“Next week.”
“Next week?” His voice pitches up, incredulous, though the corners of his mouth curl into a grin. “Dude, Dad’s gonna kill you.” He leans back in his chair, amusement flickering across his face. “Although... smart move. He’ll hate the idea of having a divorced son even more.”
“Exactly why we’re doing it in secret.”
“Luca!”
Her voice cuts through the music, clear as glass. My head snaps up before I even register the word.
Emma’s on the dance floor, waving at me, her smile brighter than the prom lights spinning above her. The sequins on her dress catch the glow, throwing sparks of silver across the room. She’s practically glowing, hair falling loose as she bounces on her heels. “Come dance with me!”
My stomach twists. I hate dancing. I hate prom. But for her? Yeah. I’d do anything.
“Watch my drink,” I tell Oliver, thrusting the cup into his reluctant hand. He smirks, muttering something under his breath, but I’m already gone—pushing through the crowd, my focus locked on the love of my damn life.
Emma always pulls me in—doesn’t matter where I am, she’s gravity, and I’m just... orbiting.
The song changes to a slow one. I slide my hands around her waist, and she wraps her arms around my neck like it’s second nature.
Everyone here knows we’re together. And somehow, that made some girls stop talking to me, while some guys kept asking why I was withone of the Green sisters.
My answer never changed: Whywouldn’tI be? I can’t think of anything more ridiculous than not loving her.
Emma’s the light in all my shadows. She’s the color I didn’t know I was missing. She’s... the future.
I can already see it—us living together in a tiny apartment, broke but happy, maybe with a kid or two or three. Traveling the world in secondhand sneakers. Just beingus.
“Everyone’s staring,” she whispers, suddenly self-conscious.
Her green eyes are brighter than ever, framed by a little makeup. Just enough.
They’re staring because no one expects me—silent, brooding,me—to be wrapped around the girl with paint on her face and stars in her eyes.
But I don’t say that. Instead, I lean into her ear and whisper, “They’re staring because they want to know what’s going on between us.” I tilt her chin so she’s looking at me. “Let’s give them something to talk about.”
And I kiss her. Right there, right in the middle of the dance floor, whileI Don’t Want to Miss a Thingplays like the world is conspiring in our favor.
She kisses me back without hesitation. Her body fits against mine like it was made to. “Don’t do this to me…” she breathes, forehead pressed against mine.
I laugh, low and rough. “Do what, little lamb?”
“That. Get me all worked up… even your brother’s watching.”
I glance over. Sure enough, Oliver’s staring at us, curiosity written all over his face. “He just doesn’t get it yet. What it feels like to hold the person you love.”
Emma’s cheeks flush as we sway together, slow and close. “Do you think he ever will?”
My hand slides lower, trailing down her back until I reach her ass. “Honestly? I don’t want to talk about my brother right now. Come on.”
I take her hand and pull her with me, sneaking away from the crowd. We slip into a dark room off the hallway—the supply closet, maybe. She hesitates for half a second. But this is my world. The dark. The quiet. And in it, I make her mine.
Animal love.
Just like always.
Istare at my reflection in the secondhand mirror I bought. It’s chipped in one corner, but if I tilt my head just right, I can see myself clearly enough.
Wait—what is that?
