Page 99 of Save You
I’m sitting on this flowery swing with James behind me, and I bet every couple here will have the exact same photo taken by the end of the evening.
And I already know that I’ll grin every time I see this photo for the rest of my life.
“I like it,” says James.
He smiles and slips it into his jacket pocket.Then he lifts his hand to stroke my cheek with his fingertips.I get the impression he’s not even really aware that he’s doing it.As he pulls his hand away, I’d love to hold it there and snuggle my cheek into his palm.
“Shall we dance?”I ask instead.I have to do something to get the heat that his gentle, matter-of-fact touch has fanned in my body under control.
James’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise.“You want to dance of your own free will?”
I nod and take his hand.Before I can change my mind, I pullhim onto the dance floor, among the other couples who are already moving slowly to the music.
I lay one hand on James’s shoulder and start to move with him.This time I’ve come prepared, and I watched some videos with Ember, but I soon realize that there’s no need to worry about where to put my feet.James and I are just swaying to and fro.
“At the start of the year, I’d never have dreamed I’d be here.With you,” James murmurs close to my ear.“I’m so grateful.”
His words send warmth flooding through me.“I’m grateful to have you too, James.”
We keep moving throughout the slow dance.After a while, I raise my hand to stroke the back of his neck.James pulls me so close to him that you couldn’t slip a sheet of paper between us.I can feel his breath on my body.His breathing is as uneven as mine.When I slip my other hand from his and wrap my arms around his neck, James inhales sharply.His hands wander over my waist and stroke my sides.I gulp hard and shut my eyes.
Then I feel James’s lips brush my hairline.
“James…” I whisper, slowly opening my eyes again.
He’s looking at me through half-closed eyes.I hold my breath, drink in the sight of him.His beautiful eyes, the gentle curve of his lips.
“Ruby…” he says hoarsely.
And then I can’t resist a second longer.I stand on tiptoes and he comes to meet me.
As our lips touch, it’s like pure electricity shooting through my body.This is how it always is with James.I can’t describe it, but a single kiss from him is enough to turn my world upside down and make me forget everything around me.
James strokes his tongue gently over my bottom lip and Iallow him in.I bury my hands in his hair and feel his groan against my lips.
“God, get a room,” says a cutting voice beside us.
James pulls away and I blink several times.Then I look over James’s shoulder and see Camille dancing with a guy from our year.She rolls her eyes.
“We’re awful,” I mumble, burying my face in James’s shoulder.
Suddenly, I notice him stiffen.“What…?”
I look up.James is staring at something behind me, and I turn to follow his gaze.
Mr.Sutton just walked onto the dance floor with a woman.
“Isn’t that our tutor from the Oxford study group?”I ask.
“Philippa Winfield,” James murmurs.He always remembers names—even of people he’s only met once.I think it’s the kind of thing that gets drilled into you as the heir to a major business.
“They seem pretty friendly,” I say as Mr.Sutton puts his arm around Pippa.She smiles at him—her high heels mean they can look straight into each other’s eyes—and then leans in to whisper something in his ear, which makes him laugh.It sounds shy, very different from the way he laughs in lessons.
“Fuck,” James breathes at the same moment that Mr.Sutton looks over Pippa’s shoulder and his cheerful expression dies away.
It’s not long before I see why.
Lydia.
