Chapter 2
Jude was in the baggage claim section of the airport waiting excitedly for her best friend to arrive. For almost two weeks things around G Major had been insane. Darius seemed to be on a rampage, and no one could do anything right. Jude had been almost fired twice, Kwest had been fired and rehired once, and SME was told that they weren't going on tour at least five times. Tour started tomorrow though, and things were pretty much in place. Chaz, Bruno, JP, and Sean had already arrived in Toronto, the buses were packed, and everyone was excited. Jude couldn't wait to get going, but she wasn't sure if she was more excited for the tour to begin, or Tommy to arrive.
Speaking of whom, Tommy still hadn't shown up. Jude had checked the flight schedule at least ten times and she knew his plane wasn't supposed to be late, so where was he? It was already 4:00pm and his flight was scheduled to get in at 3:25pm. Just then, she saw him coming down the escalator. Her excitement increased tenfold as she watched him get closer. As he was about a hundred feet from her, Tommy finally noticed who his chauffeur was and smiled at her. The smile itself was filled with love—Jude could only wish that it was the romantic and passionate love she felt for him. Yes, Jude Harrison was in love with Tom Quincy.
Pushing those thoughts aside, Jude ran to meet Tommy. When she was only a couple of feet from him, she launched herself into his arms, wrapping her legs around her waist, and held onto him as if he were her lifeline. In reality, he was her lifeline. Jude wouldn't know what to do if it wasn't for Tommy.
Minutes later, Jude reluctantly slid down his body. Even though she was still standing, Jude still held onto Tommy. She was having a hard time letting go—having him in her arms, being held by him was perfect. Little did she know that Tommy felt the same way. Having her in his arms was wonderful—he couldn't remember a time he felt more content.
Finally, Tommy and Jude separated. They took a step back and looked at eachother, breaking into wide smiles, completely captivating eachother. Jude was the one who broke the spell first, "So Quincy, are you ready for the madness we are about to embark on?" He could tell by her tone that she was excited to be going on this tour, but a little nervous too.
"You bet. Just think, starting tomorrow, we will be spending the next three months in the US and then heading to Europe and Asia. You will have to share a tour bus with three stinky boys, and I will be sharing one with four other guys who are self-absorbed and prima donnas."
"Oh, come on, Quincy! You know you are more concerned with your hair than those four guys combined!" As she said this, Jude nudged Tommy with her elbow. "But nonetheless, lets get your bag and get to the studio. We can't leave the hair products alone for too long." Jude smirked and ran into him with her shoulder.
"Harrison, you know you're jealous of my hair. You only wish that your blonde locks were as luxurious as mine." Tommy said this with a smile and ran his hand through her hair. He was surprised by its softness and the hint of lavender he smelt, but shrugged the thought off and put his arm around her. "Come on, I see my bag."
Putting her arm around his waist, Jude relished the closeness. He separated from her for a moment to grab his large suitcase, and as he did, Jude felt an emptiness and stared at him longingly. She had missed him so much...missed the feeling of him being close, missed the teasing and the touching, missed the way he made her feel. Jude new that Tommy would never feel the same way about her, but she couldn't help but love him. The next six months would be torture, but it was worth it to be close to him again.
Tommy grabbed his bag and turned back to Jude. He noticed a far away look in her eyes, but couldn't quite place it. He was about to question her, but she quickly found his eyes, smiled, and grabbed his hand. Pulling him after her, she said "Let's go Babes. Darius is waiting on you for the big meeting. Then, we have to get you settled back into your place. I had Marta come by yesterday to give it a once over and air things out."
…
A whirlwind of nearly 24 hours later, Jude, SME, Boyz Attack, and a few various other technicians and roadies were saying goodbye to friends and family. Sadie was hugging Jude, Kwest was man-hugging Tommy. The four then pulled each other into a group hug that was as cheesy as it was enjoyed by all. As they were saying their final goodbyes, Tommy held Jude close to him, his arm again around her shoulder, hers around his waist. Darius yelled for everyone to get going, and with that, Jude turned to meet the boys on the smaller bus. Tommy shook Kwests' hand one last time and quickly looked after Jude. Smacking her on her ass, he told her, "Let's go Babes, can't keep everyone waiting."
