QuarterLifeFling by Clare Murray Read Free Book Online

drunk-dialing.
This way it was over, done and dusted, with no way back.
    And I felt utterly awful about that.
    Fuck it, I was going to order a pizza. I picked up the
phone, arranging a large pepperoni, extra cheese, to be delivered in twenty
minutes. I really didn’t feel like cooking tonight.
    While waiting, I checked on random gossip and read
Charlotte’s emails. She was getting better and wanted to hear everything about
Daydream when I was ready to tell her.
    I definitely wasn’t ready.
    The rumble of an engine outside heralded the pizza’s
arrival. I answered the door barefoot, clad in a frumpy t-shirt and jeans that
had seen better days. At least I would spend this Friday night comfortable
physically—if not emotionally. Tears welled up.
    Great timing—breaking down just as I opened the door. I
peered at the delivery man’s chest through watery eyes. “Thanks,” I mumbled,
and handed over a twenty.
    “You’re welcome, babe. Mind if I come in and have a piece?”
    My head snapped up at the familiar baritone voice. The tears
fell down my cheeks, clearing my vision. “J-Jude?”
    “Hey, why are you crying?” He came in as I stepped back to
let him by, setting the pizza and his helmet on the table before turning to me.
He wiped away the tears with his thumbs and I closed my eyes, luxuriating in
his touch.
    “I thought we’d broken up.” I hiccupped the last word and
wished I could retract the entire sentence. “I mean, not broken up… Our fling
came to an end. We were never going out, I know.”
    “Our fling?”
    “Our four-night stand or whatever it was.” I kept my gaze
down, still digesting the fact that he was here . And I really didn’t
want to drive him away by demanding any sort of commitment.
    “Wait, was it really just a four-night stand to you?” His
voice sounded kind of pained, and I looked up in surprise. His eyes were red,
whether from wind or emotion I couldn’t tell.
    “No,” I whispered, knowing he deserved the truth. “It was
more than that.”
    That was all the excuse he needed, apparently, to crush me
to his chest. His arms shook as he held me close. “I’m really sorry I stood you
up last night. My dog was pretty sick and I had to rush home to be with him
while the vet put him to sleep.”
    “Pepper?”
    “Yeah.”
    “God, I’m really sorry. Are you okay?” What a stupid thing
for me to say. Of course he wasn’t okay. And here I was assuming he’d broken up
with me. As if I were the center of the universe or something.
    “I’ll be fine. I just don’t want to be home right now,
thinking I hear Pepper walking around. I can’t deal with his stuff yet either.
His water bowl and leashes. And the job at Daydream’s over too, so I can’t stay
there. So I went on a really long ride after getting your details from Zara.”
He gave me a lopsided grin.
    “Stay with me,” I said.
    His arms tightened. “You’d be okay with me spending the
night?”
    “Or longer, if you’d like.” The words hung between us,
easily destroyed.
    “I’d like that.” His hands slid up my shirt, and he huffed
in amusement when he found me braless again. “There are still a few types of
condoms we have yet to try.”
    I backed up slowly, leading him toward the bedroom. My bed
wasn’t going to remain neat and tidy much longer by the look of things. “What
haven’t we tried?”
    He pulled a couple of packets from his pocket. “Flavored or
studded?”
    “Studded.”
    The moment I made my choice he was kissing me again,
shucking his leather jacket as I stepped out of my jeans. I helped him with his
pants, both of us scrambling to get the condom on before we couldn’t wait any
longer. Then he was bearing me down onto the bed, almost ripping my shirt off
in his haste.
    He dipped lower, taking one breast into his mouth, my nipple
tightening as he sucked hard. Then he went lower still, and I arched off the
bed with need. At this rate I was going to lose control fast. And keep losing
it, if