Boarded by Love (9 page)

“Okay, so we have to wait for the guys to get here. They’ll be here in like two–” Before Rachael could even finish her sentence, the door was thrown open and in came a group of hot hockey guys. All of them were thick and big, and goodness, where the hell have I been? I have gone to the Bullies’ games, but I never noticed how sexy the team was. I looked for Jude, hating how excited I am to see him, but I don’t actually see him. Finally though, he brings up the rear, looking down at his phone and not really paying attention.

“So nice of y’all to be on time,” Rachael says and Jude laughs.

“You’re lucky we graced you with our presences, Rachael,” Jude says, looking up from his phone.

“I can do without it.”

“That’s not what you said last night,” he teases, and my stomach recoils at the thought of him with her as everyone laughs, causing Rachael’s face to turn red.

“Whatever.”

He rolls his eyes and I know he’s lying. He wasn’t with her. He doesn’t even like her. “But really, I apologize, ladies. I told Rachael we’d be late. We had practice.”

Everyone smiles and giggles as he flashes them a lady-killing smile before tucking his phone in his pocket. Rachael then snaps, “Whatever, come on, hurry up.”

He sticks his tongue out at her before looking out at us, and it seems everyone stands a bit taller, even I do the same. When his eyes lock with mine, he grins, and I swear I’m on fire. My belly does a weird flip-floppy thing, and suddenly the day before, the feel of his lips on mine, washes over me, and I want nothing more than to have a repeat show. I know he’s feeling the same thing because his eyes darken and are hooded as he holds my gaze. His mouth turns up at the side as he slowly lowers himself onto the bleachers, his eyes still not leaving mine as he grabs the paddle from someone, probably Rachael.

“Okay, so,” Rachael says, and I cringe as I move my eyes from his. She has a nasally, annoying voice that makes me was to claw out my eardrums. “I’m gonna go through everyone’s apps, and then we will decide the order for the solos. Everyone has two minutes to impress us and the guys. We take the guys’ scores and what we think, and then tomorrow we will post the five new members. You are lucky you made it this far. Bring your A game or get the hell out.”

“Gosh, she’s a breath of fresh air.”

I glance back to see Reese grinning at me. “I thought she was to the point, like you.”

She gives me a deadpan look before smacking my ass playfully. Looking back at Rachael, I feel Jude’s eyes on me, and when I look, I’m right. His eyes are doing a lazy stroll down my body, his mouth curving as he drinks me in. I’m usually very confident in my sports bra and booty shorts since this is my uniform most the time. Not to brag, but I have a great body, toned and lean, but my thighs are a little thick and my ass could stand my not eating those late-night bags of Cheetos. But under his gaze it doesn’t seem like he cares. He wants me. And damn it, I want him.

“Claire Anderson?”

I look back at Rachael and raise my hand. “That’s me.”

I walk to the center of the floor and cross my leg behind my ankle, holding my hands behind me. She looks me over and she says, “How long have you been dancing?”

“My whole life,” I answer.

“With, oh, Reese Allen’s Dance Company? Your whole life?”

I nod. “Yup.”

The whole dance team sizes me up and then looks back down at the paper in front of them, marking with their red pens. I figure that means I’m done, so I head back to where Reese and Skylar stand. When I feel Reese’s hand slide into mine, I glance back as she says, “I hope you don’t get in trouble for lying.”

I shake my head. “I’m not lying.”

“Claire, you’ve only danced with me for three years.”

I smile. “Yeah, but my life didn’t start until I came to you and Phillip.”

I expected that to please her. I don’t think I’ve told them enough how much they changed me, but what I don’t expect is for her eyes to well up before she wraps me up tightly in her arms, kissing my cheek.

“I love you so much, Claire,” she cries into my neck, and I hold her as she cries. I’m frozen because Reese doesn’t cry. She’s a hide your emotions kind of girl, and I am completely stunned.

When she pulls back, I say, “I love you too, but why are you crying?”

“’Cause I’m just so freaking proud of you.”

My heart warms and I’m about to say how much she means to me when Rachael calls, “Claire Anderson, you’re up.”

Reese smiles. “Knock ’em dead, baby girl.”

I shoot her a cocky grin as I back away and say, “Don’t I always?”

I
can still taste her on my lips.

I swear. The taste hasn’t left me since I kissed her less than twenty-four hours ago, neither has the hard-on. She has me completely wound-up tight, whacking off till my dick is raw and wishing like hell to get in her pants. When I walked in to find her in only a sports bra and shorts that should be illegal… Well, I’m surprised I’m still vertical.

God, she is fucking hot.

Her long red hair is in a mess on top of her head with a cute little black bow at the base. She stands with such amazing confidence while the other girls cover their stomachs with their arms or slouch to the side, but not Claire. No, she stands proud, beautiful, and man, I just want to rush over there and touch her again. I still can’t believe she kissed me senseless then ran off without a second glance. While I don’t mind being used, I wasn’t done.

I need her. On me. Beneath me. Anywhere on me. Now.

I can’t take my eyes off her. I’m supposed to be watching some girl dance, but there is no way. Not with Claire in the room. She stands with the brunette from her Facebook. She’s even prettier in person, but she holds no candle to Claire. Hell, no one does. I watch as they talk, and the love just shines out of the brunette’s body for her. It’s crazy to watch. It reminds me of my mom’s love, and I figure it’s her mom. I need to ask because I have to know. I don’t know what it is about this feisty little redhead, but I want to know her ins and outs. Then I want to sleep with her. Continually. And then some more.

