His melted chocolate eyes look deep into mine as he takes my hand in his.Another anchor, grounding me, making me feel safe, protected… loved.
“You’ve already told me why you left town the way you did. I’m just wonderin’ if you ever thought about talkin’ to me about it before leavin’.”
I take a deep breath and turn to look out over the untouched beauty spread out in front of us. “Lookin’ back now, I know I was already gettin’ feelin’s for you, I just didn’t know it then. Or maybe I couldn’t fathom that I had made a connection with a man I married the first day we met, and who was?—”
“A Cooper?”
I shake my head. “That didn’t matter, not anymore, not after Dad chose you for me. I think it’s because you were always there.” His lips part and his eyes widen. “And I wanted you there. It was comfortin’ for me, but I also didn’t because it was all too much, too soon, after Dad’s passin’, you know?” My voice catches the moment Jude wraps an arm around my back and pulls me into him so my cheek is resting on his shoulder. “This wasn’t supposed to be real and yet there you were, lookin’ out for me, promisin’ to be there no matter what, and makin’ me feel like I had someone there just for me.”
I feel his pulse spike right as his body jerks. Gazing up at his face, I find his brows furrowed deep before realization dawns. “The letter before the weddin’?”
“Yeah. The moment you took my back at Dad’s bedside, I’d never felt stronger and that was despite everythin’ that was goin’ on with Dad. I never thought I’d find someone outside of my family that could make me feel safe like that. It was like I could just let go and didn’t have to worry about holdin’ it together for once.”
He rubs his thumb back and forth over the back of my hand and I tremble at the warm buzz that radiates over my skin from his touch. It’s no longer startling whenever I feel it now, it’s comforting.
“I meant every word, Em. I didn’t go to the ranch that day for any reason other than followin’ a gut feelin’.” A dry laugh escapes him. “Definitely didn’t expect my entire world to shift the moment I laid eyes on you. Or for Sully to do what he did.”
“That makes two of us,” I quip.
“The moment I saw just how much he wanted it to be me, I could tell it wasn’t just a dyin’ man’s wish. It was?—“
“The Call,” I reply. “He knew we were meant to be in each other’s lives.”
Jude smiles down at me. “I’m guessin’ the mountain knew then too.”
“Now who’s gettin’ all deep and meaningful,” I joke, losing myself in the way he’s looking at me.Kiss me, I don’t say.
“You can be however you want when you’re with me, Em. Always.” Jude’s voice has a deep rasp to it now, his eyes dark and hooded again, just like they were earlier.
My gaze roams over his face, taking in every tiny detail. “You really mean that, don’t you.”
He leans in to touch his forehead to mine. “Every. Single. Word.”
His gaze drops to my lips before slowly dragging back to my eyes again. “I like you. Nope, it’s more than that. I’m fallin’ for you, Em. Not because of the Call or the mountain choosin’ us for each other. It’s because it’s you.”
My heart fights to jump out of my chest at his words, especially knowing we’re both feeling the same things at the same speed.
I’m gone for this man. I think I was already half-way there when I left Timber Falls.
Thankfully, the universe decided that fate could wait for a little while, but now that Jude is back in my life, I can’t imagine him evernotbeing in it.
“Jude…” I whisper, overwhelmed.
“I’m goin’ to kiss you, Em. Been tryin’ to wait for the perfect time but I’m kiddin’ myself thinkin’ there’ll ever be a time more perfect than right now.”
Oh my?—
I’m barely able to get a nod out before he cradles my jaw in his hands like I’m the most precious thing in the world to him. Then he brushes his lip against mine once… then again… before I open my mouth and invite him in.
And I’ll tell you right now, there has not and never will be a more perfect second-first kiss with my husband than on that active volcano.
Well, maybe until the next one, anyway. Because something tells me that now that the dam has been broken, there’s nothing holding us back now.
Chapter 15
Em
Having spent so much time out of the office while looking after Dad, I volunteered to cover Thanksgiving so everyone else in the office could spend the time with their families.