Hurricane Reese Read online

  That gave Reese a couple of hours to get the boxes down and organize the sheet music. When they moved to the cottage from the larger house his grandparents had owned, the movers did a shitty job. And Grandpa had never organized his writing. No more. Reese knew the music his grandfather had written over the years was pure genius.

  He was inspired by Grandpa’s song about meeting a girl on a street corner on a summer’s day—the story of how he met Grandma. Reese imagined a whole musical around their meeting. When he brought up the idea to Grandpa, he was skeptical at first. It wasn’t until Reese’s first musical, Ruby in Red Plaid, about a young man’s sexual liberation in the 1990s, became a huge sensation on Broadway that Grandpa began to see the possibilities. Reese just hoped he hadn’t waited too long to get started.

  JUDE PULLED into the parking lot of Santa Francesca Catholic High School and took a deep breath. Color guard had been his life when he was a teenager, and he’d been choreographing for their team for the past two years. His old coach was getting close to retirement, and the thought was that Jude would take over in a few years. It was a great way for him to stay connected to his brother and sister, and it was a way for him to keep dancing. Before he started working for Mr. Matheson, he took dance classes a couple of nights a week at the community college. Now he just worked at the school and took his nursing course. It was enough.

  “Mr. D! Mr. D!” Some of the girls bounded over to his car as he climbed out. It was always a struggle to keep boundaries with the kids. Some of the girls could get downright handsy, and not with just jazz hands. Jude tried to put off a no-nonsense vibe, but it didn’t seem to matter.

  “Are we really going to be competing at state this year?” He pushed these kids hard because he had an especially talented group.

  “If you continue to progress, we’ll have no problem qualifying at regionals. But we need everyone to work hard. To want it.”

  They giggled and ran off to join the group. As soon as the rest of the kids saw him coming down to the field, they immediately followed their captains in their stretching routines and then ran through their program in its entirety. They tossed their flags and rifles in absolute symmetry. Jude expected perfection from the kids, and they gave him their all.

  Practice lasted over two hours, and the kids were spent when they finished. The sky had been dark for an hour, and he knew it was time to let them go, but he’d wanted to work with them just once more on a particularly difficult combination. He pulled his brother and sister aside.

  “You haven’t been answering my texts, JJ,” Brianna said with her hands on her hips, just like their mother.

  “I know, sis. I’ve been out trying to find a job. I’m going to be back helping Mr. Matheson some—”

  “After his grandson fired you? Why would you go back?” Bailey asked sullenly.

  “Because I care about him. And because I want to make sure he’s cared for in the best way possible.”

  “What about us? Do you even care about us anymore?” Bailey stormed off toward Tito Rommel’s car as it pulled up. Tito Rommel waved at Jude, who waved back. Then he turned to Brianna.

  “Don’t worry about him,” she said quietly. “He’s just angry because Junior ripped up his AP Bio notebook. He’ll be okay. But we do miss you. It’s not the same when we don’t get to see you regularly. Even if it’s just at practice, you know?”

  Jude hugged his sister and breathed deeply to alleviate the heavy weight of guilt that threatened to crush him.

  “I’ll hopefully have the money soon to move out. I love you guys so much. I hate not being able to have you with me, but I’ve been doing what I had to—”

  “We know that. Bailey just forgets sometimes. Things were fine until Junior moved to our room. We’ll be okay.” She cocked an eyebrow at him. “Where have you been staying? I heard Tita Gemma saying you were staying with Tita Germaine, but I know you told me you couldn’t stay there.”

  His little sister was getting to be too smart for her own good. “With friends, Bri. I’m fine, but I need to go. I love you, and I’ll be over as soon as I can.”

  She hugged him tight, gave an extra squeeze at the end, and then waved as she ran off to the car.

  Jude waited until each and every one of the forty-six kids was picked up, and then he climbed wearily into his car and started the engine.

  When he pulled up at the cottage, he could hear the piano and Reese’s singing. His heart stuttered. He had such a beautiful voice. Jude first heard Reese’s music when he was in high school. He and his friends danced along during warm-ups at color guard practice. He’d bought Reese’s CD and everything. It was probably still in his case under the front seat of his car.

