Sorry for the delay. My weekend got busy. Enjoy. I own nothing.

Chapter 27

Three days before her birthday and Tommy was freaking out. He always thought he'd have plenty of time to get everything ready, but he hadn't expected her to be staying with him as much as she was. Not that he was complaining since it was what he wanted in the long run. He just had to do things a bit more slyly. At the moment Jude was taking a relaxing bath, so he was taking his free time to work on his closet. This time he was trying to move out clothes she might not go looking for. He thought back to when he knew what he wanted to do for her birthday.

They were sitting on her front step. She'd just told him she wanted to be his co-producer. He couldn't think of a better person to help produce her third album. She was tinkering on her guitar.

He knew he'd been a total jackass over the last couple of days. He should have told her up front that he wanted to work with Karma. To stay at the top of his game, he was gonna have to expand to different genres. He knew she'd understand in the long run.

"I have to go work with Karma, but I want to take you somewhere tonight." He said standing up.

"Okay,"

"I'll pick you up at six."

"I'll be waiting."

"Good. Dress casual."

While watching Karma through the glass, he realized how much he wasn't going to get to see Jude. Working on her last album, his time hadn't been divided. This was going to be interesting for their relationship. He was torn because he wanted this professionally, but personally it was going to pull their time apart. He thought about how she'd be eighteen soon, and be finished with school.

"How was that?" Karma's flirty voice came through the speaker.

He realized he hadn't heard a word she sang. "Let's do one more take." He tried to stay focused.

When she finished that take she came out and sat down beside him. "I'm so glad you wanted to work with me. Jude must be such a prude to work with all the time."

"Jude and I work well together." He said in a tight voice.

"But she is always hovering. It's like she thinks she has an exclusive lock on you." She placed her hand on his arm and batted her eyelashes.

"Karma, you know Jude and I are together, right?" Tommy wanted to stop this before it went any farther.

Karma seemed baffled. "You can't be serious." He voice was disbelieving.

"I think we got all the takes we need. I will mix this tomorrow, and we'll get it to Darius." Tommy really didn't want to be there any longer than he had to.

He thought about getting Jude flowers, but she was never that girl. Half the time she hated that he paid for everything. He wanted to show her that the last almost two years have been worth everything to him. Her birthday was coming up and he had no clue what he was getting her. He couldn't buy her a guitar every year.

Something in a window caught his eye, and he couldn't help but stare. It was perfect. It was insane, but perfect. It was unique and beautiful just like Jude. He could already picture it on her finger. Marriage had never really come up, though he knew he never wanted to be with out her.

But the ring wasn't enough. He needed something that showed her that he was serious. Something that went deeper than their music connection. He remembered when he was a kid and his Ma Mere would always walk around the kitchen singing. She always had beautiful jewelry, and when she passed away, she left him and his brother pieces that were to be given to their wives. Of course he's never thought about that with Portia. He knew Jude was the real deal. He looked at his watch and noticed the time. He had an hour to pick up Jude.

Walking out of the jewelry store, he tucked the black box in his pocket and pulled out his phone. He dialed and got a voicemail message. "Tristian, it's Tom. I know it's been awhile, but I was hoping you'd send me the necklace Ma Mere left me. Thanks. Bye." He flipped the phone shut and took a deep breath. He was really doing this.

She was waiting in the exact spot he left her that morning. "You ready?"

"Where are we going?" She asked eagerly getting in the car.

"That's a surprise." He said handing her a single rose. He couldn't stop himself. He hoped she wouldn't be able to notice that something was on his mind.

He drove in silence, holding her hand. Every few minutes he would glance over at her to see what her expression was. Most of the time she was looking straightforward smiling.

"Where are we going?" She asked after he'd left the city.

"You know before I left for Montana, I was going to ask your dad if I could take you away for a weekend."

"Really?"

"Yeah. There's this perfect B&B. The rooms are fabulous. You can get a suite with two bedrooms and a huge living room. The room service is the best. You don't have to leave the room to get a five star meal." He smiled glancing over at her.

