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“Little nympho, the only guy you should be worried about is me.” His lips skim my earlobe. “Dancing with you makes me need to fuck you.”

I cup his jaw and lean back so our eyes lock. “Later, War.”

He groans but doesn’t try to drag me away, so I snuggle against him and rest my head against his steady heartbeat. This is what I’m fighting for tonight. The ability to stay in his arms.

The song ends and the next song is another slow one. Jack and Nico are headed our way. How is this going to work with him on crutches?

“Later, little nympho.” Caden kisses my jaw before releasing me and stepping away.

Nico stops in front of me and hands his crutches to Jack. My eyes widen, and I reach out to hold him like he might fall down without them.

“I can stand for four minutes, sunshine.” Chuckling, Nico wraps his arms around me. “Besides, I have you to lean on.”

“You’re still healing.” This isn’t a good idea. “We’ll have plenty of opportunities to dance together. You can have the first dance at prom and the last. I just don’t want you to hurt your knee more.”

“I’ll take those dances and this one.” He tips my chin up and tsks me. “I’m good. Honest. I don’t want to wait to have you in my arms anymore.”

“But it might delay your recovery. Or you could hurt yourself again and need more surgery.” I shake my head, but don’t pull away. I do, however, look for Jack to bring back Nico’s crutches.

Nico tips my chin to turn my face up to his. His mouth claims mine before I can protest anymore. That’s all it takes to shut me up because I live for my guys’ kisses. He holds me close as I melt into the kiss, brushing our tongues against each other’s.

He lifts his head and presses his forehead against mine. “This is what I dreamed about when I was alone in New York. Being here with you. Dancing at Homecoming. Kissing you because you belong to me.”

I touch his jaw. “I don’t want you to jeopardize football for me.”

“If it meant having you, I’d give up football tomorrow.” His eyes soften and my resistance fades.

“I don’t want you to give up football or injure yourself more.” I hold his gaze. “Especially because of me.”

“This is nothing, sunshine.” He brushes a strand of my hair behind my ear. “Let’s just enjoy our first dance to whatever this song is.”

I’ve been too focused on my worry to really pay attention to what’s playing. But when I listen to the song, I smile. “It’s called ‘May I Have this Dance’.”

“Sounds perfect.” Nico brushes his thumb against my lower back. Sparks drift through me lazily.

I’d tug him into a closet in a heartbeat, but now isn’t the right time. I’m just glad to have this chance to dance with him. Something I never imagined would happen after he left.

“Did you go to dances with other girls?” It’s just curiosity, not actual jealousy. He’s not like the others who slept with quite a few of the girls in this room. Nico had girlfriends in New York. Girls he brought home to his mother. Girls who I have no idea if I measure up to.

“Yeah, I was popular at my old school.” He gives me a crooked, cocky smile.

“You’re popular here. You’re a horseman. The top of the food chain.” I tangle my fingers in the back of his silky hair where it’s grown in the time that he’s been here. I honestly didn’t think about Nico this year until he reappeared like some hero come to save me. Or worse, get thrown to the wolves in sacrifice.

He chuckles. “Not really. Sometimes I feel more like a consolation prize.”

“You aren’t my consolation prize, Nico.” I thread my fingers behind his neck and search his eyes. “You’re mine and I’m yours. Long before there were horsemen.”

He brushes his lips against mine. “I love you, sunshine.”

“I love you, Nico.” I rest my head against his chest as the song continues.

CHAPTER 14

The Alignment

Harper

When the song ends, I lift my head from Nico’s chest. He brushes his fingers against my jaw.