Acting shocked, Jude smirked at him and responded with, "Oh Tommy, you know that anything worth having is worth waiting for." She poked him in the chest, and just as she was about to turn back towards the buses, he grabbed her finger and pulled her close to him.
"Jude," he said, "you are most definitely worth waiting for." Because her face was so close to his, Tommy kissed her forehead and released her hand. She was stunned into immobility, a bright blush covering her cheeks. It took some yelling from Spied to get her moving again.
Wow, she thought. What the hell was that?
…
What did I just do? What the only question currently dominating Tommy's mind. After picking him up at the airport yesterday, Jude had barely left his side for a minute. They had a meeting with Darius and everyone involved in the tour, then had decided to grab dinner to catch up. He had just wanted to drop his bags at his apartment and then they had gotten to talking. Three hours later, Jude's stomach was growling so loudly that their conversation was getting interrupted. They ended up ordering Chinese from the place across town that they loved, and stayed up half the night enjoying being together. They ended up falling asleep to Man's Favorite Sport—an old movie that was one of her favorites.
About halfway through the movie, Jude had fallen asleep with her head on Tommy's chest. Not wanting to wake her, and too tired to move a muscle, he had just closed his eyes and fell into a contented sleep. The surprise came that morning when he woke up with a raging hard on. He knew it was related to his dream—a very vivid one including him doing crazy things with Jude on a tour bus bunk. He had spent at least five minutes trying to deflate his friend when Jude had, in her sleep, shifted and moved her arm to rest on his chest from its previous place at her side. However, in the process, her arm ran along his length and gotten him up once again. Deciding that it would be easier to take care of his growing erection in a cold shower, he lifted Jude off of him and escaped to his bathroom.
Thirty minutes later he came back to the living room to find Jude just waking up with a cup of coffee in her hands. Her hair was going all directions and her eyes were closed, but in that moment, she was the essential Jude, a thought that brought a smile to Tommy's face. After she used his bathroom to shower and changed into the clothes that she had stored at his apartment (even after he moved she kept some of her things there hoping he would come back home), he ended up taking her home so she could grab her stuff. The pair then drove to G Major to help everyone load the equipment and get ready to go. All morning long Tommy hadn't been able to keep his eyes off of her. The jeans she was wearing had holes in the knees and formed to her ass perfectly. Her shirt was an oversized Doors concert shirt that seemed to hang off her frame hinting at her form underneath. Every once in a while when she was lifting equipment, the shirt would slide off her shoulder and give Tommy—and SME—a nice view of the black lace bra she was wearing. That, coupled with her hair that was slightly messy and curled around her face meant that Tommy literally could not take his eyes off of her.
When they were saying goodbye to Sadie and Kwest, he couldn't help himself and smacked her perfectly formed ass. He had momentarily forgotten that she was Jude, not some random girl he could take advantage of. Then the comment she made about being worth waiting for and again, he couldn't help himself. He loved seeing her blush and loved surprising her.
Shoving his confusion aside, Tommy got on the the bus that Boyz Attack was using for the first leg of the world tour. Greeting the rest of his band mates, Tommy settled himself in for the next few hours. The first show would be in Montreal—about a 7 hour drive for the caravan. Only an hour in and Tommy had caught up with JP and Sean and heard all about their families. Bruno was asleep, and Chaz hadn't gotten off the phone. Tommy was completely bored and missing Jude when his phone rang. Glad for the distraction, Tommy answered without looking at who the call was from.
"Tommy?"
He was immediately concerned at the quietness in Jude's voice. "What's wrong, Jude? You sound really quiet." Jude was never this subdued unless something was wrong.
"I'm hiding from the guys. We are playing hide and seek and I'm winning so far."
A smile graced Tom's face as he heard Jude's explanation. "Where are you hiding?"
He could literally hear Jude's glee when she answered "In between the bunk and the mattress of my bunk. I put some extra pillows on top of me so they won't know the difference. Spied already sat on top of me!"
"Seriously? You're in the bunk? That's crazy!" Tommy chuckled out loud, earning him a questioning glance from Chaz and a smile from JP. Not wanting to draw any more attention to his conversation, Tommy got off of the couch and went to the back where the bunks were located. Crawling in to what would be his home for the next few months, Tommy continued to chat with Jude. She told him about the bus they were on and the plans SME had for pranking the Boyz. Tommy laughed at some of their suggestions, but knew that they would never cross a line in going too far.
