The Key West Anthology (55 page)

Chapter Fifteen

Callie

I stretched my arms above my head and smiled at the ache I felt throughout my body. After a night of incredible sex, it was a welcome ache. I always knew Jude would be incredible in bed—the man had a sinful body—but I had never imagined he would possess skills like that. A grin covered my lips as I remembered how he took me from behind as I muffled my cries in the pillow.

“Why are you smiling so big, baby?”

My eyes shot open, and I looked to my left, taking in his naked chest and broad shoulders. “Memories,” I said as I allowed my wandering eyes to finally meet his.

He chuckled. “You’re gonna kill me.”

I giggled as he gripped my waist and pulled my body on top of his. My legs parted, and I straddled him with his cock resting between us. I rocked against him and he groaned.

“I think I created a monster,” he said with a smile.

“I think so too,” I agreed, lifting up just enough to place his hardness against me. I began lowering my body over his, and he gripped my hips before thrusting upward and filling me.

It was as if we’d been sharing our bodies with each other for years as we began to move in sync, and in no time at all, we had both reached the point of ecstasy.

***

“Someone has a pretty big smile on her face,” Harper said with a knowing grin. Quinn and Harper started in on me the moment I entered Allure for our usual spa day, minus Avery this time. She was still recovering, and she and Kade were settling into parenthood.

Quinn and Harper were both looking at me, their gossip radar tuned to maximum capacity, in need of some dirty details.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I said as I set my purse on the counter and pulled the clip from my hair. Running my fingers through the knots, I avoided eye contact.

“You are such a liar,” Quinn squealed. “Spill. No one walks around with that kind of smile without a reason behind it.”

“Yeah, one really
big
and
magical
reason,” Harper added. I looked up at her and knew she wasn’t done yet. Her filter was never in place. She was worse than any man I had ever met. “Jude just strikes me as the kind of man that leaves a woman very satisfied. He may not show it, but I bet he is a
fucking
machine.”

“Oh my God, Harper.” Quinn hung her head and laughed.

“What? I’m just stating the obvious. Callie is glowing, and that’s a sure sign she has just come off one hell of a ride.” Harper shrugged before she looked back at me with a smile. “And by the look on her face right now, I know I’m right. Jude finally gave Callie a good, hard romp.”

“You are awful,” I said and flopped down in the chair next to Quinn, a grin pulling at my lips. “And you’re entirely accurate,” I confessed.

“God, I knew it. He’s all dominating and headstrong, but behind closed doors, look out.” Harper faked a shiver of excitement.

“Um, what are you getting all excited about? I’m sure Easton has some skills of his own,” I replied.

“Fuck yeah, he sure as shit does,” she said. “But he’s in Miami and has been for three days, and I swear I am going through withdrawal. I’m half tempted to drive down there just for a quickie. I have an itch that batteries just ain’t satisfying. I need the real thing.”

Harper pouted, and that was something she rarely did. Quinn and I shared a look before we began to laugh at her irritation.

“I’m glad things finally shifted for the two of you,” Quinn offered with a smile. “Jett said he’s never seen Jude smile so much.”

The image of Jude smiling filled my mind. He was gorgeous no matter what mood he was in, but when he smiled, it truly made my knees weak and did crazy things to my heart.

“So how is Katelynn doing?” Quinn asked, but I could sense her hesitation. Kate was a touchy subject for anyone who knew the impending outcome of her illness.

“She puts on a pretty brave face in front of the kids, heck, even in front of Jude, but at times it’s impossible to hide. She’s tired more often than not, and lately she’s been getting sick in the middle of night.” Tears filled my eyes. “Zoey’s picking up on it, but Matt’s still oblivious. It’s just hard to watch. I feel helpless.”

Silence set in, and Quinn squeezed my shoulder supportively.

“It scary, and unpredictable. I just wish there was something I could offer.” I shrugged.

“You are,” Quinn said. I looked over and met her gaze. “You’re there for them. The kids adore you and Jude.” She smiled. “That man loves you, and you being there helps more than you give it credit for.”

I was just terrified of what losing Katelynn would do to all of us. I had grown so close to her, and losing her would not only shatter the kids and Jude, it would break me too.

As Harper set up the room for our massage, a thought occurred to me, and I wiped away the tear that had escaped and rolled down my cheek. I shifted in my chair and looked over at her.

