Chapter Forty-one Vaughn
Chapter Forty-one
Vaughn
“Wow. You look…” I run a hand along my jaw, so I don’t say something super inappropriate in front of Lacey’s dad.
The light blue dress is fitted up top and see-through around her stomach and back. The skirt is short and looks like it has about a dozen layers of lace.
Her lips are a glossy pink and curve into a smile as she says, “You too.”
I hand her the pink flowers, and she lifts them to her nose. “Thank you.”
“Let’s get pictures with our dates!” Claire calls, and I’m forced to interact with the other people here instead of gawking at my gorgeous girlfriend.
“My face hurts from smiling,” Lacey says with a small laugh. She and the girls had a photo shoot, crossing off another one of her bucket list items, before the guys showed up.
We’re going to the dance with Andie and Brandon, Rowan and his date, Amanda, plus Claire and Austin.
The eight of us crowd around in front of the fireplace in Lacey’s house. Her dad takes a dozen different photos of all of us with eight different phones, plus his own. I hate photos. Only for Lacey would I willingly subject myself to an entire night of this.
And as she snuggles up closer to my side, I decide any excuse to have her pushed up against me is probably okay.
“Have fun tonight.” Lacey’s dad kisses the side of her head and then extends a hand to me. “Drive carefully.”
“Yes, sir,” I say.
* * *
Lacey’s giddy as she drags me through the basketball gym where the dance is held. It’s decorated with balloons and streamers and the DJ is playing upbeat pop songs. The other couples head for the drink table, but Lacey pulls me straight to the middle of the dance floor.
When we get there, she tips her head back and stares up toward the ceiling, pure elation splashed across her face. Then she looks at me and my heart trips all over itself.
The music isn’t slow, but when she rests her hands on my shoulders, I find her hips and we sway side to side.
“This is the best night ever.”
“It just started,” I say with a quiet chuckle.
“I know, but I’m calling it already. I’m with the most handsome guy here, in a new dress, glitter and streamers as far as the eye can see.” She sighs dreamily and rests her head on my chest.
“Yeah. Best night ever.”
I’ve never been to a homecoming dance before. Something I let slip to Lacey last night and now regret. She won’t let me miss a minute of it, claiming I need to experience it all.
We dance to song after song—or she does. I do a lot of standing around and watching while she sings the lyrics to me and bounces in front of me.
I don’t need to have gone to any other Homecoming to know that none of them would have been anywhere near this fun without her.
Around ten o’clock, upperclassmen start leaving. Boone is having another party at his house. Our plans include stopping by, but I don’t think Lacey is going anywhere until they kick us out.
Rowan and Amanda join us in the middle of the dance floor. I loosen my tie to let my neck breathe.
“Nice moves.” Rowan grins at me as he shuffles around me, bopping to the music. He and Lacey are alike in their love of partying—Lacey’s just includes more G-rated fun. I can almost bet Rowan slipped a flask in with alcohol.
“The only nice moves I have are on the soccer field,” I yell over the song.
“He’s been a very good sport.” Lacey takes my hand in hers. “You’re dying to leave, aren’t you?”
It feels like a trick question. “I want to be wherever you are.”
“Well, damn, Cap.” Rowan whistles. “That’s some real romantic shit.”
I shove him away as the music changes to something slower.
“One more dance,” Lacey says as she takes my hand.
My lips twitch at the corners. “You’ve said that a few times.”
Not that I mind.
“This time I mean it. I found the one downside to high school dances.”
“What’s that?”
“The no-PDA rule.” She lifts onto her toes and brushes her lips against mine ever so briefly before dropping back down.
“That is a real downside.” More so now that she’s mentioned it and it’s all I can think about.
“Who would have thought the two of us would be the hottest new couple at Frost Lake?” Lacey looks dreamily at me.
My smile hitches up higher on one side. “Hottest as determined by you?”
“Of course, but am I wrong?”
“I think you’re hot enough on your own to make any guy in here part of the hottest couple in school.”
Her lips twist into a grin. “Rowan’s right. You’re full of some real romantic lines, Collins.”
