I watched her and Sean walking toward the parking lot, his arm around her shoulder.
Ana was my best friend, and mistake or not, she’d never tell anyone.
Chapter Fifteen
Ana
“Mom, enough with the pictures.”
She snapped at least thirteen more before I could get away.
“I can’t help it. My baby girl looks gorgeous. So grown up.” She covered her mouth as tears filled her eyes.
“Mom.” I laughed at how emotional she was getting. “Stop.”
“Okay, okay. I’m going to get ready for dinner with my friends, but I’ll be over to take pictures of you and Sean before you leave. Now go on.” She shooed me out the door.
“Okay. Love you, Mom.”
“Love you too.”
I made my way over to Kevin’s house where we were all meeting up for the limo to pick us up. Isaac’s SUV sat in the driveway, which meant the guys were already there. I stepped inside and was greeted by Kevin coming down the stairs. Seeing him in a tuxedo with his hair swooped back had me pausing with my hand frozen on the open door.
“Hey,” he whispered, looking me up and down. His eyes felt like a caress as they scraped over my nearly exposed chest. My dress was a pale, barely there pink, with a floor-length chiffon skirt and a lacy fitted top that had the perfect amount of sparkle. The V-neckline showed just the right amount of cleavage, but in the back, it dipped so low, you could see almost my whole spine. It hadn’t felt too risqué until I stood wrapped in Kevin’s stare.
The silence stretched between us as we took each other in. Unable to handle it anymore, I closed the door and tossed out a joke. “I guess you’ll do.”
He came the rest of the way down the stairs and stood in front of me. Even in heels, I had to look up to him. We were only a foot apart, yet I felt a pull, like I was fighting to not step any closer or I would fall into his chest.
“I’ll do?” he asked, quirking an eyebrow, his voice low and deep.
“I guess.” Maybe if I took a step closer, took a deep breath and let my chest brush against his, I could’ve pretended it was an accident. Just a small brush to ease the tug between us. His long fingers grazed my cheek as he tucked a strand of fallen hair behind my ear. Chills spread from the point of contact down my spine.
Biting my lip, I breathed him in. His scent, all classic boy with a dash of cologne, called out for me to reach for him, to support myself against him. Just a step closer.
“There’s my girl.” Sean came barreling out of the kitchen and down the hallway. “Out of my way, Harding.” He pushed Kevin aside and swooped me up in a hug, kissing my temple before setting me down and taking me in. “Hot. Dayum. I’m going to have the hottest girl at prom. I’m one lucky bastard.”
Sean did wonders for my self-confidence. Even though we’d been dating almost a year and had done little more than some heavy petting.
But that wasn’t important.
Nope.
Sean pulled me into his arms just as the door opened and the rest of the girls entered in a whirlwind of sparkle and perfume. It wasn’t long before we were outside taking more pictures.
Gwen and Isaac looked like they could’ve been in a magazine with their picture-perfect looks. Sean picked me up and we laughed through our pictures, despite how many times my mom asked for a serious pose. Chloe looked almost bored with her date, poor guy. And Jane clung to Kevin like a leech. I ignored the way she kept reaching for his hand and pressing it lower on her back.
She’d been trying to get with him for the past year and it made me feel . . . I didn’t know. I brushed it away because it shouldn’t have made me feel anything. I was saved from sinking too far into my thoughts when the limo pulled up.
“Okay kids, enjoy the afterparty,” Kevin’s dad said. This year, there was a Vegas-themed all-nighter that started immediately after the prom to entice us not to go out drinking and partying. It worked, because we got fake money to gamble with and plenty of options to keep us busy, from watching movies, to playing on inflatables. “And please don’t do anything that could get me in trouble in the office on Monday. No videos,” he pointed at all the guys.
“Dad!” Kevin said, clearly embarrassed.
“Hey, one sex tape scandal is enough for the Ohio government.”
“We promise, Mr. Harding. None of us upstanding gentlemen are into the freaky stuff like Prince was,” Isaac said, holding up three fingers. “Scout’s honor.”
Sean smacked Isaac’s hand down. “That’s the sign for the Girl Scouts, dude.”