Saving Tatum (Trace + Olivia #4) (19 page)

“True,” he agreed. He grabbed
my hand, placing a long, lingering kiss to the palm before letting it go.

He went about fixing both horses for riding and then we led them out into the meadow. He tied Gimpy’s reigns around the fence and reached out for me. Before I knew what he was doing, he had his hands on my waist and lifted me onto the horse. I let out a small squeal of fright. I hadn’t expected that.

I swung my leg over the other side of Seraphina and grabbed the reigns. I was scared for only a few seconds before I started to appreciate the beauty of seeing the world around me from the back of a horse.

“Wow,” I gasped, “this is amazing.”

Jude chuckled and started to lead the horse. “I want you to get used to being on a horse before we try riding. Let me guide you and just…”

“Just what?” I gazed down at him, an emotion I didn’t even begin to comprehend filling me when I looked at him.

“Just let yourself feel.”

I continued to look around at the green grass, the trees, and the flowers blooming. Spring was here and with it came the promise of new things and new beginnings, like Jude and me.

Eventually I closed my eyes, holding on tight to Seraphina, and trusted Jude not to let anything happen to me.

A few minutes later I felt him nudge my arm. I smiled down at him and he handed me the reigns. “It’s time for you to try walking her.”

He instructed me on what to do and I listened carefully.

“Okay, try now.”

Seraphina started forward at a slow pace. It felt weird at first, almost like I might slip off, but I soon found my rhythm and when he saw I had the hang of it he helped me bring her to a trot.

“You’re a natural,” he grinned proudly. I was happy that I pleased him.

Seraphina came to a stop and Jude told me to wait while he jogged back to get Gimpy.

The horse and rider barreled towards us
. “He’s such a show off,” I muttered to Seraphina.

She huffed in reply, like she too was disturbed by the display.

Coming to a stop beside me, Jude grinned proudly. I tried to pretend that I was completely unaffected by him, but it was futile.

He pushed dark strands of hair from his eyes and then raised up slightly, pulling his trusty beanie from his back pocket. He put it on and grinned boyishly. “That’s better.” Straightening, he said, “You think you’re ready for this?”

I rolled my eyes. “I’ll be fine. If I fall off I expect you to tend to my wounds.”

He began to laugh. “Like you took care of mine? Something tells me you wouldn’t take too kindly to being slapped.”

My cheeks colored. Just when I’d begun to forget that he decided to bring it up again.

“Slapping would not be appreciated,” I muttered.

He chuckled. My God he loved to torture me. “Lucky for you, I’m a real nurse,” he put a hand to his chest, “and I know what I’m doing. You’re in capable hands.”

“I don’t plan on getting hurt,” I assured him.

“Hey,” he raised his hands in surrender, “you’re the one that brought it up. You know what heals scrapes and bruises really fast?”

“What?” I asked.

“Kisses. Particularly
my
kisses. You’re very lucky in the fact that you’re the only person I would ever suggest this method to. It’s quite radical really. In some countries it’s even illegal,” he said in a hush, like he was letting me in on something top secret.

“Oh, really?” I quirked a brow as we started to trot down the path.

He nodded. “My kisses save lives.”

I snorted, and once I started laughing I could
n’t stop.

I finally regained control of myself and wiped tears
of laughter from my eyes. Only Jude could make me laugh that hard and over something so stupid.

“You thought that was funny?” He asked.

“Hysterical,” I responded, fighting my lips natural urge to quirk up.

His face sobered. “I was serious.”

“I’m sure you were.” My hands tightened on the reigns as I tried to regain my balance. Riding a horse wasn’t as easy as it looked. It took balance and grace. Balance, I had, grace…not so much.

“Do I need to give you a demonstration of the miracles it can perform?”

I shook my head. “How about another time? Right now, I’d like to enjoy myself.”

“Sure, sure,” he agreed.

We grew quiet and I enjoyed the peace nature brought.

The birds chirping.

Bugs buzzing.

The clopping of the horse’s hooves.

It was all so simple, but it centered me. I felt at home here on the farm with Jude and his grandpa. More than that, I felt like I belonged.

I turned my face up towards the sun, soaking in the warmth.

