Dropping my legs, he cups my face in such a fierce way that it takes my breath away. Moving stray hairs out of my face, he says, “I love you a whole hell of a lot more.”

It’s like firecrackers and glitter fly in the air as my heart just sings for him. Shaking my head, I say, “If you say so, buddy.”

“I know so,” he says in such a way that tells me he does. Smiling, he takes my lips with his, and I know I can’t tell him. I can’t risk the way he makes me feel. I can’t lose him. He loves me, but I don’t know if he loves me enough to love my job. I’ll quit. No biggie and I’ll stay here and own a studio. Or wherever he goes, I’ll go and we will be fine. I don’t need Vegas; I don’t need bright lights and stages with sexy burlesques dancers dancing to my stuff.

I just need Jude.

Rolling over, I wrap my arms around Claire’s waist and pull her in tight against my chest, but before I can settle into her, she turns, cuddling into my chest, and I coil around her as if I’m shielding her from the world. I want to stay like this, never let her go, but I know she has to get up soon. I wasn’t expecting her last night, but she texted me early in the morning saying she couldn’t sleep, so I offered for her to come here and I’m glad I did.

Moving my lips along her temple, I inhale deeply, memorizing her scent as a smile settles on my face. “I love you,” I say, and each time I utter those three simple words, my heart constricts because I know what she’s going to say back.

“I love you more,” she says, placing a kiss right on the tattoo on my chest. “Shh, I have at least an hour.”

I smile, kissing her, and say, “Twenty minutes actually.”

She groans as she nuzzles closer, draping her leg across my hip. If she didn’t need the sleep, I would slowly slip it in her, but since I know she has to go to the studio soon to teach little girls, I leave her be. One would think that would annoy her, but when she talks about the girls, she gets a dreamy look in her eyes. It’s sweet and I like that about her. She loves her job; she has such a passion for dance. It’s beautiful and I enjoy watching her do something she believes in. I can’t wait to see where we will be in a year’s time. I wonder if she’ll follow me wherever I go, and I wonder if it is selfish of me to expect her to. What if she wants to finish school? Or stay here? What will we do then?

I’m not sure, and even though it worries me, I know we’ll make it. She’s mine.

Closing my eyes, I’m about to fall asleep when her alarm sounds. Sitting up, she grabs her phone and turns it off before running her hands through her hair and then looking back at me. “Good morning.”

I smile. “Morning.”

Lying down on me, she frames my face with her hands, dusting my jaw and lips with hers. Looking down in my eyes, she smiles as she says, “Thanks again for letting me come over. I just couldn’t sleep.”

“Anytime, babe, you know that.”

“I feel bad,” she says with a sheepish grin. “Kicking Jayden out and all… Maybe next time I can drag you out of bed to come to my dorm?”

“But we can’t kick Skylar out,” I point out. “Jayden doesn’t mind.”

“The hell I don’t,” he says suddenly and Claire covers her mouth, holding in her laughter as I smile.

“Of course he doesn’t ’cause he sneaks back in once we’re asleep,” I say and Jayden agrees.

“Yup, I need my bed.”

“Sorry, Jayden,” she says over her shoulder and I reach up, placing my lips to her bare neck. She giggles, leaning into me and then falling on top of me. Liking her position, I grin as I run my hands down her bare back to her sweet ass.

“You have to leave, huh?”

“Yeah,” she says, letting her legs drop to either side of my hips, pressing her sweet center against my hard one.

“So no time to, you know?” I say, waggling my brows at her as I thrust up against her.

She laughs as she says, “No time to kick Jayden out of the room? Nope, no time.”

“So disappointing,” I say as she kisses my nose and then rolls off me.

“Agreed,” she says with a wink. “Roll over and close your eyes, Jayden.”

“Roger that,” he says and then she goes down the ladder to get her clothes. I lean on the railing and watch as she gets dressed.

Once she’s dressed in some Assassins sweats, she looks up at me expectantly. “Are you going to drive me to the studio?”

“Oh yeah,” I say, getting up and out of bed. “I forgot, sorry, babe.”

“You don’t have to. I can drive, but you’re the one who offered.”

I shake my head, grabbing my jeans and then a tee. “You’re right, I did ’cause I want to.”

“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.