"Something to learn about me, alley-cat. I play dirty. I play to win. Lucky for you, when I win, I like to celebrate extra-dirty and you're gonna reap those rewards in the form of my tongue between those thighs."
My knees buckle and I fail at hiding it.
"I hate you," I whisper.
He smiles as if I've just said the opposite. He smiles like he knows that despite my words, I mean the opposite.
“And shut your dirty mouth. Your family will hear you. When are they leaving?” I ask under my breath.
“Who knows? After dinner, I imagine.”
“Allison, come set the table. Oh. You don’t have a table. What kind of home has no table?” Jude’s baka asks.
“We can sit at the counter, Baka. There are four stools,” he replies, looking that way. My eyes follow.
“Stools. Like a tavern.” I watch her roll her eyes and then they land on me expectantly.
“She’ll probably move in with Jude soon,” Ana pipes up. “This is her corporate apartment. You can boss them around over there when that happens.”
“I like his kitchen, but the rest of that place is no good for a family. More for a gigolo who wants to have a lot of the sex.”
My eyes bounce between each of them as they speak and I’m wondering how in the world I’ll get myself out of this mess.
Even his grandmother thinks of his place as a sex lair. I avoid asking questions to learn more about Jude’s sex lair; I will never set foot inside it so it’s pointless.
“And no living together before marriage. God hates that,” Baka adds. “I’m glad to see he sleeps in another room when he visits here.”
I call out, “Excuse me for a minute; nature calls” and then duck under Jude’s arm to slip into the bathroom.
I glare at the image of myself in the mirror.
“You’re an idiot!” I tell the reflection after hearing his footsteps recede.
I should never have instigated that booty call. He deleted me from his phone! I was home free! Damn it.
I use the facilities, wash my hands, and then head out to face Jude, his mom, and grandmother. Jude’s mom is setting my hot pink vinyl placemats up at the breakfast bar. I reach into another drawer for cutlery, noting Jude is absent.
Whatever is cooking, it smells good. I forgot to eat today; my nerves were so shot.
I’m about to go looking for him when he comes down the hall toward us from his room.
“I have to nip out for half an hour. Work thing,” Jude says.
He’s got his phone in his hand and his eyes on the screen as he reaches for his keys and wallet on the table by the door.
“I’ll be back,” he says as he pockets his phone and heads toward me. I gawk at him, frozen with horror. Not only has he sprung his mother and grandmother on me, but now he’s leaving me with them? He isn’t. Is he?
He can’t!
“Don’t you dare,” I whisper for him only, but they probably heard me.
“What about dinner? It’s ready,” Baka states.
“We’ll save you some if you have to work. If he has to work, he has to work,” Ana says.
Jude kisses each of them on the cheek and then drops a kiss on my lips and does it with a little touch of tongue.
I can’t believe he just did that.
He turns to go, but looks over his shoulder before he leaves.
My lips are parted in shock.
“No,” I whisper. “Do not…”
“Be good,” he warns, winks, and then he’s gone.
He’s gone?
“Ally, you want some wine?” Ana asks.
“Yes, please,” I squeak.
Where’s my phone? I need help.
But who is going to help me? Carly’s not upstairs. Shit.
What excuse can I use to make a run for it?
Fuck.
“Here you go. I feel a kinship with a girl with big wineglasses.”
Ana passes me a big glass of red. I need this.
“The best kind,” I say. “The small ones should be outlawed.”
She smiles. “So, it’s been a long time since my son has introduced us to a woman.” There’s light and playfulness in her eyes.
I swallow the wine in my mouth. “Really?” I ask, feigning interest. But truthfully, it is interesting. I think I’m feigning myself.
“Really,” she confirms. “He’s not one to bring anyone around unless it’s serious. When was the last one, Ma? Five, six years back?”
“I liked that one,” Baka says, shooting me side eye.
Eeks.
“She wasn’t right for him. I knew it. You, too. Ma. Most importantly, he knew it. How’s the wine, Ally? You like?”
Baka mutters something under her breath that I don’t catch.
I’ve been sipping from the glass almost non-stop since it was handed to me and it’s already half empty.
“It’s amazing. What is it? I might need some.” I reach for the bottle on the counter and spin it, but it has no label.