Not Yet

“Where’s your crown?” I ask, realizing he doesn’t have it. Court still had hers on and I bet she’s going to wear it for the rest of her life.

“I think I left it on the field. I don’t know.” He shrugs as his expression turns to one of dislike.

I can tell he doesn’t actually care where it is. I saw his face when they called his name for king. He was as surprised about it as I was. I don’t know why because we should have seen it coming. He’d reluctantly gotten to his feet and did what he had to, but he didn’t look happy about it. I even saw Coach give him a hard glare to get it together.

I let out a small laugh. “I think you have to wear it for the dance.”

“I’m not wearing that fucking thing to the dance.” He shakes his head adamantly.

“I’m pretty sure it’s not for the whole time. I mean, you have to during the dance with Court.” My stomach knots as I even say it.

I don’t want to see them dancing. I hated seeing them standing up there together getting crowned. I hated seeing her lock arms with him and I hated seeing them in the hallway this afternoon. The only saving grace was Drake’s face. He didn’t want to be near Court. I shouldn’t enjoy that so much, but I like seeing Court get pissy when Drake doesn’t give her the time of day. My face falls when I think about how Drake used to not give me the time of day.

“I’m not fucking dancing with her either.” His hands on the steering wheel tighten so hard I swear I hear it groan in protest. “I walked up there and took the crown. I’m done.”

He pulls into the parking lot of Joe’s and finds a spot in the back, away from everyone else. I see Mom and Dad’s car is already here and they probably went in to get us a table. He turns off the engine and I reach for the door handle. I’m not going to fight with him about dancing with Court. I’m glad he isn’t going to, but we’ll see how that plays out tomorrow. She might cause a giant scene.

I freeze when Drake’s hand comes down on my thigh. I changed into jean shorts for the game because it was so hot out. His fingers are soft at first but then dig into my thigh in a possessive hold.

“Tell me you know I’m not into Court or anyone in that brigade. Tell me you know I wouldn’t be into someone who makes it their life mission to put others down.”

I glance up from his hold on me and look into his eyes. He’s right. When he puts it like that and I actually think past the surface of it, I know he’d never go for the likes of them.

“No, I don’t think you like them like that.”

“I don’t like them in any way,” he corrects.

I was trying to be nice about it but leave it to Drake to be blunt. Now I’m thinking about what kind of girl Drake would like. His thumb rubs back and forth on the outside of my thigh and that’s suddenly the only thing I can concentrate on.

“Drake,” I whisper, because I can’t think of anything else to say. My body starts to tingle all over the same as this morning when he was in my bed and his thumb brushed my cheek. That thumb is wreaking havoc on my body.

“Don’t.” His hold on my thigh is so strong as his thumb pauses. My whole body lights up and I fight not to gasp as my lungs empty. “Just don’t.”

He leans forward as he says it and ever so gently his mouth touches mine. It’s only a soft caress but I sit there, not moving, as he presses into me more. I’m completely still as his tongue grazes my bottom lip and he takes the smallest taste of me.

Then it’s like the dream is broken as he lets go of me, pulls away, and jumps from the car. My face warms and I can’t keep up with what just happened. Why didn’t I kiss him back? I sat there shocked and now regret washes over me. He probably thinks I didn’t want the kiss and I want to crawl in a hole and disappear forever.

My door opens a second later and Drake holds his hand out for me.

“Don’t overthink it,” he says as he looks at me sweetly.

How can I not overthink this? He kissed me and I’m his stepsister. This is wrong on so many levels, but out of everything I’m angry with myself for not kissing him back. I didn’t grab on to the stolen moment that felt so right.