Page 27

The Homecoming Dance

B rayden looks at me with the same intense longing I've seen in his eyes all night. Every touch lasts a moment too long, making me want to taste the sweet warmth of his delicious lips. Every look smolders, bringing color to my cheeks, as he pairs a look with a stroke of my exposed skin.

His hand moves from the top of my back, slowly, straight down to the bottom, pressing me against him, making my body tingle, my insides quiver. He knows what he's doing, that he's creating a fierce desire inside me; that's what he's counting on.

He inches in a bit closer as we move in perfect precision to the music, slow music that seems to want to keep us on the dance floor, locked in each other’s arms.

Holding me close, he brushes up against me.

In an attempt to escape the look in his soft brown eyes I lean into his chest, and rest my head there, bringing me right up against the warmth of his body.

The familiar smell of his cologne comforts me, but only for a moment before it feeds the growing fire burning deep inside.

I want him.

Each beat of my heart, every breath, brings me closer to succumbing to this unyielding desire.

Every sweet caress serves to convince me we belong together.

No matter how I try to convince myself that it’s wrong, that we'll only end up hurting each other in the long run, I keep getting lost in the pleasure the present promises.

A soft moan passes his lips, and I hold him tighter, my fingers dig into the hard muscles beneath his clothes. I know I don't have the strength to fight the cataclysmic pull that keeps me drawn to him, that keeps me unable to move out of his arms.

I look around the large, dimly lit room, but only for a few seconds. I don't care about anything else in here, not the decorations hung on the walls, or the bubble machine chugging away on the side. I don't care to see what the other girls are wearing, or even if they're pretty. Not tonight.

The only thing I want, the only thing my brain could wrap itself around is Brayden; Brayden's brown eyes and award winning smile. The feel of his arms holding me against him. The fresh clean smell that hangs on him no matter the time of day or night.

All I know is Brayden.

"I miss you," he whispers, his breath tickling my ear. "I'm so glad you're here."

I give myself the benefit of the doubt, thinking I could chance a look in his eyes and not be captivated by their intensity .

I'm wrong. There's heat in his eyes. They're smoldering.

Unconsciously I lick my lip before answering. "I miss you, too."

He takes a chance. I knew he would eventually. He leans in, and presses his lips against mine. They're soft and warm, as always. I don't pull away, I want more. My mouth opens, inviting him in as my hips press against his.

I want this kiss. I've wanted it since Brayden picked me up. I didn't initiate it because I wasn't sure one kiss would satiate me. I'm not sure one night will either.

His eyes trail from my head, down, all the way down.

I don't miss how they hesitate at the neckline of my dress.

I know he wants to bring his hands there; they always seemed to gravitate to that area.

But Brayden, being the perfect gentleman, resists the urge.

It's a battle apparent in his eyes. He waits and feels me out.

He can read my reactions. He knows my body, just as well as he knows my heart.

"Do you feel that?" He brings his mouth beside my ear and speaks in a soft, velvety tone. "Your pulse racing? The swirling of your stomach? Do you feel the heat between us? It's a wild fire burning out of control. It's getting bigger and hotter by the minute."

He kisses me again. This time there's hunger and need in his kiss.

One hand gets lost in my hair, the fingers on the other hand press into my flesh.

He wants more. He wants all of me, and I want to give it, give in.

I swallow hard, still delusional that I have an ounce of control over what I'm doing or where things are leading .

"Kenzie, I love you. And I want you back."

That's the final straw. It's the reason I came.

I want to make sure it's still there. Not just the attraction that never left, but the love, the desire, the all-out need for each other. I’ve felt it all night.

I see it every time he looks at me. But hearing his declaration, I'm lost, prisoner to his every whim.