“Hey, Harp,” I said, and the crack in my voice immediately caught her attention.

“Yeah?” Her full focus was now on me.

“What would you think about moving the spa day to Jude’s apartment? I mean, it’s small, and we probably couldn’t fit a massage table in there, but I would be willing to give mine up if I could see a genuine smile from Katelynn.” The tears I had been trying to hold back fell heavy, and I no longer attempted to hold them at bay. “I just think a little bit of pampering for Katelynn may give her that smile. I can’t think of anyone who deserves it more than she does.”

Harper rarely got emotional, but in that moment she too was fighting back tears. “I couldn’t agree more.”

So it was settled. Our spa day had just changed location, and the loss of my massage and facial didn’t faze me a bit. I would give up a lifetime of pampering if it meant I could give Katelynn the joy she deserved.

I picked up my phone and quickly dialed Jude. I wanted to let him know our plans.

Chapter Sixteen

Jude

“But I wanted to stay at home. I was playing with my trucks,” Matthew pouted from the backseat. His little arms were crossed defiantly over his chest, and his lips were pressed tightly together in a scowl. “Girls are mean.”

That comment caused me to chuckle. One day he would change his mind.

To say I was shocked when Callie called would be an understatement, and when she began to explain her plans, I felt myself falling even harder for the woman I knew I already loved. She was so selfless. She had explained that she, Quinn, and Harper were on their way over to bring their biweekly spa day to my place. Zoey was equally excited at the idea of spending a day with the girls and was smiling almost as brightly as Katelynn was as Harper and the others began to unload the cases of hair shit.

I threw a grumpy Matthew over my shoulder and offered Callie a wink before leaving them to enjoy their day.

First I thought I could tame the tiny beast by offering him ice cream, but that only lasted for about ten minutes before he began to complain once again. Then I attempted to take him to the park, but he got bored when there was no one there to play with. My big-ass body wouldn’t fit in the jungle gym, so my idea of being his play buddy went downhill fast.

We stopped by Jett’s for about an hour, where Jett and I locked him in the office with us and let him run wild. When he found the bathroom tucked in the back corner, I should have known it was a disaster in the making, but I got distracted talking to Jett. When Jett’s eyes grew wide in amusement as he stared over my shoulder, I knew it couldn’t be a good sign.

I slowly turned in my chair and took in my nephew, who was now soaked from his neck to his knees. He shrugged at me like there was absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. “What?” he asked with a questioning arch of his eyebrow. The kid was a cocky teenager trapped in a toddler’s body.

Jett chuckled, and I looked back over my shoulder at him. “Why the hell are you laughing?” I asked. “If he looks like that, I’d hate to imagine what your bathroom looks like.” Jett’s laughter stopped, and his face morphed into a look of horror, which in turn only made me laugh. “Yeah, who’s laughing now?”

***

After wasting the better part of three hours, I gathered Matt, and we were on our way back home. Pulling up, I let my gaze wander toward the last apartment on the end. I still had no idea what the hell Easton was planning with it, but I knew it was something I probably wouldn’t be too happy with. This particular apartment was vacant and had been for more than six months. It was now gutted. The windows and doors were being replaced with updated ones, and the roof was now being converted into another level. It appeared as if they were adding an upstairs.

Easton refused to share any information with me, telling me he was just bringing the building up to code. But I knew it was a whole lot more than that.

I opened the back door and helped Matthew from his booster seat, and he immediately ran toward our front door. A day with Uncle Jude was no longer good enough. I had been traded in for Callie. He adored her, and even though he pretended to think girls were mean earlier, I knew Callie was excluded from that complaint. She ranked up there right alongside his mother now, and that warmed me intensely.

He threw open the front door, and I jogged to catch up. As I entered the apartment, I froze in the doorway and took in the scene before me. My chest tightened, and my throat burned instantly.

Katelynn sat in her chair with a huge smile on her face. Her once long, stringy blonde hair had now been cut and styled into a shorter look that barely touched her shoulders and curled to make her thin hair appear thicker.

“What do you think?” she asked, twisting her head from side to side.

I nodded, and my nostrils flared as I did my best to hide my emotions. “Gorgeous,” I said. “I’ll be right back.” I tucked my chin toward my chest and walked down the hallway. Once I was inside my room, I braced my hands on the edge of my dresser and took a moment to just breathe.

