Luke leaned toward her again, eyes still closed, searching for another kiss. He opened his eyes when he heard Jourdin scoot her chair back and jump up. “Where are you going?”
“Home, where I belong.” Jourdin said, walking hurriedly towards the door. She ran to her car and got in, peeling out of the parking lot and speeding home. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes- what had she just done? Was a kiss cheating? Why the hell had she been there with him in the first place?
As soon as the car was in the garage, she threw it in park and jumped out, feeling like she had to be in the house immediately. She had to see Nick and more importantly, she had to talk to him. She unlocked the door, her heart pounding again, mainly out of fear…she could almost picture the expression on Nick’s face when she told him- like that hurt look he’d get when she’d tell him she was going somewhere with Luke, only worse.
She walked inside to find the house dark, and dropped her stuff on the kitchen table and quickly walked up the steps, taking two at a time. She took a deep breath as she walked into their bedroom, pausing just inside the door, debating whether or not she should turn on the light. She decided not to and crept over by the bed, turning on the lamp on her side. “Babyboy…”
Nick stirred in his sleep, vaguely aware of Jourdin’s voice, but figuring it was probably part of his dream.
As Jourdin watched him sleeping, the tears she’d been trying to hold back began to fall. She’d betrayed him, hadn’t she? She’d promised she’d never let anyone take her from him and she’d nearly let it happen.
The sounds of Jourdin’s gaspy breaths woke Nick up. He sat up, turning to look in her direction, instantly concerned when he saw the tears slipping down her cheeks. “Boo, what’s wrong?” he asked softly, fearing the worst- automatically worrying he was about to be told she’d been sleeping with that other guy.
“Ikissedhim!” Jourdin wailed, covering her face with her hands. She couldn’t stand to see the concern he was showing when she’d behaved so badly.
Nick sighed inwardly, somewhat relieved. “Just a kiss? Nothing else?”
Jourdin nodded, “Just a kiss.”
Nick reached for her, pulling her into his arms. “Boo…”
Jourdin made a half-hearted attempted to shrug away his hug, she didn’t deserve that. “Nick, I’m so sorry… I never should have been out with him.. I’ve been gone so much.. I never see you anymore…I just fall into bed and don’t even say goodnight.. and god… I can’t.. even remember the last time I kissed you!” she cried.
Nick pulled her tighter against him, holding her as she sniffled. After a while he said, “I love you, Boo.”
Jourdin looked up at him through blurry eyes. How could he say that after what she’d done, how she’d been acting lately?
Nick saw the confusion in her expression, “I love you, Jourdin. That hasn’t changed. Yeah, I’ve been feeling a little neglected lately… but I’m not mad at you.. I know you’re sorry.”
Jourdin slipped her arms around him, finally returning his embrace. “I am sorry for what I did.. for all the times I left… I’m just.. sorry.”
Nick kissed her forehead, “It’s aight, Boo. I forgive you, okay?”
Jourdin nodded and leaned into him, allowing herself to relax some since she’d heard him say he forgave her.
“So what do you think we should do?” he asked, stroking her cheek.
“I… I don’t know…” Jourdin said, then thought for awhile. “I don’t know anything right now… I still can’t believe I got myself into all this. Maybe it was just too much at once… moving in, you leaving, me missing you so much and all those damn classes…” she paused again, then said, “Maybe I’ll just relax a little after this semester.. not worry about finding a job immediately. Seventeen and a half years of school deserves a break, I think.”
“You don’t have to get a job at all.. I think we’d probably be okay without you having one.” Nick said, chuckling a little.
“What the hell would I do with myself if I’m not working?” Jourdin asked.
“You could marry me.” Nick replied.
Jourdin looked at him, astounded. She opened her mouth to say something, but no sound would come out.
Nick kissed her neck, waiting for some kind of response from her. He’d meant it as more of a suggestion for the time being, though he had every intention of proposing to her one day, and probably fairly soon. Her reaction would likely determine just how soon that day would come.
“I… how can you even think about that right now?”
Nick turned Jourdin towards him, gently placing his hands on either side of her face. “Boo, I love you more than I ever thought it would be possible to love someone.. and I know I’m going to feel that way for the rest of my life… I wanna be with just you.. forever.”
Jourdin closed her eyes, feeling near to tears again, but this time because of the complete sweetness of Nick’s words. “I love you, too, babyboy.”
“We’ll figure it out later, okay?” Nick hugged Jourdin, saying, “Always comes around, right?”
Jourdin had to laugh- though Nick had only met her grandmother one time and couldn’t remember her name for anything- he would have managed to pick up on her favorite piece of wisdom… the answer to any problem always comes around, sometimes you just have to wait for it. “Thank you, Nana.” she giggled.
Nick laughed, “Just don’t start kissin’ me like you kiss your nana.”
Jourdin slid off the bed and began getting undressed, “I’m going to go shower.. and then I’m gonna kiss you all over.. any way I want to.”
Nick watched intently as her clothes fell to the floor, “As long as most of those ways involve your tongue…”
“Of course” Jourdin said, giving Nick a sexy grin and disappearing into the bathroom.
Nick fought the urge to join her, opting instead to light a few candles around the bedroom, take off his clothes and slip into bed, waiting impatiently for her.
Jourdin took a remarkably quick shower, anxious to get back to Nick and spend the rest of the night in his arms. As she dried off she thought about what he’d said about getting married. She did want to marry him- she’d told Cobi she did and she still felt that way, but she didn’t even want to let herself get started thinking about it until school was out. She dropped her towel and walked back into the bedroom, crawling onto the bed and straddling Nick, kissing him deeply.
When Jourdin broke the kiss Nick looked at her for a second and asked, “Is Luke a good kisser?”
“Not nearly as good as you.” Jourdin replied, sliding under the covers with him.
“What’s he look like?”
Jourdin sighed, “What is this, 20 questions?” She’d have preferred just to let things go, she didn’t want to talk about it and have to remember how bad she felt about what she’d done.
“Just curious…” Nick said, wondering what it was about Luke that had lured Jourdin’s attention away from him.
“He’s about my height… brownish hair and hazel eyes, I think… sort of looks like Brian..”
“Hot?”
“Cute, maybe.. but I wouldn’t really say he was ‘hot’.” Jourdin said, her nails skidding across Nick’s chest. “You, however, are VERY hot.”
“Why’d you start spending so much time with him?” Nick asked quietly, not entirely sure he really wanted an answer.
“First it was school, studying with him really is helping my grades, but then it was just… I guess just having a friend to do things with since you and I have to be so careful when we go out and since I moved I hardly ever get to see my other friends… but still, that’s no excuse. I missed you so much when you were gone, you come home and then I take off all the time. I’m sorry…”
Nick shushed her by putting his fingers to her lips. “Stop apologizing and start making up for all those things you’ve been gone.”
Jourdin smiled, glad to oblige. “Your wish is my command.” she said, sliding under the covers, her mouth beginning to trail down his body.