"You're taking me to a bed and breakfast? But I don't have clothes for tomorrow."

"We're not staying the night. Just dinner. It will be set up when we get there."

"Tommy you shouldn't pay for a room that we're only going to be in for a few hours."

"It doesn't matter. I'd spend anything on you." He smiled over at her hoping she would just accept it. "Plus, I tried to reach your dad, but her was in meetings all day. So, I have to get you home tonight." That was when it clicked in his head. If she lived with him he wouldn't have to rush her home all the time.

"I guess we'll just have to make the best of our time." She said putting her hand in his.

He couldn't help but smile. He squeezed her hand and drove the rest of the way in silence. Tommy's mind was running so fast he thought his brain would explode. Was he ready for this? Sure he was, but the question really was, was Jude ready. Was this too much too fast for her eighteenth birthday? He would just have to wait and see.

At the B&B, he checked them in, and dinner was ready when the walked into the suite. "Wow. Tommy this is beautiful."

"You like?"

"I love." She said before kissing him.

They ate dinner just joking around with each other. It reminded Tommy of how comfortable they were together. He was sure they could make a life together.

"So, how's that song you coming you were working on this morning?" He asked as they sat cuddled on the couch.

"I'm still working on the chords. How was your day with Karma?"

"I missed you. I'm so sorry for not thinking about what me working with her would mean to you. I was up front with her about us. I wasn't going to sit around and let her flirt. There was no need." He told her.

"Wow. You really have changed." She said with aww in her voice.

"I think I changed the day you walked into my life."

"You know even though I had an attitude that first day, it was kind of exciting to think of working with you. I knew it would drive Sadie crazy. And who can deny you're hot."

"I knew you loved me for my looks." He said smirking.

"That and so much more." She seemed a bit shy when she said that.

"There's a lot I love you for too." He said before meeting her in a simple kiss, but with everything that had been on his mind, it got heated fast. He ran his tongue across her bottom lip, as she leaned more into him. He tried to hold on to some kind of control. It had been a long time since they'd talked about their physical relationship. He still didn't want it to go too far with out knowing where she stood on it. But it was hard to think when she was so close. He could feel her warm hands on his neck, and it was driving him crazy. Actually everything about her drove him crazy.

He left her lips to move down her neck leaving open mouth kisses along the way. He pushed everything out of his mind and focused on Jude. He felt Jude's hands on his stomach under his shirt. She felt so good against his skin.

He didn't know how long they were there, but when he pulled back to look at the time it was almost eleven. "Jude, I need to get you home." He said when he found his voice.

"Why can't we stay?"

"Because we don't have a change of clothes, and I promised your dad I'd always get you home. I don't want to piss him off this close to your birthday." In his mind he didn't want to do anything wrong before he could have an important talk with her dad.

"That was my mom, and a long time ago." She argued with him, and Tommy couldn't help but smile.

"Babe, I made the same promise to your father."

Jude grunted but stood up. "Well, let's go then."

"Hey, I'll bring you back soon. Maybe after your birthday."

"Okay." She said smiling.

Now all he had to do was hope he pulled everything off. He worked quickly because Jude wasn't known to take long baths.

"Tommy." She called from the bathroom.

"What's up?" He asked opening the door. He was suddenly stunned. She was standing in the tub, dripping wet, and naked. He honestly couldn't remember seeing anything so beautiful.

"Could you hand me my towel? I was afraid I'd slip if I tried to get it."

He mutely nodded. His brain was incapable of forming words. It was like he was a teenage boy seeing his first naked girl.

Jude noticed and laughed. "Okay perv, you can leave." She winked at him before starting to dry off.

Tommy finally remembered his feet and left for the guest room again. He only had a couple minutes to close up the closet in there. With every minute he got more nervous for her birthday.

There you go. Yes everyone was right that thought he was going to propose. Now the question is how will he do it, and what will Jude say. Or will something get in the way to where he can't ask at all. Please let me know what you think. Please Review.