“This is probably breaking a rule,” he murmurs.
I swallow. “Definitely.”
“Then let’s make it worth it.”
And just like that, Dylan Fleski leads me onto the dance floor, and I let him.
His hands are warm as they settle on my waist, his touch erotically sensual—or is that just my dirty mind. I try to place my hands on his shoulders, but when he shakes his head and laughs, I relent and link my fingers around his neck.
“So, you want to dance with a professional dancer?” I say with a flirt. “That takes some balls, Fleski.”
“Oh, I’m happy to show off my balls any time you want,” he says before shocking me into a quick dip backwards. “Or match you dance move for dance move.”
“What if I want to kick high?” Not that I could kick a soccer ball in this dress, but it’s more about the banter.
“Then, I’ll have to go low.” He drops into a squat and slowly raises, pretending to lick up my legs, belly before putting his tongue away. “You’re just lucky there are children present.”
“You’re just lucky your knees didn’t give way.”
“Truth.”
We move in slow circles, the world fading. Sage is safe with Saxon and her friends. People can either watch us, or not. I don’t care about the whispers or the cameras.
Dylan is here.
He came for Sage and me.
His grip on me tightens slightly, his thumb grazing the small of my back, teasingly close to the edge of my panties. “I didn’t think you’d let me get this close again.”
My breath hitches, but I force myself to stay steady. “I didn’t expect to see you, at least not like this.”
“I told you, Em. I’m not going anywhere.” His voice is low and rough, sending vibrations up and down my spine. “We are not done. I told Kenzie I’m done waiting for her to set me up on my choice of a fake date.”
I close my eyes for a moment, swallowing past the lump in my throat. “But, I …”
He’s still holding me when the song ends, and for a moment, neither of us move. I don’t want him to let go, and he makes no move to release me. How long can he hold me before a chaperone decides our dancing is not appropriate?
Then a familiar loud voice cuts in. “Okay, okay, break it up, lovebirds!”
Squid shoves his way between us, grinning up at Dylan. “Clearly, you don’t know how to dance with a gorgeous woman. I call dibs on Emma.”
Dylan chuckles, stepping back as Squid drags me back to the center of the dance floor. “Guess I’ve been replaced.”
Squid pretends to lead me in a break dance, and when I turn back, Dylan is surrounded by Sage and her friends, hamming it up.
And just like that, my heart doesn’t belong to me anymore.
Chapter 28
The Fallout
Emma
Sunlight filters through my bedroom window, warm and soft against my skin. For a moment, I let myself sink into the quiet peace, the kind that’s been missing from my life for months. The kind I’d forgotten was possible.
A night free of nightmares.
A night full of … Dylan’s kiss … Dylan’s tongue … Dylan threatening to stop if we wake our siblings in the living room. Anight full of Dylan is more than I hoped for. As for sleeping in his arms, consider me ready to reconsider this whole forbidden love deal.
