved me simply because I was her granddaughter. The ladies who had been there for her, and were now here for me.
“I appreciate all of you so much,” I told them sincerely. “I’ll try to introduce you to Jude very soon. But I have to warn you five single ladies,” I said with a grin, “it could be love at first sight for you. He has that effect on people. Just remember, he’s taken and I won’t go down without a fight.”
Evvie and Liz giggled and Liz held up an age-spotted fist. “He might be worth a swing or two,” she said. “My house has been awfully lonely since Howard passed.”
“And if I remember right, you had to fight for him, too,” Sarah Beth teased. Which launched them into a conversation about boyfriends from long ago.
I listened until after we’d all finished dessert, then I excused myself, saying I had to get home to do a few things before leaving again to meet Jude. After hearing much encouragement to invite him to Hidden Creek Methodist for church next Sunday, I made my escape.
I wasn’t sure how eager Jude would be to meet my little posse of seventy-and-eighty-somethings, but I knew the ladies wouldn’t rest until it happened.
***
I got to the rec center a little early after finding it easily, a block off Main Street in the heart of Mountain View. It was a large, well-kept brick building, and a group of five teens was walking in as I parked down the street.
I grabbed my bag, packed with a water bottle, my volleyball shoes, and knee pads, and in my other arm I carried two volleyballs, which I’d brought along in case the rec center didn’t have any good ones. There was nothing like bruised, stinging forearms caused by bad balls to turn a person off the sport.
I went inside the building, happy to find that the inside was also in good shape, even though it was obviously an old building. I had a feeling Owens Construction might have had something to do with the good condition of the place.
I waited in the small lobby for a minute, but when no one came, I made my way down the hallway, following the sound of balls hitting hardwood. The doors leading into the gym area were propped open, and I stood in the doorway and looked around, smiling at all the activity.
A basketball game was going on at the far end, and in the middle, some young adults worked with a group of young children, some jumping rope and others practicing dribbling with junior-sized basketballs. The other end sported a volleyball net that had seen better days, but was still functional. No one was down there yet, but I hoped to change that.
I stepped farther into room, which was easily the size of two high school gyms. I suspected it had been a warehouse of some kind in its first life, but the remodelers had done a stellar job. Hardwood floors, four retractable basketball hoops, and even a nice set of bleachers along half the space. A few parents were seated there, watching over the younger kids, but there were at least twenty teens in attendance, too, either playing basketball or watching the game.
I walked partway down and leaned against the wall, watching the game from a safe distance. I was surprised to recognize Chase when he took a ball out of bounds, and then I realized Jude must be in the mix, too. My breath caught when I spotted him just as he went up for a three-pointer.
Wow. There were no words. He looked mouth-watering in a gray shirt and black basketball shorts, and his form when he took the shot was textbook perfect. When the ball swished through the net his teammates whooped and cheered, slapping high fives as the other team took the ball out and passed it back in, putting Jude and his guys back on defense.
I watched for a good five minutes without looking away. I was mesmerized by Jude, true, but I was also amazed by the camaraderie he and Chase shared with the group of teenaged boys and girls who had come to play basketball instead of any number of other activities they could have chosen. Many of them a lot less healthy and wholesome.
I was glad Jude hadn’t noticed me yet, because I wasn’t anywhere near done watching him do his thing. That is, until someone tapped me on the shoulder, drawing me out of my trance.
“Hey, are you Ava Milton?”
I turned to see a girl a few years younger than me with a welcoming smile on her face. We were both dressed in black athletic shorts, modest tank tops—hers pink and mine powder blue—and colorful sneakers. We also both wore our hair in ponytails.
“Yeah, I’m Ava.”
“I’m Meredith Tomlin.”
She held out her hand and I juggled the balls and bag I still held so I could shake it. “It’s nice to meet you,” I said. “Do you help out here?”
“Yeah. I usually run the art classes, but I played a lot of volleyball in high school, so our director here at the center asked if I could come by and help you out today. Sheri thought maybe you could use an assistant for your session.”
“I’d love an assistant,” I said, following her down to where the net was set up. “Do you think we’ll be able to lure anyone away from the basketball game?”
“I think so,” Meredith said with a confident grin. “Sheri told me you set a school record for kills the last year you played, and it just so happens I was a pretty darn good setter. Let’s do a little warming up, start showing our stuff, and I think we’ll get some attention.”
“So the high school here in Mountain View doesn’t have a team?” I asked.
“Nope, they never have as far as I know, so our kids haven’t been exposed to the sport. There are some really competitive gals who come here, though, and I’m looking forward to showing them what volleyball is all about.”
I returned her grin. “I like the way you think. I saw some good prospects walk in when I got here. Two really tall girls. They’re probably way into basketball, but you never know.”
Meredith tapped the end pole of the net as we walked by. “We got this net donated. A college near here was going to throw it out, but it’ll work just fine for us. They even threw in the poles.”
