Chapter 3
THREE
Kirsten
Slow dancing with Sam is magical.
He’s tall, a few inches north of six feet, but light on his feet. He’s also strong, moving me around the floor like I’m weightless. When I wrap my arms around his neck and gaze up at him, it’s like there’s no one else here. Like nothing else exists but this moment.
“Having fun?” he asks, his breath warm against my ear.
“It’s been great,” I whisper. “What about you? Has it been better than you thought?”
“Much better,” he says. “Your friends are nice, the music’s good, and I get to dance with the prettiest girl I know.”
“When this song is over, do you want to get in line for the photo booth?”
“Sure.”
I move closer, taking in the faint scent of aftershave and the warmth of his body against mine. There’s nothing I don’t like about Sam, and tonight just solidifies that. The only question is what happens after tonight. He leaves to go on tour soon, and I have to get ready for graduation, college, and a little bit of summer fun before I start on a new phase of my life.
Sam and I have been doing the long distance thing for several months now, since I live in Las Vegas and Crimson Edge is based in Minneapolis. He and the band only got to town a couple of days ago to start recording their album, so although I’ve seen him, we’ve been busy in the days leading up to prom.
In a way, it’s been nice because we’ve had time to really get to know each other. We’ve been able to talk, watch movies online, play virtual games together, and text on and off all day. Most of all, we’ve been open about the perceived elephant in the room—my virginity.
He refused to do it right when I turned eighteen, which was the last time I saw him, insisting it had to be at the right time for the right reasons. I didn’t know what those reasons were at the time, but now that we’ve had time to get to know each other, I understand.
Sex can be intimidating. Most of my friends feel the same way, even the ones who’ve already done it, so I’m definitely not the only one with reservations. Although I’ll never know for sure, I probably would have been terrified if Sam and I had done it two months ago.
I’m a lot more relaxed now that we’ve had time to connect emotionally and intellectually.
I’m also on birth control now, and I wasn’t back then.
“Photo booth!” Gina grabs my arm and we run toward the back of the room hand-in-hand. I know Sam and Tony and Mark are following, so I allow myself to be in the moment with my besties. Other than graduation, this is our last hurrah as a group.
Gina’s going to college in Spain. Cathryn is joining the military. Our friend Jami is going to school in Seattle. And the final friend in our group, Elise, will be playing Division One hockey at a school in New England.
We’re essentially going to be spread all over the planet, so it’s going to be weird not seeing them every day.
But my future is pretty exciting.
“Besties forever!” Gina yells, as we all make kissy motions at the camera.
Cathryn holds up a sign that says “Prom Night Shenanigans” and wiggles her eyebrows at Mark.
“I thought you never wanted to do those kinds of shenanigans again,” I stage whisper.
“That was before we figured out oral.” Her eyes twinkle.
The three of us dissolve in giggles just as Jami comes and joins in.
I don’t know how many pictures we took, or how long we hogged the booth, but we did some with just us girls, some with the guys, some with just the guys, and some with random teachers who walked by.
Then we danced.
We were out on the dance floor every single song until the lights came up and they made us leave.
“What if we took a drive on the Strip?” Sam suggests as we head for the exit. “Our limo has a sunroof.”
“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 without being 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.”
“We’ll make it happen,” Jami says firmly.
We manage an awkward but tight group hug as we stare up at the night sky.
Things are going to change after tonight—in more ways than one—and I’m not sure if I’m scared, excited, worried, or beside myself with joy.
Elise holds up her phone and we all lean in, trying to fit on the screen.
“Let’s get the fountain behind us,” Cathryn says, twisting so our backs are to the Bellagio.
Elise touches the button five or six times and then Mark’s voice penetrates our little friendship bubble.
“Do the rest of us get a turn or what?”
“Hold your horses!” Cathryn yells at him. “We’re in the middle of something.”
His response is muffled, and we giggle.
“Besties forever,” Jami says firmly.
“Besties forever.” We put our heads together and it feels like we take a long moment to let our feelings wash over us.
Then Gina lifts her head. “Okay, I need Tony up here with me. We can take turns with the guys.”
We nod, and I slide back down through the opening, landing on Sam’s lap as the limo comes to an abrupt stop.
“Hi.” His eyes twinkle with amusement.
“Hi.” I wrap my arms around him.
“We have to get going soon,” Gina says. “My parents have called five times asking where we are.”
My eyes drift to Sam’s, and I’m positive he can read my mind.
He opens his mouth, but I nod before he can say anything.
“Yes.”