I was strong enough now to admit to myself that I loved it here and never wanted to leave. I wanted to be a part of Jude Brooks’ life for forever. It scared me to death, but it was the truth that lived in my heart. I’d never believed in love at first sight, and that certainly hadn’t been the case with us, but something had forced us together—not even my stubbornness could overcome us. Destiny? Fate? I didn’t know and I didn’t care. All that mattered was that we’d happened and I was so incredibly thankful for that. I’d fought hard against him and my feelings, but it was a fight I could never win. The heart wants what it wants, and mine beat for Jude.

“There’s a field up ahead,” Jude pointed, interrupting my thoughts, “I thought we could stop there and sit for a while.”

“Uh…” I looked around us, feeling stupid. “Aren’t we in a field?”

He laughed heartily. “Yes, but this one’s a bit different. You’ll see what I mean.”

Sure enough, a few minutes later I did see what he meant.

This field was full of flowers like the other one, but there was a huge pond with a dock. It was surrounded by trees on three sides, but cleared from where we approached. The grass was getting high and in need of a mow, but it was beautiful. A dragonfly flew by my shoulder heading for the water.

“This is beautiful,” I gasped. “I didn’t know this was here.”

“No one does,” he shrugged. “It’s our property and we don’t want word getting out about it. It wouldn’t be fun having to chase people off our property every day. Besides, Pap is too old to deal with that crap.” Jude jumped off Gimpy with ease. I knew there was no way I could dismount Seraphina with such poise. Luckily, I didn’t have to. Jude reached up and helped me down. Once I was off the horse he kept ahold of me, like he didn’t want to let go. He stared into my eyes, resting his forehead against mine. “I wanted to share it with you, though. This is my sanctuary.” He looked away from me and out towards the water. “When the weather’s nice, I spend a lot of time here. It’s…”

“Magical,” I supplied.

“Not the word I was going for, but it works,” he laughed. His thumb found the belt loop on my jeans and we walked forward to the water’s edge. “The water is a bit too cold still, but soon it’ll be warm enough to swim in. You can even fish.”

“Do you normally ride…Gimpy…out here? It seems like it was pretty far from the farm.”

“Honestly,” he shrugged, “I usually drive my truck out here. This terrain is nothin
g a Ford can’t handle,” he winked, pinching my side.

“Poor Gim
py,” I wrinkled my nose in distaste at the name. “He probably hates being locked up all the time.”

“You really hate that name,” Jude’s laughter filled the air. God, I loved the sound of it and he laughed a lot. I liked that Jude wasn’t afraid to show his emotions, whatever they may be. “Once again, I was
five
and I thought it sounded cool. I don’t even know what it’s from.”

I reached up and tapped his forehead. “It’s from this strange brain of yours.”

He captured my hand and held it. “This strange brain comes up with some pretty amazing ideas.”

“Like what?” I asked, smiling.

“Hmm,” he thought. “Well, first there was the vodka soaked gummy bears I set out that led to the first night I got to sleep with you in my arms. If that doesn’t have brilliant idea written all over it, I don’t know what does.”

“And I also threw them up,” I stated.

“That was merely a minor hiccup,” he shrugged, grinning crookedly.

“What other brilliant ideas have you had?”
I challenged, quirking my head to the side as my lips threatened to turn up in a smile.

He tapped his chin, thinking. “There was the time when I kissed you in the shower…you know, we should really do that again, for research purposes of course.”

“Oh yes, of course,” I agreed, but he was already talking again.

His voice grew low and gravelly in my ear. “Then there was the night you let me touch you,” he groaned, his fingers digging into my hips almost painfully. “God, you felt fucking amazing.
You’re
amazing.” He nuzzled my neck. My eyes closed as his arms wrapped around me. “I want you in ways I’ve never wanted anyone else,” he whispered so softly I wasn’t even sure I heard him correctly, “it scares the crap out of me, but in the best way possible. You tear me apart and build me back up. You make me better without even trying.” He looked into my eyes, smoothing his large thumbs over my cheeks.

He lowered his head and h
is lips formed a seal over mine in a soul-stealing kiss. His fingers tangled in my long hair and I grappled for something to hold, settling on the cotton of his shirt. He kissed me for so long that I began to feel lightheaded.

Panting with loss of breath, h
e ran his index finger over my bottom lip. “With others, kissing was never enough, but with you…everything is different. It’s more important. I could kiss you forever and be a happy man.”

“You sure about that?” Leave it to me to have a sarcastic reply to his deeply romantic words.

“Absolutely,” he rubbed his nose against mine.

“Jude?” I asked. “What are we?”

