Boarded by Love

by Toni Aleo

  “The same way you just did,” he says with a shrug. “I never promised you forever, and don’t say I did. I said if I decided to start dating, I’d call you.”

  “But you didn’t,” she says, looking up at him, and I see her eyes swimming with tears. “You called her.”

  “I didn’t call her. She took over my thoughts and my mind. I couldn’t stop it,” he admits and her shoulders drop. She takes in a deep breath, and it honestly pains me to see her like that. I know it doesn’t make sense, but no one wants to see someone hurt, even if they are a raging bitch like Rachael. She obviously cares for him – a lot – and he doesn’t realize it at all.

  “You love him?” I ask suddenly and both of them look back at me.

  “What? No,” he says with a chuckle and then looks back at her. “What? Seriously, Rachael? We fucked like twice. It was nothing.”

  “Wow, jerk,” I say, smacking his arm. “It might have been nothing to you, but it was something to her.”

  “Fuck off, Claire, you don’t know anything,” she sneers. She then starts to walk toward us, going for the door, but Jude stops her, taking her arm in his hand.

  “Really?”

  She doesn’t look at him as she shrugs. “I’ve known you for like ever, Jude. How did you not know?”

  She then shakes her arm from his grip and leaves, slamming the door behind her. Looking back at me, he asks, “Should I go after her?”

  “If you want to, by all means,” I say, but I’m not sure why. I don’t want him to chase after her; I want it to be done, but maybe it can’t be done without his saying whatever he has planned to say to her. “I didn’t know y’all knew each other for a while.”

  Still looking at the door, he shrugs. “We went to school together, but I never knew. Not that I cared one way or another, or do now. I can’t control what she feels, and I don’t feel bad because I know I didn’t give her any reason to fall for me.”

  He looks back at me like I have the answers, and I just shrug. “Jude, you don’t have to give anyone a reason. It’s you that they fall for.”

  What I’ve said about Rachael must not matter because his mouth curves at the side as he reaches for me. I guess it’s good that he doesn’t care that she loves him, that all he cares about is me, but still I kinda feel bad for her. It has to be hard to love someone and for them not to love you back. I can’t imagine that kind of rejection.

  “So you’ve fallen for me?” he says, waggling his eyebrows at me.

  I laugh as I smack his hands away. “Whoa there, buddy, don’t go jumping to conclusions.”

  “Oh, come on, you know you love me,” he says, pinching my butt, making me jump.

  “In your dreams,” I say, moving out of his reach and heading out the door, but before I can open it, he slams it shut.

  Turning me, he leans into my body, his mouth so close to mine as he whispers, “You’re damn right, in my dreams. But I hope one day it will be a reality.”

  I can see it in his eyes. I think he may love me, but there is no way I’m going to say it without his saying it first. No way in freaking hell.

  Reaching up, I cup his face, rubbing my thumb along his bottom lip. “This is some deep stuff. Let’s go back to your house and lie around and be lazy instead.”

  He nods as he wraps his arms around me, picking me up off my feet. “I’ll get you to admit it sooner or later,” he says with a wink. “I know you do – I can feel it.”

  I laugh. “I have never told anyone I love them but my uncle and aunt, so keep that in mind, mister.”

  He smiles. “So I’ll be your first?”

  I look away, my cheeks warming. “Yeah.”

  “Good, ’cause you’ll be my first too,” he says, bringing me down so he can kiss me softly.

  And I don’t know why I think this as I kiss his sweet lips – because, for goodness’ sake, this is freaking crazy and fast and could end in a fiery blaze – but I still think it. I still crave it. And as I close my eyes extra tight, I pray and hope that, maybe, I’ll be his last.

  Once we’re back at the Bullies’ house, we end up in Jude’s bed watching Wicked Tuna. It’s my favorite show but he doesn’t seem entertained in the least. He seems more entertained by tangling his fingers in my hair than watching and I don’t mind really. I’m comfortable, lying across his chest, our legs tangled together as I’m engrossed in the art of tuna fishing. Moving my hand under his shirt, I circle my finger along his abs out of habit. It’s my favorite thing to do when we lie with each other.

