Free Judging Judas (Tarnished Saints Series Book 3) by Elizabeth Rose

ways than one.

    Chapter 8
     
    Laney spread the napkins over the top of a box, and pulled up two chairs as she unloaded the contents from the bag atop it. She’d gone with Judas to register for their marriage license this morning and everything was starting to seem so real. They had a few hours before they had to get ready for Thomas and Angel’s wedding, and she figured they’d have some breakfast as well as move some things around the shop since Judas volunteered to help.
    “I hope J.D.’s doing alright,” she said, opening up the bag wondering what Judas had picked up when they’d stopped for gas earlier at Kramer’s Gas Station.
    “She’ll be fine. Th omas’s kids are young but very disciplined and know how to take care of themselves. She really doesn’t have to do much. I just figured it’d be better if we knew what she was up to rather than to leave her alone.”
    “But what if she starts going into labor or something? Those kids won’t be able to help her.”
    “She’s not due for another month yet,” said Judas, turning the chair backwards and straddling it. “Besides, Dan has a car, and Pete is there as well. What’s the matter with you, I thought you said you didn’t worry?”
    She looked up to see Judas, legs spread over the chair, leaning his arms on the back of it. She knew he’d looked sexy in his uniform, but in civilian clothes he looked even better. He wore a tight pair of jeans that hugged his ass, and a button down shirt that he probably left half-undone on purpose just trying to get a rise out of her. And he reached over now and was rolling up his sleeves that allowed her to see his strong forearms better.
    Well, it was working, she decided, as her eyes traveled down his body. He was definitely getting a rise out of her whether he knew it or not. She felt like reaching out and running her hands over his chest and feeling those strong muscles.
    “Like what you see?” he asked in a low, sultry voice peeking up at her as he finished rolling up his sleeves. Her eyes snapped back up to his face and once again he was looking at her with those bedroom eyes that made her feel half-naked.
    “So what did you get for breakfast?” she asked, choosing to ignore his comment. She dug into the bag and p ulled out a box of sugar-covered cinnamon donuts, a small bag of spicy chips, a candy bar, two Gatorades and a pack of cigarettes.
    “What’s this?” she asked, inspecting the inside of the bag looking for real food but fin ding nothing else but a scratch-off lottery card.
    “I got a selection since I didn’t know what you’d want.”
    “Judas, you can’t tell me anyone really . . . eats these things.” She settled onto the chair across from him.
    “What do you mean?” he asked, ripping open the box of mini donuts and popping one into his mouth. “These are all my fa vorites.” He held one up to her. “Want one?”
    “That is no good for you,” she said, just shaking her head , opening up a berry-blue Gatorade since it was the only thing there she would even consider putting into her mouth.
    “There’s nothing wrong with donuts,” he said, handing her the scratch-off ticket. “That’s for you, sweetheart. Good luck. And this is for me,” he said taking the pack of cigarettes and tapping it against his hand.
    “You’re not going to smoke in here,” she told him , telling him rather than asking.
    “Why not?” he asked, licking the cinnamon off his lips as he swallowed down the donut. He opened the pack and put a cigarette into his mou th and pulled out a lighter from his shirt pocket.
    “Because this shop is loaded to the brim with flammable things to begin with,” she said. “Not to mention it’s no good for your health.”
    “ Thanks for your concern, but I’m fine.” He lit up the cigarette and took a puff, slowly blowing smoke into the air sideways from his mouth so it wouldn’t hit her.
    “So, tell me about your brothers and what’s going on,” she said ,