Jules is an old soul, doesn’t expect something from anything or anyone, and she simply enjoyed the beauty that surrounded us. It made for a gorgeous day with the woman who stole my heart completely.
Now, both of us are back at my place, a house that isn’t a home, not yet at least. When Jules decides to move in and make it ours, that’s when it will have that well lived in, comfortable as hell, homey feeling.
“Have you thought about when you’re going to start renovating the upstairs?” Jules asks as we offload and put everything away from our day.
“I called the contractors on Friday, and they said they’d start the first of the week. Feel like having a roommate?”
“Sure, you’re always welcome at my place. We may be cramped, though,” she offers.
“I’m okay with that. Might be nice to be on top of you anyway I can,” I tell her with a wink.
“Well, uh… okay then.” Jules’ face is flaming red hot.
“Come here, gorgeous,” I tell her. She listens without question, and I hold my arms out to her. Jules comes without fail, right into the comfort of my arms.
“Are you sure you’ll be okay with me staying at your place? I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”
“I promise. I think it’ll take some work on both of our parts, but it’ll be nice you not having to drive thirty minutes my way or me driving to you every day.” Her face is tilted up, looking into my eyes.
“Hell yes, it will. I won’t be here but for a couple of days a week, and when you want, you can come up to help out.”
Jules licks her lower lip. I ache to take that lip into my mouth, to taste her again, to tease her relentlessly until she’s squirming and begging for more. “You know I will. Now, how about we get ready for bed. You’ve worn me out today, and I have a full day of work tomorrow.” She grabs my pinkie finger, something she does when we’re walking around town, sitting on the couch, or when she wants me to follow her lead. Jules heads up the stairs, and I follow. Damn, I’ll follow her any place she wants me to.
22
Jules
Two weeks later
Hudson is only a week into renovations at his house, which means we’ve been living together for the same amount of time. There was a bit of a learning curve. For instance, Hudson is an early bird who gets the worm, whereas I am not. It never failed though; he woke me up with a cup of coffee and some form of his hands on my body.
Tonight, we’re heading to his place to look at the progress and to see if we can salvage some of the tiles from the upstairs bathroom.
“I’m so excited. I can’t wait to see what they’ve done so far.” I’m squirming in the passenger seat of Hudson’s truck. Beau is in the back seat, snuggled into Hudson’s discarded jacket.
“I figure we’ll stay there tonight, get up early, and head back into town. That okay with you?”
“Yes, even if it means we have to wake up an extra hour early,” I grouse.
“I’ll make it worth your while. Plus, you love my bed. You’ve complained all week how mine is better than yours. This will give us a chance to have it for a night because, after this weekend, we’ll probably be blocked off as they mud, sand and texture the walls.”
“I mean, that’s exciting and all, but that means we’re out of your bed for a whole week. I’m so going to miss it,” I say on a sigh.
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you loved my bed more than me.”
“No way, you are way better, but your bed is a close second.” My face flushes as I think about how he woke me up a few times this week. Hudson would wake me up with his head between my legs. One time, I could have sworn it was a dream. My body knew the rest of the time, though, and I even woke him up the same way once to return the favor. Of course, I had to set my alarm clock and pray he didn’t hear it, which he didn’t.
“That’s good to know you love me more,” Hudson says.
I’ve tried to get the nerve up enough to tell him my true feelings, but I keep chickening out, so now is my chance. I’m going to say exactly how I feel. “I do. I mean, I do love you, Hudson. You have to know that by now.” We’ve just reached his house as I’m spilling my feelings to him.
“Thank fuck. I was worried you were going to say you loved my bed and not me.” He throws the truck in park, pulling me over the center console. I straddle his lap, and his hands find my hair, holding it like he always does as he says, “I love you, Jules Marie Russell. Every day I get to wake up with you, I get to fall asleep with you. You’re my whole damn world.”