Running with Scissors Read Online Free PDF Page A

.”
    Great. His life’s ambition—to be the second-best
    drummer in a band, but to be kept around because someone
    had to keep them all from killing each other.
    But at least he wasn’t getting kicked out of Running with
    Scissors anytime soon.
    21
    Inside the tiny airport, Kristy and A.J. loitered in baggage
    claim by the escalator. She alternately scrolled through emails on her phone and looked up at the escalator. A.J. did the
    same, though his nerves were holding his attention more than
    Facebook or Twitter. A few fans had tweeted at the band,
    and a handful had messaged him directly. He’d reply to those
    when his brain was functional. Hopefully they wouldn’t mind
    the wait.
    Beside him, Kristy straightened. “There he is.”
    A.J. turned around, and his heart went into double time.
    There was no mistaking who this man was, coming down the
    escalator with the guitar case on his back and the elaborate
    sleeve of ink covering his right arm, but he looked a hell of
    a lot different than he had in the photos and videos A.J. had
    seen. Either those images hadn’t done Jude a bit of justice, or a year and a half had been enough for him to quantum leap
    from good-looking to holy shit .
    As the escalator brought Jude closer, A.J. stared. Jude’s
    nearly black hair was cut short now. Instead of hanging in
    sweaty strings over his face and fal ing over his shoulders, it was cropped like he’d walked into a barbershop with a copy of
    GQ and said, “ That’s what I want.” A hint of five-o’clock shadow dusted his sharp jaw, and though they looked
    exhausted as all hell, those dark eyes were just spectacular.
    Jude must’ve seen Kristy right then, because a tired smile
    spread across his lips. A moment later he stepped off the
    escalator, oblivious to the effect he was having on A.J.’s blood pressure, and embraced Kristy.
    The manager hugged him tight. “It’s good to see you,
    baby.”
    “You too.”
    22
    As they separated, Kristy gestured at A.J. “Jude, this is A.J.
    Palmer. He’s—”
    “My replacement.” Jude studied A.J. His comment hadn’t
    been laced with any malice. Just an observation, it seemed.
    “Jude Colburn.”
    “I know.” A.J. extended his hand. “Good to meet you.”
    “Likewise.” Jude started to return the gesture, but
    hesitated. “I, uh . . .” He glanced down, and A.J. followed his gaze. At first, A.J.’s attention went to the elaborate tattoos
    going from beneath Jude’s T-shirt sleeve to just below the
    heel of his hand, but then he realized what was making Jude
    hesitate—his fingers were wrapped in white tape. They’d even
    bled through in a few places.
    “Oh. Shit.” A.J. withdrew the offer. “Don’t worry about
    it. I understand.”
    Jude smiled faintly. “Thanks. I’ve been, uh, practicing.
    So . . .”
    “Good.” Kristy’s lips quirked. “Are you going to be healed
    enough to play?”
    He shrugged. “I’ve played through worse.”
    “Just don’t wear your fingers off, okay?”
    “Promise.”
    Behind them, the baggage claim belt groaned to life.
    “I’d better get my bag.” Jude adjusted the bass on his
    shoulders.
    “Okay. Why don’t I go get the car?” Kristy gestured at the
    door. “I’ll meet you two outside.”
    “Perfect.”
    She left, and suddenly A.J. was alone with the unexpectedly
    hot incarnation of Jude Colburn. All six foot something
    of him. He only had an inch or two on A.J., but it felt like
    much more. Even standing there, tired as fuck and waiting for
    23
    his luggage to come down the belt, he had a larger-than-life
    presence about him.
    Or maybe A.J. just hadn’t been laid in way, way too long.
    He cleared his throat and turned away before he made an
    ass of himself.
    A moment later, Jude hauled a drab green duffel bag off
    the belt. “All right, that’s everything.”
    “Just the one bag?”
    “Well, and . . .” Jude tapped the bass still slung over his
    shoulder. “I travel light.”
    “So I see.” A.J. gestured