An hour later, Jude still hadn't been found, so she decided to find her friends. They were scattered around the bus in various states of sleep. Not surprised, she felt her own tiredness creeping in and decided to rest. Tommy and Jude hung up from their conversation and agreed to meet at the hotel once they arrived.
…
Montreal was a beautiful city. Driving to the hotel that the group would be staying at, Jude was amazed. She had only woken up moments ago, but now that she was fully awake, she couldn't wait to get off the bus. She loved Spied, Wally, and Kyle, but three months on a bus through North America and three months in Europe and Asia might be a bit much. She hadn't wanted to be in the van with the other technicians and roadies, and thought that spending the time with SME would be the perfect solution. She wasn't so sure about that decision any more.
When the buses and vans finally parked in the hotel lot, Jude was thrilled. She scrambled off of the bus as fast as she could, and was soon stretching in the middle of the parking lot. That was where Tommy found her a moment later—startling her by grabbing her around the waist and swinging her in a circle.
"Tommy..." Jude whined. "Put me down!"
He let her drop the the ground, but kept his arms around her saying "You know you loved it."
At her glare, he removed his arms. But as soon as he did, she broke into a wide smile and told him, "kidding!" Jude was glad that things with her and Tommy were normal. She was a bit concerned that after their slightly awkward moment before getting on the bus things would be weird. Not to mention this morning when she woke up on top of Tommy and her arm brushed his rather large erection. Thankfully Jude had been able to fake being asleep, but she didn't know what that meant. Jude was thrilled that Tommy was home, but she couldn't seem to shake the fact that he had only been home for a day and a half and she was already so tied to him. The few hours that separated them during the bus trip were miserable. How could he have become so important in such a little time?
Jude pushed those thoughts out of her mind and just embraced being with him again. They walked arm in arm to the hotel to get their room keys. Thankfully, everyone had their own room tonight—they may not be so lucky in the future. Tommy and Jude ordered dinner and watched a movie in his room. Even when he was in New York they would have a movie night and watch the same show over the phone. Only five minutes after the movie started, they were laying on the bed, Jude wrapped in Tommy's arms as he leaned against the pillows.
…
Around 11:00pm, the movie finished and Jude stretched from her position in Tommy's arms. Her shirt had ridden up as she stretched her arms and Tommy couldn't help but caress her exposed stomach. Her pale, soft, smooth skin was drawing him in, and he couldn't get enough. The smile on her face was precious, and with her her eyes closed, Tommy thought she looked perfect. Slowly opening her eyes, she turned her head towards him and curled up in his arms again. "Do you remember when we first met?"
"How could I forget? You told me I was an insult to the world of music and that I wouldn't know good lyrics if they hit me in the ass." Tommy chuckled at the memory. They had come a long way since then. Thankfully, she had given him a chance when he agreed to teach her the basics about producing. "I'm glad we got past that though. You know you're my best friend, right? I don't know what I would do without you."
Though her eyes were closed, Jude could hear the sincerity in his voice. "You know I feel the same way. Once Darius took over G Major and you went to New York, I didn't know what to do. Thankfully, SME has done really well and producing them has taken up all of my time. I'm glad you're back though." She hugged him, and smiled.
Tommy loved feeling so close to her, he had seriously missed that while he was gone. "I'm glad to be coming home. You know New York never felt quite right."
"I'm glad." Jude's words were slurred amidst her large yawn.
The tiredness in her eyes was obvious, and Tommy knew they should both get to sleep. The opening show of the tour was tomorrow, and that meant a lot of craziness was ahead. "Let's get to bed, girl."
Jude looked up at him with an adorable pout and asked, "Babes, I'm too tired to move. Can I stay here tonight?"
Little did she know that making her leave was the last thing Tommy wanted to do. "Of course sweetheart." He handed her a pair of boxers and told her, "Change into these so you'll be more comfy, OK?"
