Page 8 of Edge of Forever

“Oh, fuck yes, I’m in!” Mark nods.

“Do we all fit?” Elise asks doubtfully.

“Sure.” Sam grins. “Let’s do it!”

I lean into his arm. “You didn’t tell me about this plan.”

“It was a surprise, and I figured your friends would enjoy it too.”

“Here I thought you’d be in a hurry to get me into bed,” I tease.

He turns, his eyes boring into mine. “That’s not how I operate,” he says. “Hotel room is booked, but we can use it or not. The ball is in your court.”

Reason number 32435323 that he’s the guy I want to do this with.

Ten of us pile into the limo, and Mark immediately looks around. “Where’s the beer?” He gives Sam a frustrated look. “You’re the only one here old enough to buy it!”

“And the only one here who’ll go to jail if something goes wrong,” Sam responds calmly.

“What’s the point of dating an older guy if he’s not going to get you drunk?” Jami asks, laughing.

I shake my head. “I don’t drink. A glass of champagne on a special occasion is about it. I don’t like how it tastes. Especially beer. Gross.”

Gina nods. “Yeah, not a fan.”

“I don’t drink because I have diabetes and it’s bad for me,” Elise pipes up.

That changes the course of the conversation and things lighten up after that.

Sam tells the driver where to take us and after a few minutes a panel on the roof of the limo slides open.

I’m the first one up, wind in my hair as I take in the beautifully lit up street. I take a quick selfie before Sam pops up next to me.

“How’re you doing, baby?” he asks softly, putting his arm around my waist.

“I’ve never been to a prom before, but I’m going to say this is the best one ever.” I turn to him and our lips move together softly.

We’ve kissed before, but there’s something different about it tonight. He’s not hesitant or cautious. In fact, despite being in a moving vehicle with the wind whipping around us, he kisses me like it’s the prelude to something more. Much more. His tongue slides against mine, and I lean into it, loving the strength of his body and the intensity of his mouth. He’s powerful withoutbeing intimidating and being out in the open like this adds a touch of excitement.

“Fuck, I could kiss you all night,” he whispers against my mouth.

“I want you to,” I whisper back, pressing my forehead to his.

We only have a few seconds to savor the intimate moment before Gina tugs on my arm and wiggles her way up between us, breaking up both our physical and emotional connections. “Our turn!”

But we just laugh, and Sam sinks down so the five of us girls can take pictures and make nuisances of ourselves.

“Is it wrong that I never want tonight to end?” Cathryn asks.

“No.” Jami shakes her head. “I don’t want it to end either.”

“We have tonight, finals, and graduation,” Elise whispers, her voice tinged with sadness. “And that’s it.”

“You guys can come visit me in New York,” I say.

“Let’s make a pact to meet up next summer,” Gina suggests. “I’ll be home in late June.”

“I don’t know where I’ll be stationed,” Cathryn says, “so you might have to come to me, but I’m in.”

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