I try not to look across the floor as Anthony and I move to the music, but I can’t help it. Sawyer grabs Hailey’s waist, bending her a little, so that she’s grinding even farther into him. I make a counter-move, picking up Anthony’s hand and laying it on my own waist. We’re nowhere near as raunchy or as close as they are, but this is more PDA than I’ve ever put on.
I watch those clover-green eyes grow a murky color, the hue of the sea when it rages and thrashes during a storm. He’s jealous, pissed, and scheming, I can tell.
But I’m not backing down. If he wants to play, let’s play.
Sawyer moves his hands up to the curves of her breast.
I turn around and put my butt flush to Anthony’s crotch.
He moves a leg between her thighs.
I wind my arms around Anthony’s neck.
I watch as Sawyer bends, his lips skating over her neck, and then … I’m out. My blood runs cold, realizing that not only did he get under my skin, but I’m leading someone on who I have no interest in.
I don’t want to be a part of this competition, if that’s what I’ll have to witness. It gutted me enough reading those words he wrote about me all those years ago, and I’ve been able to stay—mostly—unaware of his dating pursuits. But to stand here and watch him be all over another girl? To put his lips on her? I can’t do it.
I hastily mutter some apology to Anthony, one he probably can’t hear over the music, and rush off the dance floor. Most of the hallways are gated off, since they don’t want students wandering the school and causing mayhem. But I know the one that isn’t and make a break in its direction. I need some air, and I need it in private.
Not even two feet into the hallway that isn’t shuttered, I hear the door I just came out slam behind me again.
“Blair.”
Sawyer’s baritone follows me down the hall, and I close my eyes as I start to speed walk faster. I’ll hit a dead end eventually, so there is no point in running away, but I do it anyway.
“Will you just …” He sounds exasperated, but he’s getting closer.
Why the hell did he follow me? Hasn’t he made a big enough fool out of me in there, even if no one else bore witness?
The far off chords of Khalid and Normani singing “Love Lies” haunts the hallway, and I know it the moment Sawyer catches up with me. He doesn’t even touch me, but I stop, knowing I won’t walk away from him any farther.
Wordlessly, I turn, and he’s standing there in front of me with one of the most anguished expressions I’ve ever seen.
“Blair.” I’m not sure what he’s going to say, but I don’t want it to be some excuse.
“Don’t. I don’t want Slick Sawyer, or the guy who is going to use his charm to try to skate over what you were doing back there. I know the real you. So … don’t.”
His eyes dart to the floor, and I watch as his tongue darts out to lick his bottom lip. My core clenches with that small move, and even though we’re not in the crowd of people back in the gym, this hallway is the temperature of an inferno.
Sawyer doesn’t say another word as he moves toward me, and I stand stock-still like an animal just hunted down by its prey. I don’t move as he presses his body to mine, or when his hands fall to my waist. My arms stay by my sides as he pulls me closer and begins to sway.
It’s not until he bends, pressing his forehead to mine and closing his eyes as if he’s in agony, that I wrap my arms around his neck.
The music is slow, the lyrics singing about being truthful to a partner about whether you’re into them or not. It’s a sexy, pulsing beat, and we move to it.
Alone, in this hallway for no one to see, we are one. Everything else falls away, and my heart weeps. It’s hammering so rapidly that it would be a miracle if Sawyer doesn’t hear it. We’ve never held each other like this, not even when we were friends. But this isn’t the embrace of friends, is it?
This is the dance of lovers, and I’m in so much trouble. My heart is in so much trouble.
In the background, the DJ begins to announce the homecoming king and queen and their court by grade.
“And for the senior class, your homecoming queen is … Hailey Heller!”
Sawyer doesn’t let go of me as the cheers erupt in the gym behind us. Our heads are still pressed together, and I can feel his raspy breath on my lips.
“And your homecoming king is … Sawyer Roarke!”
Those green eyes connect with mine, but he doesn’t take his hands off my waist. They’re cheering for him in there, and it dawns on me that this is all we have. Just this stolen moment, a display that no one else will see. It’ll be his dirty little secret, but his true life is in there. As the king among them, poised to take his crown and reap their congratulations.
“Go,” I tell him, trying not to betray the emotion crawling up my throat.
“Blair …” His face is a storm of expressions.
It’s the third time he’s said my name, and I just want to slap him. He can’t just come out here and make my knees turn to jelly without even attempting a real conversation.
“Go. They’re waiting for you.” I back away from him, being the one to break our connection.
When his hands fall away, I feel empty and cold.
“I don’t want to …”
I’m not sure if he means he doesn’t want to go back in there, if
