Boarded by Love

by Toni Aleo

  “He’s a dick.”

  “Yeah, I know that, but what happened?” she asks, and then I hear a door shut. She must have shut it to give us privacy.

  I let out a breath and say, “Well, my agent called. I have four teams looking at me.”

  “That’s amazing!” she squeals. “Which ones?”

  I smile. “Kings, Rangers, Lightning, and Hawks.”

  “Oooo, go with the Rangers. I love New York. But then again, I love LA too, and LA is close to Vegas! Maybe I can get a job there! Hmm. Chicago is great. So is Florida, the ocean. I love the ocean.”

  I laugh, my heart hammering against my chest. “So you’ll come with me?”

  “Well, duh! I can teach or open a studio anywhere! But we’ll worry about that in what, a couple months? When’s the draft?”

  “June.”

  She goes through the months out loud, and I assume she’s counting because then she says, “So nine months, yeah, we’ll worry about that then, but I love the ocean.”

  “I don’t think you realize how happy you make me,” I say, my heart in my throat.

  “Aw, Jude, I love you, and you make me happy, but we both know that,” she laughs. “What happened with your dad?”

  My heart drops in my stomach, and I feel like I want to puke. I don’t even want to talk about him, but I know I need to get the words out of me and for her to reassure me. I don’t know why I need that. I’ve never needed reassurance before but with her, I do. “He first downplayed the fact that the teams want me.”

  “Okay, he’s dumb, go on.”

  I want to laugh, but instead I say, “And then he went on this spiel about how I’m not made to be with anyone, that I’m him and all this other bullshit. That you’re going to bring me down and hold me back. That being with you will ruin me.”

  The line goes silent, and I wonder if she hung up. But when I check my phone, it displays the call is still connected. Clearing my throat, I say, “Claire?”

  “Yeah, I’m here. Listen, I would never ever do that. I promise you, I won’t.”

  “I know you won’t. That’s what I told him,” I say. “I just hate how he doesn’t believe in me.”

  “He’s just a sad dude, Jude. I’m sorry, he’s a jerk. You don’t deserve that. Maybe you should call your mom, talk to her?”

  I shake my head, even though she can’t see me. “I don’t want to tell her what he said. It will hurt her feelings and she’ll worry about me and she doesn’t need that stress.”

  “See, I just don’t get it. You’re such a good dude. You love your mom something crazy, and you care about people’s feelings, you know? Maybe that’s why he’s such a jerk ’cause he knows he can get to you. Ignore him. Just do you.”

  I nod. “Yeah, you’re right.”

  “It happens often,” she teases, and I smile. “So let’s change the subject. I have two minutes.” I laugh and she says, “Did you read Rachael’s status on Facebook?”

  “You two are friends?”

  “We have to be, I’m on the dance team.”

  “Oh yeah. No, I’ve been napping.”

  “Lucky ass, anyway, she put this long-ass status about how it’s hard to let go of someone and forget them when you have such great memories with them. And so some girl is like, girl, forget those people, if they don’t want you, they don’t deserve you. And she says, but he does deserve me, I just need him to realize that and get off the girl he’s with. I wanted to comment, but I know she did it to bother me.”

  “Wow, that’s crazy. Facebook is a cesspool of drama.”

  “Agreed. Crazy bitch. But really, you should talk to her. Get that all taken care of. You know? She’s obviously hurting, and as much as I don’t like her, I have to assume a broken heart hurts, and also I don’t want her thinking she has a chance with you.”

  “She doesn’t, and it shouldn’t be broken. I never ever gave her any kind of hope of something happening between us.”

  “Jude. Don’t lie to me. I’ve heard it from half the damn campus that you promised to get with them first if you ever started dating.”

  I laugh. “It was an empty promise.”

  “That people took seriously. When you want someone so bad, you don’t hear things right. You hear what you want to believe, and they took your words to heart.”

  I never thought of it that way. I never really cared, though. It was just fun back then. Now that I’m in love and hang on every word she says, I can see what she means. I kinda sorta feel like a jerk for leading on so many people. Clearing my throat, I say, “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

  “Again, it happens often,” she says and I scoff, my face breaking into a bigger grin. “I gotta go, babe. See you at four? I gotta go by my dorm to get my outfit for the dance.”

