"What's the verdict?"
I kept my hand on his face. I gulped. I wanted him to kiss me. I wanted to get over Professor Hunter. "You're my Westley."
"As you wish." Tyler grabbed my waist and pulled me against him.
For weeks I had felt empty. I didn't want to feel empty anymore. I grabbed both sides of his face and kissed him. His kisses werefamiliar now. Soft and loving, yet enticing. I didn't flinch when his hands drifted to my ass. I liked his hands on me. There had been so many almosts with him. Tonight wouldn't be an almost. I was finally going to have him. I grabbed his collar and pulled him down so that I wouldn't have to stand on my tiptoes. I wanted him to pick me up and take me to his room. I wanted all of him.
"Oh my God." I released his collar. "I'm so sorry." I took a step back but Tyler grabbed my wrist.
"Penny, what's wrong?"
"Natalie. You're still going out with Natalie. How do I keep forgetting about her? Geez, is she here?" I looked around the room. There weren't any girls staring at us. Maybe she wasn't here yet. I needed to get out of here.
Tyler sighed. "I'm not going out with her anymore."
I took a step back toward him. "Why?"
"I stopped seeing her after you and I almost...after we...well, after you and I almost had sex."
"Why?" I asked again.
Tyler took a deep breath. He let go of my wrist and leaned back against the wall behind him. He rubbed the side of his neck. He finally looked back at me. "Because I realized that I couldn't stop thinking about you."
It felt like my heart was beating out of my chest. "Are you still thinking about me?"
"Always." He said it without hesitation. He was so sure of what he wanted. I wanted to be sure for him.
"Penny! Tyler!" Melissa came up to us.
I reluctantly broke my eye contact with Tyler. He hadn't said it, but it felt like he loved me. How could he love me? I had been so awful to him. But I liked him. I really liked him. It still felt like my heart was broken though. A part of it was still with Professor Hunter. Would I ever get that part back? Would being with Tyler help? Or would it just make everything worse?
Melissa shoved cups of beer into both of our hands. "Come on! Let's dance!"
"But..." I tried to say. Melissa grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the basement. I looked back at Tyler.
He shook his head and started to follow us.
We made our way down the steps. The room was dark except for a strobe light. I drank a few sips of beer so that it wouldn't spill while I was dancing. Melissa pulled me into the middle of the dance floor. I let my body move to the beat of the music. Before I knew it, two hands were at my waist. Tyler pulled my waist into him. I began to grind against him.
"I thought you didn't like to dance like this?" he yelled over the music.
"That's before I knew that I wanted you."
Tyler pushed my hair to one side and kissed the back of my neck. I felt chills sweep down my spine. I did want him. I had never stopped thinking about him either.
"You never guessed what I am," I said to him.
Tyler spun me around. "Sexy as hell."
I laughed. "I meant my costume."
"Hmmm...a plant?"
"Tyler! You really don't know?"
Tyler laughed. "Of course I know. You're the sexiest Poison Ivy I've ever seen."
I finished the rest of my beer. I grabbed his hand and pulled him off the dance floor and toward the stairs.
