by Kelsie Rae
The screen lights up almost immediately afterward, announcing Team AFK as the victors.
Throwing off the headset, I jump to my feet in excitement. I’m screaming my lungs out as a mass frenzy erupts throughout the entire stadium. The adrenaline seems to have softened my migraine and allows me to enjoy the win of a lifetime.
A loud crash echoes from The Red Lords’ side of the stadium as Chase chucks his screen monitor against the platform. Security rushes the stage and carts him away as expletives flow like water from Chase’s dirty mouth.
Suck on that, asshole, I want to scream. But I won’t let his temper tantrum ruin my buzz from our epic win.
My eyes scan the stadium, and I’m flying high as a pair of familiar arms wrap around me. I jump into them and wrap my legs around Jude’s waist. My fingers tangle in his thick hair as I pull his mouth closer to mine. I kiss him feverishly, savoring his unique flavor while pressing my tongue against the seam of his lips. Our kiss deepens, and his hands are firmly gripping my backside while digging into my flesh. We continue to make out while the chaotic world around us disappears.
By the time Jude pulls away, I’m left begging for more.
“You were incredible.” He grins. His pride for me shines brighter than the Arizona sun, and my heart melts in its heat.
My lips lift in return as I take in the gorgeous man in front of me. I don’t know what I’d do without him. “I love you so freaking much,” I admit freely, leaning in with the intention of continuing our make-out session, but he pulls away at the last second.
“I love you too, Kitten.” His reply brushes against my lips before he seals it with a heated kiss. My heart’s still racing from Team AFK’s win, combined with Jude’s confession. I’m panting by the time I pull away from him. My body slides down his slowly, causing an irresistible friction that makes my knees wobble. Finally, my feet touch the firm ground below me.
“I’ll be right back.”
I head to a secluded corner before pulling out my phone and dialing Carrie.
“Hey! How’d it go?” she greets.
“Great! Can I talk to my dad?”
“Sure. Let me get him!” she replies excitedly. There’s rustling on the other line, along with some muffled talking, but I can’t hear exactly what’s being said.
“Hello?” My dad’s voice comes through the speakers and makes my heart pinch at its familiarity.
“Hey, Daddy,” I answer. “I miss you!”
“Sharon?”
“No, Dad. It’s me, Quin.” Tears form in my eyes. Some of them sad over my dad’s mistake, while others are happy that I can still hear his gentle tone.
“Hi, baby girl. Where are you?” he asks, his voice hinting at recognition.
“Umm…” I hesitate. I don’t know how specific I should be. “I’m at a little game competition, and we won!”
“That’s amazing, Quincy!” he replies. His voice is laced with happiness for my success. My heart squeezes at the sound.
“Thanks… I just wanted to call and say, ‘I love you, Daddy.’ I’ll be home soon, okay?” I try to swallow past the lump in my throat. I have no idea where all these emotions are coming from, but they seem to be hitting me from all sides.
“I love you too, baby girl. When will you be home?”
“I should be home tomorrow sometime.”
“Sounds good. Drive carefully,” he adds.
I roll my eyes while secretly loving his protective nature. “I will. See you soon!”
“Bye!”
We end our conversation as a tear slides down my cheek. I need to savor these moments and commit each one to memory. If I’ve learned anything, it’s not to take anything for granted and enjoy life to the fullest.
Jude must be able to sense my conflicting feelings from the stage. He joins me in my secluded spot before wrapping me up in a warm hug. His tall frame practically swallows me whole, and I love it. He places a chaste kiss on my forehead and holds me while I mourn for my dad. I’ve never allowed myself to just let go and gain acceptance until now. It feels good. Cathartic.
By the time I catch my breath, Jude’s shirt is damp from my tears.
“Are you alright, Kitten?” His eyes shine with concern.
A laugh escapes my raw throat as I nod. “Yeah. For the first time in a long time, I think I am.”
He scans my face to confirm I’m being honest before kissing the tip of my nose, affectionately. A watery smile graces my lips in return as he leads me back to the crowds. We celebrate like kings and queens with the rest of our team, soaking up an unforgettable, once in a lifetime, experience.
Chapter 27
Jude
She hasn’t asked me to stay. The reality is bitter. We’ve admitted our feelings for each other, but that’s as far as it’s gone. After winning the championship, we spent the night celebrating then slept in late the next day.
Quin and I are in the car together, driving back to her house so she can see her dad. The space is filled with tension while unspoken questions linger in the air. The radio is off, and we haven’t spoken much in the last thirty minutes. I think we’re both trying to come up with a solution for a long-distance relationship. Or maybe that’s just me. Maybe she’s happy to be rid of me.
Now, I’m being ridiculous. I groan internally. We love each other. We’re going to make this work. The question is... how?
After working up the nerve to voice my concerns, Quin speaks first. “I’m going to miss you.”
I take the verbal assault like a physical blow. “Pardon?”
“I just mean…” Her eyes focus on her dainty hands resting in her lap. “I’m really going to miss you when you go back.”
