So Many Boys (The Naughty List #2)(68)

Joel made a face and then smiled. “I have a better idea,” he said, standing up and extending his hand to me.

I was scared to take it. What if my back spasmed again? What if—

“Take my hand,” he whispered, his face becoming serious. “Be with me.”

My stomach fluttered with anxious butterflies. He was right. I did like him. Without thinking anymore, I slid my cool palm into his, immediately comforted by his warmth. Joel pulled me to my feet and stood me up close to him. Carefully he put his hands on either side of my waist as I put my hands behind his neck.

“May I have this dance?” he asked.

I looked around the empty bleachers and the field beyond. “Here?” There weren’t even any paper flowers!

“Right here.”

I stared at him, seeing both his affection for me and his insecurity that I might walk away at any moment. And to be honest, I knew I should.

“Right now,” he added, pulling me just a little closer.

Being against him and enjoying it were wrong. But I couldn’t stop myself even if I tried. There were things I’d done in my past that I wasn’t proud of. All the time with SOS, Christian, and some of my poor relationship choices with Aiden. And even as I stood, slow dancing in the bleachers, feeling completely…well, smitten, I had a feeling that out of any of my mistakes, this could wind up being my worst one.

Totally and completely falling for my ex-best friend’s ex-boyfriend.