When You're With Me by Wendi Zwaduk Read Free Book Online Page B

red and grey flannel shirt slipped off her shoulder, revealing the strap of her crimson tank top and creamy skin. Her cheeks flushed a soft pink. She panted and stopped a foot away from him. “I thought you wanted to see me.”
    “I did.” He grabbed her hand and linked his fingers with hers. “I just fell for some bad information. May I walk you to your car?”
    She lowered her gaze. “I insist. Saturday nights seem to bring out the worst in people.”
    Ramon inhaled the sweet scent of her body spray—roses or something floral. His heart thumped against his chest. Being with Jude seemed like the most logical thing in the world. “Where do you live, sweet girl?”
    Jude stopped by the rear bumper of a worn red Neon sedan. She cocked her head. “With you.”
    “Huh?”
    “The Sanborn apartment building, where you live. Tiny expects all his employees to live there. Didn’t he ask you to move in there yet? And don’t call me sweet girl.”
    Her sass piqued his interest. “I’m sorry…Jude. I signed my lease a month ago.” She furrowed her brows, so he fumbled for a lie. “I needed a cheap place to stay after I left my last place. Ross suggested the Sanborn—guess that’s why. As for the nickname, you’ll have to settle for ‘sweet girl’. I save that name for the special women in my life.”
    Jude unlocked the door and tossed her bag on the passenger seat. “Only call me that if you mean it… Being one of your many women isn’t my idea of great. So, why’d you leave?”
    “I left for lots of reasons I’d rather not bore you with.” Ramon held his breath. She was asking questions he couldn’t answer, not just yet. He held her door open and leant forward to kiss her cheek. “But Jude? You are a babe and a sweet girl.”
    Ten minutes later he parked next to her in the Sanborn lot. Jude scampered to the right side of the car and climbed in. “I figured you for a truck, Ramon.”
    Ramon reached across the console and laced his fingers with hers. God help him, he needed to touch her. “I had a maroon S-10 extended cab, but it wasted too much gasoline.”
    Although she didn’t pull away from him, the twenty-minute drive to the diner passed in silence. Ramon caressed the skin on the top of her hand, memorising the feel of her softness. He held the door for her as they entered the restaurant. Jude murmured a thank you and averted her gaze. Didn’t men treat her with respect? Probably not, with the calibre of men at the club. He’d fix that.
    An elderly waitress with two yellow pencils stuck in her frosted blue hair escorted them to a table. “You two are the earliest risers of the morning.”
    In accordance with his better judgement, Ramon sat opposite Jude. “Order whatever you like, sweet girl.”
    Moments later, the waitress disappeared with their requests and left them alone. Ramon took Jude’s hand in his. She tensed then relaxed. “What’s wrong, Jude?”
    She shrugged. “This is my first sort-of date in over two years. When guys find out what I do for a living, they expect horizontal meetings and I don’t play that way.”
    His heart wrenched. “Then let me make it up to you.”
    A smile curled the corner of her mouth and slowly lit up her face. “How do you suggest you do that?”
    “A kiss here and a caress there, with kind words mixed in.”
    “That’s corny, but sweet.” She crinkled her paper placemat. “So did you notice—?”
    Ramon kissed her hand, enamoured with her honesty. “Your beauty? Your charm? Or do you mean the fact that I’m drawn to you? You make me a better man when you’re with me.” He had to stop the syrupy words from slipping from his tongue before she questioned his integrity.
    She laughed and stared at her lap. “You get cornier by the minute, but no.” Jude brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “I mean the cameras in the apartments. Tiny thinks we don’t know, but they’re everywhere. It’s like he doesn’t trust us and has to see everything