THE LAST DANCE

Seven

"Have you ever danced before?" He asks me as the slow music starts to play. His voice is deeper and huskier than I remember.

"Would it matter if I haven't?"

His lips twitch with a smirk.

"No. I'd just ask you to follow my lead."

"You're very cocky, aren't you?"

"That's my middle name."

"I thought it was Scott."

"I like the former more."

I roll my eyes.

"Anyway, I have danced before. Plenty of times, actually."

"That's good to know, Lisha."

"Alisha. There's a capital A at the beginning."

"Is that so?"

His eyes are boring into mine, one of his hands is grazing my hip and the fingers of the other hand are laced though mine.

My free hand is on his shoulder.

And we're moving ever so slowly.

"Yeah." I nod while returning his stare. "That's so."

"Tell me, Lisha, why are you wearing so much make-up?"

I almost choke. If it weren't for the hundred people looking at us, I'd have pushed him off the dance floor.

"Let me take a wild guess. Because it's none of your business?"

"You are in my arms right now. That makes you my business. No?"

"You sound different."

"Different?"

"The way you talk; it's like you're being unintentionally rude. I got a totally different vibe from you ever since we met last night. Plus, you didn't have any issues with my make-up when we left the house."

His teeth sink into his bottom lip as he smiles at some private joke.

"I was yet to look at you up close."

"I see. How many of these dances have you attended? You're really good."

"Very few. Dancing around with a random girl and an audience is not exactly my idea of a night out."

"We already established the fact that you are a certified w***e. I'm sure holding girls in your arms is heaven on earth."

"I'd rather do it in private. You know what I mean?"

"Jesus Christ! How did we even shift from make-up to girls? I think that's enough pervert talk for today. Don't say anything about girls again."

"And if I do?" His dark eyes challenge me. They're darker than I remember, and I assume it's the effect of the few disco lights on the dance floor.

"Why don't you try and see if I won't leave you right here."

"You wouldn't."

"Is that a dare?"

"Not really. If you tried to leave, I would do this." His arm tightens around my waist and he pulls me against him until our bodies are mashed together. His darkened eyes bore into mine as he moves to the music, taking me with him. "You can't break away, can you now?"

"Trust me, I would find a way. I'd even bite if I had to."

"I like biting too."

I close my eyes briefly.

"Allen, get your head out of the gutter."

"What, you said it first."

"Mine wasn't an innuendo."

"No? My bad. I do bite though."

"Where exactly do you bite?"

"Why don't you come with me after this dance then I'll show you. Huh?"

"No way. After our talk about serial killers, I don't trust you at all. You might bite me to death."

His raises a questioning eyebrow. He appears to be confused.

"You don't remember? Do you even remember my name?"

"Eve. It's Eve, right? Actually no." He twirls me around in a wide circle and once I'm back in his arms, he chews on his bottom lip thoughtfully. "It's Maggie..no. Kaitlyn, Madison, Elsa. Let's go with Elsa."

I find myself smiling. I don't know if I prefer the earlier Allen who smiled every three seconds or this darker version of him that only smirks and leaves it at that.

Good thing I don't have to choose. Both sides are refreshingly welcome after twenty years of living on my father's terms.

This freedom is something that I never imagined I'd experience in a thousand years. And that reminds me something; I vowed to kiss him tonight.

I moisten my bottom lip with my tongue when my eyes fleet to his lips.

They're sensual and full and just begging to be kissed.

I don't even think that he'll kiss me back. He barely got out of a relationship so he might just push me away. If that happens, then fine. I'll keep looking for a frog to give me my first kiss.

I really don't care about the fact that he just broke up with Amanda. I'm not trying to date him or fall for him. All I want is to tick my first kiss ever off my bucket list. Most girls have their first kiss by the time they turn fifteen and then there's me at twenty. I can't wait to get that done with and out of the way. Afterwards, I can focus on other things that I should have done as a teenager.

Like partying or something.

"You know." Allen's voice snaps me from my fantasy world. He leans in, his dark eyes twinkling with mischief. "If you want to kiss me, all you have to do is ask. Staring at my lips is hot and all but my Mom is probably watching us. In fact, I bet she is."

"Where is she seated?"

"I have no idea. So, how about that kiss? After the dance?"

"So that's how people ask for kisses? You just go straight for the plug and ask a girl if she'll kiss you later?"

"I think it's more civil than staring at someone's lips for an entire minute."

"I only stared for like thirty seconds."

"Believe that if it'll help you sleep at night."

He twirls me again and I bask in the newly found pleasure of having one dance with a guy who actually knows what he is doing. Once I'm facing him again, I'm exhilarated when he dips me backwards until my hair almost sweeps the floor, then he tugs me back up and into his arms.

"You're enjoying this." He comments when I bare my teeth in a smile.

"Does that offend you, Sir?"

For the first time since we started dancing, he laughs. A low laugh that gets my insides in tatters. He twirls me around yet again but he stops me halfway through the spin and wraps an arm around me, such that I'm facing away from him. My back is pressed against his torso and his hand is splayed across my stomach. I close my eyes when the lights on the dance floor shimmer.