When Rachael calls for the numbers, I look over at Jayden and he shakes his head. “Were you even watching?” he asks in a hushed tone.

“Nope.”

“She was eh, I’m giving her a six.”

I nod and do the same, holding up my paddle. I see the girl’s face fall and then I notice that it’s April. I’ve slept with her. Well shit, guess I’ve burned that easy bridge, which really, I never planned on crossing again anyway. Looking over at my grinning brother, I say, “You couldn’t tell me it was April? I was with her like two weeks ago.”

Jayden laughs. “Dude, I can’t keep up with who you sleep with, and I actually plan to judge these girls on their talent.”

Rolling my eyes, I look back toward Claire. She’s hugging the brunette, but then her name is called, and she slowly backs away, saying something, and I want to know what it is. I’m sorta disgusted with myself. I mean, why do I care? Why am I so hung up on this girl? She won’t even give me the time of day. She’s playing this hard to get shit, and I don’t play those games. If I want attention, all I gotta do is stand up and snap my fingers, and three girls will be on me quick. So I should do that. I should ignore this attraction, this stalkerish tendency, and fuck someone who will give it to me easy.

The only problem is that I don’t want them.

I want her, and when she struts to the middle of the floor, I know that I’ll play whatever game she wants just for another taste of that delectable, red glossed-up mouth. When she purses those lips like she’s about to give me a kiss that will shatter my world, I hold on to the end of the bleachers as “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” by Whitney Houston blares over the audio system.

And as soon as the music starts, time stands still for me.

She’s shockingly amazing. I’ve watched girls dance, and then I’ve watched girls murder the dance floor, and Claire is murdering the hell out of the gym floor. Her body moves with such attention to the music – as if it
is
the music – and it’s breathtaking to watch. The music is fun and she’s grinning and having a good time, but like me, everyone is stunned. Each move is on point, no fumbles, no second-guessing; she knows what she’s doing, and I can’t help but admire her. When she goes into a series of turns that seem to go on forever, I want to stand and applaud her, but before I can, she stops, running her hands up her body and then she winks at me.

Fucking winks.

It is probably the fucking hottest thing I’ve ever seen in my life, but then she drops into the splits, and I swear I just came in my pants. She ends the dance with a leg stretch while doing a turn. It looks painful, but it seems like second nature to her. When the music ends, the girls to the side all clap and cheer, and I notice that Rachael and her clan are all impressed. That pleases me, and before I’m even asked for my paddle, I stand, holding up my ten.

Because Claire Anderson just blew away everyone around her with that dance.

Looking around, I see that everyone else thought what I did, because all I see are tens. When Rachael looks back at us, she glares before writing down the numbers. She then clears her throat and everyone quiets down, and she sets Claire with a look. “That was very impressive.”

Placing her hands on her hips, Claire smiles before nodding. “Thank you.”

“Watching you dance, I remember you from the competition circuit. You won everything.”

“Well, when you train with the best, you tend to be the best.”

“Touché, and let me just say that you are the first girl in my dance team history to get all tens from the hockey team.”

Her eyes meet mine again, and she smiles before she says in a very low, sexy voice, “Well, thanks, boys.”

Yup, my mind is mush. I can’t speak, hell, none of us can. She is just so damn hot.

Claire then looks back at Rachael and says, “Thank you for allowing me to try out. I hope I get the opportunity to dance with y’all.”

“I’m sure you will,” Rachael says, and then she calls Skylar’s name. I watch Claire walk back to the brunette, hugging her tightly and smiling so big her face is as bright as the sun. She is so beautiful.

“Jude Sinclair, you better give me a ten,” Skylar then calls at me and I laugh.

“We will see,” I say and she grins before her music starts, but like with everyone else, I can’t watch her, and when she’s done, I have to copy Jayden’s score, which is a nine. Skylar seems to be pleased, which is good, but I just couldn’t watch her.

I can’t do anything when Claire is the room. She’s the only thing I see.

Once Rachael announces that the tryouts are over, I hightail it toward Claire, reaching for her wrist to get her attention. She looks back at me and grins as she pulls a sweatshirt over her head, much to my dismay.

“So I heard you want to dance with somebody,” I say teasingly.

She laughs. “Maybe. You the man for the job?”

I find myself nodding like a fool. “I could be the heat you’re looking for.”

Shaking her head, she looks away. “Didn’t I say you were trouble?”

“You did,” I say and I take a step closer. “But I think you are going to ignore that and take advantage of me.”

Before she can respond, the brunette is beside us and asking, “Claire, who’s your friend?”

Taking a step back, Claire swallows as her cheeks fill with color. “Reese, this is Jude Sinclair. The current trouble in my life.”

Reese smiles as she holds her hand out for me. I take it, flashing the smile my mom says is my moneymaker before I say, “It’s wonderful to meet you.”

“You too,” she says and I know she’s eyeing my arms. Most moms don’t like my tattoos, my mom included, but I love them.

“This is my mo– Holy crap, Reese, I almost called you my mom! My bad!” Claire laughs, but I can see that Reese doesn’t mind at all.

Wrapping her arm around Claire’s shoulders, she says, “It’s fine. I would love nothing more than to be your mom, Claire. You know that.”

“I know, but you’re too young to have a nineteen-year-old hellion.”

“Maybe, but you’re mine nonetheless.”

Claire beams at her before looking over at me. “Reese is my soon-to-be aunt/mom/dance teacher/best friend.”