Page 71 of Billionaires Don't Date Cheerleaders
“Here you go,” he said, handing me the clothes. “I hope they fit.”
I took them from him gratefully and smiled up at him.
“Thank you so much,” I said, feeling my heart swell with gratitude. This was more than just a simple gesture—it was like he was giving me a piece of himself. Jude stepped into the hallway while I quickly changed. I didn’t have a bag in here with me, so I just folded my uniform and left it on his dresser for the time being. When he came back into the room, he had blankets piled up in his arms.
“What are you doing?” I asked. He dropped the blankets on the bed.
“If you’re going to stay here tonight, I wanted to make sure you were comfortable,” he said. His eyes widened a little. “I guess I didn’t actually ask if you were okay with sleeping in my bed. Because it’s okay if you’re not. We have tons of guest rooms and?—”
“Jude,” I interrupted with a laugh. “It’s okay. I kind of figured I’d be staying in your room if I slept over.”
Jude sighed in relief. “Okay. Good. I’m glad.”
“Though, now that I think about it,” I said. “Does your brother know I’m here?”
“Oh, he’s gone for the weekend,” Jude said.
“It’s like the night you stayed at my house,” I said. “But opposite… obviously.”
Jude laughed and slipped under the covers of his bed. He patted the spot beside him. “Come on.”
“I don’t know,” I said. “My mom always told me to never get into a boy’s bed.”
“Even if all they want to do is cuddle?”
“Well… I guess I can make an exception for that. But only because you’re really, really cute.”
I slid into the bed as well. He immediately moved his arm so I could cuddle up right next to him with my face pressed against his chest. If I had the chance, I would never leave here.
“Hey, Sloane?” he started.
“Yeah?” I asked sleepily.
“You can call me Luca if you want.”
I turned in his arms so I could look up at his face. His cheeks were slightly pink, and I could tell he was embarrassed about what he said, but there was also a hint of hope in his eyes.
“I'd like that,” I said softly. He smiled and let out a breath he must have been holding. We looked into each other's eyes for a moment, then he leaned forward and kissed me tenderly on the forehead. For some reason, the gesture felt more intimate than any kiss we had shared before. He pulled me close again, and I nestled against him contentedly as we drifted off to sleep together. The smell of his cologne filled my senses, along with the warmth of his embrace—it felt like nothing else mattered in the world when I was here with him. The only thing I needed was for us to be together.
Luca,I thought.Luca. I think I might be in love with you, Luca Jude.
fifteen
“Areyou sure it's okay for me to be up here?” I asked as Jude was bringing me up to his room again later that week. “I mean... you’re really allowed?”
Jude grinned. “There’s not really anyone to tell me not to, you know. I guess Asa could try to tell me not to, but I don’t really listen to him anyway.”
“Yeah, I don’t really listen to my brother, either,” I said. Jude smiled and closed the bedroom door behind him with a click. Then he sauntered closer to me.
“So... we’re all alone in my room,” he said. His hand slid around me, pulling us close. “Whatever will we do?”
“Don't be a tease, Luca,” I whispered. His real name sounded so foreign in my mouth; I guess I’d have to start saying it more.
“I'm not,” he said. He kissed me then, his lips soft and coaxing, fitting perfectly against mine. I let my hands slip under his shirt, feeling the smooth skin of his back. He took a step forward, forcing me backward, and kept going until my legs hit the bed. I fell onto the mattress with a surprised squeal, but it wasn’t long before his lips were on mine again, making me quiet. He pulled away again a few seconds later and smiled down at me. “If you keep making noise, we’re going to get caught.”
“So I'm not allowed to be here then?” I asked. Jude smirked but didn’t answer with words as his lips came crashing back down on mine. But the moment was short-lived as he suddenly pulled away again and cocked his head like he was listening for something.
“What?” I asked. I pushed myself up onto my elbows. “What is it?”