  But this music wasn’t like his pop hits. His versatile voice crooned just like Michael Buble, or the original even—Frank Sinatra. Mr. Matheson had a great voice too, but Reese’s was sort of magical. At least it had a magical effect on Jude.

  He entered the house and immediately went to the kitchen to clean up the mess Reese was sure to have made. But he found none. He checked the laundry only to find that Reese had folded everything—sloppily but folded, nonetheless—in baskets next to the washer. He had nothing to keep himself busy with.

  Jude went into the living room and watched Reese and his grandfather until they stopped playing.

  “Jude, my boy. What do you think? Sounds pretty good coming out of this guy, huh?”

  Jude could just nod. The music was great.

  “Yeah, once Toby gets back and starts helping me piece the story together, we’ll be golden. Grandpa, you remember Toby, right? My writing partner?”

  “Oh you mean the fairy? Yeah. I remember him. Boy can sure sing.”

  Reese frowned. “Grandpa, he’s not a fairy. He’s gay. Say it with me. Gaaaaaaay. It’s not a bad word, I promise.”

  Mr. Matheson snorted. “Whatever you call it. It don’t matter to me as long as he doesn’t try to kiss me again. Yuck.”

  Reese laughed. “Oh come on. It was on the cheek. Just for that,” Reese said. He lurched for his grandfather and gave him a juicy smack of his lips on the top of his head. They both laughed as his grandfather put him in a headlock, but Reese went willingly.

  Jude was puzzled by the interaction. Reese was certainly not afraid to challenge his grandfather, but he didn’t exactly confront him either. It seemed Reese got through much of his life by joking.

  Jude helped Mr. Matheson to bed at nine and loved that he seemed so happy. Reese was really good medicine for him. He was just intoxicating all around. Once Mr. Matheson was comfortable in bed he went straight to sleep, a testament to how much he needed the rest. Jude went back out to the living room and said good night to Reese.

  “You’ll be back in the morning, right?” Reese asked from the piano bench where he was still playing around with the music. Jude loved watching his long fingers dance over the keys, but he’d pulled his hair back into that ridiculous man bun again—ridiculous because Jude had to pinch himself to keep from staring at Reese’s neck. “I was going to go surfing early, if that’s okay? You’ll be here?”

  Jude realized Reese had spoken only when he turned away from the piano. A piece of curly hair hung down his forehead.

  “Yes.” But what was he saying yes to? He was fatigued and overwhelmed, and he needed to get out of the cottage. Fresh air would be a good idea—alone.

  “Great. Thank you, Jude. Thank you for coming back.”

  Jude nodded, grabbed his backpack, and beat feet out the front door. He got to his car and could do nothing more than sit in the back seat and stare at the headrest in front of him.

  He mulled over his options—the ones he was running out of. He’d been so exhausted that he actually dropped Mr. Matheson’s dishes. He couldn’t afford to make that kind of mistake again. Reese had seen his exhaustion as well.

  It wouldn’t do for him to continue sleeping in his car, but what could he do? Tita Germaine had her hands full. Tito Rommel and Tita Gemma were a
lready supporting his younger siblings as well as their lola. His cousins all had roommates. At least if he were closer to the Matheson house, he could be there bright and early. That way he wouldn’t be found out by his family.

  He parked under a tree two houses down from the cottage, thinking it would keep the streetlights from shining down on him. He used a bottle of water to wash up and brush his teeth and then crawled into the cargo area of the Pathfinder. His back was bothering him from not being able to stretch out, and that morning he’d had a horrible crick in his neck that took most of the day to work itself out.

  Jude lay there for at least an hour as he ran through his situation and his finances until he wanted to tear his hair out. His only solution would be to find a full-time position working a graveyard shift. That would allow him to work mornings for Reese, steal a couple of hours of sleep in a room he’d rent somewhere, and then be up in time for color guard and class. It wasn’t ideal, but at least he could shower and have a place for his meager belongings until he could afford to get a real place for him, Bailey, and Brianna. He rolled over and attempted some breathing exercises to relax his body. Then he remembered Reese’s parting words from that morning. “God help me, but I want you.”