  “Is it hot?”

  “You know it. I’m gonna be your little Mexican cutie.”

  I chuckle. “A pale, blue-eyed, redheaded Mexican? I think not.”

  “Hey, it could happen. See you soon.”

  “Bye, babe,” I say and then hang up. Lying back on the blanket, my arm rests across my stomach as I take in a deep breath and let it out. I feel a hundred times better and my dad is a distant thought, all because of one phone call from my girl. Closing my eyes, I decide to sleep for a little longer but then my phone dings again.

  Picking it up, I see it’s a text from Claire.

  Claire: btw…I love you.

  My heart feels as if it is blowing up in my chest, and I can’t help but love the feeling. It’s so breathtaking and special. Only she can make me feel like that too.

  I write back quickly.

  Me: Btw…I love u more than you’ll ever know. Thanks for being there.

  Claire: I’ll always be here for you.

  Good. That’s really fucking good.

  Chapter 30

  Jude

  “So, I have to admit something.”

  Claire looks back at me and grins. “What? Gosh, you look silly in that sombrero.”

  I send her a devilish grin as I run my fingers along the huge-ass sombrero hat I’m wearing. It goes great with my poncho and khaki shorts. “This sombrero is what makes me look silly? Not the big black mustache?” I ask, twirling the ends of my pasted-on mustache.

  She laughs as she rolls her eyes. “You’re right. That is what’s making you look silly.”

  I pinch her butt as she walks by me, and she smacks my hand away as she goes to my mirror to put lipstick on. She’s wearing tight red shorts with a frilly, black, Mexican-inspired top. Her hair is back in curls, held up by a big black rose.

  In other words, she looks fucking hot.

  Looking at me in the mirror, she says, “What did you have to admit? Hey, stop staring at my ass.”

  I chuckle as she pulls her shorts down some, trying to hide her assets, but there is no hiding that spectacular ass. “Hey, that’s my ass to look at, thank you.”

  She sticks her tongue out before turning to look at me. “Whatever. Admit what you gotta admit.”

  I stand and walk toward her, wrapping my arms around her waist and picking her up off the ground. She squeals, wrapping her arms loosely around my neck as I say, “You, my love, are muy caliente.”

  Her face warms with color as she says, “Why, thank you. I didn’t know you spoke Spanish.”

  “I do, thanks to four years of it in high school.”

  I basically learned it so I could talk girls out of their panties, but I don’t think I should say that to my girlfriend. Might piss her off.

  “Ooh, say more,” she demands, a lusty grin playing on her sweet mouth.

  Letting her slide down my body, I tuck my fingers inside her shorts as I bring my lips close to her shiny red ones. I then whisper, “Tu estas muy caliente y demasiado bella, mujer. Te quiero acostar y hacerte cosas tan sucio.”

  Taking in a sharp breath, she grins at me. “Good God, that’s hot. What does it mean?”

  Nipping at her bottom lip, I say in a throaty, rough way
, “You are so hot, my beautiful woman. I want to lay you down and do the nastiest things ever to you.”

  As the last word leaves my mouth, I press into her with my pelvis, letting her feel every hard inch of me. Her eyes darken with color before she goes up on her toes, her lips only a breath away from mine. Everything she does makes me hard, even just her breathing. She’s so undeniably amazing and she drives me absolutely insane. Threading her fingers in my hair, she says, “I like when you talk dirty to me…especially in another language.”

  I smile but then her lips are moving against mine. Holding her close, I move my tongue into her mouth and then along her tongue, deepening the kiss. Curving my tongue up, I lick the roof of her mouth before moving it again with hers. Pulling back, she kisses my bottom lip, then the side of my mouth before my jaw and then chin. Looking up at me, she says, “Red is a good color on you.”

  She then turns my face so that I see myself in the mirror. Red lipstick is all over my face, and you can tell I just got done kissing the hottest girl in the world. She goes to wipe it off, but I stop her. “Don’t, I like it.”