She smiled gratefully and took the boxers from him. Too tired to go into the bathroom, she told him to turn around while she changed. Unfortunately (or not so unfortunately), Tommy didn't turn around fast enough and he saw Jude taking off her jeans. Too mesmerized to look away, Tommy stared at Jude's ass that was peaking out of her lace boy shorts. How had he not noticed how amazing she looked? He knew that his hands would frame her rear just right, and he couldn't help but reach his hand out. Even though her back was to him, he could imagine grabbing her hips to pull her closer...holding her in place by grabbing her ass...taking her right there against the wall...
Tommy flinched and something hard crashed into his chest. He shook his head to clear the dirty thoughts and looked to where the object—which he now knew was a remote—came from. An angry Jude with hands on her boxer-clad hips assaulted his vision.
"You're such a perv, Tom. Whatever, lets sleep." She glared at him one last time and got under the covers. "And Babe," her voice came from under the comforter, "You might want to take care of your little, uh, problem."
Tom could hear the smile in her words, but when he looked down, he saw that the problem she was talking about was really another major erection—something that was becoming quite common around her. "Uh...right."
Never in his life had Tommy been embarrassed by something like this. Never before did he have a problem like this. He stumbled into the bathroom to fix things. What the hell was going on with him? As he crawled into bed next to Jude, she scooted closer to him in the midst of her sleep. He smiled and thought about the strange reaction he was having to Jude. He chalked it up to not having had any action in a long time. The last three dates he had been on were awful. One girl had been crazy, trying to get a piece of his hair to sell online. Another of the girls only tried to stick her tongue down his throat, and her breath had nearly knocked it out. The most recent date, from 2 months ago, couldn't seem to hold his interest. So that had to be the answer—his lack of any worthy action lately was why every time he turned around, he was popping up. Slightly comforted by that thought, Tommy turned on his side and drifted to sleep with thoughts of performing and music and Jude..
Hours later, just after ten in the morning, Tommy woke up to a long leg rubbing against his throbbing dick. His arms reached out and grabbed the lace-covered tight ass in front of him. He pulled the woman on top of him and pressed her center toward him. Her blonde hair covered his chest in a mass of beguiling waves. Not feeling near close enough to her, Tommy flipped the pair over so that he was on top of her. He realized that the beauty in front of him was Jude...beautiful, sexy, talented Jude. She immediately wrapped one leg around his waist, pressing their bodies as close as possible. His tongue darted out to taste her rosy nipple, sucking and nipping at the tasty bud before moving to the other side. She was rubbing herself against him, letting little moans and sighs escape her lips. He was entranced by the sound—like music to his ears. Her most recent whimpers sent him into a frenzy, he needed more of her. With one hand squeezing her round ass, he tore the scrap of black lace off and threw it to the ground. His hands grasped her hips, lifted her slightly, and slammed her onto him. The scream that invaded his ears brought him closer to release. Pumping her up and down his shaft, he could feel her begin to tighten. He could tell she was about to let go, and, instead of letting her, Tommy again flipped them without breaking their contact. She began to writhe beneath him, not quite able to let go. She began thrusting against him, trying to find her release. With a final push, she came, insides clenching, and yelling a guttural "Tommy!" This triggered Tom's release, and he let himself go with a loud grunt. He rolled to the side and stroked the back of this glorious woman.
Something hitting his head startled Tommy and brought him out of his reverie. Shocked, he opened his eyes to find Jude staring down at him, hair wet like she had just gotten out of the shower. Seeing her above him confused Tommy since she was in his arms only a moment ago. Realizing that he had just had a very real dream about his best friend, Tommy didn't know what to say.
Tommy wasn't saying anything, so Jude said, "Babes, we have to get going. Breakfast will be over in about fifteen minutes and then you have to get to the stadium in an hour for sound check." Noticing his pale, damp face, she put the back of her hand to his head and told him that he felt a bit warm. "Are you OK hon?" Concern marred her sweet features.
"Uh...yeah. I'm fine." Tommy was about to get out of bed, but remembered the slight problem his dream had triggered. Not only was he completely stiff under the covers, but he had also let himself go on the pillow he was currently still holding. Knowing that he couldn't let Jude see that—she would tease him for the rest of his life. "Would you mind grabbing me some food from downstairs while I get ready?"
