last year, hardly anyone paid me any mind, which was fine with me. I introduced Alexandria to them and not one guy made a rude comment. Not a one.
Well, Shep did but that’s because he’s a dick. He actually wanted to start something. But no one gave him the reaction he was looking for so he gave up. Well, that and Jade made him stop before he took it too far.
Thank God.
“Want to go soon?” I suggest, hoping she’ll say yes.
She tucks her arm around mine and leans her head on my shoulder. “After our dance, I’ll be ready.”
Sighing, I turn my head and press a kiss to her temple. “Just one slow dance, okay? And then we’re out. I want to get you home and all to myself.”
“Okay.” Her voice is as soft as her smile and I reach out to touch her, draw my thumb across her bottom lip. I can’t not touch her—she’s become an addiction I don’t want to shake.
The song ends. A slow one begins and she grabs hold of my arm, dragging me out onto the dance floor. I take her into my arms and she loops hers around my neck, leaning back so she can smile up at me. She looks so pretty, so pleased with herself for convincing me to get out on the dance floor with her. This is nothing short of a miracle so she better enjoy it while she can.
I twirl her around, making her gasp, making her laugh and as we pass by a swaying Shep and Jade, he gapes at me like I’ve grown two heads.
“You’re a great dancer,” Alexandria says breathlessly when we slow down, her hands tightening around my neck. “Did you see the look Shep gave you?”
“He can’t believe I’m dancing,” I tell her.
“So you’re doing this just for me then,” she murmurs, her eyes glowing with happiness.
I stop moving and hold her close in the center of the dance floor. I don’t care who’s watching us. “I do a lot of things just for you.”
She smiles. I bend my head down, about to kiss her when someone taps me on the shoulder.
Practically growling, I turn to find my old friend Marc standing in front of me. We joined the fraternity together our freshman year. Used to party with him all the time though we eventually grew apart. Hard to make a friendship stick when all you have in common is that you both like to drink beer. “Hey, Marc—”
“Alex McIntosh? Holy shit, is that really you?” Marc’s not even looking at me. He’s grinning at Alexandria like he just found a long lost friend.
She blinks at him, panic racing across her face, her smile shaky. “Umm…”
“Don’t tell me you don’t remember me because I’ll call you a liar right now to your fucking beautiful face.” Marc reaches for her, pulling her into a bear hug, his hands sprawled across her back, way too close to her ass for my comfort. “I haven’t seen you since high school! Damn, girl you’ve grown up.”
He releases her before I have to step in between them, the lucky bastard. Marc’s staring at her but her gaze keeps shooting to me, like she wants me to say something. I don’t even know what to think. I’m still stuck on the last name. She told me it was Asher. But Marc said McIntosh.
What the hell?
“You two know each other?” I ask her.
Alexandria sends me a pleading look. “We went to high school together.”
“Oh sure, tell Prescott that as if we’re just acquaintances. Like we hardly know each other. We dated when I was a senior and she was a junior for like, what? The entirety of the football season?” The grin on Marc’s face says it all. “Had some fun behind the bleachers and all that shit. You know how it is.” The asshole actually winks at me.
Yeah. I know. He’s fucked her. And now Marc thinks we’re members of the same club or something stupid like that.
“It was nothing serious,” she tells me, like that’s supposed to somehow make it better.
“When is it ever serious, Alex? I remember you going through lots of boyfriends back then.” Marc guffaws like he told a hilarious joke.
I clench my hands into fists. Damn it, I want to rip his fucking face off.
“We should go…” she starts, turning toward me when Marc pipes up again.
“How are your parents anyway? I heard they got in a lot of trouble, what with those charges