The night's almost over, and I've barely interacted with Brooks since talking to him 2 hours ago. I'm happy to see that he's still here, though, and I'm pretty sure that's only because his family was honored tonight for their charitable donation to Meadows. The Caldwells are royalty here, there's no denying that.
Gale lets me and Veronica know that we can head out for the night, so we race to the lockers to grab our stuff. I gotta go home, soak my feet into warm water, and get into bed.
"Wanna split the Uber ride home?" Veronica asks as she pushes the door open to the outside.
"Duh," I say as I scrummage through my messenger bag to make sure that I have everything.
"Uh, actually," she stops me with her hand, "I don't think that you'll need to."
"Huh?" I ask, looking at her. But all she does is nod at the figure standing in the shadows, so I look that way.
Brooks is facing us, but leaning against the cement wall, smirking in the sexiest way imaginable. I don't think that I'll ever get over him in a suit, I swear.
Veronica turns to me and places her hands around my arm. "Call me when you get home!"
"What, no! I'm coming with you." Not that I want to, but I know that I have to.
"No, you're not. Not when Mr. Too Gorgeous For His Own Good is waiting for you."
"I can't," I whisper.
"You can," she tells me otherwise, leaving me with a grimace.
She passes Brooks and he nods, holding his palm up to her like a wave.
I hesitantly make my way towards him. He makes me nervous, and I'm not used to feeling this way. It's the good kind of nervous, though. The kind that excites you. The kind that makes you feel like you're in a dream.
Because I do. Feel like I'm in a dream, that is.
"You're still here," I state once I get to him.
"And you still owe me a dance," he says.
"The party's over," I say with a chuckle, but he doesn't say anything. Instead, he lends his hand out for me to take.
"Here?" I ask, glancing around the vacant, dark parking lot.
"Why not?" he smiles, pulling me towards him.
"We're in a parking lot," I state with another chuckle.
"I'll dance anywhere with you, Red. As long as I get to hold you, it doesn't matter where I am."
"And if somebody sees us?"
"Lucky them."
"Brooks, you can have any girl you want," I say, using that as my excuse as to why this is a bad idea.
"And you're her."
"I'm not," I claim, shaking my head, trying to be the logical one here. "Brooks, look at me," I say, gesturing to my uniform.
"I am," he whispers.
"No, really look at me. I'm not this," I say, widening my arms at the building before us. "I'm not country clubs and galas and champagne and money. I'm not. But you? You are. And you should want someone who's on your level."
"I want you," he tells me matter-of-factly.
"Brooks, you don't want me, you can't wa-"
Before I can finish my sentence, he grabs the back of my head and pulls me into a kiss. It's needy but also passionate, and I can feel his want in the way that his lips touch mine. I touch them back with the same desire. Because I want him. I want him more than anything.
YOU ARE READING
Under the Stars (Sequel to Across the Pond)
Romance*The sequel to Across the Pond* Brooks Caldwell is the bane of my existence. Has been ever since I've known him. And, of course, luck would have it that I'm forced to spend my entire summer in his presence when I'm offered a job at the posh country...
