Page 67 of Bring me Back

I kissed her slowly, my hand buried in her hair, taking strands off her ponytail as she whimpered in my mouth. Our touch turned frantic, starved and took us too long to hear the“ahem”.

But someone cleared their throat again, so I let Hallie’s mouth go. I prepared myself, cursing under my breath as I turned slowly to the side. Wide eyed and smirks in place, watching us were all the kids from Bluehaven High.

Boys and girls, all of them together.

Then Adam-fucking-Brown snickered. “Damn, Mr. Miller, go get it."

“Why is everybody out of bed?” Daniel wanted to know.

The kids blinked at us. “Because it’s like nine o’clock and we aren’t farmers?” Carmen replied.

“Or really old ladies,” added someone at the back.

I would’ve usually been flustered by being caught like that, but Daniel was so frazzled I couldn’t fall apart too. He was standing weirdly, his knuckles white from squeezing his hand together. His whole body was bent forwards probably to hide the hard on that was carving on my hip just a second ago.

“Still doesn’t make it ok for all of you to wander in the woods!” Daniel replied.

“Our curfew is at ten,” someone pointed it out.

“And this is not against the rules.”

“Maybe what is against the rules is for Mr. Miller to suck face with Ms. Delos Santos.” Another helpful point.

Daniel groaned. “It is not against the rules.” He cleared his throat. “Although, I’d appreciate it if you don’t tell your parents you saw this.”

Everyone snickered.

“You’re making it worse,” I pointed out.

“Can we all appreciate this? The lovers? All of us in the woods…?” Nova started.

“Lovers?”Carmen feigned gagging.

“That’s how old people call each other,” another helpful student.

“Old peopleis definitely about you, not me,” I whispered to my supposed lover.

“Anyway, I was talking more about the whole escaping couple in the woods,” Nova said, rolling her eyes, but everyone shook their heads. “Guys!Midsummer Night’s Dream!”

“OH!” they collectively nodded.

“I mean, right?” Nova seemed thrilled about it, so I twisted my lips in her direction, making her wince and say, “I’m sorry, but isn’t this perfect?”

“No, because there’ll be no changing up couples…”

“So Mr. Miller is against swapping,” Adam chuckled.

And the girls squealed, “Ew!”

I clapped my hands, my boldest move yet.

“All right, why don’t we all go back to our cabins? Let’s go, girls with me, boys with Mr. Miller.”

They all followed. It surprised me I had some authority, even though the only official title I carried was “Mr. Miller’s Side Squeeze.” Hopefully, Main Squeeze. As we separated, each to their cabin, I heard one boy asking Daniel how old I was, which earned him a slap behind the head.Thatwas definitely not allowed.

The girls filed in for the cabin one by one as I waited by the opened door. Until only one was left, and she looked me up with those big blue eyes. “Can we talk?”

Daniel would’ve probably told me it was a bad idea, but I found myself nodding and closing the door, leaving Delilah and me alone on the porch.

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