Falling for the Backup (Novella): The Assassins Series (10 page)

“Yup.
 
I know it’s only been three weeks but I’m crazy about you. And I do think you are pretty amazing.”

Aynslee nuzzled her nose along the hair of his jaw and smiled before whispering, “I like you.”

“Good,” he said dusting her lips with his, “Because I like you too.”

As Jordan began to kiss her in a way that wasn’t appropriate for school, all Aynslee could think about was how great things were going and that she wasn’t ready to let that go. She had no clue what would happen when the season was over and that scared her because her heart belonged to Jordan Ryan.

Chapter 8
 

 
“Surprise,” Jordan said with a grin.
 

She could tell that he had no clue if this was okay, but little did he know, it was perfect. Looking up at the sign, she laughed.
 

“Annual Mud Run,” she read, looking over at him.
 

“What do you think?”

She smiled as she wrapped her arms around his middle.
 

“You really know the way to my heart.”
 

“I was hoping you’d say that,” Jordan said, kissing the tip of her nose.
 

“I’ve always wanted to do this.”

“Really?”
 

“I mean what girl doesn’t want to run through mud with her hunky boyfriend?”

Jordan laughed before saying, “I could name a few.”

“Ah,” she said waving him off, “divas, I tell you.”

When r the runners began to approach the starting line, Aynslee saw someone taking pictures beside them, and quickly pulled Jordan to her before asking the guy to take one of them. After the photographer shot their photo and gave told them where it would be posted
 
online, Jordan took her hand to lead her to the starting line. She had always loved doing stuff like this and for Jordan to know that in the short time they’ve been together had her heart doing flips. Looking up into his gorgeous face, she smiled as love warmed her heart. It had been only a little over a month, but she was a firm believer in,
‘When you know, you know.’

And with Jordan, she knew.
 

Once in place, Aynslee faced Jordan with her game face on. “I bet I can beat you.”

Jordan laughed again, shaking his head before leaning over for a quick kiss. Only a breath away, he said, “In your dreams.”

Then the horn sounded and they were off.

For once, Aynslee was very appreciative of her size.
 
Being small helped her get through the pits and puddles faster than Jordan though she quickly learned he like to play dirty.
 
She loved it. Some girls would have been pissed but Aynslee had grown up with competitive brothers and all it did was fuel her fire. She ran full speed ahead, jumping over a puddle that he had managed to get stuck in which
 
put her in the lead. Completely drenched in mud, she crossed the finish line with a big grin on her face and her arms in the air.
 

It was a complete blast and when she turned to see Jordan trudging over the finish line, his eyes glaring and his body covered in mud, she couldn’t hold in her laughter if she tried. He walked over to her as she continued to laugh.
 

“I don’t know what you are laughing at! You look just like me!” he pointed out as he crossed his arms.
 

“Oh no, I’m laughing because you are a very sore loser and a cheater!” she smirked as she picked up a hot rag off of a nearby table that they had stocked for the runners to clean up with after the race. She loved the run, but mud in the nose wasn’t working for her. When she glanced up at him, he was still glaring, and then with ninja like moves, he grabbed her, rubbing his mud filled hands all over her face. She tried to get away, but he tackled her to the ground. Their laughter mingled together as he lay on top of her. With his mud splattered body rubbing over hers, Aynslee suddenly felt aroused.
 
If they weren’t in the middle of a park, she would’ve shown him how dirty she could be.
 
Jordan must’ve felt the same way because his eyes grew darker as he said, “Right now I feel like I’ve won.
 
Want to go back home so I can claim my prize?”

Aynslee closed her eyes as the laughter took over once again.
 

God, she loved this man.
 

~*~

~*~

Leaning back in the massage chair, Aynslee smiled as Brittany, her nail tech, scrubbed her feet and told her about her daughter’s dance recital.

“She can’t dance a lick, she gets that from Steven’s side of the family, I tell you,” Brittany said with a shake of her head. “Bless her heart, she goes to kick and falls on her ass! I’m laughing so hard I’m screaming, ‘It’s okay baby!!! Mommy loves you!’”