“It’s way better than I expected,” I said. “How are we set for balls? I recently moved and these are the only two I brought with me.”
“Funny you should ask,” Meredith said, throwing a smile over her shoulder. “I walked into the storage room this morning and found this.”
She swung open a door and pulled out a ball cart, brimming with volleyballs. Good ones, and only slightly used.
“I don’t know for sure where these came from, but I’m guessing from the same college. It’s always nice to have people willing to donate to a good cause.”
I put my own balls to the side, up against the wall, and Meredith shrugged off her backpack. We changed our shoes and put on knee pads, then wheeled the cart out to the net. I glanced down to the other end, where the basketball game was still going strong. I wasn’t as certain about gaining the kids’ interest as Meredith was, but I was going to give it my best shot.
We did a bit of stretching, talking the whole time, then started some warm-ups. Easy hits back and forth. I felt it all coming back, muscle memory taking over. My vertical jumps weren’t as high as they’d been when I was training, but Meredith seemed impressed when I went over to the net and went through the motions of spiking the ball.
“Okay, show me what you’ve got,” she called, getting into position near the net.
I backed up to mid-court, then ran forward as she launched the ball off her fingertips, trying to time my jump to when the ball reached the perfect height for the kill. It took us a few tries, but pretty soon we were in sync. I managed to smash nine good spikes over the net, ones that would’ve been a challenge for an opponent to dig up.
We were in our own little world, almost giddy with joy as we played the sport we’d both loved but given up when real life happened.
“You go, Ava,” she called as I hit number ten.
I landed lightly on my feet and grinned at her. “I could’ve used you as my setter in school. You have a magic touch.”
“This is so fun,” she enthused. “I’m so glad Sheri called me.”
I opened my mouth to respond, but noticed she was looking over my shoulder, a satisfied smile lighting her pretty face.
“Hey, guys,” she said, putting a ball under one arm and placing her free hand on her hip. “Anyone interested in a little volleyball clinic?”
I swung around to see everyone who had been playing basketball now lining the back of our court. My eyes quickly found Jude, who was looking at me with an expression I couldn’t quite decipher. His lips curved up in a smile when our gazes met.
“Okay, everyone, basketball is done for the day,” he said. “Let’s give these ladies a chance to show us their sport.”
A few kids groaned, but most of them looked at least mildly interested.
“Isn’t volleyball just for girls?” one young fellow asked warily.
“Nope,” Jude said, “although it’s tougher to find schools with mens’ teams.”
One of the girls I’d noticed earlier spoke up. “Show us some more of that.”
Jude stepped up and put his hand on my arm. “She will in just a second. I need her to fill out some volunteer paperwork first, then we’ll be right back.” He urged me to a door that led back out into the hallway, then into an office on the other side.
He shut the door and stopped a few steps away from me, using the bottom of his shirt to wipe the sweat from his face. In doing so he exposed his perfectly ripped abs, which was a very effective way of increasing my heart rate, and easier than running two miles.
He lowered the shirt and looked at me, his expression no longer unreadable. “That was the hottest thing I’ve ever seen,” he ground out, his eyes practically shooting blue flames.
Sparks sizzled between us. It was tempting to launch myself at him, because I could tell he needed me at that moment as much as I did him, but in the end I couldn’t resist a little bit of teasing.
“Huh. Who knew spiking a volleyball would have such an effect on a basketball player,” I drawled.
“Only when you do it,” he countered. “Only you, Ava.” Before I could reply, he closed the distance between us and pulled me into his arms, his mouth coming down hard on mine. He was turned on. Possessive. And I loved it.
But it couldn’t last. Not with a gym full of kids waiting on us. I put my hands on the sides of his head and pulled away, grinning up at him.
“To be continued,” I said softly. “Now where’s the form I need to sign?”
He pressed his forehead to mine and sighed. “I have no idea. Sheri has it somewhere. I just needed an excuse to get my hands on you.”
“Are you serious?”
His smile was a little sheepish. “Totally. Ava the athlete is new to me and completely irresistible.”
I cocked my head. “More so than Ava the geek?”
He groaned. “It’s the combination of the two that does it. Seriously, you’re every fantasy I’ve ever had come to life.”
I burst out laughing. “Whatever, Jude. We have to get back out there, so somehow you’re gonna have to find the strength to resist my irresistibleness.”
His calculating smile made me shiver. “I will. For now. But no promises once the kids leave.”
I pulled open the door and gave him a mock glare. “Thanks for ruining my concentration. Now I’ll probably hit every ball into the net for the rest of the session.”
“It’ll still be a sight to see,” he murmured, making me smile as I returned to the gym.
Meredith was already working with a few of the girls, showing them how to link their hands and hit the ball with the insides of their forearms. “It’s not just a ricochet,” she was saying. “You can actually control the trajectory based on the position and reaction of your body, especially the arms, shoulders, and knees.”