“That’s what I thought you said,” I reply. “What makes you think I need to go back?”
Her vibrant green eyes shoot to my own, displaying restrained hope in spades. “Don’t you?”
“Not if I have a better reason to be someplace else.”
She starts chewing on her inner cheek while dissecting my comment. “What’s a better reason than your job? Your friends?”
My lips tilt upward ever so slightly. “I think the answer is quite simple.”
She gulps audibly before responding, the seconds ticking by at a snail’s pace. “Me?”
My soft smile transforms into a full-on grin. “Obviously.”
Quin squeals in excitement before throwing her arms around my neck and pulling me across the center console. She hugs me tightly then kisses down my neck excitedly, completely distracting me from my driving. I reciprocate for just a moment before coming to my senses and focusing on the road.
“Tsk, tsk, Kitten. I need to get you home safely, and that’s not going to happen if all I can think about is pulling over and having my way with you.”
She blushes before slipping back to the passenger side and adjusting her seatbelt. “Sorry,” she mumbles, her lips still swollen from our heated kiss.
I chuckle. “Never apologize for wanting me, love. It’s a treat, I assure you.” The blush from her cheeks spreads down her neck as embarrassment courses through her.
“You can’t say those kinds of things!” she admonishes.
I laugh in return.
After a few minutes of silence, she speaks again. “What if….” Her voice trails off.
“Yes?”
“Well… what if I came with you? It’s not like I can’t take my work with me. Then you don’t need to sacrifice your job or your friends so we can be together. I just thought—”
Her words are cut off as I swerve to the side of the road, pull over, and shove the car into park. My hands grip her freckled face and pull her closer. I kiss her with wild abandon, tangling my fingers in her fiery hair and angling her head so I can take the kiss deeper.
Our chests rise and fall rapidly as we try to catch our breaths. “Don’t, for even one second, think I wouldn’t sacrifice my world for you. But if you decide that you and your dad would like a change of scenery, then y
ou’re welcome to come live with me. We could do some research, find a new nurse... whatever you need to feel comfortable. But that’s up to you. Not me. I don’t want you to ever think, for a single moment, that I wouldn’t do anything for you. And I do mean anything.”
I press my lips against hers a final time, sealing my promise with a kiss and driving my point home in one fell swoop.
“Well, I guess that’s settled then,” she murmurs dreamily, her eyes slightly glazed, and a soft smile painted on her pretty lips.
Epilogue
Quincy
It’s been three months. A month of chaos. A month of moving. And a month of finding our new normal. Dad and I packed up, sold our home, and crashed on Jude’s pull-out couch until he found a new place for all of us to stay.
You heard me right. He let go of his gorgeous apartment in order to find a three-bedroom house that gives us some privacy from my dad. We decided on a smaller home in order to invest our winnings. Neither of us are very flashy people, so it seemed like the best idea. Plus, now I have a bit of a nest egg for when my dad needs it. I like having that safety net because I know that could be at any time.
I still get butterflies when I think about how willing Jude was to bend over backward for me. Part of me thinks it would’ve been easier if he came and stayed with us, instead. But he would’ve had to give up his friends and his business. I didn’t want that. And neither did he, really.
Initially I had mentioned the possibility of us finding a home for me and my dad, but Jude isn’t known for moving slowly. The guy was rushing to get us under the same roof like a sprinter across the finish line. Can you blame me for jumping on board with his ludicrous plan? The guy is pretty much perfect.
The assholes who drugged me were taken down by a measly camera in the bar. After winning the championships, Jude contacted the manager and found the footage that would convict them. Those jerks will be spending the next seven to ten years in prison.
Good riddance.
Dad is currently situated on the same worn recliner in our new family room. He’s busy napping, with an old newspaper sitting on his lap, while I wrap up another round of Gateway Guardians in our master bedroom.
“Thanks for watching guys! I’ll see you tomorrow!”
My subscribers have quadrupled since Team AFK won the championships, and I’ve been blown away by the numbers in my bank account. We were able to find a quaint little three-bedroom townhome that’s perfect for us. I even planted a cactus in our front yard for Dad. Surprisingly, he handled the move a lot better than we all anticipated, but I think he likes the familiarity that comes with his chair, our family pictures scattered throughout the house, and that dang cactus. I’m sitting at my mom’s desk in the master bedroom where my rig currently resides. As I’m about to sign out of Flinch, a notification appears.
BeatlesBoy_41: Good game, Kitten. It’s been a while since we’ve chatted. How are things?
I grin at his message.
Quik_Q182: I just moved in with my boyfriend.
BeatlesBoy_41: That’s awfully quick, don’t you think?
Quik_Q182: When you know, you know.
BeatlesBoy_41: But shouldn’t he have started with a smaller gift than a house? I mean… is he compensating for something?
I read his message while sipping a Redbull. The carbonated beverage squirts out my nose at his ridiculous comment. Laughing, I wipe my sticky keyboard with a napkin then hit reply.
