Jude swept my hair off my shoulder and kissed the nape of my neck. "Tell me what you're thinking."
I stretched my neck, inviting him to kiss me. I shut my eyes, feeling my skin tingle under the soft pressure of his mouth. "How do you know I'm not seducing you so you'll help me to Idlewilde?" I baited him. Somewhere outside myself, I could hear how flirty I sounded. But the moonshine had relaxed me and I didn't care.
He nuzzled my neck. "When you bluff, your left eyebrow twitches. It hasn't twitched all night. Besides, I already told you I'm going to get you there safely. No need for games now."
I pulled back indignantly. "My left eyebrow does not twitch."
Jude studied me with an idle smile, as if calculating the wisdom of saying more. "When you're amused, your mouth takes on a mischievous curl,” he went on, as if proving his point. "When you're angry, you press your lips together and three tiny lines jump out between your eyebrows."
I rolled onto my knees and planted my hands squarely on my hips. "Anything else?" I asked hotly.
He thumbed his nose, struggling not to grin. "When you kiss, you make a purring noise deep in your throat. It's so faint, I have to be touching you to hear it."
Now I turned bright red.
"We should kiss again and see what other observations I make,” he suggested.
"Fat chance after you insulted me!"
"You want me to think you're insulted, but your left eyebrow is twitching-you're bluffing." At my exasperated look, he shrugged and spread his hands as if to say, I can't help myself.
I realized Jude must have been studying me a lot if he'd come to these conclusions. My mind traveled back to the times I'd caught him watching me. At the cabin, with Shaun, at the ranger patrol outpost. I'd assumed his expression meant he was trying to make sure I didn't run. But now I wondered if he'd secretly been piecing me together like a puzzle, out of his own deep interest. The idea made my breath come faster.
"Fine,” I said at last. "Say I do let you kiss me again." I knelt on all fours in front of him, smiling temptingly. My mind was definitely still present, but the alcohol had given me a pleasurable buzz. I felt warm and alive, and a teensy bit reckless. "First, I want to set some ground rules."
"You have my rapt attention."
"When was the first time you knew you wanted to kiss me?" "That's your ground rule?"
"I'd like to gather some information before I lay down the law.”
”My, my, but you're demanding. This, and that, and who knows what else."
My smile widened. "Answer it."
He leaned back and scratched his head, exaggeratedly struggling to recollect the exact moment.
"Take your time,” I said sweetly. "The longer you take, the longer until we kiss."
"The first time I wanted to kiss you,” he said thoughtfully, rubbing his chin, "was at the 7-Eleven, right after I discovered you told Calvin that you were with me now. The resentment on his face was memorable, but your expression was priceless. I've never seen someone fight so hard to hide their giddiness. You had both of us in your hand. I wanted to kiss you and, as I recall, I did."
I frowned, trying to remember. "That kiss? It was about as puritanical as a hymnbook.”
”Didn't want to seem forward."
I doubted that. The more I got to know Jude, the more his veneer of modesty peeled away. I was pretty sure there were remnants of the arrogant, swaggering kid he'd claimed to have left behind in his teen years.
"I'm not the type to start up with perfect strangers,” I told him. "I still don't know what brought you to Wyoming or how you got wrapped up with Shaun."
Jude studied me quietly a moment. "There are things I want to tell you but can't. I know it's not a good explanation, but it's the best I can do right now. I care about you, Britt. I want what's best for you. I'm sorry you got dragged into this mess, and I will do everything I can to get you home safely."
Neither of us brought up what would happen after that. Jude was a wanted man. An accomplice at the very least. And if Korbie had been rescued by Calvin, she may have already told the police that Jude was one of our kidnappers. We had no way of knowing how much trouble Jude was up against. Right now, I didn't want
to think the worst. I didn't want to think about after, period.
"Do you have a girlfriend?" Jude didn't strike me as a cheater, but it was a valid question. He knew I wasn't with anyone. If I was going to make a mistake with him tonight-and against my better judgment, I was considering it-I wanted to know I wasn't dragging a third party into the mix.
"No."
"That's it? Just 'no'? No explanation?"
"You asked a straightforward question. Given the alternatives-'yes' and 'maybe'-I thought you'd be happy with 'no.'"
"You're making fun of me."
He smiled. "I don't have a girlfriend, Britt. My last serious relationship was a year ago. I've never cheated on any of the girls I've been with. If I feel the need to cheat, something in my relationship isn't working, and if I can't fix it, I end it. I don't believe in hurting people."
"Very good answer, Mr. Jude . . . ?"
I saw him hesitate, gauging me. "Van Sant. Jude Van Sant. That's my real name."He reached for me, catching me by the wrist. He stroked his thumb in a slow circle at the base of my palm.
"Not so fast,” I said, resting my finger on Jude's lips as he bent to kiss me. "I like this new, open side of you. I want to hear more of your secrets."
"Some things you have to find out for yourself." And he pulled me down on top of him.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Something about the morning sunlight slanting through the tree, and the moonshine's spell wearing off, made the memory of last night surge back with horrifying clarity. I lay stiffly on the ground, aghast as every detail of my actions flashed across my mind.
I'd made out with Jude. The man who'd held me captive. That he was hot and sexy and protective of me was irrelevant.
I kept my eyes shut in feigned sleep several minutes after I woke, even though I could hear Jude rustling around. I tried out icebreakers in my head. Nothing seemed appropriate. What had I been thinking, to drink moonshine? It had led me to kiss him.
No. I'd been attracted to Jude when I was 100 percent sober. I could try to convince him it was the alcohol, but I couldn't lie to myself. I made out with him because I wanted to. It was shameful, but it was the truth.
I massaged my palm into my forehead and grimaced. No choice but to get the awkward morning-after over with.