I joined her, and after a while, all the girls and even a few of the guys were participating. Pretty soon they wanted to try spiking the ball. Meredith and I demonstrated the importance of a good set, and what led to a successful kill. Speed, placement, cunning—it was all part of it.
The kids were having fun, although the skill level was on the low side of basic, which resulted in lots of misplaced spikes and laughter, especially when the biggest, tallest guy tried his hand at it and almost brained Jude. Only Jude’s quick reflexes saved him from incurring major damage to that oh-so-handsome face.
An hour and a half flew by, and then Meredith had to leave. Jude asked the kids if any of them would be interested in another session, and at least three-quarters of them raised their hands. He promised to let them know when it would happen and encouraged them to tell their friends about it. They filed out, joking and horsing around in the age-old way of teens.
When only Jude, Chase, and I were left, I looked at them in awe. “This is an incredible place,” I said. “If I’m right, there was quite a mix of kids here. Some solid middle-class, maybe even upper middle, along with some who are struggling. Am I right?”
“Good pickup,” Chase said.
“How do you do it? How do you get such a diverse group of kids to come here and all get along?”
“It’s not always so smooth,” Jude said. “We have outbursts sometimes, but we have a lot of quality programs that kids want to be part of, and if they can’t get along, they get kicked out. Today was just a pickup basketball game, but there are a lot of other things that go on too, thanks to a bunch of great volunteers. Art classes, tutoring, sign language, creative writing, youth referee classes—lots of stuff. Along with the sports, of course. We work hard to make it the place to be. It helps keep kids out of trouble.”
“Speaking of trouble,” Chase said, eyeing Jude and me warily, “it appears you two have put your troubles behind you. I say that because I’m pretty sure there were no papers being signed earlier.”
My face went hot but Jude just smiled. “I haven’t had a chance to talk to you about that, but yeah. We’re good.” He snaked an arm out and pulled me against his side. “Real good, in fact.”
Chase gave me a hard look. “You’re not going to tear him apart again?” he asked, his tone causing Jude’s arm to tighten protectively around me.
I said, “No, I’m not,” at the same time that Jude said, “Hey, chill out, Chase.”
I put a hand on Jude’s chest and shook my head. “It’s okay. He’s only asking because he cares about you so much. He has that right.”
I met Chase’s gaze without flinching. “I won’t make the same mistake twice. I promise you that.”
Chase’s eyes moved to Jude. “You sure about this?”
“I am. We’ll talk soon, okay? Call me when you have time to get lunch or coffee.”
Chase looked between the two of us a couple more times, then appeared to relax. “Well, I have to say it’s about time,” he said. His gaze found mine again. “Hannah said she talked to you and felt better about things, but she wouldn’t give me details. She said it was up to Jude to do that, if and when he feels like it.”
Jude chuckled. “I feel like it. We just need to find the time.”
“Soon,” Chase promised. He picked up his bag. “If you two can handle closing up, I’m gonna head on home. I’ll give Hannah the good news. She’s been stressing.”
“Tell her I’ll call,” I said.
“Will do.”
He walked out of the gym and Jude and I stood still until we heard the front door slam closed.
“Finally,” he growled, and before I knew it he’d swung me up in his arms and was carrying me straight into the supply room, lowering me onto a waist-high stack of wrestling mats. He came down beside me, his elbow landing by my shoulder, propping him up so he was looking down at me, while his right leg pressed against mine on the mat.
I felt my heart beating in my throat as I looked up at him.
“I don’t know how far is too far,” he murmured, moving his hand to cradle my head. “You drive me crazy. I want everything with you, Ava. I want it so much more than I ever have before. But I made a vow a few years ago, when I got myself right with God, and I haven’t had sex since.” He closed his eyes briefly. “I also haven’t ever been tempted the way I am with you.”
I ran my fingertips along his arms, savoring the feel of his warm skin. I’d never known desire so strong, but I also knew I wouldn’t be the one to cause him to break his vow.
“I made a vow too. To God, and to my grandmother when I was fourteen. After standing firm for over ten years, I’m not going to break that promise now. Not even for you.”
His eyes narrowed, drilling into mine. “So….you’ve never—”
When he broke off, I shook my head. “Never. And I won’t. Not until I’m married.”
He treated me to the slow smile I’d missed so much. “That’s something to be proud of, Ava, and I promise you, I won’t try to change your mind. But I need to kiss you more than I need to breathe right now. Would that be okay?” His eyes dropped to my lips before returning to mine. “Do you trust me?”
I nodded, knowing without question he’d stop if I grew uncomfortable. He licked his lips as he lowered them slowly to mine and I slid my arms around his back and pulled him down, needing him closer even if his kisses were all I could have right now.
For the next few minutes, right there in the cluttered supply room, Jude Keller schooled me in the art of passionate, don’t-hold-back kissing. I like to think I was a quick learner. I was certainly an avid one. When we finally walked out, my legs weak, lips swollen and sensitive, I knew I’d never, ever want another man the way I wanted him.