Page 126 of My Rules

“You know, when you accepted my message request, I never envisioned that you would be so beautiful.”

I feel my cheeks go red with embarrassment. “Well ... you’re not so bad yourself.”

Gregory is tall, and he looks down at me as we sway to the music. “How do you think tonight’s gone?” he asks.

“Honestly, it’s been great.” I smile. Not a lie; it has gone really well.

We turn as we dance, and I peek over Gregory’s shoulder just in time to see Blake softly kiss Kayla. His lips linger over hers.

My heart sinks.

I can feel the electricity between them from here.

They kiss softly again and again, and she says something, and Blake smiles as he leans with his cheek to hers.

This is it; she’s the one.

I’m not doing this to myself. I don’t want to sit around here all night and watch Blake make out with his dream girl.

I snap my gaze away from them and drag it back to Gregory’s handsome face. “Do you want to get out of here?”

“Really?” His eyes dance with delight. “Where do you want to go?”

“I know this really great little dessert bar on the other side of town.”

“Shall we ask the others to come?”

“No, I want you all to myself.” I take Gregory’s hand in mine and lead him from the dance floor and back to our table. “Let’s just pay our half of the bill and leave them to it.”

“We are going to say goodbye, though?” Gregory asks.

I glance up to the dance floor just in time to see Blake kiss Kayla, not a peck but a full-on tongue kiss, and I watch in horror as his eyes close, as if he’s totally lost in the moment.

“We’ll give them a wave on our way out,” I force out as I smile.

I feel like crying howl-to-the-moon sobs.

I’m too late. I finally realized how perfect Blake is, and he’s on a date with his dream girl.

They’re probably going to get married and have babies and live happily ever after in a house two doors down from mine.

Fuck. My. Life.

We pay our half of the bill while I try desperately not to look at the dance floor, although it’s kind of hard when they’re just about making a porno in the corner.

Gregory waves goodbye, and Blake hardly even looks up. He waves and goes back to kissing Kayla.

My heart sinks lower than it has in a very long time.

This night can’t be over soon enough.

Three hours later, I stand in the cab line with Gregory.

“I’m going to call you tomorrow.” He smiles down at me.

“Sounds good.”

“This is the part of the night I’ve been looking forward to the most,” he whispers.

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