  “What? You like wearing lipstick? Weirdo! Let me wipe it off.”

  “No, I want everyone to know that the girl with hot red lipstick kissed the hell out of me.”

  Blushing, she pulls away as she reaches for her lipstick. “You’re crazy.”

  I smack her ass playfully, making her jump, and her hand quickly replaces mine as she gives me a dirty look. “Ow! That hurt!”

  “No, it didn’t,” I say, smacking her other cheek. “I’m gonna do that as I’m hitting you from behind later,” I say, waggling my brows at her.

  “Smack my ass again and you won’t be hitting anything later but the bed to go to sleep,” she warns, her eyes sparkling with lust. Her face tells me she doesn’t like it, but those eyes, they love it. She turns to reapply her lipstick and I move behind her, rubbing my hands along her sweet cheeks.

  “I’m sorry, baby. Here, let me rub them.”

  She tries to ignore me, but when my fingers dance along the edges of the shorts, her eyes catch mine in the mirror and she says, “What are you doing, señor?”

  “Trying to get a little piece of this sweet ass,” I say roughly against her cheek. “I’ve missed you all day.”

  My hand snakes around the front, cupping her center, and I watch her eyes fall shut as I squeeze her. Teasing her a bit, I slide my finger along her delectable pussy. When a little sound leaves her mouth, my dick comes to life, pushing against the shorts I wear. Pulling her into me, I move my finger inside her shorts, then her panties, and just as I’m heading for what I’m craving, the door flies open and my cock-blocking brother walks in.

  Removing my hand, I turn to look at him. “What?”

  “Everyone is looking for you, and Claire, Rachael is looking for you,” he announces, and while I want to be mad that he interrupted us, I can’t help but chuckle at his outfit. He’s wearing khaki shorts with a white tank and a plaid shirt buttoned at the top. His hair is slicked to the side, and he’s drawn a teardrop under his eye.

  We take Mexican Night seriously around these parts. I can’t wait till Cowboy Night.

  “Thanks, Jayden,” Claire says, doing one more run of lipstick before turning to head for the door. “I’ll see you out there.”

  “Good luck.”

  She grins as she nods. “Thanks, babe.”

  Then she’s gone, leaving me with my brother who is looking at me like I’m a science experiment gone wrong. “What?”

  “You know you have lipstick all over your face, right?”

  I nod. “Yeah, and did you know you just interrupted us?”

  “Oh, my bad, I’ll knock next time,” he says, but I don’t believe him one bit.

  “You say that every time,” I point out and he grins back at me, his green eyes flashing with mischief.

  “Maybe one time I’ll remember, too.”

  “Yeah, like you’ll remember to bring me my money?”

  His brows come in. “What money?”

  “Um, I don’t know if you remember, but two weeks ago you told me I’d get bored with Claire and I haven’t – I love her – so you owe me hundred bucks.”

  He rolls his eyes and I’m about to say something, but then Claire is in the doorway, her hands on her hips as she eyes us both. “You bet your brother that you wouldn’t get bored with me?”

  I shake my head as I point to him. “No, he said I would get bored. I knew I wouldn’t.”

  Smacking Jayden on the arm, she says, “That’s rude! I’m not someone you get bored of!”

  Holding his arm, he says, “I didn’t know you then! He always gets bored.”

  “Whatever. Don’t make bets about me anymore, got it?” she says, pointing at him, and he nods quickly. Then she turns to me, her little blue eyes blazing with annoyance. “You either.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  She then goes to her bag, grabbing her iPod, and looks back at me. “You coming?”

  “Yup, I’ll be out there in a minute.”

  “Okay,” she says and then she’s gone again.

  As I look back at Jayden, he says, “She’s freaking scary, dude.”

  “Yeah, and if I don’t get my money, I’m gonna sic her on you.”

  “Your own brother? That’s so messed up.”

  “It’s okay. I have another one,” I say with a grin.

