“No, we’re going as a group. Some people have dates but a few of us don’t.” I’m sitting on my hands now, wondering where the hell he’s going with this. Of course I don’t have a date. I’m datinghim, aren’t I?
We arrive at my house. Because of course we do. This drive is so damn short.
He puts the truck in park and turns towards me. “If it’s not too late, I’d really like to take you to your prom, Lainey. I know this isn’t a fancy way of asking or anything, but a boyfriend should take his girlfriend to prom, right? And I want to take you.” His face is still blank.
“Your girlf... boyfr… you want…prom?” A chocking sound comes out of me and I look everywhere but at him. He unbuckles his seatbelt, then mine. He takes my sweaty hands in his.
“Yes. Girlfriend. Boyfriend. Prom.” He’s smiling, like my little freak out amuses him. He kisses my knuckles, looking at me with such warmth it takes all my words away. “Lainey?”
I clear my throat. For some reason I have to blink back tears.
Why do I feel like crying?
“Andy, I… You don’t have to. I’m sure you already went to prom once, you shouldn’t have to do it twice. Really…”
“Actually, I never went to my prom. And Lainey, I know I don’t have to do anything I don’t want to do. Is it really so hard for you to believe Iwantto be with you? All the time? Is it so hard for you to believe I want to see you all dressed up? That I want to slow dance with you and hold you? Because I want to do all of that, Lainey. With you. Only with you.”
Annnnnd now Iamcrying. “How do you do that? You say all these amazing things and make me feel ways I've never felt. I don’t know what to do with it all sometimes.”
He wipes away my tears with his thumbs and when another escapes, he kisses it away. He doesn’t respond to me. Not with words. He just kisses my cheeks and looks at me in a way that makes me feel treasured. Adored.
I stop crying and look at his eyes. “I have a question for you, too.”
He just nods, those amber eyes roaming over my face like he’s reading every micro expression, learning every detail.
“Why did you start calling me Lainey? You never call me Elaina anymore.”
Andy pauses, looks into my eyes and smiles. “Elaina is a beautiful name, but it’s so serious. Formal. Lainey just feels more like the sweet, bubbly person I see you as. I heard your dad use the nickname and it just suited you so perfectly.”
“Yes.” I say, a little too loudly.
“Yes, what, Lainey?” He cocks his head to the side, faking confusion. I know he wants to hear me say it.
“Yes. Girlfriend. Boyfriend. Prom.”
We both start laughing, and before I know it, his lips are on mine. We kiss for so long my lips start to feel numb. And I still want more of it. Of him. It all feels just so good. So right.
As always, Andy ends the kiss slowly, kisses me on the tip of my nose and walks me to my door.
“Goodnight, my sweet girl.”
seven
. . .
Prom was lovely.Andy looked amazing in his tux and matched his tie to my lavender dress. He got along with all of my friends and actually seemed to have a good time. We slow danced and he told me I looked beautiful about a hundred times.
After prom there was a small gathering of just our group at my friend Shannon’s house and we camped out in the field behind her house. I thought Andy might try to fool around, or maybe even have sex. We haven’t talked about it, but we’ve been together for over a month now and though I’ve never wanted to take this step with any other guy, I want to with him. I know it won’t be his first time, like it will be for me, but it doesn’t bother me because of the way he treats me every day. He’s sweet and kind, respectful and gentle. He’s always the one who puts on the breaks. So now that prom is over I need to make my intentions clearer.
Andy is picking me up in a few minutes. I’ve got my favorite skinny jeans on, paired with a soft pink off the shoulder sweater and a lacy black bralette. Yes, I’m trying to tempt my boyfriend into doing more than just kissing me. I’m aching for him to touch me. I have never ached for anything in my life!
When I open the door, I see his eyes roam all over my body, lingering just a second longer on my bare shoulder and the black lace that peeks through just slightly where the edge of my sweater rests low on my chest.
“H-hi.” His voice cracks and I reel in the smile that wants to break out on my face.
It's on!
“Hey!” I say, in a perfectly normal tone, loving the effect this outfit is having on him already.
