Clipped by Love
Page 25

I laugh and then that reminds me of something. “I have a question.”
“Sure,” he says looking right at me, his eyes so dark as they lock with mine. They were a lighter green earlier, but I find when he is emotional, or maybe it’s the alcohol, they darken a bit. It’s amazing to see. His eyes say so much more than his body does.
It’s beautiful.
Swallowing hard since it is taking everything in me to focus on anything but kissing this guy, I say, “You said you had a sister earlier.”
He nods. “Yeah, Lucy.”
“Why isn’t she a J name?”
He chuckles as he pushes up the wall, standing straighter. “What happened was, my mom is a huge Beatles fan. So Lucy, “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” and then Jude, “Hey Jude,” but then when I was coming, I was supposed to be Maxwell, from “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer,” but my dad flipped and said he was tired of the Beatles names. So since me and Jude are so close in age, she decided to go with another J name and named me after my granddaddy. So, Jayden Mitchell the second right here.”
“Cool,” I say, and I like learning about his family. I didn’t have anyone but my dad growing up, and the whole aspect of siblings fascinates me. I mean, I had hockey brothers and sisters, but actual blood family that has to love you and not be jealous of you is so neat to me.
When his grin falls to a straight line, I’m surprised by his quick change in emotion. He was grinning just a second ago. It must be the alcohol, but then I realize it’s because of something else.
His dad.
“What?”
“The Jack has me feeling things I’ve done well to lock up the last couple months,” he says, pulling in a breath through his nose.
“Tell me,” I ask.
Working his lip, he shrugs before meeting my gaze. “I’m Jayden Mitchell, right? Well, Jude is Jude Marshall, but my dad, he could never get that right. He always got us confused, and it drove me insane. I mean, I understand that you get kid’s names confused, there are a lot of us. But for the longest time, he was convinced that I was Jayden Marshall. I don’t know. It didn’t matter to Jude ’cause he hates him either way, but me, it bothered me. Ya know?”
I nod. “It would bother me. He is your dad.”
“Right?”
“But at least he knows your name. My mom didn’t even name me.”
His face softens as he nods slowly. “That’s really fucked up.”
“Yeah, but I like that my dad named me Baylor. I think it’s a good name.”
“Pretty name for a beautiful girl,” he says without looking at me.
When he looks up at me, grinning, I look away quickly and ask, “Why did you kick Ju-de out? He could have stayed.”
When he starts to laugh, I look up, confused. “You really can’t take a compliment can you?” he asks me and I shrug.
“Shh, you,” I say, waving him off. I know that, yes, I can’t take a compliment. I love them, and they make me feel all special and shit, but usually people lie. But with Jayden, he isn’t lying, he’s talking from his heart and that scares me. In just the little time I’ve spent with him, I know that his little brother’s words are true. Jayden doesn’t talk unless there is meaning behind his words. So yeah, we need to change the subject here.
Looking up, I ask again, “So why?”
He shrugs, looking down at the ground. “It’s nice just me and you.”
Elated, but trying to keep that tucked inside, I smile before nodding. “Yeah.”
“Yeah,” he agrees, and soon, I’m drinking in his profile.
I’ve been looking at him all day; I mean, how could I ignore him? But now, with no distractions and wonderful lighting, I can really look at him. His skin is soft, but there is small scarring, probably from acne as a teenager. The scruff on his jaw is lighter brown than the hair on his head. His lashes are long and curve in such a pretty way. His lips, they are full and plump, making me jealous since mine are kind of thin. He really does have a beautiful mouth.
When he looks at me quickly, a grin pulling at his lips, I realize I said that out loud.
Fuck. Me.
“Um, thanks,” he says, chuckling. “Never been told I have a beautiful mouth.”
Biting into my lip, I close my eyes, thinking how stupid I am, but then I’m not, because he does. And oh man, I need to kiss him. I need to kiss him now, or I’ll regret it for the rest of my life. My stomach is in knots at the mere thought, but I have to ignore it. I also need to ignore the fact it’s sad that I can’t even remember the last kiss I had where I really wanted to kiss someone. It had to be Seth because I don’t remember anyone before or after that, and I know that’s because I did anything and everything to forget my time with that jackass.
But with Jayden, I know I won’t ever forget.
I couldn’t if I tried.
Opening my eyes, I meet his heated gaze as my heart pounds against my ribs. I don’t even know what to do, and I beg him with my eyes to take the lead, but he doesn’t move. My body is trembling with need for him, and I just need him to do something. Something to help me out.
“Baylor,” he whispers as his eyes search mine.
“Yeah?”
“I’m going to tell you something, and I want you not to change the subject, okay?” he says, turning his body to mine.
He’s so much bigger than me. Towering over me in the most delectable way. His shoulders basically fill the doorway, and the way his eyes are trained on me, almost like he is calculating the biggest shot of his life, has me burning with desire.
Sucking in a breath, I say, “Okay.”
Reaching out, he takes my face in his hands, bringing me in close. Our bodies line up together, barely touching as his eyes bore into mine. My breathing is all over the place, my chest rising and falling against his. I can feel his heart pounding in his chest or maybe it’s mine, I don’t know. But I’m lost in his eyes, and I don’t want to ever be found.
“You, Baylor… Wait, what’s your middle name?”
I suck in a deep breath, my hands shaking at my sides as his thumb traces the spot below my bottom lip. I can’t believe I am having a hard time remembering my middle name, but thankfully it comes, and I say, “Irene. After my grandma.”
He smiles as he nods. “Such a classic, gorgeous name.”