Page 51 of The Prom

He falters and my heart lurches when he turns to her and cups her face in his hand and stares into her eyes.

“I want you, Imogen. I want to be the college guy who has the hottest girl on campus. I don’t want the dried up old hag with a deviant mind or the future I am destined for. I want an uncomplicated relationship and the freedom to make my own choices after graduation, and so I’m drawing a red line in the sand and starting over. I want to devote all of my time to us and being good enough for you, so please accept my apology baby and be sure that is all behind me now.”

As I watch him kiss her softly, deeply and with more right than I have, a sudden pain spears me through the heart. Jesse is right. This is the time when their life should be easy, the only complication being the usual ups and downs of student life. Not this shit show that has exploded around them.

I am no better than Jenna Sloane because I am corrupting Imogen’s mind. I have no right. In the eyes of Rockwell, I am her teacher and I should slot into that role and push aside my infatuation with her. Jesse was right when he spoke of obsession and Imogen is fast becoming mine.

The call ends, and it’s the final blow to my heart. She cut me off mid kiss with the guy she is chained to for the semester under the rules of their Claiming ceremony. I understand exactly howit works and Jesse has more rights than me to be beside her now and if she is honest with herself, she will know that I am right.

TWENTY-FOUR

IMOGEN

We head back to the party a different couple than before. Jesse’s arm is slung casually around my shoulder and we stop at intervals to snatch a cheeky kiss or three. This is the Jesse I am interested in. The irresistible cool guy with the smoldering grin and dusky eyes.

But it is too late.

That inner voice inside my head reminds me of another guy — sorry — man who has stolen my attention. Compared to him, Jesse is no competition at all.

Drake is everything I know and love coupled with an attraction I never saw coming and despite Jesse’s confession, it doesn’t change a thing.

I don’t want this.

I don’t want him, not in that way. As a friend—definitely, but I doubt that is on the playlist.

We head back to The Elusive House and before we head inside, Jesse stops and pulls me around to face him, a serious expression in his eye.

“Stay with me tonight, baby.”

I open my mouth with a negative reply and he clamps his hand over it and sighs. “I only want to hold you. To be close,to try to make up for the asshole I’ve been around you. Nothing more, just affection until you are ready.”

It would be so easy to say yes. To slip into his bed and snuggle up, loving being beside a man like him. If he had asked me last week, I would definitely have said yes, but nothing has changed since our conversation. He’s not the guy for me.

I blink and his hand leaves my mouth and I smile into his anxious eyes.

“Let’s take it one step at a time, Jesse. Tonight was the first one and I would rather see how things go after it before I allow myself to catch feelings.”

“I deserve that, I guess.” He shrugs, disappointment heavy in his eyes. “But I understand. I will prove that I mean what I say and back up my words with actions because I kind of know you’re worth the fight and you are right to be cautious.”

He plants a soft kiss on my lips, and it’s definitely not unpleasant. If anything, I would normally be ecstatic kissing a guy like him. The trouble is, when I close my eyes there’s another face smiling at me and until that changes I’m not adding a second one to stand beside him.

As soon as we step foot inside the house, the noise bangs against my eardrums, telling me it will be a long one tonight. Sometimes the afterparty of The Claiming is a short one because the newly formed couples are more interested in spending time alone, as are the centurions who usually get off on the entire experience. Cassie once told me she went to the tunnels with Frankie dressed as centurions, and they recreated the chase. When he caught her, it was a different kind of claiming and it was evident she loved every second of it.

That’s Cassie. A rebel with a big heart and she loves shit like this, which is why Frankie Majerio is perfect for her. Jack is like me, easy going, true and loyal. Not risk averse, but not risk takers. Rockwell has been good for Cassie, and I wonder whatshe would say if she knew of my experience here. A lot, I’m guessing, and as she waves me over, I excuse myself from Jesse’s side and oblige with a huge smile on my face.

“So?” Her impudent grin lights her eyes as she hands me a cold beer

I nod to the corner, the furthest one away from the speakers.

As we lean against the wall, I relay the conversation, and her eyes sparkle with relief. “Thank God. He’s come to his senses at last. Good job, Imogen.”

“Do you think?”

I’d like to agree with her, but I’m not as accepting of words as Cassie apparently is.

“He must be. He would be a fool to promise one thing and then do another. If anything, it’s a relief knowing he won’t be stealing off to Miss Sloane’s house anytime soon.”

I nod my agreement as Summer and Siri wander over.

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