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  “I made the team too, Jude. Do I get a hug, kiss, or anything? Shit!” Skylar jokes, and I laugh as he kisses my nose again.

  Holding up his hand, Skylar high-fives him as he says, “Congrats, Skylar, I knew you would make it.”

  “A high five? Before you’d at least smack my ass!”

  He laughs and I do too. I know she’s playing around. Skylar loves me too much; she wouldn’t hurt me.

  “Yeah, that was before I started dating Claire.”

  He sends me one last grin before walking away as both of us watch.

  Beside me, Skylar says, “I have no clue who that is.”

  “That’s my man, Jude Sinclair,” I say with a little wiggle.

  When I glance over at her, she isn’t laughing or smiling; her face is contorted in a perplexed matter. “Why did you lie to him? Maybe you’ll study between sets, but still, you will be at work.”

  My face burns with color and so does my throat as I avoid eye contact. “I don’t want to tell him about that. It isn’t who I am; it’s a quick dollar so that I can have a steady life when I graduate.”

  “I get that, but you probably need to tell him.”

  “I will, come on. Let’s go to practice before we’re late.”

  Thankfully she agrees with not another word on the subject. While I know I need to tell him, I also think that maybe it doesn’t matter. I work midnight to three in the morning, and I wear a disguise.

  No one knows it’s me. Hell, it’s not really me, so why does it matter?

  As much as I want to think it doesn’t matter, I know it might matter to Jude, and that makes me more nervous than falling for him. I can’t quit; I need that money to make sure I never have to depend on anyone for the rest of my life. It’s gonna help me get my business. It’s gonna be the start to my new life, but I have a feeling that Jude won’t see it that way.

  Chapter 14

  Jude

  Falling into my bed, a smile is on my lips as I dig my phone out of my pocket. It has been signaling a text for the last thirty minutes, but I really don’t care. My thoughts are solely on a certain fiery redhead who I can’t seem to get enough of. Glancing at the display, I see that I have twelve texts. Groaning, I scan through them all, seeing they all have the same thing in common.

  Mandy: Jude, are you dating Claire Anderson? I thought you don’t date! I didn’t really like you.

  Julie: what the hell Jude, you told me you don’t date but everyone is talking about how you’re with that redhead! Yeah, I said that so you’d suck me off.

  Marianne: Why is that redhead good enough and I’m not. Answer me that Jude! Have you been around Claire? Touched her? No? Yeah, you wouldn’t understand.

  Stacey: Jude, you are a dick and a half. How dare you date someone when you said you’d date me when you decided to start dating? Yeah, I lied.

  Jamie: I hate you Jude. You’re a liar. That redhead isn’t even pretty. Bullshit, she’s gorgeous.

  And it goes and goes and goes. Everyone that I’ve ever fucked saying the same damn thing.

  “Fuck, what is wrong with girls these days?”

  Jayden looks up from his bed. “Huh?”

  “Everyone is freaking out ’cause I’m dating Claire.”

  He scoffs. “Well, when you leave a girl’s bed with the promise, ‘When I’m ready to settle down, baby, you’ll be the first one I call,’ that tends to happen.”

  I glare. “Shut the fuck up. While I can see your point, I don’t want to hear it. I want these girls to leave me the hell alone.”

  He laughs as he rolls his eyes. “Why don’t you just change your number? It’s gonna keep on and you know it.”

  “I swear you are the smartest out of all of us.”

  “This is true,” Jayden says with a nod before opening his laptop. When another text comes through, I go to ignore it but then I see it’s from Claire.

  Claire: So, practice was canceled. People couldn’t stay, so yeah, sucks, I guess I’m gonna go study.

  Quickly, I type back.

  Me: Wanna hang with me for a bit? I gotta go change my phone number.

  Claire: Why?

  Me: Cause everyone won’t leave me alone.

  Claire: Oh. Okay. Yeah. Do I want to ask why?

  Me: I’ll tell ya when I get there. I’ll be over in a bit.

  Claire: Okay. I’ll be waiting outside.

  Me: Great.

  Standing up, I tuck my phone in my pocket and reach for my helmet then Jayden’s. “I’m taking your helmet.”

  “Why?”

  “For Claire. I’ll order her one, but right now I need yours.”

  “Whatevs.”

  “Hey, I’m gonna text ya in a bit and then make yourself disappear.”

  “No way!” he complains but I settle him with a look.

  “Would you like to share a room with another freshman instead?”

  “You’re an asshole, dude. I got homework.”

  “Go upstairs. You’ll be fine. See ya.”

  I don’t want to be an ass and kick my brother out of his room, but I also don’t want to be feeling Claire up in front of him. Do I even get to feel her up? Hmm. That’s something I need to ask about. Going out to where my bike is parked, I put my helmet on and slowly mount my black with silver chrome Star Bolt that my dad got me when I graduated. Jayden got a car, and usually we trade off whenever we feel the need to. I love riding my bike, though. It’s probably my third favorite thing to do after hockey and sex. Putting Claire’s helmet under the bungee cables that are on the back, I start the bike up, the roar of it vibrating underneath me before I slowly back up and then hit the gas to go.

  I see her after taking the turn on her street. She’s sitting on the bench, and when she sees me, her eyebrow comes up. She stands when I reach her, throwing my helmet up.

  “Hey there, gorgeous, wanna go for a ride?”

  With a wide grin on her face, she shakes her head. “Oooowwweeee, my uncle would say you are big trouble with a capital B and T.”

  I laugh, climbing off my bike. “Good thing I’m not trying to date your uncle then.”

  “I know you are big trouble, though,” she says with a grin, stopping in front of me.

  Raising my brow, I smile as I nod my head back to the bike. “Does that mean you’re not gonna go for a ride with me?”

  “Oh, hell no, it doesn’t. I’m riding.”

  “Awesome,” I say as I grin widely before taking the helmet off the back. I wait as she ties her hair at the back of her head, and then I slowly put the helmet on her head. It goes on easy since Jayden’s head is massive compared to Claire’s. “I’ll order you a helmet tonight when I get back.”

  “Sounds good to me,” she says before mounting the bike, and I decide she looks damn good on the back of my bike. Unlike other girls, she doesn’t dress up. She’s wearing Bellevue sweatpants and a large, purple Assassins sweatshirt. I’m beginning to think that’s all the girl owns, and I don’t care one bit. I love it. I like that she’s comfortable around me in barely anything and naked.

  I get on in front of her, and she waits till the bike roars to put her hands around my waist. “Have you ridden on the back of a bike before?”

  “Nope, this is my first time.”

  “Awesome, get ready then,” I say and we’re off. It’s a beautiful night. Clear and cool, and as I drive toward the Verizon store, I’m glad to have Claire on the back, holding me tight. Once we’re there, I park the bike and get off, helping her next. She removes the helmet, and when she looks at me, she’s grinning.

  “That was amazing.”

  “Yeah, it’s a wonderful night,” I say, really pleased that she loved it. Usually it scares girls.

  “Yeah, it is,” she agrees as she hands me her helmet. “Why are we here?”

  “’Cause my phone won’t stop blowing up. I’m gonna change my number to get away from it. The people I want to call me will have my number, and that’s it.”

  She smiles as I t