Aynslee and Sadie both laughed. .
 

“See you blame it on Steven, but if my baby is a girl and wants to dance, I’m screwed. I have two left feet!” Sadie joked. “Can Jordan dance?”

Aynslee nodded her head with a big grin on her face. “I think so, I’ll definitely find out tonight.”

They were going to a benefit for Jordan’s teammate, Erik Titov who was
 
hosting a charity event to help abused kids. Aynslee was all about helping kids and was excited when Jordan asked her to come.

“Jordan? Who’s that?” Brittany asked. “I didn’t know you were dating someone.”

 
“Remember, the guy that ran out on me? After I got my nails done last month, I went for a run and bumped into him and let’s just say we haven’t spent much time apart sincethen.”

Brittney’s face broke into a knowing grin as she slapped Aynslee’s leg.

 
“So he’s the hockey player right?”

“Yup, a goalie for the Assassins and oh my God, I just adore him.Actually I’m pretty sure I love him.”

Sadie whipped her head around to stare at her as Brittney’s mouth dropped open.
 

“Say what?” Sadie asked.

“Really,” Aynslee stressed “He is so perfect.
 
He loves video games like me, took me on a mud run, loves to watch the same movies as me and get this, he lets me rap to him.”

“No way!” Sadie laughed since she knew that Dan hated when Aynslee rapped at all. He said it wasn’t lady like, but she didn’t care.
 

“Rapping is a must in a relationship.” Brittney said in teasing way.
 

Aynslee giggled . “Right?! Jordan is everything I ever wanted.”

She hadn’t been this happy in a long time. Even her mom could feel there was something different about her when they spoke on the phone last night.
 
When she heard about Jordan he mom
 
wanted to meet him, but since their future was still up in the air, Aynslee told her mother to wait a little and then she’d bring him home. She only hoped she would be able to.
 

“Are you talking about Jordan Ryan?”

All three women looked over to see a woman staring at them. The first thing Aynslee noticed was that she was extremely beautiful. Big blue eyes, framed with thick black lashes. Her blonde hair was styled in wide curls draped around her shoulders, and she wore designer clothes. Aynslee couldn’t see her shoes but she was sure they were expensive .
 

Aynslee nodded as she said, “I am.”

“Are you dating him?”

Aynslee narrowed her eyes as she nodded again.
 

“Yes.”

The woman’s eyes travelled up and down, taking Aynslee’s measure before raising an eyebrow. Clearing her throat, she hung her hand over the chair, showing off one hell of a rock on her left hand. “That’s so nice, I’m Leanna Masterson, his ex-fiancé.”

Aysnlee wasn’t sure if she was holding out her hand to shake, so she simply said, “Aynslee Shaw.”

“So how is Jordan? His knee doing better?”

A part of Aynslee didn’t want to tell her anything, wanted to turn her nose up at her and return to her conversation with her friends.. From what Jordan had told her, Leanna had left him in such a shitty way.
 
How could someone walk out on the person they are supposedly in love with? Especially when they desperately needed them? This woman ruined Jordan’s self image and if Aynslee hadn’t been so persistent with him, he would probably still be the socially awkward guy she had met on the plane.
 

Jordan was different now, more outgoing and confident, . They had gone to dinner with Sadie and Phil one night, and they had all gotten along so well. Phil and Jordan even made a man date to go play golf! He was branching out and she knew it was because of her. He was happier now, and all he had to do was get his career issues fixed and life would be great. As long as he didn’t leave.
 

“He’s doing great. We are really happy.”
 

Leanna gave her a snide smile.
 

“That’s so nice, I’m glad. I think of him from time to time. I’m getting married to my amazing Justin, you probably know him, Justin Yates, with Yates and Yates? No? Well he is wonderful and we are expecting our first child this August,” she said with a wave of her hand. “We are really happy too.”