He started to laugh. “What do you mean?”

“What are we?” I repeated. “We go back to school tomorrow and I want to know where we stand on our…relationship.”
Basically, I wanted to know if I was going to have to watch him fawn over other girls.

He nipped my chin lightly with his teeth, almost as if he was punishing me for my question. “You’re my girlfriend, Tate. Don’t question that.”

I let out a weak laugh. “I’m twenty-two years old and you’re my first official boyfriend. I don’t know what that says about me.” I tucked a piece of hair behind my ear—I couldn’t stand it being in my face.

He pressed his forehead against mine. “I’m the same age as you and you’re my first girlfriend. I never cared about official titles until you.”
Until you
. Those two words were the truth of our relationship. Until Jude I’d never imagined much of a future for myself. Until Jude my heart had been a frozen tundra. Until… Until… Until…

I laid my head against his chest and he wrapped his arms around me, holding me close. I wanted him to heal all the part
s of me that were still broken. I wanted him to make me better. But healing took time, and hopefully we had plenty of it.

Eventually we broke apart and lay on the ground. I curled my body against his as his fingers lazily rubbed the skin of my arm. My eyes began to grow heavy from the heat of the sun and the feel of his fingers. Befo
re I could drift off completely he interrupted the silence.

“You know,” he started, then almost seemed unsure if he should continue, “we haven’t played our question game in a while.”

“Isn’t it kind of pointless?” I asked, sitting up to gaze down at him.

He shook his head.
“I just have one last very important question.”

“Alright,” I shrugged, settling back
down. “What is it?”

“Did I win the bet?”

Of course. I should’ve known that would be his question. I smiled to myself and sat up once more. I kissed him softly, letting my lips linger against his as I spoke. “You won the bet.”

He won the bet.

He won my heart.

He won it all.

I was his.

Chapter
Twenty

“I honestly don’t know if I’ll ever get used to this,” Rowan clapped her hands giddily, then pointed to where Jude and I sat across from her at the cafeteria table, “but I’m so incredibly happy you two finally got your shit straightened out.”

“Um,” I leaned towards her, propping my elbow on the table and my head in my hand, “If I recall, didn’t you resist Trent for like…
years
.”

Her cheeks colored slightly. “That was different.” She pretended to pick lint off her shirt to avoid my eyes.

“Mhmm, sure it was,” I laughed.

Beneath the table Jude’s hand found my thigh and gave it a slight squeeze. I’d been getting nasty looks all day from the female population. Even
in college, there were still high-school-like antics and the women were
pissed
that Jude was off the market. I half expected one of them to grab me by my hair and try to throw me around. Jude acted like he didn’t notice, but I knew he did. Even the guys on campus seemed surprised that Jude was holding my hand and we were acting like a…well, like a couple, because that’s what we were.

I finished my lunch and pushed the uneaten portion over to Jude. I’d discovered the guy was a bottomless pit. He never seemed to get full.

“So,” I smiled at Rowan, “graduation is in a month, and then your wedding is soon after. Are you ready?”

She took a deep breath. “I’m ready to be married, but not for the wedding itself. I feel so unprepared, and big parties aren’t my thing anyway. We’re trying to keep it small. But…that isn’t working out so well.”

“You have nothing to be worried about,” I assured her. “Everyone that meets you loves you. I wish you could see how amazing you are.”

“Yeah,” she groaned, biting into the sandwich she’d brought from home, “maybe one day I’ll view myself differently. I’m working on it.”

I was beginning to think we were all always ‘working’ on something to better ourselves. We all had our faults, and most of us were well aware of them, even if we tended to ignore them.

I knew if I was a better friend I’d offer to help her out more with the wedding. But between finals and now a job, it left very little free time, and what time I had I wanted to spend with Jude. I was probably the most selfish person on the planet.

“Hey,” Jude rubbed my neck in a soothing manner, “why do you have that angry look on your face?”

“No reason,” I forced a smile.

Jude didn’t believe me, of course, but chose to ignore it. “Are you ready for your last week of shadowing me?” He asked. “I’ll try to make it good for you,” he joked with a wink. He knew something had upset me and was trying to make me feel better.

“I’m ready to be done with my paper,” I grumbled. I’d been struggling immensely to get it right. The day in the library where Jude and I went to get ice cream wasn’t the first time I’d had to walk away from my laptop out of frustration. I needed it to be perfect and my words kept falling flat. “But I’m going to miss watching you work and interact with the patients. You’re quite remarkable.”

