She gives me the cutest scowl. “Why do you call me that?”
I can’t help the smirk that stretches my lips. “It’s the perfect nickname. I can’t believe no one else calls you that.” And I’m glad they don’t. It’s always been something special between us, whether she knows it or not.
Her lips pucker in an effort not to smile. She quickly loses the battle. “I can thank my great-great grandfather for the weird family name.”
I know this, because I’m a student of all things Tiger Lyons. “I like your name. It’s perfect for you. I just like my name for you better.” I wink, thinking she’ll laugh, but she stares into my eyes like she’s sifting through my words to find the lie.
I guess she sees what she wants because she relaxes, and we begin to move.
I’M HOLDING TIGER LYONS IN MY ARMS.
And it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. She smells like spiced cinnamon and feels like a dream. Like I always knew she would.
“You’re pretty good at this.” The warm smile she gives me is all I’m living for.
“I asked my mom to teach me to dance when I was a freshman. I read somewhere it could improve my footwork on the football field.”
“I’d say it worked.”
I shrug. “Maybe a little.”
Her laughter burrows under my skin and becomes a part of my DNA. I have got it bad for this girl. Unfortunately, our time together won’t go past the end of this song.
Disappointment, insecurity, and a loathing for what my name represents rips at the fiber of who I am. I’ve never wanted to be anyone else, especially since I started playing football, but I’d happily change places with that douchebag Brad just to spend one evening with her. Speaking of which … “Where’s Brad?”
It’s her turn to shrug. “I don’t know. We broke up two days ago.”
What?
We broke up. I’ve been waiting forever for that to become a reality. How did I not know this? “Oh, sorry to hear that.” It’s not true. I’m freakin’ ecstatic.
Her head cocks to the side, making her golden curls bounce. “Truth or Dare?”
It’s a game I started playing with her during our science project to get her to open up to me. I’m pretty sure she learned as many of my secrets as I did hers.
“Truth or Dare, Cash?”
“Oh, um, truth.”
Her teeth flash when her lips split into a gigantic smile. “Are you really sorry I broke up with Brad?”
I pull the hand I’m holding to my chest so that it’s nestled close to my heart. “Not even a little bit.”
Her lips disappear between her teeth, and she ducks her head. When she raises her gaze to mine, the prettiest pink flush blooms up her neck and over her cheeks. I want to chase it with my lips, my hands, my tongue.
When she closes the distance between us, and begins to play with the hair at the back of my neck, every thought evaporates from my brain.
“Dancing with you feels exactly how I fantasized it would.” She drops her gaze and is speaking to my top button.
“You’ve fantasized about me, Kitty Cat?” The words are dry as kindling coming from my parched mouth.
Her shoulders hitch up, then drop down, and she can barely meet my eyes. “Maybe a little.” The innocence in her voice causes my heart to knock against my ribs.
“I might’ve fantasized about you a little too.” I say it before I can call it back. But when I see the interest in her gaze, I’m glad I told the truth.
We’re alone on the dance floor, completely absorbed with one another, and on full display for the whole student body. I know our every move will be discussed, dissected, and repeated all over school, hell, all over the whole damn town. Maybe I should care, but I don’t. Because with every note of the song and every sway of our bodies, the definition of who I am changes because of what I see reflected back to me from her sapphire gaze.
I’m someone she could be with.
I’m the guy who will treat her the way she deserves to be treated.
I’m worthy of her.
The song ends, and we don’t break apart.
She stays in my arms, and I’ve never been as happy as I am in this moment. “I don’t think I can let go of you.” It’s only a breath of sound. I’m not capable of more with her this close to me.