Boarded by Love
Page 22

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.”
Oh, 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.”