Page 83 of More Than Friends

He kept his promise by fucking me so hard and long that today my muscles are already sore from the night we shared.

But it was perfect.

Part of me was nervous that I’d wake up and he’d be gone, that he’d regret what we shared last night, but instead of finding my bed empty, he holds me against him like he never wants to let go.

I can’t help but smile. Last time I woke up in his arms, I wanted to do everything possible to make sure I got away from him before he woke up and realized the position we were in.

Now, I want to soak in having him like this. I have no idea what things are going to look like for us going forward, so I want to savor every second of the walls being down between us.

Before I can turn my head to see if he’s awake or not, he presses his lips to my bare shoulder.

“Good morning.” I try not to shiver at the raspiness of his voice. He sounds sexy in the morning.

I turn a little so I can meet his gaze, and my entire body feels warm at just the way our stares connect.

“Morning,” I whisper.

“How’d you sleep?” he asks, the hint of a smirk on his lips.

I blush at the memories of last night. The dirty words he said. The possessive way in which he fucked me. The soft caress of his lips against mine and the way he kissed me as if he planned on doing it forever.

“Good. How about you?”

His smile gets wider, and it’s just another moment that grabs hold of my heart. “Never better.”

My cheeks feel even hotter at his words. Why does he have to be so perfect? He makes it almost impossible not to fall for him.

He glances over to where the baby monitor rests. At some point, he must’ve gotten up to get the charger because I know it wasn’t in here last night.

“Ava’s still asleep. I woke up in the middle of the night to check on her and make sure everything was okay, and she was passed out the entire time.”

This makes me smile as I turn my body so I fully face him. I love how his arms tighten around me and pull my body completely flush against his. We’re so close our noses almost touch.

“Maybe the sleep schedule is working,” I note. Since Ava was dropped off almost a month ago, she’s never slept through the entire night. This would be a first, and I can’t help but feel a rush of pride that maybe my idea for the sleep schedule is working.

Jude smiles before reaching out and cupping my cheek. I can’t help but immediately nestle into his touch. He moved in and out of me for a good chunk of last night, but something about this moment feels even more intimate. “I definitely thinkit’s working. I think I’m going to have to wake her up so she stays on it for the rest of the day.”

“Speaking of today, are you excited to go to Pembroke?”

Jude’s gaze rakes over my face as he pushes a piece of hair from my cheek. I don’t even want to know what my hair looks like. Between the two showers and getting fucked all night, I’m sure it’s a tangled mess. Luckily, it’s my day off, and my only plans are to hang out with Ava, so it doesn’t matter what it looks like. “I was thinking I could tell Tyson I’ll join him another day. We were up so much of last night; I don’t want to leave you with Ava while I go have fun.”

I shake my head before placing my palm against his chest and pushing myself up so I hover slightly over him. “No, not happening. You’re not getting out of this, Jude Kensington. You’re going to Pembroke today.”

His eyes go wide for a moment before a huge grin takes over his face. “I really love it when you’re bossy.”

My cheeks heat, but I don’t let the flirting deter me from making sure he doesn’t use us having sex all night to get out of going to the club. “Then you’re really going to love it because I’m putting my foot down. You’re going to see your friends today and tell them about Ava and stop hiding out here.”

“But what if I like it here with just you and Ava? It’s like we’re a little family that never has to leave.”

My mouth snaps shut for a moment because the tenderness in his voice about does me in. I can’t help but remember the way Lucy pointed out that we were playing house and how dangerous that might be. Now, with him saying those words, I realize just how much Ilikeplaying house with him and just how much it doesn’t feel like playing at all. It feels real. I want it to be real. Why does everything have to be so complicated?

“You can like it here all you want,” I manage to get out despite the thickness that has suddenly clogged my throat due to emotion. “But you’re still going to Pembroke today.”

Jude moves his hand to behind my neck. Instead of saying anything, he pulls my head down and brings our faces close to each other once again before pressing his lips to mine.

We kiss for a moment. This one is tender and sweet and makes butterflies take flight in my stomach. It seems to last forever, but not long enough either.

Eventually, I pull away just enough to get words out. “Are you kissing me to distract me from forcing you to finally get out of this house?”