"I already tried." Jude decided to push away the concern with how Tommy was acting. "They wouldn't let me bring it upstairs. So, hurry and get cleaned up. I already pulled a shirt out of your bag and figured you could just wear your jeans from yesterday."
Smiling, Tommy grabbed Jude's hand, "Thanks Babe. You're the best. I'll see you downstairs?"
"Sure. See you soon." With that, Jude kissed Tommy's forehead and headed out of the room with their luggage.
Still trying to process what had just happened, Tommy laid in bed for another couple of minutes before deciding he had to get cleaned up...starting with a very cold shower.
…
That evening, Jude was standing backstage as Spied, Wally, and Kyle rocked out. They were bringing the house down and completely in their element. For a moment, Jude was struck with a sadness. This had always been her dream—singing on a stage in front of thousands of fans, making her own music to touch the hearts of those around her. Of course, it was partly her own fault, she had never told anyone but Tommy, and now Darius, about her dream. She had given her demo tracks to Darius weeks ago, but he still hadn't told her anything. Tears pricked her eyes as Jude watched her friends rock out on stage. As much as she loved producing, she would love to perform.
Tommy noticed Jude watching the show from one of the wings. It was like he was pierced in the side when he saw the trail of tears make their way down her cheek. Instinctively knowing that it was her desire to make music that put Jude in the somewhat mournful state, he figured it would be the perfect time to tell her the good news Darius had agreed to weeks ago. Coming up behind her, Tommy wrapped his arms around her waist and put his head on her shoulder. Sensing that it was Tommy embracing her, Jude smiled through her tears and leaned into him.
"Hey."
"Hey back." Jude's voice was so soft and Tommy's chest clenched in sympathy.
"Wish you were up there with them?"
Tommy's question amazed Jude. Only he would know exactly what was going on. "Yeah. I just wish...well...you know."
She leaned her head against his and Tommy was assaulted by her sweet scent—the hint of vanilla and honey. Tommy had been worried this morning that things would be strange between them. After his little fantasy that morning, she had been on his mind all day. They hadn't really gotten a chance to talk and he had missed her. Seeing her tears made him want to fix things, and he was just glad that this problem he could fix.
While Tommy had been in thought, Jude had continued talking. "You know, I finally decided to go for it and gave Darius my demo tracks a few weeks ago. I still haven't heard anything though. Maybe it was just a lost cause?"
The desperation in her voice made Tommy's chest clench again. Turning her around to face him, Tommy kept his arms around her. "Babes, don't say that! You know that you are beyond talented. And Darius knows it too. When I get back to Toronto to manage the studio, I will be working with only 2 artists."
"Tommy, I'm glad that you'll be getting to be involved in more of the studio—I know that's one of the things you wanted. And who do you get to produce? And what does that have to do with my talent?" Jude rolled her eyes at the last word.
"Babes, let me finish. When I get back, Mason will be coming to Toronto too. Darius liked what we had done with the album so far and wanted me to finish the job." Tommy could see the curiosity in Jude's expression, still unsure as to who his other artist would be. Just as she was about to ask, he put a finger to her lips so he could finish. Her frustration was evident, but Tommy knew that his news would cheer her up. "Listen" he said with a playful glare. When she didn't protest, he continued. "Babes, the other artist I will be producing will be you."
Jude's excitement was shining in her eyes. "Really?"
"Really. In six months, you will be an official signed artist at G Major. D wants you to continue producing for a while, but, depending how things go, you could be a full-time artist a few months after we get home...records, tours, interview, the whole nine yards." Tommy was quiet for a moment as he waited for Jude's reaction, and he wasn't disappointed.
With a hand to her mouth and eyes wide, Jude looked up at him, questioning if he was being serious. When he nodded his head, she jumped into his arms and hugged him close. Tommy couldn't hide the smile on his face and the sigh that escaped his lips. He loved seeing her this happy. Even more, he loved being the one to make her this happy. After a few minutes, Jude got down from his embrace and gave him one last hug. The hug was interrupted when a stage hand tapped Tommy's shoulder telling him he was on in a minute. Knowing that was his cue to get ready, they separated. Tommy told her that they would celebrate later, after the show. Still in shock, Jude simply nodded. She was ambushed by Spied, Wally, and Kyle as they came off stage, which distracted her slightly. But for the rest of the night, she had more of a skip in her step at the prospect of living her dream.
