“Are you sure?” she asks, putting her bag on her shoulder. “You can go back to sleep.”
“No, I’m good, come on.”
Taking her hand in mine, I grab our helmets and then say bye to Jayden before heading out and up the stairs.
Once outside, the sun shining brightly on me, I bring her in closer to me. “Told ya it was going to be a perfect morning to ride.”
Grinning up at me, she leans up, kissing my jaw before we reach my bike. Getting our helmets on and securing her bag, I’m about to start the bike when she says, “Can we stop at a gas station before we get there? I need some water and something to eat.”
“Sure,” I say before bringing the bike to life, and it roars beneath us.
Leaning forward, she wraps her arms around me and then we’re off. It’s a quiet morning, which is surprising since it’s a Saturday. Usually it’s nuts out and I’m thankful it’s not. I don’t want to concentrate on what I’m doing; I just want to enjoy it. I want to enjoy the feeling of her holding me, knowing that she loves me. It’s only been two days since she uttered the words to me, and I’ve never felt so complete in my life. It’s like I was waiting for that moment my whole existence, as if I was waiting for Claire. And now that I have her, I don’t ever want to let her go.
Since that moment, making love to her against the wall in the arena, I’ve been that lovesick boyfriend, texting and calling and wanting to be near her every second of the day. And that’s not an easy feat. We both have so much with schoolwork, dance, hockey, and life, it gets in the way. But somehow we’re surviving it all, and I couldn’t be more thankful for that. It’s about to get worse though, I feel. My first game
is Friday and then starts the morning and night practices, which means I’ll see her even less than I do now. It worries me, but I believe in this.
In us.
When we’re almost to the studio, I find a gas station and pull in, parking the bike before getting off and helping her. Setting our helmets down, she grabs her wallet and we head inside.
“I need to take a leak,” I say, and she rolls her eyes at me.
“Good to know. I’ll be ready once you are,” she says, a little grin on her face before she heads off. Before she can get far though, I pinch her butt, giving her a grin before heading to the bathroom. After doing my business, I go out to find her and when I do, I don’t like what I find. She’s pulling out of a hug with some guy, a grin on her face as she greets him cheerfully. It doesn’t take long for me to recognize him; it’s Patrick Franklin from the Nashville Assassins. I used to like him, thought he was a great player, but the look in his eyes as he basically eye-fucks my girl has me wanting to rip him to shreds.
“Damn, Claire, I think you’ve gotten hotter,” he says and she laughs.
“Oh please,” she says, waving him off.
“How old are you now? Tell me the truth this time.”
Still laughing, she says, “I’m nineteen now.”
“Legal and ready to mingle,” he sings, waggling his eyebrows. “What are you about to do? Let’s go get some breakfast, catch up.”
Instantly I want to rush out there and push the guy away, but only a psycho would do that. Claire can handle herself. She wouldn’t cheat on me. She loves me. So as I act as if I’m trying to decide on some M&Ms, I listen as Claire says, “Sorry, can’t. I have dance to get to.”
And you have a boyfriend, I say in my head.
“Still at Reese’s?”
Why didn’t she say she has a boyfriend?!
“Yup, I’m getting my business major so I can take over one day or maybe open a studio somewhere else. Or do Vegas shows. You never know.”
“That’s good. I’m glad. I haven’t seen you in a long time, and I’m not lying when I say you’ve gotten hotter. You’re beautiful.”
She smiles. “Thank you.”
“Why don’t I give you my number, and we can go somewhere after you get done?”
He pulls out his phone but she shakes her head. “Sorry, Patrick, but I’m with someone.”
He eyes her. “Is it serious? Can I steal you away?” he asks with a cheeky smile.
She shakes her head, a warm grin coming over her face. “No, it’s superserious. He’s pretty amazing, makes me really happy.”
“That’s good. I’m glad you’re happy, you deserve that,” he says and then he smiles. “I should have snatched you up when you turned eighteen. I still think about our time together.”