When I gave the leash a tug, Chopper unsurprisingly refused to budge and instead rubbed his nose against Jude’s arm. “Maybe he likes your cologne or something,” I said, sounding fucking ridiculous again. Why couldn’t I just shut the hell up?
The corner of Jude’s lip lifted fractionally and I nearly lost my breath at how pretty that smile looked. It would probably kill me on the spot if I were ever given the privilege of seeing it in its full glory. It might be as blinding as the dazzling sun.
“I read somewhere that dogs are responsive to scents,” I said, and at this point I was just making this shit up, talking myself in circles. Jude might flee just to escape my ridiculous commentary. “Maybe you have a dog or a cat and he smells them on you.”
Sadness filtered through his eyes for a flicker of an instant. He shook his head and I wanted so much in that moment to know him, to hear his story.
“Once upon a time, I did,” he said, gracing me with his gravelly voice at last. It was one concise sentence. And that had been enough for him. He seemed to think that more information would be unnecessary. Except now I wanted the specifics. I smartly kept my lips sealed shut.
He scratched Chopper behind the ears one last time before he rose to his full height, at which point I was able to catch a whiff of him. He smelled like the outdoors—moss and cedar blended together. That was the only way I could describe it. He was about an inch taller than me and all I could think about was closing the space between us and angling my mouth firmly against his.
But then I considered how badly my jaw would hurt when he punched my lights out. I glanced down at his muscled forearm and I took a backward step. The guy inside the smoothie shop was the person I should’ve been thinking about hooking up with, not Jude. At least that guy was gay.
And almost as if he’d materialized from my thoughts, that’s exactly who stepped out of the shop at that moment, with his small frame, pretty eyes, and yellow Smoothie King shirt. “Cory, you forgot your change.”
That must’ve been how badly I had wanted to get away from that counter and that conversation. I shoved the dollar bill and quarters in my pocket. “Hey, man, thanks.”
He seemed to be deliberating something else and then finally blurted out, “A few of us are probably heading up to Racers Friday night.”
I stood there struck dumb because he’d broadcasted this in front of Jude. Not that I hid who I was or where I hung out. Jude already knew that I had an ex-boyfriend who had abandoned Chopper. But suddenly I just wanted him to shut the fuck up.
“Cool, maybe I’ll see you up there,” I said to speed him the hell back inside.
When he hesitated and held out a piece of paper, I cringed. “If you want to see me before then, here’s my number.”
It was my receipt with his digits scribbled across it, along with his name. Jonathan. That was it. When I closed the receipt in my fist he bowed his head and batted his eyelashes at me before turning and heading inside.
I remained motionless but I could feel Jude’s gaze on me. When I looked over at him, there was something unreadable in his eyes. But it wasn’t disgust or embarrassment that he had witnessed a possible hookup. It was more like watchfulness or maybe protectiveness. I didn’t know what that was about, but it did make me wonder why he was here in the first place, outside of the smoothie shop.
Did he know we had headed this way or did he see my dogs by chance and stop to greet them? Or maybe Chopper had make a spectacle of himself as Jude skated by and the only thing he could think to do before the dog brought the fucking bike rack with him was give him attention.
I felt so uncomfortable from the silence and my convoluted thoughts that I needed to fill the quiet immediately. “Those were some cool stunts you guys were doing back there.”
A long silence stretched between us and then he tipped his chin as if in thanks.
“Jude,” I heard a voice call behind him. It was the other skateboarder, the one from the concrete stairs. Jude turned his head to look back. “We’re headed to the bowl.”
Jude nodded and lifted his hand in a wave. Then the guy looked at me and recognition dawned on his face.
“Hey, man,” he said. I had inked something on him last year. Some kind of Japanese anime skateboard dude on his bicep, I think it was.
“How’s the ink holding up?” I asked.
“Great,” he said, flexing his muscle so I could see my creation. It was moments like these that always seemed to throw me. The surreal fact that my art was on a person’s body and they were walking around with it permanently.
“Might consider adding something else,” he said as he began skating across the street.
“Cool by me,” I said, giving him the thumbs-up.
I met Jude’s gaze one last time as he righted his board and stepped one Vans sneaker solidly upon it. “Probably a good idea you’re headed the opposite direction or Chopper might want follow you home.”
A streak of crimson washed across his cheeks before he pushed off with his foot and sailed down the sidewalk.
Chapter Four
Today was the day of Jude’s appointment. Normally I didn’t pay much attention to my schedule outside of having a general idea of what my agenda was for the day, but this one stuck out like a beam of light. Probably because I didn’t know what to expect.
Also because I knew I had to control my reactions around him to make him feel comfortable. I did not want to screw up my artwork over some lame-ass crush. I was more professional than that and now was the time to demonstrate it.