Jude grinned, then turned to Rowan. “She just likes to look at my ass in my scrubs.”

“Do not!”

“Your cheeks are getting red, Tate. And I think,” he leaned closer, “…yep, your nose just got a little longer.”

My hand shot up to grab my nose, an involuntary reaction. “I’m not Pinocchio.”

“Oh, I know you’re definitely not Pinocchio,” he nuzzled my neck, and then peppered light kisses along my chin and jaw.

“Ew,” Rowan wrinkled her nose. “You guys are gross.”

“You wanted this to happen,” I admonished her. “It’s too late to change your mind now.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” she muttered. “I’m getting what I deserve. The disgusting public displays are worth it to see you guys happy,” she cracked a smile.

“Are you happy with me?” Jude asked, playing with a strand of my hair.

I nodded. “Very happy.”

We stared at each other for a moment before Rowan interrupted us. “I don’t know which is worse, the PDA or staring lovingly into each other’s eyes.”

I picked up a left
over carrot and tossed it at her. It hit its mark, landing in her hair. She fished it out and dropped it on the table.

“No more complaining,” I laughed at her.

She smiled and wadded up her trash. “See you guys later.” She turned on her heel and her hair swished around her shoulders as she headed for the door.

“Well,” Jude continued to play with my hair, “we better get to class.”

I nodded with a small smile. “Yeah, class.”

After spending pretty much every moment with him the last week, it was weird to spend so much time apart. But class was necessary, and after this week I’d see him even less.

Oh God. I’d turned into one of those clingy girls that never wanted to part from her boyfriend. Damn. What an about-face from who I’d been before. It was strange—especially after spending so long hating him—but once I saw that Jude wasn’t the cause of all my problems it became impossible not to fall for him.

We tossed our trash in the close
st trashcan and then he took my hand. His was warm and steady, clasping my smaller one. Even when he wasn’t trying he made me feel protected.

Instead of going separate ways, he walked me to class. Even in high school I’d never had a boy to walk me to class. It seemed Jude was making up for both of our lost time.

On the way we passed the spot where the guy had hit Jude, which led to our first kiss. That was the beginning of the end for me. Although, I thought he probably already had me before then.

Jude released my hand when we reached the building my next class was held in. “See you soon.” He lowered his head and lightly brushed his lips against mine. It wasn’t even a real kiss, but my body didn’t seem to know that. My fingers clasped his shirt and I leaned into him, letting out a soft moan. Jude made me crazy in the best possible way.

He chuckled and removed my fingers from his shirt. He kissed the tops of both of my hands before releasing them.

“Keep reacting to me like that,” he leaned forward, growling low in my ear, “and I’ll take you right here, right now.”

Oh God. A few weeks ago I would’ve slapped him and run away for saying such a thing, but right now…I was tempted to take him up on it.

“You’re not protesting, I like that,” he kissed the skin below my ear, “that’s progress.”

My blood roared in my ears. “Jude,” I panted his name.

“Later,” he said promisingly as he pulled away.

Immediately, I missed the warmth of his body.

I watched him walk away, a part of me in disbelief that he was mine.

“It’ll never last.” My head whipped toward the sound of the voice and found a gorgeous girl standing beside me. She had glossy, wavy black hair, dark eyes, and golden sun-kissed skin. “He’ll fuck you and leave you just like the rest. It’s what he does. And let’s face it,” she looked me up and down with a sneer on her lips, “when he
does
settle down it won’t be with someone like you.”

Knowing she’d made her point, she flounced away before I could reply. I was tempted to run after and claw her eyes out
, but I reigned in my anger. She was just a jealous bitch and nothing to me.

But that didn’t stop the sting of her words or the pain I felt because of them.

Was she right? Would he leave me?

I’d avoided relationships for this very reason—I couldn’t bear the thought of having my heart broken—but I was in too deep now to turn tail and run.

But she made me wonder, would we get a fairytale ending, driving off into the sunset like those old movies, or were we destined to go up in flames?




“Something’s bothering you,” Jude commented as we walked to his truck.

“Just thinking about my paper.” Lie. I was still obsessing over what that girl told me. I couldn’t seem to get the words to stop playing on repeat inside my head.

“Oh,” Jude shrugged, “stop worrying so much about it. You’ll get it right.”