…
Later that night, after the equipment was packed up, autographs were signed, and pictures were taken, everyone was going their separate ways. Chaz, Bruno, Spied, Wally, and Kyle were heading to a local night club to "pick up some chicks." JP and Sean both wanted to get back to their hotel and check in with their wives. Tommy and Jude were getting ready to walk to the local diner.
Soon after sitting down, Jude and Tommy had each ordered a milkshake and a side of fries. Back when Tommy lived in Toronto, they had done this once every couple of weeks to get away from the craziness of life at a studio. The whole way to the diner they had talked about the show. Jude told him how she had suggested a couple of chord variations in two of SME's songs and Tommy told her how much he loved being back on stage. He admitted that, as much as he didn't like the music he had to perform, the actual performance was amazing. "I can't wait for you to get on stage in front of thousands of fans—there will never be a feeling like it."
The smile on Tommy's face was so sincere, but Jude still had so many doubts. "Do you really think I can do it? I mean, will I really be able to perform for a crowd like tonight? Will people want to buy my music? Will they even like it?" The insecurity in Jude's voice was evident.
"Hey," Tommy said, taking Jude's hands across the table. "You are an amazing artist. Just because you haven't been signed doesn't make you less of one. And I know that you can do it. Just give it some time and you will be selling out arenas twice the size of tonight."
"But, what if..."
Before she could say another word, Tommy put a finger to her lips and told her "Quit worrying. You were born to make music. And you know that I will be with you every single step of the way."
Knowing she couldn't argue with him, Jude just nodded. "Thanks Tommy."
The two finished their meal and decided to walk back to the hotel. It was only about 4 short blocks, and they were both enjoying the fresh air. Tommy grabbed Jude's hand and smiled down at her. They stopped walking for a moment and he told her, "I'm glad we're doing this together, Jude. I seriously missed you in New York." He hadn't planned on saying anything, but in that moment, about a block away from the hotel, he couldn't not say something. He was overwhelmed by being with her again.
Jude was slightly taken aback by Tommy's statement. He had never been one to talk about his emotions, but she couldn't help but agree with him. No one understood how important Tommy was to Jude. When he left for New York, it was truly like a part of her had left too. Sure, she survived; between producing, school, and playing with the guys she didn't have much free time. And often, any spare time she had was spent on the phone with Tommy, but it wasn't the same. When he left two years ago, Jude know that she had strong feelings for him. But it wasn't until she visited him in New York City did she realize that she loved him. Tommy had taken Jude to some of the sights—the Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park, the Guggenheim and more. They were standing at the top of the Empire State building and Tommy was telling Jude about his latest failed date. He told her that he and the girl just didn't have a connection. Jude had teased him, asking "Well, if she was hot and a good lay does it really matter if you had a connection?" He had laughed, but soon got serious. Looking at her he had said, "Jude, you know what I mean though. I don't want to be some bachelor forever—I do want to find someone to love. I want to find someone that gets me. Someone that makes my music better, someone that makes me think about things, someone who knows when to joke around and when to be serious. I need to find someone who is like...my other half." After that, Jude understood what he meant; but, she had already found that person. Tommy was the one who made her music better, who knew just what to do and what to say. That was the day that Jude had realized for the first time she was in love with Tom Quincy. After that realization, it was even harder for her to go about her life in Toronto. Her only escape was music—especially when she got to share it with Tommy. So when she found out that he was coming home, Jude was ecstatic. Its like my other half is back, Jude thought to herself. She sensed Tommy's eyes on her and turned to face him. From his expression, it was clear that she had said that last comment out loud.
"I mean, my other half, like my partner in crime. You know, because we're like the dynamic duo—we work well together. You taught me what I know about producing. You know what, forget what I said, I was just being..."
