But if Jude thinks I’m being ridiculous, he doesn’t say so. Instead, he grins. “Aye-aye, Captain.” He salutes me. “I’m just here to take orders.”
His eyes drop to my chest. The way I’m bent over him, my boobs have rolled forward and my voluptuous cleavage stretches the neckline of my sweaty sports bra. His gaze lingers.
This isn’t the first time I’ve caught him with his eyes on my boobs. But he’s a guy and they’re boobs and they’re dangling right in front of him. He’s biologically programmed to take a peek.
And I’m struggling, too. I’m doing my best to keep my gaze off his crotch but my eyes eventually wander anyway and the thick bulge in his shorts is confirmation that I’m not the only one feeling this energy between us.
But I don’t act on it, of course.
Soon, we fall into a rhythm. I feel his eyes on me, but I keep my attention on supporting his scarred knee as he does the lifts. When I hear him breathing harder, I gently release his leg, giving him a well-earned break.
“How was that?” I ask, sounding breathy myself. “Too much?”
“No. No, it was good,” he answers, his half-lidded gaze on me.
Bats zip around in my stomach. We resume the exercises and I help guide his lift. I’m now kneeling between his legs again, my hands dangerously close to his upper thigh.
Lord, it’s so hot in here.
I see the strain in his face. He’s so determined. In a world where everybody’s looking for the easy way out, it’s really sexy seeing this man going for it, working so hard for something he wants. The least I can do is support him in this small way.
When he starts to struggle near the end of his set, I give him a little encouragement. “I’ve got you, Jude. I’ve got you.”
I still can’t believe I’m here, limbs all tangled up with my college nemesis. I’ve resented the man for years but now I’m starting to rethink everything. Maybe Jude was never the problem. Maybe he wasn’t Kirk’s immature jock buddy who sabotaged our relationship.
As Lexi pointed out at the bar, Kirk was a grown man, even back then. If he didn’t want to do something, he could have spoken up. If he loved me and put our relationship above all else, he wouldn’t have ditched me—he wouldn’t have cheated—regardless of what his friends were doing.
My thumb accidentally brushes over Jude’s inner thigh. I see goosebumps rise along his skin. His eyes flick to mine.
I lower his leg and look away.
My gaze moves out the back window just as the automatic sprinklers come on and start flinging water across the lawn. Jude somehow managed to fix the tree swing. Even with his injured leg. When Kirk lived here, he had promised to hire someone to do it but he never managed to fit it into his packed schedule, what with all his slutty philandering and such.
My roomie bites his lip. “Keep going, Iris.” His voice is deep and rich and course like sandpaper. “Let’s keep going.” I imagine him saying those words in a whole different context.
I swallow hard against my lust and resume the exercises. We keep pushing until he needs a break.
He’s staring at me.
“What? What are you looking at?” I know I’m a mess. I always am after my morning run, and I haven’t looked in a mirror since I left the house at dawn. I’m sure my hair is in a gross pile on top of my head, and my skin is still flushed and sweaty from the run.
He brushes back the damp hair that’s fallen into my face. “I appreciate you sticking here in the trenches with me these past few days. I’ve been enjoying your company.”
His touch resonates between my thighs.
“I’ve been enjoying your company, too.” I laugh nervously. “Wow, with the way we’re getting along right now, how come we couldn’t be friends in college?”
Jude watches me stoically. “Because you never gave a friendship between us a chance…and that sucked.”
I don’t recognize this man in front of me right now. I hate that I misjudged him all this time. Guilt weighs on me. “Well maybe…maybe we can try being friends now…?”
“I would like that, Iris.”
We smile at each other.
I want to lean down and kiss him. I wish I were brave enough to do that. But I’m not. So instead, I kneel between Jude’s legs and help him continue his exercise. The heat in my living room has become stifling, and I don’t know what to do about Jude staring at me, his gaze something like a spotlight on my body.
My stomach is a tangled mess, and in our weird position, I can feel his hard erection against my hip. I fight an incredible urge to press up against him further. I remain still as his eyes drop to my lips. I run my tongue over my bottom lip, preparing for him to put his mouth on mine.
Just before my eyes flicker closed, I see Jude look over my shoulder. “What the fuck?” he mutters in my ear.
I rear back, appalled by his reaction and ready to run. But then I follow his gaze.
Jude’s mom is peeping at us through my living room window. And her jaw is on the porch.
16
Jude
Iris graciously opens the front door, despite being very obviously embarrassed. My mother just caught us in a very compromising position on the living room floor.
So now, I’m hard and Iris is sweaty and she won’t meet anyone’s eyes.
“I’m so sorry, Dear,” my mother gushes to Iris as my roommate ushers her inside. “I didn’t realize you two would be…busy,” she cocks
