Waiting on the Sidelines (Waiting on the Sidelines #1)(80)

I was a little off guard. I thought about it, and it entirely depended on the direction my evening went. I decided to leave it open. “Maybe. I’d like to, but maybe ask me after the dance? You know… in case I’m beat.”

There, that was good. He just smiled and nodded an ok.

We walked up to the door the same time as Sarah and Jax and we all went inside together. Everything was perfect. The seniors always get to decorate for the dance. They had strung white lights everywhere and lined the entrance with a twisted arch of black and white balloons. There were fiber strings dangling from the ceiling, too, making it look like sparkling stars were hovering above. Each table had a small, simple candle and white table cloths. The white chairs were tied with giant black ribbons. It was exactly as I’d want my wedding to be, I thought, minus the balloons.

I took Tyler’s arm and we followed Sarah to a table near Sean and Becky, who were adorably matched, her gray dress complementing his gray shirt and silver tie. “Woah, what a fox,” Becky joked, flitting up my skirt a little.

“Thanks,” I smiled, my eyes squinting as I shielded myself from the burning attention.

Sean walked over and gave me a small kiss on the cheek, whispering in my ear “you look amazing, Noles.” I just smiled back at him and touched his cheek. He was a good one.

Before he left, I grabbed his arm and made an urgent face. He knew what it meant. “Yeah, he’s here. He brought Stephanie. They’re sitting with us,” he cowered a little, afraid of how I would take it. I just nodded and said “OK.”

I put my purse down and decided to lead Tyler out to the dance floor. It was a nice slow song, so I put my cheek flat against his shoulder and tucked my hand underneath. We rocked back and forth slowly and I felt his fingertips glide up and down my bare back. It was soothing, somewhat. But whereas it may have possibly lit my body with desire a few days ago, it only lulled me into a feeling of sleepiness tonight.

My eyes wandered around the room, searching for Reed. I knew that my heart would both soar and sink the second I found him, but I had to find him anyhow. He was my drug. I saw Stephanie first. She had on a skin-tight pink dress that hitched way up on her thighs and her golden hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail with layers of curls. My eyes caught her wrist as it dangled over Reed’s shoulder. She was wearing a delicate white corsage, mostly baby’s breath. It was feminine and subtle. Exactly the type of thing Reed liked, I thought.

Reed’s back was to me, which gave me time on my own to take him in. He was wearing a formal, fitted sweater, mostly black. I could see the hints of the gray and light blue argyle pattern on the front as he was slowly turning. His straight, black pants were tight on his muscles and melted into his black shoes. He looked like a GQ ad, his hair smoothed back, but still curled a bit on the ends. I could only imagine what this dark look did to his bright green eyes.

I tucked my chin in more to Tyler’s chest as we turned, hiding my gaze from Reed, hoping he wouldn’t see me watching. His eyes were looking out over the crowd, his interest clearly not in his date. This made my insides warm over.

Finally, he spotted me. I lifted my face a small bit to acknowledge that I was looking, too. Our eyes were locked on each other as we both turned slowly, almost as if we were dancing with one another despite being in strangers’ arms. Reed never smiled. Not once. But he also never wavered, holding me in his gaze until the song ended. I watched him walk over to the table and sit in a chair next to Sean while Stephanie went to greet some of her friends, his stare continuing to focus on me while I stayed on the dance floor.

Tyler and I remained out there for another song and then he led me back to our table before he left to find a restroom. My back was to Reed as I sat next to Sarah and Jax, listening to Sarah talk loudly about how the DJs at the school dances never play hard enough music. I feigned listening to her, nodding and smiling some as I looked sideways, but I knew Reed was still watching.

I was acutely aware of the angle of my face and chin as I turned my head, aware of how my eyes looked and which way the strands of my hair fell. I pulled the lipstick from my small purse and held up the tiny mirror from my compact, slowly tracing my lips with it and rubbing them together with the glossy red before putting it away. There was a fire in me that was forcing me to act out, draw Reed in, and I couldn’t stop myself.

The sound of the chair scratching along the floor as he stood up caused me to turn slightly more, and then his hand was on my bare shoulder. He leaned down next to me, his mouth actually touching my ear a little as he spoke. “So, do I get a dance?” he asked, his voice full of suggestion and confidence. I could have been held at gun point and there was no way I was saying no.

Turning to face him as I stood, I caught myself a little in awe. He was wickedly handsome, and when his eyes dipped to take in my entire body I melted. Purposely fluttering my eyes and looking up at him, I smiled softly and took his hand to lead him out to the dance floor.

He grabbed both of my hands and pulled them around his neck, sliding his own down my arms until finally letting them land at the small of my back. We swayed slowly, intensely staring at one another, both wearing suspiciously faint smiles. I narrowed my eyes a little and turned my head to our table to see Sarah and Sienna whispering (about us, I was sure).

“So, how’s your date,” Reed asked, pointed and short. Still focusing on my face, my mouth.

“He’s fine, thank you very much,” I said curtly. “How’s…Stephanie?”