“Have you ever been to prom?” I asked.
“That’s a strange question.” He tilted his head. “Are you asking me to go to prom with you?”
Something familiar nagged at the back of my mind, but I shoved it away, not wanting to dwell on all these strange feelings. “No…” I drew out the word. “I don’t even know your name. Why would I ask you to go to prom?”
He grinned. “So, why did you ask me about prom then?”
Why didn’t he take this opportunity to tell me his name? Annoyance flared in my chest. I tempered it and shrugged.
“I’ve never been to prom. My old school in New York… I was supposed to go to that one, but I ended up moving here before I could. And the school I go to now already had their prom. I just imagine this is what it must be like.”
“High school prom isn’t this fancy.” He chuckled. “I’m sorry you haven’t been to one, though. Everyone should get that opportunity.”
I sighed. “There’s always next year.”
The song ended and another one started. He made no effort to release me, and I didn’t complain as he ushered me around the dance floor again.
“Yes, I’m sure your boyfriend will be more than happy to take you.” His voice had dropped lower, almost menacing.
“Oh, I don’t have a boyfriend.”
“Hmm.” The sound came out more like a growl than a hum, and I leaned back slightly, muscles tense. What was that all about?
It was in that moment that I realized just how little I knew about him. What if he wasn’t as nice as I thought he was? What if, on the outside, he was a charmer, but on the inside, he was a psychopath? I nearly snorted at the thought. If he was dangerous, I’d know it. My instincts had never led me astray before, and I trusted them not to now, either.
“Where do you go to school?” I asked.
“Up until recently, I was homeschooled.”
My eyes widened. “Really? That’s kinda cool.” And that answered my lingering question about him being Jaxon’s brother.
“Not really. I’m starting at The James da Vicente Preparatory school on Monday.”
I froze, and he stopped moving, too. “Seriously?”
He nodded.
“That’s where I go.” My voice was oddly detached as I tried to wrap my mind around such a strange coincidence.
He beamed a smile that made my breath catch and my heart race. “And now I’m really looking forward to it,” he said.
“Don’t get too excited. That school is awful, and no one is friendly,” I said, my tone harsher than necessary.
“I guess it’s a good thing I already know someone then, huh?” He gently nudged my shoulder, and we exited the dance floor as if we both knew what the other wanted without having to ask.
We found two empty seats at the bar. He pulled the chair out for me, and I sat. He occupied the spot beside me, his arm resting on the back of mine as if he wanted to put his arm around me but was too shy to do so. Should I tell him it was okay?
“Lucky you,” I teased. “I’m sure you’ll have no trouble fitting in.”
In fact, I’d bet Olivia would call dibs the second she laid eyes on him, and I was sure she wouldn’t hesitate to dump her boyfriend in favor of the hot, new guy at school. That tingling memory of familiarity returned like an itch I couldn’t scratch.
“Why do you say that?” He rested his other arm on the bar and turned so he was facing me.
“Have you seen yourself?” I waved my hand up and down his body. “Girls will be falling over themselves to get your attention, and all the guys will be your friend because they think if they’re nice to you, you’ll somehow help them get laid.”
He let out a surprised laugh. “Well, I certainly won’t be facilitating any hook ups. But I have to know… Will you be one of the girls trying to get my attention?”
I smiled as innocently as possible. “Don’t I already have your attention?”
“You most certainly do.” His eyes narrowed, and his gaze heated as it roamed down the length of my body. “My complete, undivided attention.”
I squirmed under his scrutiny, fighting to hide the thrill that shot through me. “Won’t your girlfriend be upset you’re giving me so much attention?” Not the smoothest way to ask if he had a girlfriend, but I was nosy.
His lips quirked with a knowing smirk. “What makes you think I have a girlfriend?”
“Don’t you?”
He laughed like we just shared some private joke, though I had no idea what that might be. “Would you be upset if I did?” he asked.
I shrugged. “Why would I be? I hardly know you.”
He leaned closer, and I sucked in a sharp breath. He smelled like the outdoors, like the trees and mountains and fresh air. Like home.
“Maybe we should do something about that.” His voice was velvety, and I couldn’t suppress the shiver that shot down my back.
“Is that your way of saying you want to get to know me?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
“You sure ask a lot of questions.” His eyes sparkled like freshly shined sapphires.
Another almost memory slammed into me, but it vanished before I could grasp anything about it. I shook my head but smiled, remembering how Abby loved to bombard me with questions every time something happened. She’d freak if I told her about this guy.
“It runs in the family,” I said.
His gaze darted over my head, then landed back on me. What was he looking at? I didn’t care enough to turn around and find out, because I had a feeling if I did, he’d disappear again, like he had at the concert.
“I should be going,” he said.
I fought to keep the disappointment from showing on my face. “Well, thanks for letting me run into you.”
“Any time.” He winked, and once again, my heart beat out a hard, longing staccato.
