Was that a loaded question or what? Still, I smiled in returned. “You know what, Jeremy? I think I’ve been ready for a really long time.”
WHEN I WAS EIGHT years old, I met the prettiest girl I’d ever seen. I instantly wanted her to be my best friend. No question about it. It wasn’t just about her looks. No, it was more than that. At the time, I didn’t know what it was, just that it was. We had this instant connection. The whole love-at-first-sight thing? It was like that, but in a friendship kinda way. Like, I took one look at that pretty little girl with the blonde ponytail, and Cupid’s friendly brother aimed his arrow in my direction and hit me straight in the gut with a friendship shot.
Now, over eight years later, that girl had blossomed into a woman. The most beautiful woman I’d ever had the pleasure of laying eyes on. One second, I was laughing with my dad, who was trying to give me dancing tips—disco, no less—and Sierra’s dad, who was trying to enforce a three-foot rule for when she and I slow-danced. The next second, I expelled all the air in my lungs, leaving me unable to breathe.
The moment Sierra walked into the room, I was stunned speechless. Rendered breathless. Nearly knocked on my ass at the sight of her. Gone was the pretty little girl whose freckles I wanted to count. In her place was this gorgeous creature whose body I wanted to explore so I could kiss each freckle and then make my way down to discover where else they were hidden on her skin.
Simply being best friends with Sierra was no longer an option. I wanted more, and I’d wanted it for a really long time. And, that night, I was finally going to make it happen. No more playing it safe. No more wondering and worrying if she didn’t feel the same. No more pining away next door, wishing she were in my arms, her lips on mine, her hands fisted in my hair. Never again would I lie in her bed with her cuddled up against me as I wished we could be together.
I was determined to make it happen. I just had to wait for the perfect moment.
Even though a throat cleared and Sierra looked away from me, I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She was wearing a dark-green dress that perfectly matched my shirt. The color made her eyes pop, and her tan skin from lazy days at the beach seemed to glow. It fit her perfectly, showing off the curves that had appeared this summer. The memory of her in a bikini had my mouth watering, but that image had nothing on Sierra in this dress. Her hair was in loose curls, not stiff or rigid like Jenna’s was from overuse of hairspray. I loved it, and I’d be able to hold her close and run my fingers through her hair as we danced.
Finally, my trance was broken and I endured photo after photo before a lecture from her dad, once again, about the three-foot rule. Hello. Had he seen his daughter? If I had my way, we wouldn’t have three millimeters between us, let alone three feet.
When we finally made our way outside, I had half a mind to put an end to my misery and kiss her senseless on the front porch. But there was no way I was doing that. The first time I kissed Sierra was going to be special. It would be a kiss she’d remember for the rest of her life. It wouldn’t be with our moms peeking out the window, with Lexi giving me an encouraging thumbs-up.
The ride to the school was short, thankfully, because the sounds of Jenna and Chris’s make-out session were starting to grate on my nerves. After parking the car, I jumped out and rounded it, quick to open Sierra’s door before she could get out on her own. Chris and Jenna stopped sucking face long enough to get out of the car and walk across the parking lot and into the gym, where the dance was being held. No doubt, by the time we made it inside, they’d have found a dark corner to get back to it.
Before I could help her, Sierra stood, her gaze focused on the building they had disappeared into. Without thinking, I took her hand into mine. Her lips formed a soft O in surprise. I hoped she’d be doing that a lot tonight. Preferably in a good way.
I laced our fingers together, hoping she’d get that this wasn’t just a friendly handhold. That was phase one in making her mine. I was going to spend the night giving signals in hopes that, at the end of it, I could go in for the kill. Because, by the end of our sophomore homecoming, Sierra Sullivan was going to be my girl.
By the time we made it inside, my hand was sweaty, but I didn’t pull away. The music was blaring, and students were already dancing in the middle of the room. Sierra spotted Chris and Jenna, who were surprisingly getting down to Will Smith’s “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It.”
“Let’s join them?” she asked.
I nodded, gesturing for her to lead the way.
For the next couple of hours, we were lost in the crowd. Song after song played without us coming up for air. Every so often, some douche would tap on my shoulder and try to squeeze in between me and Sierra. And, every time, I scowled and shook my head, sending the offending asshole scampering away. The first couple of times, Sierra lifted her eyebrows in surprise.
“Really?” she asked after I wouldn’t even let Chris dance with her.
“Yes, really,” I answered emphatically before twirling her around. “Tonight, you’re my date. All these other clowns had plenty of time to ask you out. They didn’t. I did. So I’m the only one who gets the pleasure of dancing with the beautiful Sierra Sullivan tonight.”
The truth was I knew what the guys were doing. I’d laid claim to Sierra way back in junior high when Ryan had tried asking her out. It had worked for a while, but as soon as she and Danny had started hanging out, everyone had known I wasn’t her keeper anymore. But they soon would. Not that I could begrudge them for wanting her. I knew what was happening. Everyone else was finally seeing what I was seeing. But they didn’t know how I felt. Hell, no one did—not even Sierra. By Monday morning, everyone would know.
Her laughter pulled me from my thoughts. “It’s not like you to be possessive, Jeremy,” she said, biting her lower lip. “What’s gotten into you?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” I teased as I held her at arm’s length and slowly raked my gaze over her body. “A sexy little blonde in a green dress, maybe?”
Her cheeks flushed, and thank God the music changed or I would’ve kissed her right then and there.
“I’ll be right back,” she said, and my heart stopped as I wondered if I’d said too much.
I frowned. “Is everything okay?”
She nodded and waved me off. “Oh, I’m fine. Just a little warm. I’m going to go splash some water on my face.”
Before I could protest, she practically sprinted to the bathrooms.
“What’d you do this time?”
I turned to see Jenna eyeing me suspiciously. Her hand was placed firmly on her hip.
“Me? I didn’t do anything,” I protested. At least, I hoped I hadn’t.
“Are you finally going to tell her?” she asked.
My eyebrows drew together.
She rolled her eyes at me. “Don’t play dumb with me, Jeremy Banks. You and Sierra have been sniffing around each other ever since she got back from Ohio. It’s time to shit or get off the pot. If you’re not going to date her, there are plenty of other boys here who will and who want to.”
“You think I don’t know that?” I hissed. “I’m telling her tonight!”
“I knew it!” A smile broke out on her face as she threw her arms around me. “It’s about freaking time! Chris and I will disappear so you won’t even have to worry about us at the after party,” she squealed. Then she clapped her hands and ran away before I could make her promise not to tell anyone until I had the chance to.
Just as I was about to follow and warn her, the DJ’s voice came over the speakers.
“All right, Raiders. We’ve had a special request tonight. This one comes from Sierra Sullivan to Jeremy Banks.”