“Kiss me?” Her tongue was baked parchment paper.
“You know…for practice?” His voice went hoarse. “It’s been a long time. I’ve forgotten how.”
Heavy-lidded, he waited, his eyes beckoning. His lips were poised. Waiting. And she was dying to taste them.
But I can’t!
How could she explain to her heart that his kiss meant nothing? That it was just for training?
She opened her mouth to turn him down. “Maybe just a short one.”
Did I say that?
Before she had time to recant, his lips descended, and light exploded behind her eyelids. His mouth moved over hers. Urgent. Hungry. Ellery had been kissed before, but never like this. It wasn’t the nervous, tentative kiss she’d expected. No, his mouth claimed hers as if he knew exactly what he was doing. Each brush of his lips stroked her senses and made them sing. Her blood pulsed, heating her from the inside out. He kissed her like he was starving and she was his only sustenance. And she wanted to be. She wanted to be all he ever wanted…all he ever needed.
Then his lips ripped away, and she almost cried out at the loss. Why had she specified a short kiss? It was the only one she would ever get. She should’ve made it last.
His forehead rested against hers, both of them panting. At least he seemed to be physically affected by the kiss, even though it hadn’t meant anything to him. But a sinking feeling settled in her gut, knowing he planned to repeat that kiss with Allegra. And probably improve on it, if that were even possible! One thing was certain…Ellery couldn’t watch it happen.
“Ellery…” His voice was thick with emotion.
“You haven’t forgotten as much as you thought.” Breathless, she made no effort to pull away. “If that doesn’t impress Allegra, she’s an idiot who’s not worth your time.”
“About Allegra…I don’t think she’s interested.” He lifted his head away, but still held her face captive between his hands.
“She won’t be, if we keep doing weird stuff like standing still in the middle of the dance floor.”
“She doesn’t care about me.” Logan sounded desperate. “I need to accept it.”
“A few minutes ago, you wanted to practice kissing for Allegra. Now you’ve kissed me, and you’re giving up? Was it that bad?” Ellery gulped.
“No! That’s not what I meant.” His hand pushed through his hair. “I’m saying I don’t care if Allegra doesn’t want me. Thanks to you, I’m ready to move on.”
“I don’t understand.”
A hand appeared on Logan’s shoulder. “Logan! My man!”
Eyes narrowing, Logan pivoted to face a man who seemed close to his age. “Hello, Pierce.” Logan shifted, brushing Pierce’s hand off his shoulder.
“The gang is about to move this celebration to a more comfortable venue. Allegra wants you to come.” Pierce’s gaze moved to Ellery, focusing on her cheek. “If you can get away.”
“Thanks, Pierce, but I have other plans.”
“You go on to the party. I’m getting a headache, anyway.” Ellery ignored the lump in her chest. Logan was going to get his chance. She should be happy for him. “If I hurry, I can catch a ride with your mom.”
She backed away.
“Ellery, hang on a second.” Logan held up a finger as he leaned close to Pierce, mumbling something.
Resolved to smother her feelings and do what was best for Logan, she pivoted and weaved her way off the dance floor.
“Ellery, hold up! I’ll drive you home!” Logan called, but a glance over her shoulder showed him still talking to Pierce, no doubt making plans to see Allegra at the party.
She had to get away before the tears that were stinging her eyes started flowing down her cheeks. She kept walking, snatching her shawl from their empty table on her way past. Out in the foyer, she followed the signs down the hallway and around the corner toward the restrooms, hoping to compose herself before she had to face Logan again.
She knew him well enough to predict he wouldn’t desert her if he caught her crying. She couldn’t let anything stand in the way of his happiness—his chance to be with the love of his life.
With her vision blurred, she turned a corner and ran smack into a wall. She blinked her watery eyes, and the wall turned into a man in a tuxedo. An angry man, from the look on his face. A drunk one, from his stagger. And from his sudden grip on her wrist…dangerous.
Logan’s stepfather!
Her lungs stopped working.
“You!” He leered close, reeking of alcohol.
Adrenaline coursed through her arteries. “Let go!”
“You’re the little tramp Logan’s parading around to humiliate me.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
She tried to pull her wrist free, but he gave it a painful twist, forcing her to bend with it, gasping with pain. Her heart pounded. She could scream for help, but she couldn’t risk getting Logan involved. If he and his stepdad got in a fistfight, Logan might end up in jail.
“After all I’ve done for him, he spits in my face.”
“Let me go!” Bent at the waist, with her arm twisted behind her back, Ellery struggled.
“Do you have any idea what he spent on that necklace you’re wearing? Just to spite me? As if I hadn’t supported him for fifteen years?”