“Did we do something wrong?” Callie’s soft whisper came from behind me and made me close my eyes tightly. “She said she wanted it shorter. We just thought that with everything…”

I gave her no time to finish before turning around and closing the distance between us. Her eyes grew wide in surprise as I gripped the back of her neck and pulled her against me. Covering her mouth with mine, I kissed her hard and backed her to the wall at the side of the open bedroom door. Callie fisted my shirt at my sides and gave in to the kiss.

I had so many emotions running through me, and I had no idea how to control them. My heart literally ached at the thought of what she had offered Katelynn today. I pulled back, and as she opened her eyes, I gave in to the feelings inside me. “I love you, Callie,” I whispered, and a tear ran over my cheek. Her gaze shifted to it before meeting mine once more.

“You are amazing, and what you’ve given Katelynn today means so much. You’re part of me,” I told her as I took her hand in mine and placed them both over my heart. Staring directly into her eyes, I tried to convey even just a small amount of what I was feeling. “You’ve become such an important part of my life, a part of their lives, and I truly love you so much for everything you’ve given us over these weeks. I’m never letting you go. I need you to know that.”

She nodded as she stared back at me with glossy eyes. “I’ve loved you for a long time,” she confessed, and I closed my eyes tightly, allowing her words to sink in and soothe some of the ache I felt. “And even if you tried to let me go, I wouldn’t let you. Because I don’t think I could live without you all in my life.”

And with those words, her tears fell. I rested my head against hers as we took a moment to just feel each other’s presence. It was calming to know she felt what I was feeling.

I knew my future only held more heartache, but having Callie would help me through. I was sure of it, because she was what was holding me together now.

Chapter Seventeen

Callie

“Are you sure you’re up for this?” I asked Katelynn as Jude lowered her into her wheelchair.

She smiled brightly and nodded. “Yes, a night out with adults sounds amazing. I can feel grown-up and vibrant for a few hours.” She winked as Jude flipped down the foot pegs.

I bent forward to grab her left leg and placed it on the foot peg. “All right then, let’s go have a little adult time,” I said as I stepped to the side and let Jude push her toward Easton and Harper’s front door. They’d invited everyone over for a celebration. Apparently, Avery and Kade had made a surprise visit to the courthouse a couple days ago and thought we’d all just let that slide by. Harper and Quinn decided to go behind their backs and plan a reception, and giving Katelynn a chance to get out of the house was the first thing I thought of when Quinn called with the invite.

Jett opened the door as we approached and stepped aside, allowing us to enter. The house was decorated in true Harper fashion—flashy and over-the-top. Avery sat across the room, holding her tiny daughter in her arms as her now-husband, Kade, hovered over her with a look of pure, unconditional love filling his face. I still felt a longing inside when I saw them together. They had overcome some hard obstacles to get where they were, and they couldn’t be more perfect for each other.

A soft kiss against the side of my neck sent chills over my arms, and I turned just enough to peek at Jude. He smiled at me. “You can stop admiring their love, baby.” He kissed me once more before standing tall and pushing Katelynn farther in to the room.

I had no idea that he’d ever noticed my desire to have what they had. I guess I hadn’t been very discreet about it. I walked to Avery and knelt before her, admiring the sweet little angel in her arms. Willow was an exact replica of her mom, down to her heart-shaped upper lip.

“She is so beautiful,” I said as I traced the contour of Willow’s cheek with my finger. Her eye twitched with my touch, and Avery laughed.

“She is pretty perfect, isn’t she?”

“Yeah,” I said as we both remained in place, taking in every inch of her sweet face.

***

“Things look like they’re going pretty good for you and Jude.” I turned toward the sound of Kade’s voice as he stepped up to my side.

I had been quietly observing the group from the patio. Everyone had moved outside around the pool, and I had used the excuse of needing to use the restroom to hang back. I just wanted a few moments to take it all in.

“Yeah, they are.” I had known Kade for years, including during some of his darkest times, so the fact he’d found happiness meant the world to me. He deserved joy after all his years of pain and self-doubt. Kade had so much love to give, and being on the receiving end of that love would be one hell of a ride for Avery.

“So why the sad face, Cal?” he asked

Kade knew me well.