  He flips me off and then he heads out the door. Letting out a breath, I try to readjust my dick before following him upstairs. The whole house is decorated like a huge fiesta. Everything’s so bright and colorful. Big cactus inflatables are all over the place along with huge bowls of ice filled with Coronas. After I point to one, a freshman pops the top before handing it to me, and I head out to the backyard where the festivities are being held. There is a huge floor that the girls will dance on and tables are around for everyone to hang out at when we aren’t dancing. Food is everywhere – beer, margaritas, the works, and the place is packed with people.

  This is one of the biggest parties of the fall, and we aim to please.

  The party is in full swing, and I’m surprised at how much I just want to find Claire and take her back to my room. I usually love parties, but lately, lying in bed watching TV is way more fun than having to deal with partygoers, which basically consist of girls who chase me left and right. As I head to my seat, I’m bombarded by them and they ask where I’ve been and blah, blah, blah. Soon I’m doing a dance to get away from the girls, and it’s not a dance I want to do. I just don’t get it. I mean, hasn’t anyone seen that I am “in a relationship” on Facebook? I thought if you put it on Facebook it was real. Is that not the case anymore? Must have missed the memo.

  Heading toward the table that my friends are at, I grab a plate of food and then settle in the seat beside Max. Thankfully they chose the seats right by the dance floor so I can see my girl dance. I’m excited to see her do this. She has been talking about it for the last week and is so excited about it.

  “Dude, the dance girls are fucking hot,” Max says and I give him a look. He quickly adds, “Except for Claire. I did not look at her at all.”

  “He’s lying. I saw him checking out her ass,” Jayden says and Max glares.

  “Asshole,” he mutters and Jayden laughs.

  “I’m pretty sure I’ve told you not to check my girl out,” I say and Max shrugs.

  “When a girl is that hot, it’s hard not to look.”

  “Then I’d try harder,” I say as I take a bite of my taco, ending the conversation. Thankfully, I don’t have to wait too long for the girls to hit the floor. They are probably the only reason I’m out here, to be honest. Everyone is staring at me, looking and whispering, and it’s bothering the shit out of me. Why am I still being talked about? It’s been two weeks; shouldn’t everyone accept that I’ve changed and move on?

  Rolling my eyes, I watch as the girls head to the floor in a very formal, unified way. Front and center is my beau
tiful girlfriend and beside her is the chick who is in love with me. I don’t get it, but I plan on fixing it later. Right now though, I’m gonna watch my baby kill this dance. She sends me a grin, and I smile back just as the music to a popular Jennifer Lopez song starts, then the dancers start. They are so together and actually look professional, and I bet altogether it’s an amazing show, but my eyes can’t leave Claire’s body. She moves like the music is in her. It’s amazing. Unlike the other girls though, she dances a little more sexually. Or maybe it’s just my dirty mind, but it seems like when she dances, she’s having sex. Her eyes are glazed over, her body so sexy and hard-hitting to each beat. She loves this. It’s sexy, she’s sexy, and boy, I’m lucky she’s coming downstairs to my room when this thing is over.

  When Rachael and Claire bend over, spreading their legs in splits but still standing up, the crowd loses it. It is pretty badass. As the song ends, the girls move quickly to the beat, shaking their asses and making the guys go nuts. Looking over her shoulder, Claire winks at me, and I stand with everyone else, cheering them on.

  “Man, that was awesome. Thank you, Claire!” Jayden hollers, and she grins like a fool. The group then heads off the floor the way they came in, and I fall back in my chair, grabbing my beer.

  “Dude, your girl is so fucking hot,” one of the seniors, Justin, says.

  “Yeah, thanks,” I say offhandedly as I take a drink.

  “I can see why you gave up all the ass you got. She’s got a spectacular one.”

  “Yeah, I know. Keep your eyes off it,” I say, meeting his gaze.

  His eyes are challenging as he says, “What if I don’t?”

  “I’ll rip them out of your ugly-ass head then, your choice.”

  “Jude,” Jayden warns and I ignore him, my eyes telling Justin he better fuck the hell off.

  Before anything else can be said, Claire falls into my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck.

  Giving me a bright grin, she says, “What did you think?”

  Wrapping my arms around her hips, I say, “Amazing. You were a showstopper, baby.”

  She grins happily as her cheeks warm. “Thanks.”