Boarded by Love (12 page)

She tries to hide her face but I don’t allow her, holding her where I can see her. “Because you trust me. Don’t hide from me.”

She bites into her lip and takes in a deep breath. “I wasn’t the person I am now but I still love this look. I think I look very Little Mermaid-punky.”

“Well, I guess I can say I’ve seen what’s behind Ariel’s shells, and I like what I found very much.”

She laughs, smacking me playfully before shaking her head. “You’re crazy.”

“About you? I know. And, by the way,” I say, capturing her lips with mine. I kiss her, slow and deliberate before pulling way to whisper, “I want to see you again and again. Game changer, remember?”

She nods slowly, her lips moving up and down mine as her eyes lock with mine. Her mouth is turned up in a cute little naughty grin as she says, “So I guess since you want to see me, we have to do that whole get to know you stuff, huh? I’ve never really dated anyone. Well no, I take that back. I was with this guy named Brian once, but he was more a friend than anything.”

“Yeah, you said you hadn’t been with anyone in a long time. Reason why you’ve been celibate?”

“Bad childhood. I slept around real bad when I was younger. When my uncle took custody of me, I still tried to ruin his life, but then decided to give him a chance. So I cleaned myself up and became me.”

I nod, processing the information. “Can I ask why your uncle took custody?”

“Sure,” she says before sipping a little of the iced tea she ordered. Clearing her throat, she looks back up at me. “My mom was a strung-out stripper who got herself killed over her next fix.”

“Oh shit, I’m sorry,” I say, sucking in a quick breath.

But Claire shrugs. “You know, I miss her, but I miss the her before the drugs took over. I am glad that the person who cared more about drugs than me is gone because going to Phillip and Reese really changed my life. I’m happy now and I’m healthy, and yeah, I broke my celibacy, but I think I chose a good person to break it with.”

I grin, taking her lips with mine, drawing the kisses out of her slowly. I love kissing her – I can’t get enough – and when we part, I follow her mouth again, going in for another kiss that turns into another.

“Jeez, Sinclair! Get a room!”

Claire smiles against my lips, and unlike any other girl, she deepens the kiss, running her hand up my face to tangle in my hair. My body hardens and I want to take her on the table, but I know that the good employees of Waffle House would not appreciate that.

“Damn, get it, Sinclair!”

I am going to kill my brother and our teammates, but it’s like she doesn’t even hear them. Claire continues to kiss me until finally I pull away. Getting lost in the depths of her beautiful blue eyes, I whisper, “You are so fucking hot.”

She giggles as she smacks my face lightly. “You’re not so bad yourself, hot stuff.”

I smile but then turn to find my brother and some of the guys laughing at the corner booth. “I’m gonna make y’all pay tomorrow, assholes.”

They all shut up when they hear that as Claire just giggles beside me. Turning to look at her, I love what I see. A little wisp of her hair is falling in her face, her cheeks are bright, her eyes shining, and her lips so swollen and delectable.

“Teammates?”

“Yeah, and my brother,” I answer.

She eyes my brother, and when Jayden gives her a wink, I almost come out of the booth, but Claire’s hand is resting on my thigh and I don’t dare move, but I’ll make sure to kick his ass later. “I can see the resemblance.”

I shrug. “I’m hotter.”

“Oh yes, by far.”

She shoots me a grin just as our food is laid down in front of us and we both dig in. We eat in silence for a few but then she asks, “Is that your only brother?”

I shake my head, swallowing the piece of bacon I just threw in my mouth. “Nope, I have a younger one, Jace, and then an older sister, Lucy.”

“Oh, that’s right, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.”

I nod then ask, “Do you have siblings?”

“Nope, only me, but I have a really huge extended family. Lots of kids for me to love on.”

“That’s cool. I have a niece, Angie. She’s one.”

“That’s nice,” she says. “What do your parents do?”

“Dad is a lawyer and my mom is a stay-at-home mom.”

“That must have been nice growing up.”

“Yeah, she spoiled us,” I say with a chuckle. “And I’m her favorite.”

“I wouldn’t doubt that,” she teases with a wink, and I smile.

“What about Reese and your uncle, Phillip, right?”

She nods. “Yeah, Reese owns the dance studio, Reese Allen’s Dance Company, and Phillip plays for the Nashville Assassins.”

I stop eating and look over at her as I process what she just said. Surely, he’s not the Phillip Anderson I think he is. “You have his last name?”

“Yup, Anderson.”

“Phillip Anderson, as in, leading scorer in the NHL, Phillip Anderson?”

She smiles. “That’s the one.”

I am speechless. I admire Phillip’s game. We go to watch the Assassins play all the time as a team unity exercise, and Phillip has always been my favorite player, along with Erik Titov because of his speed and stickhandling. I knew that he looked familiar! How did I not place him?

“Wow, he’s a great player.”

“Yup, he’s the best. Really wonderful uncle, too.”

I take a swig of my orange juice as I continue to think on this. It’s just so mind-blowing! Glancing over at her, I smile and decide I need to talk about something else before I start asking questions about her uncle.

“You’ve always danced?”

“Yeah, it’s been a passion of mine, but I really didn’t get to dance the way I wanted until I got to Reese. Have you always played hockey?”

“Yup, since I could walk. My dad played when he was younger, and put me and Jayden and Jace in it as soon as he could.”

“That’s really cool. You’re really good from what I’ve heard. I haven’t gotten to watch you yet.”

“You will since you’ll be shaking that fine ass for me at the opener.”

She laughs. “I don’t know. I think Rachael is threatened by me.”

