submissive.”
“Yes, you are…but only with the right woman. You’ve always been a sexual one but with Olivia, I think you could be more. Why the hell do you think I saddled you with her?”
He opened his mouth, intent on asking his idiot best friend who the hell he thought he was, when a cloyingly sweet southern drawl came from behind him.
“Lands sakes alive, Jude, don’t you know it’s rude to ignore a lady when she enters the room?”
Jude groaned. He knew that sugary sweet tone and wondered what the hell he’d done to deserve this. His eyes met Jackson’s resigned and annoyed ones.
He turned to face the petite blonde wearing a light pink chiffon suit. “Suzette.”
Chapter Four
“What do you want?” Jude tried to keep his voice at an even keel and not sound like Suzette was the last person on Earth he wanted to see. God, I don’t have the patience to deal with this today. Especially if Jackson goes off the deep end. This is why I didn’t mention her phone call earlier. I don’t need this today . Since Mistress kicked him out of Olivia’s, his emotions were closer to the surface than he liked.
“Now is that any way to greet an old friend, Jude?” Suzette walked further into the room, her abundant perfume stinking up his office.
“If it’s you, yes.” Jackson moved as far away from Suzette as physically possible. If his look of contempt didn’t get his point across to Suzette, his words did.
“Aw come on, Jackson, surely you aren’t holding what happened several years ago against little ole me, are you?” Suzette’s rouged lips pouted as she sulked.
Damn, is she going for an Academy Award? She’s playing the genteel southern lady to the hilt despite the fact she’s an Army brat from the word go. Jude swore Suzette should’ve been born during the Civil War. All that was missing was a parasol and the dashing Rhett Butler to complete her image.
“I don’t have the time for this.” Jackson rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ll catch you later, Jude. I have to go set up surveillance for Olivia’s. If you’re a good boy I might even cut you in on the skinny.” Heading towards the door, he gave Jude one last order. “Get rid of her.” Then he strode from the room without bothering to even acknowledge Suzette’s presence with a good-bye.
“Dammit, Jackson! You better give me updates!” Jude called after him. God damned bastard will hold out on me just on principle alone even if I get rid of this pain in the ass brat.
“Jude, honey.” Her red lacquered fingertips wrapped around his arm. “Let’s go have some lunch. I really could use a friend. You promised Dad…”
Looking into her pleading blue eyes, Jude mentally swore. Why the hell does she have to play the guilt card? “Listen, Suzette, you’re no longer a seventeen year old girl who lost her father. It’s been almost ten years, why haven’t you grown up yet? I refuse to keep bailing you out of trouble or be a convenient shoulder for you to cry on.” He jerked his arm away from her before pacing towards his desk. “In fact, I told you that the last time you called when your marriage was on the rocks.”
Her lower lip trembled. “Why are you being so cruel, Jude?”
Sinking into his leather chair, he used the mouse to wake up his computer. “What did you expect me to do? Welcome you with open arms after you ripped my best friend’s heart out?”
Razor straight white teeth nibbled on her lower lip. “And what if I told you I was sorry and I know I made a huge mistake?”
Jude didn’t bother to look up. “Then I’d say you’re apologizing to the wrong man.” He glanced up from his computer. “You were a cruel, heartless bitch.”
A bitter laugh escaped her. “Aren’t all women at one time or another? I was pregnant and hormonal. So sue me. Once I lost the baby, everything went back to an even keel, but I was already married to Stewart.”
“Don’t you mean aborted?”
She shrugged. “You say
“Yes, you are…but only with the right woman. You’ve always been a sexual one but with Olivia, I think you could be more. Why the hell do you think I saddled you with her?”
He opened his mouth, intent on asking his idiot best friend who the hell he thought he was, when a cloyingly sweet southern drawl came from behind him.
“Lands sakes alive, Jude, don’t you know it’s rude to ignore a lady when she enters the room?”
Jude groaned. He knew that sugary sweet tone and wondered what the hell he’d done to deserve this. His eyes met Jackson’s resigned and annoyed ones.
He turned to face the petite blonde wearing a light pink chiffon suit. “Suzette.”
Chapter Four
“What do you want?” Jude tried to keep his voice at an even keel and not sound like Suzette was the last person on Earth he wanted to see. God, I don’t have the patience to deal with this today. Especially if Jackson goes off the deep end. This is why I didn’t mention her phone call earlier. I don’t need this today . Since Mistress kicked him out of Olivia’s, his emotions were closer to the surface than he liked.
“Now is that any way to greet an old friend, Jude?” Suzette walked further into the room, her abundant perfume stinking up his office.
“If it’s you, yes.” Jackson moved as far away from Suzette as physically possible. If his look of contempt didn’t get his point across to Suzette, his words did.
“Aw come on, Jackson, surely you aren’t holding what happened several years ago against little ole me, are you?” Suzette’s rouged lips pouted as she sulked.
Damn, is she going for an Academy Award? She’s playing the genteel southern lady to the hilt despite the fact she’s an Army brat from the word go. Jude swore Suzette should’ve been born during the Civil War. All that was missing was a parasol and the dashing Rhett Butler to complete her image.
“I don’t have the time for this.” Jackson rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ll catch you later, Jude. I have to go set up surveillance for Olivia’s. If you’re a good boy I might even cut you in on the skinny.” Heading towards the door, he gave Jude one last order. “Get rid of her.” Then he strode from the room without bothering to even acknowledge Suzette’s presence with a good-bye.
“Dammit, Jackson! You better give me updates!” Jude called after him. God damned bastard will hold out on me just on principle alone even if I get rid of this pain in the ass brat.
“Jude, honey.” Her red lacquered fingertips wrapped around his arm. “Let’s go have some lunch. I really could use a friend. You promised Dad…”
Looking into her pleading blue eyes, Jude mentally swore. Why the hell does she have to play the guilt card? “Listen, Suzette, you’re no longer a seventeen year old girl who lost her father. It’s been almost ten years, why haven’t you grown up yet? I refuse to keep bailing you out of trouble or be a convenient shoulder for you to cry on.” He jerked his arm away from her before pacing towards his desk. “In fact, I told you that the last time you called when your marriage was on the rocks.”
Her lower lip trembled. “Why are you being so cruel, Jude?”
Sinking into his leather chair, he used the mouse to wake up his computer. “What did you expect me to do? Welcome you with open arms after you ripped my best friend’s heart out?”
Razor straight white teeth nibbled on her lower lip. “And what if I told you I was sorry and I know I made a huge mistake?”
Jude didn’t bother to look up. “Then I’d say you’re apologizing to the wrong man.” He glanced up from his computer. “You were a cruel, heartless bitch.”
A bitter laugh escaped her. “Aren’t all women at one time or another? I was pregnant and hormonal. So sue me. Once I lost the baby, everything went back to an even keel, but I was already married to Stewart.”
“Don’t you mean aborted?”
She shrugged. “You say
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