Page 7 of The Surrender (Arlington Hall #2)

“It’s what I can afford, where I can afford.” And it’s gorgeous, a cute little ground-floor flat in an old Victorian terrace with a courtyard garden, which is something I never imagined I’d get for my budget. “I need to finish packing and—”

“You said you’d let me fix this. How can I fix it when you’re over an hour away from me?”

It’s how he plans on fixing it that worries me. Falling into bed with him is not the answer. Building trust is. “Jude—”

“Please, Amelia.” He stops us when we make it outside and cups the side of my face in his big palm. “I’ve missed you so fucking much. I just want to be with you.”

I look at him, this tall, godly, stunning man, begging me, and my heart melts. And, really, I desperately want to be with him too. “Okay,” I whisper, ignoring my head, seeing him fold with relief. What am I doing? “Fine.”

“You’re talking like you don’t want to.”

“You know I want to. I’m just not sure if I should.”

“You should.” I let him get me in the Rolls-Royce when it rolls to a slow stop. “Given you’re incapacitated, I think it’s wise for you to stay with me until you’re better.”

“Didn’t you hear the conversation we just had?” I pull the armrest down. “We start slowly. Weekends.”

Jude pushes it straight back up, reaching for me and tugging me close. “I heard, and I told you”—he kisses my hair—“I’m thinking about it.”

“It’s not a request.” I put myself on the other side of the car, my back to the door, and look at him. His slight scowl is endearing. “How did you know where to have Anouska send your fake spa day special-deal email?”

His scowl deepens. “The night you left Amazonico without paying, I offered to settle the bill in exchange for the contact details on the reservation.”

“Crafty. And what if Abbie didn’t take your bait? Or maybe booked it for herself and didn’t invite me?”

“Then I’d have found another way to get you to Arlington Hall.”

“Like a work conference?”

“Maybe.”

“And my wallet that was found in the changing rooms?”

“That was in case the work conference didn’t”—he considers his words for a second—“work out.”

“You stole my wallet?”

“I borrowed it.”

“And how many women have you placed bets on with the married woman you were fucking?”

Jude winces, the conversation finally getting uncomfortable for him. “A few.”

“Two, three? Ten? Twenty?”

“Why do you need specifics?” He throws his hands up, exasperated. “I’m not proud, Amelia. I’m a man who didn’t have the time or energy to invest in a relationship. The arrangement with Katherine worked. I slept with other women. That’s it.”

“It doesn’t seem like the new arrangement is working for Katherine.”

He looks out the corner of his eye at me. “What do you mean?”

“Don’t be a stupid man, Jude. She doesn’t like you seeing me. I’ve taken away her shiny toy.”

He leans over and hauls me to him, positioning me on his lap so I’m straddling him. “I don’t want to spend the fraction of time you’re allowing me talking about Katherine.”

“You thought we’d fall back into whatever this is without it being mentioned?”

“What is this?” he asks, his eyes scanning mine.

“I don’t know.”

“Which is why you want to take it slowly?” he breathes, his words hot on my skin.

“Yes.” My reply is a husky whisper, my body responding to his closeness. He must feel me throbbing on his thigh through the thin material of my leggings. “We have all the time in the world.”

“Until we don’t.” He reaches for the button and raises the screen between us and Humphrey, before manipulating me down to my back on the seat, coming with me.

I take in air deep in my lungs as he settles between my spread legs, raising a cheeky brow as he subtly flexes his hips. “Are you going to argue with me?”

“Let me think about it,” I whisper, and he smiles. The sight blows not only my mind, but my ovaries too. “Tell me it’ll be okay,” I demand.

“ We’ll be okay.” He pushes my hair back. “We have to be.”

“Or else?”

“There is no or else .” He grinds his hips, making me arch my back. “You’re not going to argue with me, are you?”

I shake my head, and he swoops in and takes my mouth softly but with conviction, doing what Jude does best. Overwhelming me.

“I’m sorry for hurting you,” he murmurs around our kiss, not faltering with his pace, pecking his way across my lips.

And then he says something like that and every shred of doubt vanishes.

Taking things slowly isn’t going very well at all. Shit. “Wait.” I use my good hand to push into his chest.

“Wait? For what?” He’s dazed, confused.

“I said slowly.”

Poor man. His eyes bug before a filthy look lands on his gorgeous face. “You’re on my time.”

“Does that mean we fall straight into bed again?”

“We’re not in bed, and need I remind you that it was you who jumped me last night?”

“Don’t you think we should, you know, do normal-style dating?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Jude,” I breathe, forcing him back and sitting up. “You’re the one who said you didn’t want me to think you’re nothing but a fuckboy.”

“Right.” His cheeks blow out. “And you’ll get your reassurance by abstaining from me?”

“Don’t devalue my concerns.”

“I’m not. I’m just trying to figure out how to show you I’m mad for you without showing you.”

“I want to get to know you.”

“You know me.”

I snap my mouth closed. That’s not true.

I know scraps of things, and what he’s reluctantly shared.

Or been forced to share. “I didn’t know you were capable of doing something as low as sleeping with a woman for a bet and making her .

..” I drift off before I can finish. Making her fall in love with you.

“Making her what?”

“Nothing.” I pull my handbag open when my phone rings, cringing when I see it’s Abbie. I don’t answer. I can’t explain where I am; she’ll yell at me.

“Okay,” Jude says on a tired exhale. “We’ll do things at your pace.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re not welcome.”

I roll my eyes and spin my phone, wondering what the hell I’m going to tell the girls.

I’ll reassure them I know what I’m doing.

That I’m in control. I glance across the car to Jude.

He’s looking out the window, thoughtful, turning over the new approach to this thing between us.

Am I in control? Truly? My body aches for him.

And my heart wants nothing to do with the protective shield I’m trying to put in place around it.