“I’m scared,” I whispered, and the tears I was trying to hide pooled in my eyes.

He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close. I gave in to the comfort and rested my head on his shoulder. “Talk to me.”

I took a moment to calm the ache in my chest. “What happens when she’s gone?” I whispered, and that burn in my eyes that I had tamed suddenly returned with a vengeance. “Because, Kade, it’s gonna happen. And when it does, it’s gonna crush him. What if I lose him? What if the happiness we’ve found disappears? And it’s not just that. Losing Katelynn is gonna change me too, and I’m not sure how anyone’s heart can remain whole after they’ve lost someone as amazing as her.”

Kade held me to his side as he allowed me to cave just a little. It felt good to let it out. “You’ll have each other. You’ll need each other,” he whispered. “See that guy right there?”

I looked up at Kade and found him staring off into the backyard. Following his gaze, I found Jude staring directly at us with a look of confusion. He leaned forward and whispered something in Katelynn’s ear. She waved him off as she continued to talk to Avery and Quinn, unaffected by whatever it was he’d said.

My heart raced as he walked toward Kade and me. “He loves you, Callie. You need to share your fears with him. Because keeping that shit in never helps, sweetheart. That’s something I can assure you.”

The moment Jude stepped up in front of us, Kade released his hold on me. “Your girl needs you,” he told Jude before nudging me into Jude’s arms and stepping away.

Jude placed his hand beneath my chin and tilted my head up to look me in the eye. “What’s going on, Callie?”

He looked worried, and I hated that I’d put that worry there. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be doing this now. It’s not the place or the time. I just got caught up in the moment and felt a little overwhelmed. We can talk about it later.”

“No.” His eyes wrinkled in determination. “We’ll talk about it now.”

I tried to ignore the fact that his voice was laced with irritation. I had blindsided him with tears, and I’m sure finding me wrapped in Kade’s arms didn’t help matters. Last he knew, we were having a great night and I had just left to use the restroom.

“You mind telling me what’s going on?”

“It just hit me,” I said.

“What hit you?” He released his hold, and I immediately looked toward the ground. “It’s too much, isn’t it? My life and all the baggage.”

I shifted my feet and looked back up, finding his jaw set and a look of hurt covering his features. “No,” I said as my voice cracked. “Don’t ever think that, Jude. I love you. I love all of you. You, Kate, and the kids are all part of my life, and I would never change that.”

His face softened as he reached out and took my hand. “Then what is it?” He laced his fingers with mine and pulled me closer, resting our now-joined hands over his heart. “Because I’m a little freaked out right now.”

“I’m scared,” I confessed. “I know I can’t stop it from happening, but I would give anything to assure that Kate would be here forever. And seeing how happy she is tonight…” I let my gaze wander toward Katelynn. She was smiling at the girls, and for once she looked so alive and full of excitement.

“I’m scared too.” Jude’s response made my chest tighten even more with anxiety. “I’m gonna need you. The kids are gonna need you too.” His voice vibrated with emotion. “Tell me we’ll have you. Now that I’ve let you in, I’m not sure I can ever let you go.”

I pulled my hand from his and wrapped my arms around his waist. “I’m not going anywhere. You all have me. But I’m gonna need you too, Jude.”

He pressed his lips against my forehead, and I relaxed against his chest. The warmth of his embrace began to ease the ache within me just enough that I could allow myself to gain some control.

“Can I ask you for a favor?” Jude whispered next to my ear.

“Anything,” I assured him as I rubbed his lower back mindlessly with my palm.

“From now on, bring your fears to me.” Immediately, I pulled back to look up at him. “It’s up to me to fix those worries, not Kade.”

“Jude,” I whispered, and those goddamn tears pooled once again.

He placed one hand on each side of my face before lowering his lips to mine. The gentleness of his kiss was so unlike him, and he pulled back entirely too quickly. “Just tell me from this point on you’ll come to me with whatever may be bothering you. No matter if you think it will upset me or hurt me, you bring those fears to me, sweetheart.”

I nodded.

“Because I don’t like any other man, whether it be your friend or not, taking care of things I should be taking care of. You’re my girl, Cal,” he stated with certainty. “Mine.”

“Yours,” I replied, and it earned a smile just before he placed his lips to mine once more.