  It’s intimate and special.

  “Can we please watch something else?”

  My body shakes with laughter as I sit up to look down at him. “Don’t like tuna fishing?”

  “No, not at all. Let’s watch Cops,” he says, taking the remote and changing it.

  “You’re lucky I like this show.”

  He flashes his teeth at me in a silly way and I settle back down on him. “So, guess what?”

  Looking up at him, I smile. “What?”

  “Tomorrow is our fourteenth day,” he says with a big grin on his face.

  With a mock shocked look on my face, I say, “No! Really? Man, time flies.”

  He laughs as his arm tightens around me. “Don’t act like you haven’t been counting down the time with me.”

  I shrug. “Maybe I have, maybe I haven’t.”

  He kisses my temple and then we both turn to watch the show. “My favorite part is when someone gets tased,” I say with a smile. “I always laugh so hard.”

  “Me too,” he says, his body rumbling with his chuckle. “I also like the people who are like, ‘No, I have no drugs,’ and then they have a whole car full.”

  I nod as I laugh. “Classic, I tell ya.”

  “Yup,” he says just as the person on the TV gets tased. We both burst out laughing as the person falls to the ground and the cops attack him. “Greatest show ever.”

  “Agreed,” I say as my laughter subsides. Looking up at him, I watch as he watches TV, and I can’t help but wonder how I got so lucky to lie in bed with someone so fantastic? Girls want him something crazy, and I was the lucky one to land him. He likes me. He wants me. How did that happen? I’m not sure, but I am so thankful. Now all I gotta do is make sure not to screw it up. I need to tell him my secret, but every time I look at him, I don’t know how to say the words I know will make him mad or jealous.

  When he looks up at me, he smiles, his eyes locked on mine as he cups my face. “What are you thinking, baby?”

  I bring my lip between my teeth, the words right there. Just say them, Claire. Be honest.

  “Are you going to talk to Rachael?” I ask, and as soon as I do, I hate myself even more.

  “Probably. Don’t think I want her or anything like that. It’s not that. I just need to shut that down, you know? I can’t have her coming at you with bullshit. I’ll fix it and hopefully she’ll understand that I never meant to hurt her.”

  I nod. “I’m sure she will, even though she doesn’t deserve it,” I say.

  “True, but I want to fix it. For us. I don’t want any more drama. I want to be drama-free, just happy, me and you.”

  “Me too,” I admit as I let out a long breath. “But we’re in college. College is drama.”

  He laughs. “This is true, but maybe things can be normal between us.”

  I want that more than I want my next breath. “Yeah, hopefully.”

  Smiling, he presses his lips to mine and then asks, “So what are you doing tomorrow around four?”

  “Nothing,” I say, nuzzling my nose along his. “Are we going to karaoke? Hope you’re ready to lose again!”

  “You cheated, and yes.”

  “I didn’t cheat, and do you want me to come here at four?”

  He shakes his head. “Yes, you did, and no, I’ll text you when we’re ready.”

  “You’re insane, but okay. So what do you need me at four for?”

  “You’re delusional to think you can
beat Jude motherfucking Sinclair fair and square at karaoke, and no reason at all.”

  We eye each other and then I sit up, pointing at him.

  “Oh my God! You know I won, and you’re also lying!” I accuse, but he just smiles.

  “No, you didn’t win, and I’m not lying at all.”

  “Yes, I did, and yes, you are.”

  Sending me an evil grin, he says, “Guess you’ll have to wait, huh?” He then leans in, his mouth right by mine, and with a grin on his face, he whispers, “And you cheated.”

  Pushing him away, I yell, “You’re impossible!”

  He gathers me in his arms, pressing his lips to mine, and I can’t help but love every moment with him. And when he pulls back, his eyes blazing with lust and everything hot, my heart does a little flip-flop in my chest.

  He whispers, “You’re such a beautiful, gorgeous, amazing cheater.”

  Closing my eyes, I laugh so hard that tears sting my eyes, and I know that I’ve fallen a little bit more for Jude motherfucking Sinclair.

  The next day I’m walking through the quad with a huge grin on my face.

