Series: Fever Falls Series by Riley Hart
Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 81426 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 407(@200wpm)___ 326(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81426 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 407(@200wpm)___ 326(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
“I was going to talk to Dad first.” Jude looked at me, and I could see it—that he felt stuck, not wanting to hurt my feelings.
“It’s fine. We’ll figure it out,” I replied, and Jude grabbed my hand.
“Let me get back to you,” Jude said to Rush, who nodded.
We all went our own ways from there. Jude and I walked back to his condo, and I wished for some reason that we were staying at my place. I liked Jude around my things.
He locked the door behind us and went to the kitchen. “Want some water?”
“Sure,” I replied as I looked down at the table. There were drawings there. Hell, probably about twenty of them, characters I didn’t recognize, and logos. “What’s this?”
“Oh, it’s stupid. I used to draw a lot when I was younger. I considered going to school for it, but then with my dad…I just followed in his footsteps. Seeing Theo’s comics inspired me. I’ve been playing around, just for fun.”
“Jude, you’re really fucking good,” I told him, and he was. I sure as shit couldn’t draw like he did.
“You think?”
“Hell yes.”
“Eh.” He shrugged, and then surprised me when he wrapped his arms around me and leaned his head against my chest. “I want to be with you for Christmas. Hell, I want to be with you all the damn time. You know that, right?”
And honestly, I did. Realistically, I didn’t doubt that. Sometimes my emotions got in the way, though. “Yeah, I know. But…?” Because I knew there was one coming.
“I don’t know if I’m ready to come out to my father. I know that sounds crazy. I’m a grown-ass man. It shouldn’t matter, but this is so new, so right, and there’s this strange part of me that isn’t ready to open that up yet. It’s like I want to protect it.”
“You’re open with me in public all the time.”
“Yeah, around our friends or at a gay bar or on Fever Street. Or hell, around people I don’t know, but this is different. This is…”
His father. His family. And it was a big deal. I got that. I really did. Even people who knew their parents would be okay with their sexuality, sometimes were scared to come out. It wasn’t something you could explain to people who hadn’t experienced it. It was letting someone in to the most intimate part of yourself and knowing they might judge you for it.
Jude added, “Maybe we can do two holidays, like Rush said.”
I shook my head. “That’s silly. It’s not a big deal. Do I want you there? Yeah. But do I get that you’re not ready? I do, and obviously your dad would wonder why you were inviting him to Florida with my family. My parents would take one look at us and know. They aren’t the best at keeping secrets.”
“I feel like I’m letting you down…hell, like I’m letting me down.”
“Cut yourself some slack. No one is rushing you here.”
He nodded, then pressed his forehead to mine. “Do you know how incredible you are?”
“The best,” I teased.
“I’m being serious.”
“I know you are.”
“I don’t know what I would do without you. From the moment I moved here, you’ve been there for me.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“Well…why would you, when I’m so much hotter than you?” he teased, and I fucking loved it. Jude needed to own that shit. It meant a lot to me that he felt comfortable enough to do it around me.
Still, I wasn’t going to let that go. I swatted his ass. “Take it back.”
“I can’t help it if I’m beautiful.” Jude waggled his eyebrows at me.
I reached for him, and he began to run. I went after him, playfully tackling him to the bed. I straddled his hips and held his arms down, not that he was fighting me.
He looked up at me, and there was something different in his eyes. Something deep and intense that reached out and grabbed at my chest. “You’re beautiful,” he whispered. “So fucking beautiful, it steals my breath sometimes. I’m so lucky you’re mine.”
We stripped out of our clothes and sucked each other off.
And as we held each other, naked and sweaty and sated, there was no doubt in my mind anymore. I was in love with Jude Sandoval.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Jude
Awkward Boy feels…hopeful. And like he’s ready to take on a new challenge. ~ Theo’s comic
“How’s Cam?” Theo asked me as we sat at the table in my condo, drawing.
“He’s good.” And he was. It had been a few days since we’d had our talk about Christmas, and I hadn’t stopped thinking about it. The truth was, I did want to spend the holiday with Cam, and I felt like I was letting him down, but fuck, I was nervous too. About making it real by telling my father, and meeting his family, and opening myself up to all sorts of shit I’d never let myself risk before. Opening myself up to losing someone I loved and being even more alone than before. I wasn’t good at that, didn’t really know how to do it, but I wanted to, for him.