the etiquette classes.
I took a seat and he slipped in next to me, moving his chair closer. “You smell like chocolate,” he whispered, causing a grin to pull at my lips.
“While you were enjoying your low-calorie gelato, Sage snagged us the good stuff.”
Another grin pulled at his lips and my entire stomach dropped out. Sawyer was one of those guys who got hotter when they smiled, like a rare gift you weren’t prepared for. And bam it came out of nowhere.
“I think I have the good stuff right here.” He winked at me.
Holy shifter babies, it took me a second to realize he was talking about me. Maybe we weren’t just friends…
I gulped and gave a nervous laugh. “Yeah, you totally pick the good stuff last,” I jived. “Makes perfect sense.”
He leaned in, bringing the heat of his body with him. “I saved the best for last. That way we can sneak out of here and no one will expect to see me anymore.”
I froze as a devilish smile played at my lips. “Sneak out?”
He nodded, calmly looking at his mother and father, who sat off to the side. He gave them a little wave. “That way we can go on a real date.”
My heart jumped wildly in my chest at his proclamation. I remembered the note he passed to me in photography class; maybe he also wanted to talk about that. “What’s your plan to escape the royal entourage, my liege?” I gestured to the crowd and he smiled.
“Well, my lady, I was thinking first you should give me a kiss on the cheek. You know, for theatrical reasons.”
“Of course,” I agreed.
“And then walk away from the table and go outside. I will say goodnight to everyone and meet you out the back entrance.” He cracked his knuckles like it was the perfect plan.
I couldn’t help the stupid boy-crazy smile that lit up my face.
“I accept this mission,” I told him.
Leaning in, I kissed his cheek, letting my lips stay there longer than was probably appropriate, and then stood from the table and gave a big fake yawn. “Good night, Sawyer. I’m tired.”
He gave me a halfcocked smirk. “Night, Demi.” Then he winked as I walked away from the table. When I got to the back of the room, I walked toward the exit doors at the left, away from Sage, who was waiting for me. She looked confused, and then grinned. She must have put together what we were doing. Pushing the doors open, I hit the fresh night air just as I heard Sawyer wish everyone a good night.
Creeping around the side of the building in my heels, I found the back entrance. Eugene was waiting there but he didn’t look confused at my approach. “Good evening, Miss Calloway.”
I swallowed. “Hi. Good evening. Er, Sawyer asked me—”
The doors opened and Sawyer walked outside, casually slipping his hand into mine, and butterflies took flight in my stomach. We started to walk down a dark moonlit corridor and headed toward a building I didn’t recognize.
“Did they buy it?” I whispered, leaning into his shoulder, loving the way it felt to touch him, to hold his hand and be close to his body.
Sawyer shook his head. “Meredith looked suspicious, and mother gave me quite the scowl.”
Laughter pealed out of me. “Oh no. Not a scowl.”
“Sawyer!” Meredith’s voice stretched into the night air and we both simultaneously burst into a run, trying to contain our laughter. Running down the hallway, escaping his ex-girlfriend and laughing about it was a highlight of my night.
After a moment, I glanced over my shoulder and I saw Eugene walking briskly behind us but not Meredith.
Whew. Crisis averted.
When we reached a stone arch doorway to what I assumed was his house, we were both panting and out of breath. One of my curls was stuck to my lip gloss, jostled from the run. Reaching out, he tenderly brushed the hair away from my lips.
“So, how are you going to win me over?” I asked. “This better be the best date of my life, because I have a lot of prospects you know.” I gestured to the empty dark night.
A slow grin pulled at his lips. “I like you, Demi. You’re not like the others.”
The others. And just like that he reminded me that I was in a race to win his heart with forty-nine Barbies of various shapes, sizes, and colors.
Gross.
“I was thinking pizza and video games.” He opened the door to the room and I