Quik_Q182: LMAO He didn’t GIVE me a house, but I’m not opposed to other gifts too. ;)
BeatlesBoy_41: If he were a good boyfriend, he’d choose a gift that was personal to you. One that you’ve been dying to have for as long as you can remember. Even if you’d never admit that to yourself.
My brows furrow at his cryptic message, my mind searching for possibilities of what the heck he’s talking about.
My fingers graze the keyboard as the front door squeaks open and alerts me to Jude’s arrival.
I abandon my computer screen and head to the entryway where I find Jude closing the door behind himself. He looks as gorgeous as ever. My eyes eat him up like a PMSing woman devouring a chocolate bar. That is, until they land on a cardboard box with a giant red bow in his hands.
Tilting my head, I examine the present. Hesitantly, I step forward. My focus shifts from the gift to the man holding it. Jude’s body oozes innocence, but his face smirks mischievously. The combination is enough to make my heart skip a beat.
“What are you up to?” I ask him, squinting my eyes in suspicion.
He chuckles warmly before placing a gentle kiss on my cheek. His lips linger for the tiniest of seconds before brushing against my ear as he whispers, “I have bad news, Kitten.”
I jerk away, instantly. His face is still mischievous as he continues, “I’m afraid my heart’s been stolen by someone else.”
My jaw hits the floor. My eyes bug out of my head. My heart stops altogether.
I think I’m going to pass out.
Thankfully, he quickly puts me out of my misery.
“Let me finish, love,” he tsks. “I love you… almost as much as I love this little guy.”
He opens the lid of the cardboard box, and his eyes shine with pure adoration at whatever it contains.
Hesitantly, I step forward. Again. This time, I catch a glimpse of the box’s contents.
“You were right,” I acknowledge. “You’ve been replaced, too.”
Jude laughs uproariously as I grab the cutest Papillon puppy I’ve ever seen. He’s mainly white, with black spots and black ears. My heart melts into a puddle on the floor as he rains kisses all over my cheeks and face. Around his neck is a tag that reads, “Gizmo.”
“You got me a dog,” I whisper, my cheeks hurting from the grin I can’t seem to wipe off my face.
“I got you a dog,” he confirms. Jude places the empty box on the counter and wraps me in a warm hug before planting a loud smacking kiss on the crown of my head. The loud noise causes me to giggle like a little kid on Christmas morning.
I shift the tiny puppy to my left arm before wrapping the other one around Jude’s neck and pulling him closer to me. Now it’s my turn to rain kisses on his face.
“I love you so freaking much, it hurts,” I confess.
“The feeling’s mutual, Kitten.”
We spend the rest of our evening introducing Dad to our new little addition and living our life to the fullest.
Together.
The End
Dear Reader
I want to give a quick shoutout to you, my reader. The person risking a few dollars on an unknown author. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your support! I couldn’t do this without you!
Thank you for taking a chance on a newbie.
Kelsie would also greatly appreciate it if you could take the time to leave a review on goodreads or amazon. It’s amazing how such a little thing like a review can be such a huge help to a new author!
Also by Kelsie Rae
Liv-Available Now
Breezy-Available Now
Rhett-October 4, 2018
Luke-November 1, 2018
Sneak Peek
Here’s a sneak peek of Rhett-Releasing October 2018
(Copyright Kelsie Rae 2018-Subject to Change)
Rhett
Copyright Kelsie Rae and Subject to Change
Chapter One
The blade cuts across the packing tape like butter as I open yet another cardboard box. I’m currently sitting on the cool kitchen tile in my new apartment, attempting to organize my belongings. The labor is tedious, and my right ass cheek is starting to go numb from staying in the same position for way too long.
Groaning, I stand up to stretch my legs and hopefully give my lower back a break, too. My eyes scan the tiny living space that will be my home for the foreseeable future. I’m an investment banker/recruiter at a global company, and the position requires a great deal of traveling. Oftentimes, I’m transferred to various locations at
the drop of a hat, but it’s never bothered me. I’ve always been a risk-taker, a cut-throat businessman, and an adventure-seeker. The combination has led me to foreign countries and once-in-a-lifetime experiences that I wouldn’t trade for the world.
Currently, my position has led me to New York City where I found this tiny apartment a few blocks from Central Park. It isn’t much to look at. The walls are white, the cabinets are brown, and the counters are chipped, but it suits my needs just fine. Despite the image I portray with my crisp Armani suits and shined Neiman Marcus loafers, I’m not a man of things. And my bank account can attest to that with its large number. Hell, if it were up to me, I’d happily wear a pair of my favorite jeans and a t-shirt, but that doesn’t cut it in the business world. It’s all about your image, and I display mine with absolute precision.
I had hoped to get a run in this evening, but I don’t think it’s going to happen with all the stuff I still need to take care of before tomorrow. My eyes scan the unopened boxes in the corner, and I groan in frustration. I need a break, but I don’t have time to take one. I slip my cell from the back pocket of my worn jeans and check the time.
“Shit. It’s getting late,” I mumble to myself. It’s only 9pm, but with everything I still need to do, it seems that time has gotten away from me.