Page 60 of #Lovestrong
Declan
Jackson and I stand at the bottom of the steps by the front door with my father, waiting for the girls to come down. My palms are actually sweating. Even though we were with the girls when they got their dresses, Candice wouldn't let us see them.
The only thing I know is my tie matches something in Lena's dress, which means it has baby blue in it somewhere. Other than that, my suit and dress shoes are black. That doesn't really give me much to go on.
Mom steps around the corner at the top of the landing first, with a megawatt smile on her face. This is the first time we've ever made a big deal about a school dance. Candice steps out next to her and Jackson whistles. She looks beautiful and it might be the first time I've seen Candice wear make-up. Her dress is the same navy color as his tie with a slit up the side all the way to her hip and it shimmers as she walks down the steps.
I turn my head and smile at both of them, complimenting her on how she looks. Jackson glances at the stairs and then punches me in the arm, staring wide eyed where my mom is standing. When I look back up, I blink several times. Lena's wearing a two-piece dress that shows her midsection. The halter top ties around her neck, and the bottom is short in the front, stopping in the middle of her thighs, but long in the back, going all the way to the floor.
It's baby blue, just like my tie. We match perfectly. As she walks carefully down the stairs, I can't stop staring at her. I probably look like a deer in headlights.
She stops in front of me and looks up through her eyelashes as my breath catches.
"Damn, you're perfect," I say in a low voice, reaching out to put my arm around her midsection. Expecting to touch fabric, I suck in another breath when my fingers splay across her bare back. I pull her toward me and rest my forehead against hers. "You make it really hard to behave."
She chuckles and runs her nails across the stubble on my cheek. "I like this."
Usually, I'm clean shaved, but now, I might just let it grow. I stand up and smile down at her as my mother joins my dad and he pulls his digital camera out of his pocket.
"Okay, kids. Let's get some pictures," my dad says, grinning.
Thirty minutes later, my parents have taken more pictures of us than I think they have in the past five years. My mom fawns over Lena and Candice, fixing little parts of their hair and complimenting them over and over. Finally, I take Lena's hand in mine and smile warmly at my mom.
"Okay, time to let us have our dates so we can actually get to the dance."
The girls laugh and my mom hugs me, giving me a light kiss on the cheek. "Don't stay out too late, and behave yourselves," she says loudly as we walk to the car.
Lena turns and waves to them again before she slides into my car and I shut the door behind her. As I get in the car and start it, I'm done fighting how badly I want Lena for the next few minutes. Turning toward her, I unbuckle her seatbelt, grab both sides of her face, and kiss her like my life depends on it. She fists her hands in my hair and pushes her tongue into my mouth, which I welcome.
My hands roam down her back, trying to touch every inch of skin she has showing. She’s soft and beautiful, and I can't get enough of her. This girl is like air to me— without her, I can't breathe. I run my palm from her thigh, down her legs to her ankle, and back up. When I squeeze her thigh, she moans into my mouth and pushes her body closer to mine.
"I love you," I say against her mouth, completely out of breath.
She takes my head in her hands and leans back to look me in the eyes, her face flushed. "I love you too."
I kiss her again, forcing myself to stay in control. When we're both breathing evenly again, I reach across her and buckle her seatbelt again. She grins at me, biting her bottom lip.
"We should go now," I say, chuckling. "I really hope my parents weren't still standing on the porch."
Lena busts out laughing and covers her face with both hands. As I put the car in drive and head toward the road, she takes my hand in hers. I lift it and kiss the back of her hand. Everyone knows that fairytales don't exist, but Lena is pretty damn close to being one for me, and she's certainly my happily-ever-after.