He leans until his chin is resting on my shoulder as we move slowly to the music. It's more of him moving and just taking me with him.

Follow my lead, he said.

When he decides to talk, I catch the light scent of bubblegum on his breath.

"You look beautiful under these lights."

I have to clear my throat before I talk.

"Makeup isn't that beautiful, is it? You said that I'm wearing too much of it."

"It wasn't supposed to be that serious."

I'm about to make a remark when the music slows down before it completely stops.

Allen is already reaching for my hand.

"Let's get out of here."

The crowd claps as we walk from the raised dance floor. There are no cheers or catcalls. This is a mature audience and it's made up of the high and the mighty so they're very sophisticated. For most of us here, sophistication was instilled into us at a very tender age.

"Where are we going?" I ask Allen once the crowd is behind us.

He keeps walking, my hand clasped in his, and he only stops when we round the house and get to the swimming pool.

"So, that kiss?" He asks nonchalantly as he releases me.

"I...um..." I clear my throat. "I'm nervous."

"It's just a kiss. Come on. I know that you want to do it."

"How would you even know what I want?"

"Body language."

I let out a huge sigh before I step close to him. I'm not letting this opportunity slip away.

"What am I supposed to do with my hands? Wrap them around your neck?"

"What?"

"You see, thing is, I've never kissed anyone. I don't want to make a mess out of it."

His jaw clutters to the floor.

"You've never been kissed?"

"No. It's pathetic, right?"

He doesn't say anything.

He wraps an arm around my waist then he spins me around. Before it occurs to me what he is up to, I'm pinned against the wall. His free hand gently cups my cheek and his thumb trails over my bottom lip.

"I'm glad that I'll be your first kiss." He whispers. "It'll make everything even better."

"What does that mean?"

He places his index finger on my lips.

"Shh. Don't talk."

He leans in then, his eyes gauging mine for any signs of resistance. Finding none, he edges closer and blows warm breath on my face.

That drives me insane.

I tense when his lips touch mine, and my knees buckle beneath me when he gently claims my lips with his.

My heartbeat accelerates like crazy and an army of butterflies swirls in my stomach.

Shit, I'm probably a sloppy kisser.

"Kiss me back, Lisha." He whispers when I stay frozen.

So I kiss him back.

All the thoughts about the kiss being sloppy vanishes the moment our lips lock. Its not complicated like I imagined and he makes everything so much easier. He kisses me slowly, sensuously, letting me take the lead as soon as I get the hang of it.

My blood is pounding in my veins as I savour the taste of his lips. He doesn't try to deepen the kiss and I really appreciate that. He just lets me take control.

I keep my eyes closed when he pulls back.

"Please tell me that wasn't sloppy?"

He snorts.

"Open your eyes."

I do, and his dangerously dark eyes are or my face.

"Do you want to kiss me again?"

I nod without a second thought.

"Yes."

"Don't hold back this time. Just close your eyes and let go. Okay?"

I nod.

He leans in and kisses me.

Oh my God!

Raw fire razes through me the moment he starts to deepen the kiss. I kiss him back furiously, our lips fighting for dominance. He pins me even harder against the wall with his body and damn if that doesn't make me even hotter. I plant my hands on his chest and I kiss the hell out of him.

And he's kissing the hell out of me.

He tightens his arm around me and the hand that was initially on my cheek goes to my hair. His fingers stray inside my hair and a small moan escapes my lips when he tugs gently. He's a little bit rough and that makes my poor heart go into a frenzied beating.

I can't think, can't move, can't do anything. All I'm aware of is me and him, and our lips. Our f*****g lips.

I always thought that kissing was overrated but the waves of intense pleasure coursing throughout my body say otherwise. I didn't imagine that I'd get so many feels and such an insane hormonal rush from a single kiss shared with a boy that I know almost nothing about.

I have no idea how long we make out. The sense of time is lost and all I can think of is his lips on mine. I'm ready to collapse by the time we finally come up for air.

He places his forehead against mine as we both struggle to catch our breath.

When I finally manage to think, there's only one sober thought in my head; Waiting so long for my first kiss was totally worth it.

"You should go." He tells me as he pulls back to look at my face.

"You're my ride home, remember?"

He shakes his head at me.

"You haven't figured it out yet?"

"Figured what out?"

"Come with me."

He takes my hand and I willingly let him hold it. After the heavy kissing, holding hands seems like a very normal thing to do.

We use a different route around the house to the parking lot. I'm glad that I won't have to pass through the crowd with my messed up hair.

We approach a different car than the one we came in with earlier but I don't ask questions. I open the door to get in and I get the shock of my life.

Allen.. Allen? Is seated shotgun. An unfamiliar girl is in the driver's seat, and they are in a furious argument.

The girl stops shouting when she sees me and she smiles sheepishly.

"Alisha, I presume? Hey. I'm Amanda."

Um...

I glance at the boy standing beside me, then at the one seated in the car. What the f**k is going on?

"Lemme clear the confusion." The one standing beside me, the one I've been kissing like my entire life depends on it, decides to speak.

"Please." I beg in a dry whisper.

His lips twist into that signature smirk as he extends his hand.

"We haven't been officially introduced yet. My name is Adam Johnson."