I tip my head back and laugh.
“Okay.” She pulls back. “Let’s go.”
“For real?” I try to hide how excited I am, but she doesn’t miss it.
“Yes. I’ve had my fill of dancing for one night. Plus, the winter formal is in like two months.”
“Something to look forward to,” I say, already knowing I’ll be there with her—most likely in the middle of the dance floor again.
The other couples have already left, so Lacey and I head out to my Range Rover.
“Okay if we take a little detour?” I ask once we’re pulling away from the curb.
Her expression turns curious.
“It won’t take long,” I promise.
Her curiosity turns suspicious when we park in front of my house.
I don’t give her time to ask any questions before I get out and go around to the passenger side.
“I wanna show you something.” We go in through the garage. It opens into a mudroom and just beyond it down the hall is the kitchen.
I come up short when I see the lights are on ahead of us. On cue, I hear my dad moving around somewhere nearby.
“Fuck,” I mutter under my breath.
“What?”
“My dad is still home. I thought he was going out,” I say quietly and pull her with me into the coat closet. There isn’t much room, so she’s pressed up against me.
“Why do I feel like we’re breaking in?” I can hear the smile in her soft voice.
“We didn’t break anything. I have a key.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
“Just trust me…” I listen intently with my ear to the door, pretty sure I can hear his car keys jingling.
Lacey’s hands slide up my chest and wrap around my neck and I forget about eavesdropping. I drop my mouth to hers.
My hands are at her waist, but when she sweeps her tongue into my mouth, deepening the kiss, I let my fingers travel down until they slip beneath her puffy skirt.
Distantly I’m aware of Dad still moving around the house, but I’m no longer interested in anything outside of this closet.
She does her own exploring, pressing into me until I let out a groan. I don’t think there’s enough room in here to do exactly what I want, but I hook one finger around the lace of her panties and she lets out a shudder.
“I think he’s gone,” she says, panting quietly.
“What?” I ask, then pause and listen.
“Assuming this wasn’t your plan all along.” She gives me a wicked grin.
“It wasn’t, but we’ll come back to this. First, I want to show you something.” I open the door a crack. I didn’t hear Dad leave, but there aren’t any sounds coming from inside the house anymore.
“Wait.” Lacey stops in her tracks and our hands break apart. “Won’t he see your SUV outside?”
Well, fuck.
We both start laughing and two seconds later a text notification chimes on my phone.
Dad: Everything okay? I just saw your SUV’s at the house.
I turn the screen around to show her, then tap out a reply to let him know we’re just stopping by for a few minutes before going to Boone’s house.
“What are we doing here?” she asks again after I’ve pocketed my phone.
“You’ll see.” I take her hand and lead her down the hall to my room.
I push open the door, and she peers around me. The second her eyes land on the dog crate they go wide. Her mouth falls open, and she looks to me before dropping to her knees in front of the crate.
“Is that Pip?”
I nod.
“What is he doing here?”
“Dad and I adopted him this morning.” I cross the room and open his crate. I wouldn’t say he’s my biggest fan yet, but he’s warming up to me. I give him a little pet, but he bounds past me to Lacey.
“Traitor,” I mutter.
She sits down on the floor, and he climbs all over her, licking and pawing at her. Exactly what I want to be doing, if I’m honest.
“Easy, Pip.” I take a seat next to her and lift him off her lap, so he doesn’t ruin her dress or something. He side-eyes me but stays put sitting between us.
“This is a great surprise. Now we can walk our dogs together and take them to the dog park and make them little matching costumes on holidays—”
I cut her off with a kiss.
High School Bucket List
Make a high school memory box ?
Go apple picking ?
Get a piercing ?
Watch the sunrise from the fifty-yard line on the football field
Learn the “Thriller” dance! ?
Go on a double date ?
Stay up all night
Volunteer ?
Travel internationally
Kiss someone under the stars ?
Do something scary ?
Go to the homecoming dance with a date ?
Go ice-skating ?
Have a photo shoot with friends ?
Go skinny-dipping
Take a road trip with Dad
Leave my mark on Frost Lake High