  If only it were possible. Well, sure, it was possible. Jude could allow Reese to seduce him. He’d love every minute of it. One night exploring every inch of Reese’s golden skin, losing himself in Reese’s touch? Heaven. A beautiful distraction. But then what? Reese would go about his life with someone else, and Jude would be left feeling bereft. And he knew Mr. Matheson had no tolerance when it came to Jude’s sexual orientation. He’d heard the man make many hateful comments over the years, but he loved him anyway. Jude kept to himself and they got along famously.

  Jude had come out to his tita Germaine and his mother. They’d both been very understanding, but they cautioned him about reactions from his father and uncle, who held very strict Catholic beliefs. Jude had resigned himself to being alone other than the occasional hookup. What would be wrong if that hookup happened to be with Reese?

  So many things—Reese’s public persona, Mr. Matheson’s beliefs, oh, and the fact that Jude didn’t have casual feelings for Reese. At all.

  Jude rolled over once more, yanked his blanket over him, and allowed himself to picture Reese’s handsome face. Just once more.

  Chapter Ten

  THE SOUND of someone pounding on the car woke Jude the next morning, and the first thing he saw was Reese’s handsome face, which looked furious.

  “Open up this fucking door right now.”

  The humiliation overwhelmed Jude. He turned away from Reese’s angry face at the window of his Pathfinder and wondered if he could disappear if he just closed his eyes tightly enough. It could happen. He used to play that game with his father when he was a boy. He’d close his eyes, and his father would pretend he’d become invisible. Jude would laugh and laugh while his father looked all over for him.

  “Jude, I swear if you don’t open this fucking door, I’ll break the goddamned window.”

  Jude supposed his disappearance wasn’t working. Maybe if he just turned over and closed his eyes, the nightmare would disappear. Jude’s watch showed five thirty. It was still very dark outside, but Reese’s golden locks glowed with the light from the streetlight. There was no escaping his awful predicament. The jig was up.

  Jude climbed over the back seat and opened the door, but he refused to speak. He kept his arms wrapped around himself to hide the fact that he was shaking uncontrollably.

  “You mind telling me what the fuck you’re doing sleeping in your car outside my house? Are you crazy?”

  Jude tried to keep the tremor from his voice. “I’m perfectly sane. One could ask you what you’re doing outside before dawn shouting at me.”

  Reese blanched, leaned closer, and rested his arm on the roof of the car. “Please don’t tell me you’ve been doing this since I came home.”

  “Okay.”

  “Okay what?” Reese asked, his voice growing more tense by the second.

  “Okay, I won’t tell you that,” Jude replied and bit his lip to keep the nervous laughter at bay. He might have lied when he said he was perfectly sane.

  “Why are you smiling? You have been, haven’t you? Dammit, Jude. Why didn’t you tell me?”

  Any trace of humor evaporated. Jude raised his eyebrow at Reese.

  “What would it have mattered to you? You’d already made up your mind to move in. I was in the process of finding a place when you asked me to come back,” he lied.

  “But your family—”

  “My family has their hands full. They’re already caring for my brother and sister.”

  “You have siblings? Where are your parents?”

  “In the Philippines. Reese, what are you even doing out here this early?”

  “I was just going to run to the store and grab some coffee. We’re out. And I knew you’d be here soon. I just didn’t know you were already here.”

  Reese peered around the inside of the car, furthering Jude’s embarrassment. He looked in the back where Jude had been sleeping and noticed all the neat piles of clothes and books.

  “You know, most people who live in their cars are like trolls. Even your piles of clothes are color coded. Hey, you own jeans. I was beginning to think you only wore scrubs.” He chuckled, and Jude’s embarrassment turned to anger. He reached over to pull the door closed, but Reese blocked him.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” Reese asked, the humor fading from his voice.

  “I’m leaving. What does it look like?” Jude tried to tug the door shut, not even concerned about smashing Reese’s perfect hands. It would serve him right.

  “The only place you’re going is in the house. No wonder you’ve been so exhausted. You’re going to come in, shower, and get in my bed.”

