The Perfect First (Fulton U, #1)(91)

“Probably for the best. Hannah can be a real bitch when she doesn’t get what she wants, which probably means Edgar is in for a rough night. Poor guy.” She glanced back over her shoulder to a very irate Hannah standing with her arms crossed over her chest.

People parted out of the way to give us some room. The moderately fast-paced song switched up to a slow one almost as soon as we found our spot.

We stood there staring at each other. I took a step forward, and Mak hesitated before looping her arms around my neck. The sensation was back now and worse than before. Staring down into Mak’s eyes, I really saw them for the first time. They were the brightest blue I’d ever seen. Maybe it was the room or a trick of the lights, but I’d never seen so many blues in one spot.

It was the soft stroke of her fingers along the hair at the nape of my neck that made my hands tighten on her waist. The way she stared into my eyes, I don’t even know if she realized she was doing it. Like her hands had a mind of their own, trying to soak up a little bit more of me. And I figured that was how she felt because my fingers had the same idea as I pulled her in tighter against me. Her lips parted, and her eyelashes fluttered.

The thud of my heart pounded as we moved to our own rhythm under the dim lights at the center of a sea of people. Electricity buzzed through my body, but I knew it wasn’t just the vodka. It was all to do with the woman in my arms who usually drove me up a wall.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you without your glasses before.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in a tux before.” Her pink tongue darted out to lick her bottom lip. The wetness left behind drew my gaze to it, and I wanted to have my own sample of her lips.

“You’ve never been to prom before.” My hands pressed into the small of her back, closing the tiniest of gaps that had been between us. Why did she feel so good in my arms? The blues and greens from the fish tank washed over us like a spell had been cast and we were living in our own little underwater bubble.

“Almost didn’t come to this one.”

“Why not?” I leaned my head back, savoring the trail her fingertip blazed along the base of my neck.

She never let herself have any fun. Normally, it also meant no one else could have any fun and it irked the shit out of me, but tonight I just wanted to hold her close on the dance floor all night.

“It’s not really my thing, but I figured it’s a rite of passage and all, so I decided to come.” She shrugged her shoulders.

“I’m glad you did.”

Even with the pretense of her helping me out of a dance with the devil—aka Hannah—gone, we stayed out there through a string of slow songs. At least I think they were slow songs; our tempo didn’t change. It was the first time we’d probably had a civil conversation with each other in years. So weird that it would happen now. It was like one of those high school movies I swore I never watched, but I had at least a few times, where the big thing happened between the two nemeses.

My head dipped down slightly. It was like the warning sirens blaring on a submarine. My blood pounded in my veins, and I needed to taste her lips like I needed my next breath. It was an uncontrolled dive, and I didn’t know exactly what I was doing, but she wasn’t pulling back. She wasn’t pushing her hands against me or cocking her hand back for a slap; if anything, she leaned in even more.

Her eyes almost fluttered closed as my lips parted, so close to hers. Her body went stiff, and her eyes snapped open wide. “Are you drunk?” She pushed back in my arms.

I let them drop. “No, I’m not drunk. I’ve had a couple drinks, but that’s it.” I took a step toward her, and she took a step back.

Before I could say anything else, a booming voice came out over the squealing PA. “And now it’s time to announce our prom king and queen.” One of the prom committee girls grabbed me by the arm. “We need you up front, Declan.”

With a strength I didn’t think someone of her size could possess, she pushed me from the middle of the dance floor. I glanced behind me at a stone-faced Mak with her arms crossed over her chest. She was back at our table and had her glasses back on her face. Things were back just how they’d always been.

The bright lights hanging from the ceiling shined in my face as they went through whatever the hell they were doing up onstage. I kept my eyes on Mak with the corners of my mouth turned down as she slowly made her way toward the double doors.

“And this year’s prom king is Declan McAvoy!” Someone placed a crown on my head, and everyone cheered. The doors closed behind Mak, and I couldn’t help but feel like that was the end to something. The end of something that hadn’t even really started. But I know one thing. If I’d known how long it would be until I got to hold her again, I’d have held on a bit longer.





*



If you’d love to know more about Declan and Mak’s history it all starts in SHAMELESS KING!

Enemies to lovers has never felt so good!

Declan McAvoy. Voted Biggest Flirt. Highest goal scorer in Kings of Rittenhouse Prep history.

Everyone’s impressed, well except one person…

I can’t deny it. I want her. More than I ever thought I could want a woman. I’ve got one semester–only four months–to convince her everything she thought about me was wrong.