Ghost Writer - Pandora Pine Page 0,67

one not gagging, you can change him.” Jude heaved again, as if to prove his point. “I love that kid more than my life, but Christ.” Jude plucked his laughing son out of his highchair and handed him to Cope. “What the hell is Grandma Kaye feeding you, huh? Smells like you ate a dead elephant.”

Cope had a few other things he wanted to talk over with Jude, but they could wait until the baby was cleaned up and put down for the night.

30

Jude

Cope rolled a fresh sheet of typing paper into the old Remington before he joined Jude on the small leather couch. Jude wasn’t a fan of leather, but it was Cope’s favorite.

They’d given Wolf a bath and gotten back into the swing of their bedtime routine. Jude read stories in funny voices and Wolf snuggled happily with Cope. Now that he was sleeping, it was time to get back to work.

“Brooks? Are you here?” Cope wore a look that showed he wasn’t all that hopeful.

Silence answered him.

“Shit.” Cope was off the sofa. He sat at his desk and started typing.

Jude had no idea if he was really working on his memoir or just typing nonsense words in order to engage Brooks. He figured the best thing to do was keep his mouth shut.

The rhythmic sound of the keys striking the paper was soothing. After the day Jude had, he was ready to crawl into bed. Maybe watch an episode or two of that British baking show Cope loved. Thank God his husband only liked to watch the show. If Cope decided to try out some of the recipes, Jude’s waistline would be in serious trouble.

“Did I ever tell you the story about the first time I bent a spoon with my mind powers?” Cope was grinning as he spun his chair around from the desk.

Jude grinned along with him. “I knew you could bend spoons, but I don’t think I ever heard talk about how or why.”

“I’ve been bending spoons and making them levitate since I was in middle school.” Cope waggled his eyebrows.

“Maybe you’ll give me a personal demonstration on how to make something rise using only your mind?” Jude pointed to his slumbering dick.

“Why don’t we head to bed and I’ll tell you all about it.” Cope reached for Jude’s hand.

Jude was already planning exactly what naughty things he was going to do to his husband when he got him into bed. When they reached the hallway, Cope pushed him against the wall, kissing him hard. His hands surfed under Jude’s shirt, sliding up his furry abs to his muscled chest. Giving each of his husband’s nipples a tweak, Jude moaned, his hard cock humping against Cope. Their tongues continued dueling while Jude made sexy little moans in the back of his throat. If he wasn’t careful, he was going to come in his pants.

Taking his hands from under Jude’s shirt, Cope went for his button and then his zipper. He’d snaked his hand into Jude’s pants when a familiar sound stopped him in his tracks.

Click. Click. Ping!

Jude groaned like he was in pain. “Motherfucker! Cockblocking ghost! Bye-bye, boner.” He pulled away from Cope and zipped himself up.

Cope started to laugh. “Sorry about that.”

“You did that on purpose, didn’t you?” Jude should have known Cope was up to something. It wasn’t like him to give up on a spirit so easily.

“Guilty as charged. I had a feeling that if I wandered away from Brooks and got busy doing someone else, our shy ghost would put in an appearance.” Pressing a promise filled kiss to Jude’s lips, Cope headed back down the hall.

Striding into the office, Cope bent to retrieve the typed page from the floor where it had slipped after Brooks finished typing. He didn’t recognize the hymn.

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,

We will not fear, for God has willed his truth to triumph through us.

The prince of darkness grim, we tremble not for him;

His rage we can endure, for lo! his doom is sure;

One little word shall fell him.

“I don’t remember ever hearing that song before.” Jude wasn’t an expert in Christian hymns, but this one didn’t seem to have that usual uplifting feel to it the other songs had in common.

“I’m not sure us recognizing the song is the point. I think the message is in the words. Just look at the first line talking about this world being filled with devils.”

It was those exact words Jude