  After spending most of the night in Jude’s bed, I went to work and it was a wonderful night. I made a ton of money, and the girls are catching on to my choreography perfectly. The investors will be here soon, and I’m confident in what I have. I know I’ll land them, and I think Ms. Prissy knows too. When she told me how proud she was of me, I took my phone out to text Jude but then stopped myself. What was I going to say? It ruined my night, but then I woke up this morning to the sweetest text ever.

  Hey Jude: Today is going to be special.

  Hey Jude: Not cause I plan on banging you.

  Hey Jude: Which I do, but because I get to see you and be with you.

  Hey Jude: And ask you a very important question.

  It was sweet and amazing, and I’m still grinning like a lovesick fool. I never thought I’d want this. I’ve never wanted someone as much as I want him, and while it’s freaky stuff, I’m excited for our future. I know that he’s going to ask me be his, and I plan on screaming yes. No matter what, I know I want to be with him, but I also want to share my accomplishments. I don’t want to blow the investors away and then not being able to tell him because I’m hiding it. It’s time to tell him. No matter how much that scares me.

  “Claire.”

  I turn to find Jayden coming up toward me. “Hey Jayden,” I say with a smile. “What’s up?”

  “I have been sent to find you.”

  Raising a brow, I ask, “Oh really? By who?”

  “Jude,” he says, rolling his eyes. “Come on.”

  “Where are we going?” I ask, but I don’t expect him to tell me. Glancing down at my phone, I see that it’s two minutes before four and a grin spreads across my face.

  Thankfully, Jayden doesn’t prove me wrong when he ignores my questions and says, “You’ve changed my brother, and I have to thank you for that.”

  A smile tugs at my mouth as I hug my books. “He’s pretty amazing.”

  “Yeah, but only when he’s with you. It’s like he’s a different person. You make him a better person.”

  I’m fully smiling now, and when I see that we’re going into the hockey arena, I look over at him. “He wanted you to bring me to the rink? Am I going to watch him play?”

  He laughs. “No, come on,” he says, leading me up a back staircase that I didn’t know existed. When we reach the top, he throws open the door and jerks his head to the side, telling me to go. I do as he asks and turn to wait for him, but he shakes his head. “Go to the edge.”

  Looking at the railing and then back at him, I ask, “Why? Are you going to push me off?” He gives me a look and I shrug. “I saw it on some killer show. Brother was jealous of brother, so he killed the other’s girlfriend.”

  “Wow, yeah, you two are made for each other,” he says, then mutters, “Weirdo.”

  “I am not!” I say and he laughs.

  “No, I’m not going to push you. I’m not going to take away the person who makes my brother happy. So go,” he demands, pointing to the railing.

  I send him a grin. “That’s incredibly sweet.”

  “Yeah, whatever, don’t tell him I told you that or I’ll push ya next time,” he says and then he winks before going out the door, slamming it behind him. When “Not a Bad Thing” by Justin Timberlake starts to blare through the arena, I start for the railing, curious. But when I get to the edge and look over, I don’t expect to see what I see.

  Standing in the middle of the rink on the ice is Jude, looking dashing in a pair of jeans and a Bullies sweatshirt, holding a big bouquet of roses, a grin on his beautiful face as he looks up at me. But that isn’t what catches my gaze, surprisingly. It’s that below him, spelled out in hockey pucks that take up most of the ice, it reads: Claire, be my girlfriend?

  Tears rush to my eyes as my breath catches in my throat.

  This. Can. Not. Be. Happening.

  Chapter 27

  Claire

  I drop the books that are in my arms and hold my chest as a sob fights to come out. When he starts to sing along with the words to the song, my heart explodes in my chest, and it feels as if millions and millions of butterflies are going nuts in my stomach.

  “Cheesy and romantic enough?” he calls up to me.

  I smile as I nod, tears flooding my eyes, but I don’t want to let them fall. I don’t want this to affect me as much as it is, but soon I can’t keep them in. Slowly they roll down my face and I know I love him.

  I love Jude Sinclair with a fierceness that cannot be touched.