Aynslee felt like she was trying to rub something in her face, Aysnlee couldn’t care less. With a condescending smile, she said mimicking her, “That’s so nice.”

Leanna smiled faltered for only a second before she said, “I hope it works out for you two.”

The words were like knives because Aynslee wasn’t sure if it would work out. At this point the future was unknown. The past month and a half had been blissful, but they still hadn’t talked about what was going to happen after the season was over.
 

“We will, he is a dream come true,” Aynslee said, batting her eyes for good measure. “I wish you the best with your marriage and pregnancy.Congratulations.”

Aynslee was proud of herself because what she really wanted to do was pour nail polish all over Leanna’s feet and then stick her tongue out at her like a three year old but she managed to refrain and instead turned back around to her friends.
 

But unfortunately the damage was done. Meeting Leanna had officially ruined her day, and probably her night with Jordan too.
 

***

Jordan was standing by the kitchen counter when Aynslee got home. A smiled played on his lips as he watched her throw her things down, and take off her coat. She looked beautiful, as always, but when she glanced up her usual sunny smile was missing.
 

That was weird.
 

“Hey,” she said sliding her flip flops off before walking towards him. He thought she was going to come to him, but she didn’t and he knew then that something was definitely wrong. She went to the fridge instead and took out a bottle of water. Coming up behind her, he wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her neck before nuzzling his nose in her wild red hair. When she didn’t respond he knew his suspicion was right.
 

“Want to tell me what’s wrong?”

She fell back into him and let out a long breath.
 

“I saw your ex today.”

”How?” He said cautiously.

“She was at the nail salon.”

“So, what happened?” he asked with concern. It was obvious that Leanna had said something to upset Aynslee and it worried him.
 
Aynslee left his arms, and leaned against the counter .
 

“She’s pregnant and getting married to some rich guy,” she said slowly.
 

Okay, he knew that and if he didn’t care than why should she?

“Yeah, I know.”
 

She nodded as she looked down at the ground.
 

“Oh.”

“I don’t care. She means nothing to me now, you know that,” he said reassuringly.
 

“No, I know. It isn’t that.”

“What is it then?”
 
“She just kept saying how happy she was and it was annoying. But then she said, I hope it works out for you two and it just stung because,” she paused as Jordan’s heart pounded hard against his chest.
 
He knew what was coming and he wasn’t ready for it. Her eyes glazed over with tears and it was like a shot to the heart.
 
He couldn’t even look at her as she whispered, “I don’t know if we will work out and it scares me.”

Looking down at the ground, he felt himself shutting down. This conversation wasn’t supposed to happen yet. Everything had been greatand they were happy. Why put a kink in their happiness? With a shake of his head, he said, “I want us to work out.”

“I do too, but we’ve gone this whole time acting as if you aren’t leaving. I don’t know what’s going to happen when it’s time for you to go.”

“I understand that, but Aynslee,” he said looking directly at her, “we said we would reevaluate everything when the time came. Let’s not worry, let’s enjoy what we have together right now. I am so happy and it’s because of you, baby. Why upset us both with the logistics of what could, what will, or what won’t happen, right now?”

“Because I don’t want to let you go,” she said softly. “And I feel like I’m going to lose you.”

Jordan let out a long breath as he ran his hand through his hair. He didn’t know what to sayor what the right thing to do was. All he knew was that he loved this girl and as much as he wanted to tell her that, he knew it would only make it worse. One day soon he would leave her, and they both knew that. Tthe scariest thing was that with each passing day, he wanted to give it all up, just for her. He knew he could ask her to go with him, but that didn’t feel right. Shaking his head, he said, “I told you from the start I was leaving. I don’t know what to say, I don’t know how to make this better. I’m sorry.”

Aynslee slowly nodded as her lips started to tremble. When a stray tear rolled down her cheek, she turned away quickly, going to the sink where she dumped out the water she hadn’t even taken a sip of. Jordan couldn’t move, he felt like she had just kicked him in the stomach with just that one small tear.