Damaged and the Knight by Bijou Hunter Read Free Book Online Page A

handsome and I really like you.”
    Staring, I felt dumb because my words sounded dumb. They sounded so beautiful in my head like poetry even. Out loud, they sounded like the babbling of an idiot.
    Judd stared at me like I was awful, just the lamest shit he had ever seen.
    “Fuck,” he muttered, walking towards me.
    Before I could react, his lips found mine while his hands were against my face. The kiss was too brief and I wanted more, but Judd only studied me.
    “You look like a damn angel with that face. Like innocence and goodness and everything in a perfect fucking package wrapped with a seventeen year old bow. Why did you have to be seventeen?”
    “I’ll be eighteen in a little over a month,” I mumbled, placing my hands on his hard chest.
    Judd looked miserable and I thought he would push me away. Instead, he wrapped me into his arms as his lips met mine again. Not for a brief kiss, but a real kiss like the kind I saw people share on TV.
    His tongue opened me up and caressed mine. Moaning into his mouth, I wanted it all. In his arms and having him need me was like magic. As if nothing ugly ever existed. Maybe nothing at all ever existed before this moment.
    This was my first real kiss and it was perfect. The kisses before were ugly things I endured, but this kiss from Judd was something I savored. Pressed against him, I felt his heart racing under the palms of my hands. He wanted me and I never felt more important.
    As our lips sucked at each other hungrily, I imagined a life in Ellsberg. Laughing with my sister, becoming stronger and more confident, and loving this man who wrapped me wonderfully in his arms.
    The day Farah left for college was the worst of my life. Worse than anything from the week with the bikers. Worse than any beating from my father or dismissal from my parents or new day at another new school. When Farah left, I thought I would never see her again. I had been so certain she would go to college and flourish and outgrow me. Once she had friends and found a man who loved her, Farah wouldn’t need to settle for me any longer.
    Instead, Farah found all of those blessing, yet still wanted me in her life. Her love for me led to this moment with this man who saved me and now held me like I was special to him. No matter what he said about redneck fucking and only caring about his pleasure, I knew it was a lie. The way he held me was too careful for a man who didn’t care.
    Never wanting it to end, I whimpered as he pulled his lips away. Judd stared into my eyes with such desire that I smiled. He wasn’t ready because of my age and maybe because he thought he was a bad man. Yet, he wanted to be mine. If it was merely lust, I would see only hunger. Instead, I saw hope and dread wrapped into a desperate gaze.
    Brushing his lips against mine, Judd sighed. “Let’s get you to your sister.”
    Judd pulled away slowly as if reluctant to let go. Also, he might have worried I needed steadying after the intensity of our embrace. Despite my wildly beating heart and flushed skin, I never felt more alive and in control.
    Opening the car door for me, Judd again avoided my gaze. He was thinking now. Working through his uncertainty, but he knew what I did. We met for a reason, just like Farah and Cooper. Fate brought us together and we could make each other happy.
    Happiness was what I felt as we drove the last hour to Ellsberg. I caressed my lips and grinned endlessly. Judd occasionally glanced at me, trying to be irritated. Wanting to dismiss that kiss, he likely worried about losing his freedom. A man like him fought commitment, but a part of him already knew he was mine.

Chapter Five
    For most of the next hour, I couldn’t take my eyes off Judd. Occasionally, he would glance at me and our eyes would meet and I’d see everything in his baby blues. Most of all, I saw conflict.
    I thought Judd’s concern over my age showed good character. How many men would really care about a month’s difference in age?