Page 28

Chapter 27

JORDY

I was ninety-nine percent sure that Dani just said I was hers. I thought that’s what she said, but just to be sure, I needed to hear it again. Elijah walked off, leaving Dani and I standing next to each other in the dimly lit bar.

“Say that again,” I insisted.

She smirked. “Say what again, exactly?”

“I’m yours?” I stepped towards her, gripping her hands beside her hips.

“It’s possible that’s what I might have said. We can’t be too sure, it’s kind of loud in here.”

I pulled her body into mine, with her head tilted up to look at me, and my fingers pressed under her chin. “I am yours Dani, and you’re mine.” I kissed her. Nothing about it was sweet or kind; it was the kind of kiss for laying claim to someone, and that was exactly what I was doing. Dani was mine and someone would have to pry her out of my cold, dead fingers to take her away from me.

I’d never felt this way about anyone before, and Dani just made everything make sense. No second guessing was necessary.

“Think we can get out of here?” I asked. She nodded with her reply. We walked hand in hand down the street, lights flashing, music blaring from inside the various bars, but I was only focused on her. “What does this mean for us now?”

She glanced up at me before returning her gaze to the street in front of us. “What do you want it to mean?”

“Is this where I ask you to be my girlfriend ?” I teased. We both laughed.

“I’ll be whatever you want me to be.”

Stopping in the middle of the street, I captured her face in my hands. I needed her to know how I felt about her. Really felt about her. “I love you.”

For a moment, her eyes widened before returning to their softness that I loved so much. “I love you, too.”

Our mouths met, gently moving against each other in the middle of a crowded street. Cheers from the nearby balconies rang out, claps and some suggestive comments followed suit, but that was New Orleans. When you loved here, it was embraced by everyone. No matter if you were a complete stranger or family.

I pulled back from the kiss, a smirk on my mouth.

“Yeah, Jordy! Get your girl!” a guy yelled from the other side of the street. We laughed along with everyone else.

I hummed, tilting my head and placing a piece of hair behind her ear. “My girl.”

“Your girl wants to go home now,” Dani said, wiggling her eyebrows. “You’ve been such a good boy today and you getting jealous earlier—”

“I did not get jealous, I simply wanted to know everything about what happened between the two of you, that’s all.”

“Jordy. That’s being jealous.”

“Whatever.” I grabbed her hand and pulled her back into my chest. “But he isn’t the one that gets to make sweet, sweet love to you in my bed tonight…is he?”

Dani raised a brow. “And who says I’m gonna be in your bed tonight?”

“That’s it.” I gasped, reaching down I gripped her hips, hoisting her over my shoulder before I started to walk down Bourbon Street. Cheers continued as we left. “I say so,” I insisted. “You’re my woman and you’re coming home with me.”

Laughter vibrated through her and I slapped her ass for good measure. “Oh my God, Jordy. People are watching us, don’t slap my ass,” she cried while continuing to giggle.

I glanced around at everyone’s faces, at their Kings jerseys, and in this moment I felt unstoppable. I had everything.

Including the girl.

***

I scraped the bottom of the ice cream tub, shoving a full scoop in my mouth.

“That was so attractive,” Dani joked and leaned back on the headrest of my bed, while the T.V. flashed with replays from the game.

“I know I am,” I said with a mouth full of chocolate chip ice cream.

“Can I have a bite?” she whispered as she leaned in.

I pulled the tub of ice cream away from her and grunted. “No. It’s mine. And it’s gone.”

Secretly, I reached my spoon back at the bottom, taking a final spoonful. She launched on top of me, trying to peel the ice cream out of my hands.

“Jordy! Share with me!”

“No! It’s mine.” I hollered, trying to keep it away from her. I leaned back, ice cream tub in my right hand, and my left hand wrapped around the back of her neck. Our eyes locked and our laughs ceased.

Dani leaned down, pressing a kiss to the corners of my lips before completely taking over me. Just as I was getting into the mood, I felt the tub rip away from my fingers and the coldness of Dani no longer being there.

She had taken my ice cream tub and ran out of the room.

“Dani! You hussy! Give it back!”

If this is what our relationship would be like forever, then sign me up. Playing with her, loving her—it was my new favorite thing.