Undeniable by C. A. Harms Read Free Book Online Page B

here because there is nowhere else I would rather be. You’ve always pushed away any chance of me getting to know you, and I understand that. I do. But the day I walked in here and met the three of them, God, Jude.” She took in a shuddering breath, and I felt my own eyes burn. “I fell in love with each one of them. They’re amazing, and now I can’t imagine ever walking away from them. I’ll take what I can get. And if that is a sleepover you were blindsided with thirty minutes before I showed up, then I’ll take it. Because to me it means I get a little time with them. And that makes up for all the vibes I get from you that I’m not welcome.”
    I lowered my lips to hers, and she stilled against me. But I didn’t let her resistance and surprise stop me. There was nothing sexual about the kiss I gave her. When I felt her return it, I too relaxed. I pulled back and rested my forehead against hers. “You are always welcome here, and I’m so sorry I ever made you feel otherwise.”
    Silence set in as we both took a moment to just breathe. The peaceful aura that surrounded us was something I hadn’t allowed myself to feel in a very long time.
    “Do you mind if I join the three of you?” I asked as I pulled back just enough to see her face. “My bedroom will feel extremely lonely when the four people I care most about are all asleep out here.”
    She looked at me in surprise as she nodded. I couldn’t blame her for that reaction; I was surprising myself.
    I pulled the extra blanket from the couch, curled up next to Matthew, and wrapped my arm around his waist. My fingers skimmed over Callie’s hand, and I immediately stilled, unable to pull back. I wanted to feel her and know she was there as I closed my eyes and began to fade away.
     
    ***
     
    I woke up around 5:00 a.m. to Katelynn groaning in her sleep. Careful not to disturb anyone, I stood up and walked over to her bed. “Kate, are you okay?”
    Her eyes opened, and she looked up at me. “Just a headache.”
    “Let me get you something.”
    I hurried off toward the kitchen, where I grabbed the Tylenol from the cabinet above the refrigerator. It was the place we kept all her medication so the kids couldn’t reach it. Once I had the pills and a glass of water, I quietly walked back to her bedside. After she took the meds, her eyes fluttered shut and she was out once more.
    The kids and Callie hadn’t moved an inch. They were snuggly cuddled together beneath every single spare blanket we had in the place. All you could see of Zoey was her dark curls peeking out from under the blankets. Matthew was completely hidden except for one foot that stuck out from the bottom, and Callie had her hand tucked under her cheek and was turned toward Matthew.
    Since I was already up, there was really no reason for me to go back to bed. I knew the kids would be awake in a couple hours because they were early risers. Instead, I decided it was the perfect time to take a quick shower and get something ready for breakfast.
    When the hot water sprayed over my body, I let my head fall back and took another step closer as it sprayed over my face. My mind kept going back to the fact that I kissed Callie. I took that step, not her. Yes, I knew Callie had feelings for me, but I’d hidden mine for her. Working side by side at Jett’s restaurant and having the same group of friends meant it was hard to avoid being near her. I may have put on a good show when it came to keeping my distance and hiding my desire for her, but it was only getting harder.
    Callie was now intertwined in my life, and the longer she was around, the more I let myself imagine her being there forever.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Eleven
     
     
    Callie
     
    A smack to the side of my face startled me awake. I lifted my hand to shield myself from any further attack and peeked through my fingers. Matthew’s hand was just inches from my face. Scanning down his arm, I saw that it disappeared beneath the