Page 40 of Puck Block

My hair falls down my back when I tilt my chin to look at him. “How do you know that?”

“Because I would have noticed you.” His fingertips trace the skin above my jeans. “Trust me.”

I bat my eyelashes and smile before snagging the near-empty drink from his hand and downing it in a single gulp. Alcohol is on my no-go list, but Dr. McCarthy told me that one won’t cause too much of an issue once I get my insulin dosage stabilized. There’s a spark of excitement that follows the burn, and with every one of his touches, I feel a little more confident. When I spin around and put my arms around his neck with the change of song, my confidence wobbles a little. I’m grounded by Ford’s lingering gaze, and my cheeks flame–like I’m in trouble.Did he see me finish off the drink?

The flirty gleam in his blue eyes hardens with something dangerous, and I gulp. His neck moves with a slow swallow, and I stop functioning when he grabs the nearest girl by the hand and drags her to the dance floor.

Right besideme.

[ 18 ]

FORD

I should have namedher something other than Belle, because with the way Taytum is moving her hips against some dude, she is thefurthestthing from a Southern belle.

It’s typical of her to go against me in every scenario, so I knew she’d throw a fit when I offered to be her test dummy, but I didn’t expect to feel this cagey over watching her dance with some random guy, considering I mentally prepared myself for this. I can’t deny the strong urge to get in between them, though, and it has nothing to do with her brother’s protective streak rubbing off on me.

The song changes, and I should be paying attention to the two chicks dancing in front of me and how their tempo is nothing short of sexy, but I’m too busy staring at the sweat forming on Taytum’s hairline. My mouth runs dry when the guy leans down and says something inaudible in her ear, and I have to turn away to keep myself from doing something stupid.

This is for her.

I brought Taytum here, without the watchful eyes of our peers, so she could embrace her freedom. It was supposed to beabout liberation. It is supposed to loosen her up, yet I want to reach my hands out and trap her body to mine.

I take the brunette’s hand, and I spin her around, only to stumble and let her go at the last second. Taytum’s mouth is being ravished by the guy she’s dancing with, and I can’t breathe.

My heart falls to the floor, and my blood runs hot. The girl I let go of recovers from our stumble and starts dancing again, but I impulsively send her flying into Taytum and herboyfriend.They break apart instantly, and she sends me a glare, but I can’t help but drop my eyes and give her mouth a once-over.

The pink lipstick I watched her smear on her lips on the way to the bar is gone, and I’m annoyed. I want to wipe the remnants of her off his mouth with my fist.

Fuck. Stop.

My jaw locks, but I try my best to pull my shit together. “Howdy,” I say to Taytum, acting like I don’t know her. “Sorry about that.”

Her swollen lips fall into a scowl.

“What’s your name?” I ask, refusing to let go of her attention.

Taytum clears her throat. The guy she was dancing with keeps a hold of the brunette I practically threw at them, and I hope he takes her and gives me Taytum in exchange. “Belle.”

I raise a brow, and we stare at each other for a few seconds before her shoulders drop slightly, and a sweet sigh flies from her mouth. “What’s your name?” she asks.

Oh, are we playing the game now?I hold my hand out and step in front of another guy who has lined up to dance with her. I repeat my earlier line, but this time, the humor is gone. “Anyone you want me to be.”

Taytum tries to hold back a smile, but she fails. When her hand lands in mine, everything suddenly feelsright.

I spin her around and chase her girly laughter. I pull her in close, and she rubs against the front of me, and just likeevery other time I’ve danced with her over the years, I regret it instantly.

Taytum reaches up, and I lower my head so she can grab my hat. She puts it on her head, and we dance for so long we’re both sweating and out of breath. I do a quick scan of the room and make sure there aren’t any wandering eyes that belong at Bexley U and spin her to face me. I take her arms and put them over my shoulders like we’re high-schoolers again, dancing at prom.

“Come closer, Belle.” I grin when she erases the space between us. My mouth isrightbeside her ear when I tip my chin lower. “Good work. But now what?”

Her voice is a rasp as she says, “What do you mean?”

“What’s your next step?” I snake my arm around her lower back. The small space between us crackles, and I wonder if she feels it too. “You’ve danced long and hard with me after I stole you away…so now what? What do you do next? This is practice, remember? So, what’s your next step if you were trying to score me?”

I feel her smile against the crook of my neck. I get a whiff of her shampoo, and my abs tighten.Shit.“Why did you do that?”

I pull away to get some distance between us. “Do what?”

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