Jude's rambling was cut off by a searing kiss. She was startled at first, but quickly responded, moving her lips against his. Tommy was surprised by her actions, stopping the kiss briefly to look at her. But, after seeing at the honesty and vulnerability in her eyes, he pulled her close and crashed his lips to hers again. After exploring her lips, he wanted more and tentatively moved his tongue to her bottom lip to see if they could go further. Jude immediately responded, opening her mouth to him. Their tongues dueled in a fiery passion; Jude couldn't seem to get enough of him—kissing him was just like she had imagined. At this point, he had grabbed her ass and picked her up,; holding her as close as possible, Tommy shoved her against the wall of the nearest building. She gasped at the contact her back made with the cold, hard surface. That noise was enough to stop Tommy's assault on her mouth and body.
"Uh..." he let her down from his grasp. "Sorry, uh...about that."
"Right...yep." That was all Jude could manage as she tried to regain her breath. She tried to sneak a glance at Tommy, but he caught her.
"I am sorry. You just wouldn't stop talking. You kept going on and on..."
Before he could continue, Jude placed another kiss on his lips. "I get it, okay? Let's just get back." She was having a hard time processing what had just happened, and didn't want to hear Tommy say that they should forget about it or that it was a mistake. She grabbed his hand and started walking in the direction of their hotel.
She had only taken one step when Jude felt him tug at her hand. "Babes, don't walk away like that." He took a step closer to her and held her face in his hands. "You are like my other half too." He kissed her softly, almost lovingly, and grabbed her hand. "Let's get back."
The rest of the way back to the hotel Jude had been in shock. For a minute, she had felt like it was so real. That kiss had set her on fire, and now, nearly an hour and two showers later, she hadn't cooled down in the slightest. She was laying on her stomach, topless because the wall had scratched her back through her shirt, and all she could do was replay that kiss in her mind.
…
Down the hall, Tommy was sitting on the bed in his room thinking about what had happened with Jude earlier. How could he kiss her like that? Why did he kiss her like that? She had looked so beautiful in the glow of the streetlamp, and he was so thankful to be near her again. That, on top of the fact that he was thinking about his morning fantasy all day meant that he went for it and kissed her. The most confusing thing was that, when he kissed her, it was the best kiss of his life by far. And, had he not hurt her back, he probably would have tried to take her right there, against the side of that building. What had gotten into him?
What really worried him was the way he had left things. She had gone to her room without saying a word to him. He didn't want this to change things. He needed her too much—she was his rock. With that thought in mind, Tommy got up and went to her room. "Babes, let me in."
Jude opened the door to her room holding the comforter from her bed to her chest. As she turned around to lay down on her bed, Tommy saw the scratches on her back. "Oh sweetheart." The angry red marks were not too bad, but he could tell they were a bit painful. Before he did anything else, Tommy grabbed the little container of lotion from the bathroom and sat down next to his girl on the bed. Pouring some of the lotion in his hands, he warmed it up before carefully rubbing it on her back. He didn't say anything until he finished, not wanting to take away from making her feel better. He went back into the restroom to wipe off her hands
Once he was done, he heard a faint, "Thanks." from the bed. He went back into her room and sat next to her on the bed. Because her head was not facing him, Tommy asked her to face him. Once she complied, he told her, "I just want you to know that I meant what I said earlier. You are like my other half. I don't know what I would do without you...especially right now—you are my anchor." While he said this, Tommy rubber her sore back. "Jude, I don't regret that kiss. I don't know what it means, but I don't want you to regret it either." She looked him in the eye and he could see the tears ready to fall.
"Are you sure?"
"Positive." Tommy responded without hesitation. "Now scoot over so we can get some rest. We have to leave at 7:30 tomorrow and it's already almost 1:00 in the morning."
Jude scooted a little to the side so Tommy could have some room and got under the covers. Tommy followed quickly and held onto Jude as they drifted to sleep.
…
The next morning, Jude was so tired that Tommy had to nearly carry her to her bus. Still not wanting to leave her for too long, Tommy stuck his head out the bus after getting Jude settled and told Chaz that he would catch up with them later. Instead of responding to Chaz' knowing smirk, Tommy just went back onto SME's bus. The guys were surprised to see him there, but once they saw his expression, they turned back to their video game and let the couple be by themselves. Tommy knew that physically, Jude would be fine. But he didn't want things between them to be strange or awkward. So, he made sure that, as soon as she woke up, he would be there and they could go back to being Tommy and Jude—best friends, musical gurus, and perfectly content when together.
Living the Dream, Chapter 2
12/10