“I challenge you to a dance off.” Alec points at me and executes a disco move that’s at odds with the music. “Winner gets bragging rights and control of the Netflix account for a month.”
A bright laugh escapes me as I twirl with flare. “Oh, Alec. It is so on.”
He makes a solid effort. Elena hollers and fist pumps for him.
Alec catches the eye of that pretty girl he’s been waltzing around for weeks. He winks at her and she waves.
I blow him out of the water when I end my turn with a split. Everyone around us cheers and I hold my arms overhead.
“What! Oh, come on.” Alec tries to rally the crowd judging our battle. “Half the girls here can do a split!”
“No go, dude,” Elena laments. “My girl killed it.”
I grin at her. “Enjoy hours of travel documentaries.”
Alec groans dramatically.
I slip away from the dancers to find Blair. She’s my official party buddy tonight, and it took a lot of convincing for her to come. She has a drink and stands by Lancelot.
“I see you’ve met the dog.”
Blair glances down at him. “Dogs are better than people.”
I chuckle. “No argument there.”
Her attention floats past my shoulder. I turn to find Devlin glaring at her. I roll my eyes.
“Don’t let him bother you. You’re welcome here.”
“These people never accepted me before.”
“Well, let’s change that. They’re not all bad.”
Blair shrugs. She gestures to Lancelot. “As long as I can hang out with this cute, perfect guy I found, I’m cool to stay.”
“I’m glad you’re here,” I tell her with a big smile.
I’m slowly learning that joining in isn’t the death sentence I once feared. It worked for a while to shield myself, but I feel more like myself than ever, now that I’ve stopped keeping everyone at arm’s length.
I still won’t give the jerks that bullied me the time of day, but Lucas and his closest friends accept me. Anyone that has given me a problem in the last couple of weeks gets my teeth, along with my brother and Lucas flanking me.
No one crosses me now. I’m not the weak prude they labeled me as. I never was.
I jump when hands grab my hips. I’m spun around and warm lips collide with mine in the best kind of déjà vu. The forest-fresh scent hits my nose. I smile into the familiar kiss with Lucas.
He runs his fingers through my hair as his tongue teases me. I open for him, my toes curling as he stakes his claim in front of everyone.
People howl like coyotes all around us.
I tuck my hands into his back pockets in a mirror of the first time he kissed me. He chuckles against my mouth as I squeeze his ass.
I claim Lucas right back. I’m his and he’s mine. We belong to each other.
Thirty-Six
Epilogue
Gemma