Jude leaned over to kiss Snow. With the pain a distant throb under the layers of Vicodin, he inhaled the familiar scent of Jude deep into his lungs and kissed back more than he normally would have at his place of work. Jude pressed harder and the kiss lingered…and lingered. “You taste so good,” Snow murmured against his mouth. Apparently not quietly enough as low chuckles came from different areas of the room. He didn’t care. When Jude pulled back, Snow smiled up at him. “Want to help me find a new place to live?”
Jude nodded. Then he laughed and pointed to where his mother flitted between Ian and the wounded Rowe. He leaned back close again so he could whisper. “She has decided that all your motherless friends are being adopted. Thought I’d warn you.”
“Andrei isn’t motherless. Trust me. You think your mom’s a trip? Wait until you meet the Hadeons.” He reached with his right arm and tugged Jude in for another slow kiss. “I never want to see you in danger like that again,” he whispered, hoping it was a whisper and not a Vicodin-induced illusion.
“You’ll have to stay pretty close then,” Jude whispered back, his lips soft against Snow’s.
“Then I hope whatever place you help me find is one you’ll want, too.”
Jude stiffened, pulled back and stared for several, long moments. Then he shook his head, the sparkle in his eyes making them inky and way too appealing. “That was the plan. I just hadn’t expected you to admit to it yet.”
Snow, heart pounding in a volatile mix of fear, excitement and anticipation, gave him a huge, wide grin.
Jude groaned. “No fair. No fair with the smile and the broken ribs when I won’t be able to do anything until you heal. It’s irresistible. Stop. Stop it right now.”
Snow only grinned wider as Jude gave in and leaned back down to kiss him. Laughter filled the room around them and again, Snow didn’t care as he reached up to tangle his fingers in Jude’s thick, unruly hair and hold the man as close as he could for as long as he could.