Before Jourdin had a chance to say anything, Luke held up his hand, saying, "I just wanted to apologize and then I'll move... I'm sorry about the other night, I shouldn't have initiated or done it or anything.. I'm just.. sorry."
Jourdin nodded, accepting his apology. "It's fine... I'm sorry I kissed you back, but I'm not entirely sorry it happened, because it made me realize how stupid I was being... so I should probably even say thank you... but I won't because I was hurting the most important person in my life in the process. But thank you for studying with me, Luke." She closed her book and got up, walking towards the front of the room and picking another seat, leaving Luke staring after her.
Jourdin slid down in a seat in the second row, exhaling. She was surprised she'd actually told him that, even though she'd spent the entire drive to school that morning rehearsing in the rearview mirror what she'd say to him when she saw him. She'd almost tossed in a comment about the great sex she and Nick had had the night she'd come home crying, but it was none of Luke's business, he was no longer a part of her life.
She opened her notebook, ready to take review notes for the final and smiled when she saw a post-it note from Nick had been stuck on the inside of the front cover, saying that he loved and missed her and promised to be waiting at home for her that afternoon. Jourdin turned to glance at the clock, 49 minutes and she'd be done with classes- hopefully forever- and on her way home.
~~~~~
Jourdin ran through the door, yelling for Nick, ready to celebrate because classes were finally over.
Nick peeked his head into the kitchen from the living room and told Jourdin to stop where she was and close her eyes.
"What?"
"I gotta surprise for you." Nick said, watching and Jourdin put her things down in the middle of the floor and closed her eyes.
"A surprise? What?"
He walked into the kitchen, putting one hand over her eyes and gently leading her into the living room and guiding her to sit down on the couch. "You ready?"
"Yes!"
"Aight.. Boo.. I'd like you to meet someone..." Nick said, setting a fluffy black puppy on Jourdin's lap.
Jourdin's eyes opened quickly as she felt the puppy squirming, and looked down, "Oh my god! It's adorable!!" She picked the puppy up, cuddling it to her chest. She and Nick had discussed getting a dog before, but had never quite gotten around to it. She giggled as the puppy licked at her hand, "Boy or girl?"
"Girl" Nick said, smiling as he watched Jourdin slid to the floor to play with the puppy.
"Does she have a name yet?" Jourdin asked, dangling her shoelace in front of the puppy and laughing as she tried to attack it.
"Nope, that's your job." Nick said, sitting beside her on the floor.
"Hmmmm..." Jourdin leaned over to kiss Nick, "Thank you, baby boy. I love you."
"I love you, too" he said, slipping his arm around her and pulling her closer to him.
Jourdin picked up the puppy and put her back on her lap, looking at her. "I have no idea what to call her."
"Eh... just think about it.. you'll come up with something." Nick replied, kissing Jourdin's temple. "So how was your last day of classes?"
Jourdin made a face, "Phfft."
Nick chuckled, "That good, huh?"
"I took so many notes today! And I have to spend all weekend studying... starting tonight.. and then all next week.. my tests are spread out pretty well.. but still... lots of studying." she sighed.
"Studying alone?" Nick asked.
Jourdin nodded, "Definitely." She paused for a moment, debating whether or not to tell him. She knew he would like the way she'd handled herself.. "I saw Luke today... he apologized to me..."
Nick looked at her, waiting for the rest of the story. "And?"
"I told him I was sorry that I kissed him back, but was almost glad it happened, because it made me see how awful I was being to you.. and then I walked away from him." Jourdin said, stroking the puppy's soft fur.
Nick hugged her a little tighter, "But we're okay now, aren't we? We're not going to let anyone else interfere with what we've got, right?"
"What's this "we" business?" Jourdin asked. "You haven't done anything wrong... you've been perfect, just like always.. I was the one that messed up... but no, I'm never letting ANYONE catch my attention, for even a little while, ever again. I'm yours, and yours only."
Nick turned Jourdin around, so that she was facing him and kissed her slowly, leaving her gasping when he pulled away from her. "I love you, Boo... that was all I needed to hear."
~~~~
"Nick!" Jourdin whispered loudly, poking at his shoulder after she turned on the light.
Nick grunted and rolled over, only opening one eye. "What?" he asked groggily.
"I got it!"
"Got what?"
"What we're going to call the dog!"
Nick opened his other eye and gave Jourdin a perturbed look. "You woke me up... in the middle of the night... to tell me you figured out what to name the dog?"
Jourdin nodded, "Yup."
"This better be one hell of a name." Nick mumbled.
"Lyric."
"Huh?"
"Lyric. Y'know... like words to a song... plus, when she's all curled up... she sort of looks like a musical note all in a ball with her tail sticking out like that." Jourdin said, pointing to the puppy sleeping soundly in the bed in the corner of their room.
Nick looked over at the dog and laughed, "You're right, actually." He said the name a few times, trying it out. "Lyric.. huh.. I like it." He pulled Jourdin into his arms, "I knew you'd come up with something good."
She snuggled back against him, "I've only been thinking about it all night."
"Well you got it now, so go to sleep... you gotta study tomorrow." Nick said, closing his eyes, fully ready to go back to sleep.
"Don't remind me" Jourdin grumbled, reaching to turn off the light and cuddling up with Nick again.