I forced a smile, trying my hardest to make it believable, and said, “I hope you’re right.” I had to play along the best I could. There was no way I was telling him what she told me.

Before either of us could say anything else my feet went out from under me and I was down on the ground.

Jude surprised me by not laughing. Instead he quickly bent down to make sure I was okay. “Tatum, are you hurt?” He asked, eyeing the knees of my now scuffed jeans. My hands were red and scratched from the concrete but I was otherwise unharmed.

“Oops, sorry.” I looked up in time to see the girl from earlier breeze past us, laughing with her friends. “I didn’t see you there.”

Jude helped me up and didn’t release his hold on me. “Brooke,” Jude called after her. His chest heaved violently with barely contained anger. “Apologize.”

Brooke paused, her glossy hair bouncing around her shoulders. “Why don’t you call me when you’re done playing house and then I’ll apologize? All. Night. Long.” The meaning in her words was clear.

Jude’s hold on my hands tightened as he tried to restrain himself from going after her.

With a satisfied smirk she flounced away with her friends.

Jude finally released me and I rubbed my hands on my jeans to displace the gravel clinging to the palms.

“I’ve never wanted to hit a woman until now,” Jude growled, a muscle in his jaw twitching. “She had no right to talk to you like that.” Intense brown eyes met mine.

I dipped my head and muttered, “It’s fine.”

“No,” he lifted my chin, “it’s most definitely not fine.”

I shook my head. “This was bound happen,” I sighed. “People aren’t pleased to see the campus playboy settle down. I expected it.” Not to this degree, but he didn’t need to know about that.

Two confrontations with Brooke—at least I knew her name now—sounded a bit fishy to me. Was she really that desperate that she was purposely seeking me out? Were people that pathetic?

“Here, let me see your hands.”

I reluctantly held out my hands for him to inspect.

“Good, nothing’s cut. Just a few scrapes. They’ll be tender though.” He met my eyes once more. “God, Tate, I’m so sorry.”

I shrugged. “It wasn’t your fault.”

“Yeah, it was.”

I suppose, in a way, he was responsible, but I didn’t see it that way. “She’s just jealous,” I replied. “It’s not a big deal.” I tried my best to play it off. I didn’t want him to see how much it affected me.

Jude put a guiding hand against my waist and we started towards his truck. He hadn’t changed into his scrubs yet. I wouldn’t tell him, but he was right, I loved the way he wore those scrubs.

He opened the passenger door for me and I climbed inside.

He was quiet as we pulled out into traffic, but then he said, “We have time to stop and eat.”

I shrugged. I didn’t feel hungry.

“If I recall correctly, I owe you a McFlurry,” he chuckled, reaching over to squeeze my knee. He was trying so hard to make me feel better.

“Only because I threw it at you.”

“Logistics,” he shrugged, pulling into the McDonald’s Drive-Thru line.

He ordered our food and parked the truck. I figured we were eating in the truck, but he hopped out, grabbing a blanket that he kept behind his seat.

I followed him to the back of the truck where he pulled down the tailgate. I saw what he was trying to do and took the blanket from him before he dropped our food. I folded it so it was thicker and then spread it out so we could both sit.

So far our April weather had been surprisingly warm. It was a nice change from cold, snowy, windy days.

Jude handed me the bag and I dished out our food. Two McFlurries sat between us. Hopefully there would be no more McFlurry throwing—although, that would make an interesting sport. I could see it on the Olympics now.

“This is nice,” Jude said around a mouthful of cheeseburger.

I nodded in agreement, dipping a fry in ketchup. 

“Although,” he continued, “this does not count as our real date.”

“Huh?” I quirked a brow, eating another fry.

“You said I won the bet, which means we get to go on a date. This,” he pointed to the greasy fast food we ate, “is not a proper date.”

“It isn’t?” I asked. “What do you propose we do then?”

“Not sure yet,” he shrugged, his face growing serious, “I’ve got to think of something good.”
He took a bite of his burger, staring out at the parking lot. “Are you free Saturday or Sunday?”

“I’m not doing anything.” Except staring at my computer trying to write this paper. I should’ve had it halfway done by now, and this week of shadowing should have been unnecessary, but I only had two paragraphs written and knowing me I’d delete them the next time I opened my word document.

“Perfect,” he grinned, bouncing with excitement like a little boy.

We finished eating, and moved on to the McFlurries.