Page 67 of Save the Last Dance
“My problems feel small compared to hers,” she admitted. “Maybe I’ll ask her if she wants to leave town with us.” She tossed it out there, just for his reaction. To see if there was any hope he still wanted to go with her even though she was in therapy for the scratching and she might face more obstacles down the road, like her grandmother.
“How can we leave now?” Ethan jerked a thumb toward the hospital. “It’s not so bad here, Ally. And Rachel’s going to need friends at school. I have the feeling the accident is only going to fuel the rumors about her.”
“I haven’t heard any rumors.” Although guilt pinched. Hadn’t she just wished she could be a better friend?
“That’s because you hang out with nice girls.” He tugged gently on her hair and then released it.
She wished he wouldn’t stop touching her. Sheremembered how good it had felt to hug him, even when she’d been scared and upset earlier.
“I’m sorry about crying all over you when I hugged you before,” she said suddenly, embarrassed to remember it. “I was really stressed with the responsibility of sitting with Rachel when there was no adult around.”
“And you didn’t scratch then.” He pointed to her wrists. “Good job.”
Surprised he’d thought of that, Ally looked down at her skin. The pink marks were still there, now marks of healing. And there weren’t any fresh scratches.
“You’re right.” And despite the crappiness of the night—her parents probably heading for divorce and Rachel getting in an accident—Ally experienced a moment of pure happiness. “Wow.”
“See?” Ethan smiled. “You just have to hug me when you’re stressed.”
Ally remembered what he’d said earlier in the day—back in the fairgrounds parking lot—about wanting to kiss her. It was the only thing that gave her the courage to speak up now.
“Too bad I’m not stressed anymore.” Her cheeks warmed. Was that the lamest thing ever to say?
But Ethan lifted a hand to her cheek and held it there, his eyes warming her insides. “The one doesn’t have to depend on the other.”
Was he inviting her to hug him now? The way his eyes were checking her out, she wanted to wait and see what he might do. Because the moment spun out and felt really, really promising.
When his eyes slid closed, her heartbeat went crazy. She closed her eyes, too, praying she didn’t mess this up. His mouth found hers and suddenly, she was having the kissshe’d always dreamed about. She’d been waiting for this forever. Hadn’t dated anyone else because, for her, it had always been Ethan Brady.
Happiness spread through her, sweeping away worries and fears and the anxiety that dogged her from the moment she got out of bed most days. With Ethan, she could just be. So she absorbed his kiss for the longest time, learning the feel of his mouth. After long moments, she remembered she was supposed to open her mouth.
“Am I doing this all wrong?” She opened her eyes again and studied his face to see if he gave away any sign that she was an awful kisser.
But his eyes stayed closed for a second. When he opened them, a slow smile curled his lips. His breath smelled like peppermint gum.
“You’re perfect, Ally. Just so freaking perfect.” He said it like he meant it.
Which, of course, was crazy. But that didn’t stop her from liking it.
“I’ve been holding out to kiss you.” She was done keeping secrets, right? He might as well know that she’d been crushing on him. “So, er, I’ve got no experience to help me out.”
“That’s…” He looked like she’d hit him with a two-by-four. And what was up with that? “That’s definitely the nicest thing I’ve heard in a long time.”
She realized now he actuallydidn’tappear dumbstruck, exactly. He seemed…touched. Happy. It amazed her to see how the feeling could go back and forth like that, the happiness multiplying all over the place. That was a kind of math she could definitely appreciate.
“Meaning…I kiss okay?” It wasn’t easy to let go of the whole A-student mentality. As with anything else in her life, she wanted to get this right.
Ethan leaned in and her heart went nutzoid again.
“Refresh my memory for a little while.” He brushed his mouth over hers and her nerve endings did a happy dance. “And I’ll get back to you.”
Sliding her arms around his neck, she edged closer, committing herself to the kiss and to Ethan. She’d waited long enough for this moment. She wanted to lose herself in his arms before she had to face the reality of all the things she had to worry about. Her parents splitting. Rachel’s battle for the right to be herself.
Ally’s next trip to a counselor to make sure she didn’t spiral out of control like Gram did sometimes.
Squeezing Ethan tighter, she hoped he’d never let go—even if she still wanted to make her big break after the dance.
Chapter Sixteen