“Or jealous, or both, but who cares, they all need to be. You’re the best. I’ve never given a girl a ten.”

“I feel so special,” she says, batting her eyes at me.

I catch her chin, holding her in place as her eyes meet mine. I love how her eyes settle on mine. It just seems so right, getting lost in the depths of her sparkling blue eyes. What I was about to say was supposed to be just something to say because it was nice, but as the two words sit lodged in my throat, I can’t help but know they’re the truth.

Bringing my lips so close to hers, I whisper, “You are.”

O
h, Jude is laying it on thick, and I’m just eating it up.

While I want to think he’s just laying game on me, I can’t help but feel his words are genuine. That I am special. How after only a couple hours of being together does he think that, I’m not sure, but man, I hope he really thinks so. I think he’s fabulous, amazing, perfect, and I can’t believe how girlie I turn when he sets those sharp green eyes on me. But still, in the back of my mind, I hear everyone telling me that he’s a player. That he doesn’t do a girl more than once, but it just doesn’t seem right.

This seems real.

When his lips press against mine, I’m breathless as he kisses me slowly, cupping my neck with his large hand. I love kissing him. Since the first time our lips touched, I’ve craved them, and as much as I don’t understand, I can’t help but love every second his lips are on mine. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I really like having sex with him, but kissing him is probably my favorite so far. His lips are so plump, and it feels so sexy and naughty when our lips touch. Like it’s illegal or something because we’re so hot when we touch. I don’t know, but man, I love it.

Pulling away, Jude smiles before kissing my nose and asking, “You ready?”

I nod. “Yeah.”

“Cool.”

He then reaches into his pocket to pull out some money. I watch as he lays a twenty on the table and then gets out of the booth, bringing me with him.

“Later, guys,” he calls, and the guys in the booth all wave.

Looking up at him, I ask, “I don’t get to meet your brother?”

He cuts a look at me and then shakes his head. “No way, I’m not sharing you yet. You’re all mine tonight.”

Man, I hate the doubt that settles in my stomach, because while I should be pleased by that statement, I can’t help but think he didn’t want to introduce me because he doesn’t plan on seeing me after this. Refusing to let that bother me, I smile as his fingers lace with mine. The night is quiet and so is the quad. Only a few people are walking around, and some even sit in the grass, lying with someone or making out, while others look at the stars through their telescopes. I love the Bellevue campus. It’s so remote, so amazing. It’s almost like we have our own world, and I like that. Everything I want is here.

Especially now that I’ve met Jude.

“So what do you want to be when you grow up?” he asks suddenly, and I laugh as I smile at him.

Grinning, I say, “A princess.”

“You’re already Princess Ariel, so what do you want to be after that?”

I laugh as my heart skips a beat. “I would like to choreograph concerts for big-name stars, like Justin Timberlake or someone like that. Or maybe come up with amazing Vegas shows, or maybe even own my own studio.”

“I can see it happening, and when you make it, make sure not to forget us little people.”

I laugh out loud at that as I cup our hands in my other hand. “Please, you’ll be some hotshot hockey player with babes throwing themselves all over you. So really, who will forget whom?”

He scoffs as he shakes his head. “I could never forget the most gorgeous girl in the world.”

He turns me then, taking me in his arms before crashing his lips to mine. As I kiss him, I snake my arms around his waist, holding him tightly as our lips move together in such an erotic way. I love how we fit. I’m only tad bit shorter than him, so he doesn’t have to bend to kiss me, and when we hug, we fit. As much as I want to say that it is meant to be, I’m not sure what is going to happen when Jude drops me off. I could always make sure that I see him again, but I refuse to beg for someone’s love. Been there, done that, never doing it again.

Cupping my jaw, he runs his thumb up and down my chin, searching my eyes for something. I’m not sure what it is, but before I can ask, my phone buzzes in my pocket, signaling a call.

“Oops, hold on,” I say, pulling away to pull my phone out. Jude doesn’t go far, his arms are still around my waist and his lips rest at my temple as I look at the display to see it’s Phillip. “I’m sorry, I have to answer this.”

“That’s cool, baby.”

Swooning. Ugh. Hitting answer, I say, “Hey!”

“Hey, you. Heard you killed at your audition today. I’m proud of you. Reese recorded it and, boy, you smoked that dance.”

I smile broadly as I look down at the ground. “Thanks, I’ll send you a text tomorrow and let you know if I make it or not.”

“There’s no question. They’ll be dumb not to take you.”

I laugh as I rock back on my heels, but Jude doesn’t let me get far. “I hope so. Are you home?”

“Yeah, got in about an hour go. I leave out again Friday, though.”

“Crap, I probably won’t get to see ya then.”

“Probably not. I miss you.”

“I miss you more.”

My heart explodes in my chest as I grin. “So tell me why Reese is crying at, like, everything. It’s scary.”

“Well, you did say some really great things that could even bring tears to my eyes, but really, I don’t know, she’s weird… Oopphmm, damn, Reese! That hurt!”

I laugh as I ask, “What happened?”

“She kicked me in the gut. Damn it, she’s crazy, I’m telling you.”

I hear Reese in the background and then she’s on the phone. “Hey, did you ask Jude to the wedding?”

“Ugh Reese, please,” I say and I hear Phillip start asking who Jude is. “We’re only friends.”

But when I chance a glance at him to see he’s watching me, his eyes tell me we’re way more than friends…but for how long?

As he takes my phone from me, I shriek in shock as he puts the phone to his ear and says, “Reese? Hey, it’s Jude Sinclair. Yeah, it was wonderful meeting you, but I want to say, Claire and I are way more than friends. Yup…okay…yeah.”