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  Snaking his arms around my waist, he tickles my lower back as he looks up at me. “So what’s your schedule like during the week?”

  “Well, I find out tomorrow the schedule for dance team, and Reese is waiting for that so she can move Skylar’s and my classes around with hers. I might be teaching all weekend only, which is fine. I love working with my little bits, and then my solos can come in on my downtime. I go to school every day. Classes are usually in the morning with free afternoons so I can study before going to work or whatever else I have that night. You?”

  “Hockey in the morning, school in the morning and afternoon, and free weekends except when games start.”

  I nod, knowing that this was how it was going to be. I’m so busy. I work two jobs, I’m doing the dance team now, and I’m going to school. Why did I think having a boyfriend would be a good idea?

  “Told ya we won’t be seeing much of each other.”

  He shrugs. “We’ll make it work. Lots of texting plus it will get us ready for the future when I’m rocking the NHL and you’re creating dances for famous artists.”

  I laugh at that as I nod. “You kill me the way you do that. We’ve been doing this a day, Jude, one day, and you’re convinced you have my forever without even knowing my deep, dark past. You could hate everything about me at the end of this two weeks, but yet, you see a future with me. This isn’t a Disney movie, you know.”

  “Of course it isn’t. We aren’t singing.”

  That has me sputtering with laughter as I smack his chest, shaking my head. “You know what I mean!”

  “I know. I just wanted to make you laugh,” he says, rubbing his thumb along my lip. “But really, I feel something about you, and you forgave my shitty past. I’m sure I can forgive yours.”

  Biting into my lip, I shrug. “It’s easy to forgive because I believe that people change. We grow and become better people because of the influences around us.”

  “You’re right, and for me, it’s you.”

  I grin widely as I let out the deep breath I took. He makes me breathless. While I say that this isn’t a Disney movie, I feel like it is. I feel so wrapped up in him. I want to burst out in song, saying how much I really like him and how I want to believe that there will be a day that I’ll be at home, making up killer dances while he’s out scoring goals. I want to believe it, but I feel like I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop. This is all so magical, so perfect, but what’s going to happen when he decides I’m not good enough for him? When he hears my past will I be able to pick up the pieces while I watch him walk away?

  It scares me, it does, but I can’t help but want to believe his words.

  “So I know you’re big into music, right?”

  I smile, ignoring my thoughts and focusing solely on him, which is really easy. “I am.”

  “Are you one of those people who love everything?”

  I nod with a grin growing on my face. “I am – total music whore. I can listen to anything and enjoy the hell out of it.”

  “What’s your all-time favorite, though?”

  I think for a minute as one of his hands leaves my back and comes up to trace along my jaw. “I’m a huge Justin Timberlake fan, so anything by him, but I also love old stuff. Like classic Etta James, it’s so smooth and inspiring. Beatles, anything really,” I say then start laughing. “I’m really easy to please.”

  With a wink he says, “I know you are.”

  My face flushes as I push him away, but he brings me back toward him, lacing our fingers together. “You?”

  “I love rap and heavy metal, anything that can pump me up for a game.”

  “Phillip does that! Funny story,” I say, basically jumping in his lap. “One time, Phillip grabbed my iPod instead of his, and when he went to get ready for the game, all my music starts playing, which is like a lot of covers of songs – don’t look at me like that, I love that – but anyway, he calls me from the locker room, yelling, and makes me bring him his iPod because he can’t play without hearing his songs. Are you like that?”

  He laughs as he nods his head. “Yup, I have a certain playlist and listen to the whole thing before I lace up my skates.”

  “That’s so weird!” I gush as I laugh. “But I think it’s cool too ’cause I like the before-game traditions. I think it’s neat.”

  “Yeah, I also have to have a bowl of grapes and Mango Frost Gatorade.”

  I giggle at him and he smiles. I know we’ve been here for a while, and of course, I am loving every second, but I know I need to get going soon. Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I see it’s almost time for me to go, but I really don’t want to leave. I’d rather stay here, locked in the gaze of this stunningly gorgeous man, than dance on a stage for men I don’t care one bit for.

  “I need to head back. I have to study and I’m tired,” I say and my insides clench since I’m lying. I actually need to get home and shower and shave before heading to the club for my shift.

  “Can you give me five more minutes?”

  I eye him before asking, “Why?”

  “’Cause I want to kiss you like this, and I think five minutes will sustain me until the next time I have you like this.”

  Before I can deny or agree, his mouth is moving against mine. His breath is minty, his lips so soft against mine. I think he knew I would say yes because I crave his kisses. I think about them constantly, about him, and I can’t wait till the next second his lips are moving against mine. Running my fingers up the back of his neck, I press into him as his finger bites into the middle of my back. Nibbling down my jaw, he comes back to my lips, both of us teasing and nipping before he says, “Can I feel you up when we’re dating?”

  “No, that will lead to sex.”

  “So, I can’t grab your boob?”

  I laugh, pulling back. “No, Jude! We have to keep this PG-13 at least for two weeks.”

  He eyes me and then shrugs. “Okay, but come back here, I have at least two more minutes.”

  I comply and grin against his lips before our kisses turn hungry. I’m pretty sure rubbing up against each other is not PG-13, but I can’t help it. He’s so hard, so delicious, and when he pulls back, our heavy breathing is the only sound in the quiet park. I’m glad he’s the one to pull away because I don’t think I could have. Placing a kiss to my nose, he reaches down for the helmet before placing it over my head.

  “Let’s get you back before I bend you over this bike and have my way with you.”

  I scoff. “How very considerate of you.”

  “I thought so,” he says with a wink as he gets up to put his on helmet on. Looking back at me, he adds, “I don’t want to interfere with your studies.”

  My studies. Yeah…

  Chapter 16

  Jude

  “So let me get this straight,” Max Rivers says as he lounges against the boards, leaning on his hockey stick. Coach is running plays with the defense, so that leaves my line to hang for a minute, get a breather, and get some water.

  “You’re dating one girl. Just one, ’cause I heard it was one and that you were dating her. Something you don’t do.”

  I nod as Jayden rolls his eyes. I think he’s as annoyed as I am. “Yeah, dude, one chick.”

  “Why? You’ve never done that. I’ve known you since like fourth grade, and you’ve never had one girlfriend.”

  “Yeah, things changed.”

  “So you’re giving up all the pussy in the world for one chick? At twenty years old?”

  “He’s dating her, not marrying her,” Jayden says before I can answer. “And why the hell does it matter what he does?”

  Max looks at me before looking back at Jayden. “Jude is the king of getting ass. It’s shocking to us mere mortals that have to beg girls to date us.” Jayden and I both just blink at Max before I shake my head. Before I can say anything, though, Max says, “I mean, does she have a golden snatch or something? What made you only want one?”

  “For fuck’s sake,” Jayden s