  Yes, it’s insane that it’s only been two weeks, but this is different. We’re different. We’re special, and I can’t get enough of him. As I slowly shake my head, I wonder if I’m dreaming, and if I am, I hope I never wake up. This is simply perfect. Amazing.

  “Come on down here,” he says then. “I want to dry those tears. They better be happy ones! And you better say yes!”

  Laughter bubbles in my chest, but when it comes out, it sounds more like I’m choking than laughing. “You know damn well the answer is yes. Hold on, let me take a picture.”

  “No, come down here with me, pictures later.”

  Deciding that he’s right because I want to kiss the stuffing out of him, I throw my bag down and rush down the stairs, wiping my face free of tears. Soon I’m in the cool rink and I rush to the ice to find my man, my boyfriend, standing there waiting for me. A grin curves his lips and his cheeks are warm with color. Taking my time, I go on the ice and he meets me halfway, the roses dropping to the ice as he takes me in his arms, meeting his lips to mine. Wrapping my arms tightly around his neck, I move my tongue with his as he picks me up off the ice, holding me up and close against him.

  There is something about kissing him that hits me right in the middle of my chest. It’s like a feeling of falling, almost. It makes me breathless, and I know that I need to go slow and enjoy it, but I can’t. I need him. My heart pounds hard against his chest, and I can feel his too. A strong, steady beat that has me smiling against his lips, I love that I affect him as much as he affects me. Pulling back, my head rests against his as we share the same breath, a little cloud appearing around our mouths. As he sets me down on my toes, I look up into his intoxicating green eyes and my heart comes into my throat.

  Slowly his thumbs brush along my cheek, catching any stray tears before replacing them with soft kisses. He’s so beautiful. So stunning. His hair is falling in his eyes, his eyes so intensely on mine and his lips puffy from our kiss. He brings his hands up from my waist to cup my face, running his thumbs along my jaw as his eyes search mine. The words are right there and I know I should say them, but they are lodged in my throat. I need to tell him about my job before I profess my love for him because that’s not fair. I can’t expect him to love me when he doesn’t know everything about me.

  “Okay, this is pretty amazing.”

  He squeezes me close, his nose
brushing against mine as he says, “So what do you say? Wanna be mine?”

  I grin as I lean into him, bringing my arms around his waist, holding him tight to me. “I’m pretty sure I’ve been yours since the moment I met you.”

  His mouth turns up at both sides, fully grinning at me as he nods. “I’ve been yours too.”

  “This is crazy,” I say, and I want to believe that it is, but it seems so right. “How does this happen so fast between two people?”

  “I don’t know, but I wouldn’t change a thing about us.”

  “Me neither. It’s only been two weeks, but it feels so right, you know?”

  “Yeah, I do. It’s been the best two weeks of my life. I am finally alive being with you, and I didn’t think that could happen off the ice.”

  Looking deep in his eyes, I fight off the tears and then very softly, I admit, “I never thought love was made for me.” Moving my nose along his, I say, “But you changed my mind.”

  “You were made to be loved by me, and no one else can ever take that away,” he says and then takes my mouth with his in a deep, toe-curling kiss. I’m not sure what he means with that statement. Is he saying he loves me? Does he love me? Surely he does! Who does something this amazing for someone? Well, someone who wants sex really bad would, but he isn’t pushing for that. He’s holding me, treasuring my lips as he kisses me slowly, so he has to love me. Right?

  Pulling back, he grins against my lips before kissing me once more and then pulling completely away. Reaching down, he grabs the bouquet of roses and hands them to me. “So what do you think of everything?”

  I smile as I lace my fingers with his, needing to touch him. “It’s amazing, Jude, thank you.”

  “Anything for you,” he answers. He then smiles back at me, bringing my hand up to kiss the back of it before looking up. I do the same to see Jayden leaning across the railing, a phone in his hand. “Smile.”

  He brings me up under his arm, close to his chest, and I smile up at Jayden as he takes the pictures of us. I can’t wait to send these to Reese; she’ll flip when she sees them. Turning me in his arms, he dusts my jaw with kisses before I say, “Wow, you had this all planned out, huh?”