~~~~
Nick woke in the morning and slid his hand over the sheets, thinking he'd find Jourdin beside him and give her a hug. When he realized he was the only one in bed he sat up, rubbing his eyes. He glanced at the clock, it was only 9... where was she?
He got up and brushed his teeth, then headed down the hall, wondering if she was making breakfast. He got to the kitchen and was disappointed when he didn't smell anything cooking. He glanced at the table, and there was Jourdin, surrounded by open books and notes spread all over the table.
He smiled as he watched her for a moment, her head bobbing to the music playing in her headphones, mouthing words he couldn't decipher, her pen tapping along on the table. He snuck up behind her, nibbling on her neck.
Jourdin jumped and turned around to look at him, pulling off her headphones. "Mornin'." she said, kissing his cheek.
"How long have you been up?" he asked, pulling a chair up beside her and glancing at her papers.
"Since about 6:30."
"6:30?!? Why the hell did you get up that early?"
"The dog woke me up- she was whimpering, so I got up to take her outside and we ran around the yard and by that time I was wide awake, so I figured I may as well stay up and start studying." Jourdin explained.
"Oh... I didn't even hear her... sorry."
"It's okay... I've almost gotten one of my review sheets done. I'm starving, though... you think I could talk you into going to McDonald's?" She made her best puppy-dog face, figuring he wouldn't be able to say 'no'.
Nick put his hand over his eyes, "If I can't see the puppy face, it won't work on me."
"Well then I'll just have to take more drastic measures..." Jourdin said, her hand creeping over his thigh.
Nick moved his hand and dropped his eyes to watch where Jourdin's fingers were roaming.
She just barely brushed the inside of his thigh and then took her hand away. "Get me a McMuffin and I'll consider continuing that." she said, winking at him.
Nick growled and stood up. "That's not nice."
"But it's effective." Jourdin smirked, putting her headphones back on and resuming her studying.
Nick kept grumbling as he trudged up the steps to change his clothes, Lyric abandoning the ball she'd been playing with to nip at his heels. He certainly didn't mind going to get breakfast for her, but he didn't think the teasing was very fair, especially when he knew she should be studying instead of playing with him.
~~~~~
"How's it going?" Nick asked, walking into the kitchen to check on Jourdin. He hadn't heard her cussing at anything in a while and was wondering if she was still awake.
She looked up at him, obviously totally wiped out from doing nothing but studying for the past three days. "I need a hug."
"Awww, Boo..." Nick crossed the room and scooped her up out of the chair. "Why don't you take a break and we'll go for a walk?"
Jourdin looked at the mess at the table, knowing if she left she'd never want to come back to it. But her ass was numb from sitting there for so long and she could practically see the programming codes swimming in front of her eyes, even when she closed them... "Yeah... let's do that."
Nick set her down, "You wanna take Lyric?"
"Yeah, I want to bring her," Jourdin nodded. "I should change my clothes..."
"Nah, you look hot." Nick said, getting on his hands and knees to reach under the table and wake up Lyric who had been napping at Jourdin's feet.
"Excuse me?" Jourdin asked, peering under the table at him.
"You look hot... all casual...your navel ring just peekin' out a little. I like your hair pulled up like that.. just those little pieces falling down over your neck.. it's really sexy." he said, getting up and walking over to the counter and grabbing the leash to put on Lyric's collar, then setting
her down on the floor.
Jourdin looked down at the tank top and pair of Nick's pajama pants she'd swiped, the waist rolled down several times to make them fit better... he thought she looked hot like this? Damn... he WAS perfect. "I love you so much." she said, slipping her arms around his waist.
Nick chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "Just being honest."
Jourdin followed Nick to the door, slipping on her shoes that she left in the garage. She took Nick's hand as he held it out to her, walking down the sidewalk in front of their house. After a while of silence, she said, "Thanks for getting me out of the house."
"I figured you could use it... you've been working so hard." Nick replied, giving her a smile. "Plus, I like doing things like this... like that older couple we see walking around here all the time.. looks like they're so happy just bein' together... I want us to be like that... just be happy 'cause we're together.. even when we're old."
Jourdin stopped walking and reached up, sliding her hands around Nick's neck and pulling him down to kiss her. She looked in his eyes, "Nothing makes me happier than being with you."
Nick kissed her again, "So you're still gonna be with me when I'm old?"
"I'll be with you forever, babyboy."
~~~~
Jourdin walked out of her com theory final, feeling fairly confident she'd done well. All the studying she'd done for the tests with Luke had made reviewing for the final fairly easy. She'd watched him for a little while today, when the professor had been handing out the exams, wondering if he'd actually been interested in studying, or just interested in her. She'd talked to Tabitha as she'd been walking to class from the parking lot andTabitha had told her Luke had never asked her or the other girls to study again after the one test. Jourdin had been sort of shocked, Luke had told her that the other girls just hadn't wanted to study anymore, and she began thinking that all the 'study dates' had been a sly way of trying to get her to spend time with him, which had worked when they'd begun hanging out- going to basketball
games or bars.
She still couldn't believe she'd let herself leave Nick all those nights- but she felt like she appreciated him more now than she ever had. The past week had really made her see just how much he spoiled her- making her take study breaks so she wouldn't get burnt out, giving her massages every night, drawing baths for her and soaking in the Jacuzzi by candlelight with her... there was no way she could let that go.