  Jude’s eyes flared, and he started to argue, but Reese held a finger up to his lips.

  “As much as I’d love to join you there, now’s not the time. We’ll just take turns. Now grab what you need. You’re moving back in.”

  Jude pulled away. “You can’t just order me around. You—”

  Reese snaked an arm around Jude’s back and pulled him in for a kiss so quickly that a very stunned Jude could only open his mouth to object before Reese’s tongue filled it. Shocked, Jude tried to push him away, but Reese scooped his other hand under Jude’s ass and pulled him forward to bring their bodies flush against each other, Jude’s legs spread against Reese’s hips. When Jude would have fought harder, Reese bit down on his lower lip and growled low in his chest.

  Kissing Reese was everything Jude feared it could be—overwhelming, intoxicating, and probably addicting. Jude forgot about all the reasons he shouldn’t be kissing Reese, slid a hand around his back, and pressed their chests impossibly close together. Jude couldn’t help smiling when Reese moaned his appreciation. Reese may have started the kiss, but Jude met his enthusiasm, stroke for stroke. A sort of quiet chaos built between them as they each finally gave in to a chemistry that Jude didn’t quite understand. How could Reese make him so angry, turned on, grounded, and upheaved all at the same time?

  Reese pulled back, sucking gently on Jude’s lip, eliciting a moan from him. The fight bled out of Jude and he knew he had a choice to make: walk away from the Mathesons and protect his heart, or give in to Reese and give up all control of his life. One involved continuing to sleep in his car and abandoning Reese in his time of need. The other choice…. There really was no choice.

  REESE WANTED to dive back in and keep kissing that delicious mouth. The moment he felt Jude give in, Reese knew every victory with Jude would be just as sweet. His lips…. God, Reese could explore those lips for an eternity and never completely know them. Jude was like a deep well of mystery that Reese wanted to get lost in. What was it about that quiet young man that made Reese want to roar?

  He waited for a snappy comeback, but Jude seemed to have given up. Or given in, Rees
e hoped. He wanted Jude desperately, and though he knew the timing couldn’t be worse, he didn’t care one bit. There was a reason the two of them had been thrown together. Reese knew Jude would stand by him, and while he didn’t consider himself particularly manipulative, he planned to use the situation to his advantage. Who knew what would come of an affair with Jude? Reese had a feeling that, once they allowed themselves to experience a deeper level of passion with each other, there would be no turning back. And Reese was ready to move forward with that plan.

  Jude looked around the SUV as Reese waited for him to accept that he had no alternative. He was counting on Jude’s exhaustion to spur him forward, and in the end, that was probably what finally got Jude to climb out of the car and shut the door.

  “Did you want me to grab anything?” Reese asked, trying to keep the triumphant smile off his face.

  Jude just raised that eyebrow once more and then turned his back on Reese, moving in that sensual way that had Reese panting after him. He needed to cool his jets a bit. It wouldn’t do to strip Jude down and bend him over the first available surface. He’d have to be creative. And there was Grandpa to consider. He knew Reese had a colorful love life, and he didn’t keep his opinions about it to himself. It didn’t bother Reese, but he had a feeling Jude would take the grumblings of the old man personally. Reese could tell he was sensitive that way.

  If only they were going into the house alone. Reese intended to feast on Jude for hours… just as soon as he had an opportunity. As though he heard Reese’s thoughts, Jude turned and looked back at him as he climbed the steps to the porch. Oh, Jude, you’re in so much trouble.

  Jude headed straight for the bathroom and closed the door behind him. Reese peeked into Grandpa’s room and was relieved to see him sleeping peacefully. He usually woke around seven and wanted his breakfast and coffee soon after. Coffee. Shit. Reese looked toward the bathroom. Should he wait until Jude finished? Should he knock and poke his head in? No, that was a bad idea. Seeing Jude’s body uncovered for the first time was a sight he yearned to savor, but he wanted it to be on Jude’s terms. As much as Reese intended to orchestrate things in his favor, he’d only feel like he’d won if Jude gave himself freely. He wanted that to happen. And soon.