The Plus One (A Brush With Love, #3)

by Mazey Eddings

Indira’s jaw was on the ground as her fucking boyfriend groped—with very little finesse, skill, or sensuality, thank you very much—a stranger on their fucking couch. With peanut butter smeared on their faces. (Seriously, what the hell?)

Jude was discovering that one of his newest issues with Indira— on the very long list—was that she’d grown up to be terrifyingly beautiful, and it regularly caught him off guard.

“Get out!” Indira yelled, the sound of her hitting the glass shower door emphasizing the point. “Oh my God, no,” Jude repeated, fumbling for the door handle, which seemed to have dissolved away in the seconds since he’d witnessed Indira Papadakis. Naked.

But, even in the heavy weight of all the aches, a foreign warmth glowed in his chest. And Jude couldn’t shake the feeling that the warmth had originated at the touch of Indira’s fingers against his skin.

Your emotional struggles as a human are not a moral judgment of your worth, and they’re not a reflection on your ability to help others.”

“Friends?” Jude echoed, the word tasting odd in his mouth. “I’m leaning more toward the frenemies bit, gotta keep that spark about us,” Indira said, bumping her shoulder against his. “You want to be my friend?” Jude repeated, a bit too earnestly. Indira chewed on her bottom lip, staring straight ahead. “Yeah, I’d like to be your friend.”

“This is weird,” Collin finally said. “I’m not going to put much stock in the opinion of a man who still wears Grey’s Anatomy merch from 2008.”

“What do we do now?” Jude asked, squinting up at the ceiling. Indira blew out a raspberry. “Well, my sweet blossom, we probably need to figure out a way to be less fucking awkward around each other.” “I imagine ending this little nickname thing here and now would help with that.”

He needed to get a grip. Needed to stop getting tangled in daydreams of her curly hair. Needed to stop wanting to touch her skin that looked so soft and warm. He needed to knock it all off because any feelings this intensely persistent couldn’t be good.

“Want to do Dalessandro’s?” Indira asked as she merged onto the highway. She and Jude hadn’t agreed on much growing up, but Dalessandro’s cheesesteak supremacy was an undisputed fact between them.

“You remember my order?” A touch of pink kissed Jude’s cheeks. “Well, you made me get them for you often enough in high school and college.”

Either her standards were exceptionally low, or Jude retaining her cheesesteak order for the better part of a decade was the most romantic thing to ever happen to her … Both things could be true.

Jude’s smile was hesitant but earnest. “You like that I’ve never been a particularly nice person?” Indira snorted, chewing on her lip as she looked at him. “You might not necessarily be nice, but I’ve always known you were kind.”

“Great question,” Indira said, at last, turning to Lauren. “Remind me, how long have you and Chris been together? That helps me keep track. Minus a few weeks, I’m assuming.”

“How…” He cleared his throat again, a touch of color gathering at his cheeks. “I want to help you,” he whispered. “Can you tell me how?”

“Trust me, I’m as horrified at this expression of feelings as you are. You bring out the worst in me.” Indira rolled her eyes but smiled. And Jude felt that smile.

A tiny whimper escaped from Indira, the vibrations rattling straight into his chest. That noise, quite simply, turned Jude inside out.

“Well,” Lizzie said, “this will actually be my first time. But I’ll try anything once. And I’m also fairly desperate to get a little time away from Rake’s screaming spawn.” “Yes, because Evie obviously gets her volume from me, love,” Rake deadpanned, making Lizzie cackle.

“Oh my God, no biting! You know that’s against the rules,” Jude hissed, trying to keep his volume to a whisper. He dropped her foot, trying to disengage her bite. “The rules,” Indira mocked, matching his hushed tone.

“Indira, you made us ramen with peanut butter, hot dogs, and American cheese. Please acknowledge how objectively gross that is.” “It was a bold and brave take on a classic.”

Without even realizing it, he felt himself leaning back, letting go, just a bit, and allowing Indira to support some of his weight. It felt delicious and indulgent and like coming home.

And, in that final moment before he threw himself off the edge of the cliff and dived headfirst into the feelings that threatened to drown him, Jude knew he was both lost and found in the loveliness that was Indira Papadakis.

There weren’t really words to describe what it felt like to hold Indira Papadakis.

“This is real,” Indira said, her voice level and powerful. “Whatever this is between us is real and it hurts and it’s beautiful and it matters. And I won’t let you deny that. You deserve happiness, Jude. I deserve happiness. And I think we can have that. Together.”

“But you … you two hate each other,” he said, eyes bouncing between Jude and Indira. Jude took a step forward, arm outstretched like he was approaching a dangerous predator. “Turns out we rather like each other,” Indira said. “Believe me, I was stunned too.”

He’d been writing love on every inch of her heart since they were kids, and he’d found the most beautiful, messy, ridiculous reminder of that and put it in a frame.

Indira propped herself on her elbows, watching him destroy her. His dark hair falling across his forehead. The sweep of his lashes against his cheeks as he closed his eyes and savored her. His hips fucking against the mattress in mindless need.

“Inside me. Now,” Indira panted out, lifting her hips, grinding against him. Jude maneuvered away, eliciting a frustrated groan from her. Jude clucked his tongue. “So demanding. Where are your manners?”

“Wanna know a secret?” Jude asked quietly. “Always.” “I’m wearing suspenders with my groomsman suit.” Indira nodded calmly. “Do you wanna know a secret?” “Of course.” “I will definitely be jumping your bones at the wedding.”

“Indira and I are, um, together,” Jude said, clearing his throat. “She’s … she’s my girlfriend.” A beat of silence danced across the table before Mrs. Bailey erupted in excitement, clapping her hands. “Oh, how lovely,” she said, beaming. “Don, you owe me ten dollars.”

You’ve always been my person, Jude. My annoying, wonderful person. And I think I’m your person too.”

“I’m not looking to fix you,” she said, staring straight into his eyes. “I’m here to love you.”

You can hurt and also be loved. You can feel sadness and also laugh and feel joy. Good emotions can coexist with hard ones.

She looked back—his safe soul. His happy place. His tether.

“Oh, Alex! This is our song,” Thu said, patting her boyfriend’s knee as the DJ played a new track. “Let’s dance.” “Thu, this is ‘Disturbia’ by Rihanna,” Harper said, scrunching up her nose. “Cute, right?” Thu said, pulling Alex behind her, his cheeks rosy and smile dopey. He’d follow wherever Thu led.

“Never pegged you as a poet, little love gremlin.” He let out a forlorn sigh. “Really think it’s time for you to give up on the pet names.” “You didn’t like that one, my pantie pirate?” “How do they keep getting worse?” he whined, pressing his lips to her hair.

“Perfect and tight and absolutely soaked, just from sucking my cock. You’re so good, Indira.”

“Your greedy little moans drive me so wild I can’t think straight,” he said, his voice so low and rough, Indira almost didn’t hear him. She never wanted to miss a word out of that wicked mouth.

Happiness was soft. Uneventful. It was holding Indira’s hand. Sitting next to her on the couch and listening to her talk.

This had become their safe space, their perfect nest to talk and cry and laugh and kiss. They’d spent late nights and lazy mornings tucked beneath those covers as they discussed fears and bridged intimacy. If heaven existed on earth, it was in a blanket fort with Indira Papadakis.

She was his safe soul. His happy place. His tether.