by RH Tucker
“Yes, he does,” Kelsey speaks up, her eyes floating to Quinton, while I roll mine. “If he’s brave enough to go out on a limb.”
“Whatever. You’re the one who told me this isn’t a movie, Kels.”
“She said yes, Sam,” Kelsey replies. “She could’ve said no, but she didn’t. And I overheard Mia in the bathroom earlier tonight. Natalie knew Dustin was going to show up here alone because Emily ditched him. But Nat didn’t ditch you, did she? She stayed with you. She was dancing and having fun, with you.”
I replay the laughs and smiles we shared tonight. Getting close to her taking pictures, or how she leaned her head on my shoulder during a couple of slow songs.
“But … but what do I do? What do I say?”
Both of them grab me, each one taking hold of an arm, and yank me out of the chair, pushing me in her direction.
“Whatever pops into that brain of yours,” Quinton replies. “Just do it, before it’s too late!”
Chapter 12
Natalie
“What do you want, Dustin?” We walk to the edge of the room, the music still playing in the background. “What? Can’t have Emily, so you decide to try with someone else?”
“Come on, I’m sorry, Nat. I didn’t know you wanted me to ask you.”
I scoff. “You know what, I know. This isn’t even about that. But you did ask someone else, so I don’t care if she’s here or not because I came with someone else, too.”
“The joke vote?”
“Yes, okay. He asked me, and we came together, so it doesn’t matter.”
He takes a step closer. “Natalie, you can’t be serious. Look, I messed up. But don’t hold that over me. Come on, we can still have a good time tonight. You can still have the date you wanted. I want it.”
“Yeah, now that Emily’s out of the picture.”
“She’s a bitch. I should’ve seen that already. How many times do I have to tell you I’m sorry? Please, just give me a chance.”
I cross my arms, wrinkling my nose. This should be something I want. I wanted to come to prom with Dustin. I wanted to dance with him tonight and have a great time. With him. But I don’t anymore. I was already having a good time. Why didn’t Sam speak up? Why did he just let me leave? I know I was a royal pain most of the week, but we had our moments, too. And I really thought he was having fun tonight. There’s been a couple of times I thought he was going to kiss me. This time last week, I couldn’t even fathom that thought. But tonight? With him, here at the dance? I kind of wanted him to kiss me.
“Natalie, everything okay?” I hear Sam’s voice and turn to see him walking closer.
“She’s fine,” Dustin answers for me. “Leave us alone.”
“Natalie?” Sam repeats my name.
“What’d I just say, man? Beat it.”
Sam takes another step closer, pointing at him. “I wasn’t talking to you.” He reaches over and touches my arm. My eyes widen, surprised that he’s both checking on me and standing up to Dustin.
“Yeah, well, I’m talking to you.” Dustin moves toward him, getting face-to-face. “You had your fun, but now it’s over. Get lost, nerd.”
“Don’t call him that!” I snap, getting between them.
Dustin scoffs. “Seriously? You called him that the entire week.”
“Yeah, I did. And I still do.” I glance over at Sam, before looking back at Dustin. “But it’s different. He’s my nerd. You can’t say that crap about him.”
“Your nerd?” Dustin chuckles in disbelief. “Oh, that’s perfect.” He eyes Sam one more time, then looks me up and down. “You know what, forget this. Have fun with your nerd.” He turns and walks away.
As I watch him walk away, I feel Sam’s hand on my arm. “You all right?”
“I’m fine!” I growl, walking away and through the dance floor.
“Whoa, whoa. Where are you going?”
“I’m mad at you,” I shout back, the music and everyone dancing, surrounding us.
“Me?” He grabs my arm, stopping and turning me around. “What’d I do?”
“You just let me go! You didn’t even say anything.”
“Are you serious right now? Natalie, this week started with you telling me to not even talk to you. And now you’re pissed off because I didn’t speak up enough?”
“But I thought … I thought …” I can’t finish my words. I know how I’ve acted, but it’s finally hit me. After everything that’s happened this week and tonight, I suddenly realize—I like him.
“You thought what?”
“Nothing. Forget it.”
I turn to leave, but he takes hold of my hand. “You thought what, Nat?”
“That you liked me!” Dropping my hand, he jerks his head back. “Okay? I thought you liked me. And why should that even matter after how much of a bitch I’ve been to you, but I thought you liked me and wouldn’t just give me up like that.”
“Are you crazy? Of course, I like you. Any guy would. But I’m the joke vote, Natalie.”
“Stop saying that.”
“It’s the truth.”
“I know it’s the truth, but it doesn’t matter. I don’t care if you’re the joke vote, or a nerd, or whatever. I like you, and I thought you liked me, and that hurt, Sam. Some guy comes over and asks me to go with him, and you just hand me over.”
“I didn’t know what to do, I’m sorry. I figured you’d want the guy you wanted to come to prom with in the first place. How was I supposed to— Wait, what did you just say?”
I bite my lip and can feel my cheeks warming up.
“You like me?”
Still nibbling on my bottom lip, I nod.
The music gets lower, changing from a fast, dance song to a slow one. He takes a step closer and grabs hold of both of my hands. The silence between us is drowned out by the music playing. His eyes meet mine, and I get that feeling again. The same feeling I’ve had a couple of times tonight. Like he wants to kiss me.
“I’m sorry, Nat. You’re right, I should’ve said something. Anything. But I just figured, what’s a guy like me going to do to compete with a guy like that?”
“Sam, you don’t have to compete with anyone. Just be your same nerdy self.” He takes a step closer and drops my hands, putting his on my waist. I follow suit, putting mine on his shoulders. “With that nerdy, now braces-free grin, that makes me smile. And your plastered down hair that I can’t for the life of me figure out why I like now, but I do.” He gives me a light laugh, then rubs his eyes. “Ugh, do you have your glasses with you?”
“Yeah.”
“Then get rid of those stupid contacts and put your glasses back on.” He pinches the contacts out and tosses them aside, pulling out his glasses and putting them on. “Much better. Just be you, Sam.”
He inches closer, and I think he’s going to kiss me, but he doesn’t. He pauses, his lips less than an inch from mine. “I think I can do that. Anything else?”
He’s grinning, and I desperately want his lips on mine, but the words escape me. Instead, I pinch my lips together and barely give him a slight nod. His forehead leans against me for just a second, before his lips meet mine.
I never thought kissing Sam would feel like this. If I’m being honest, I never thought about kissing Sam at all before this week. But here we are, both of us swaying to the melody in the air, and I couldn’t be happier. His lips slide over mine, and I lock my hands around his head. I’m not sure how many girls he’s kissed—nor do I want to think about that right now—but he seems to know what he’s doing. His kiss goes deeper, and his tongue meets mine. His crisp scent overtakes me, and I feel his hands run up my back, stopping under my hair at my neck. Leaning his forehead against mine again, he runs his thumb over my lips.
“Anything else, Your Highness?”
I finally find my words. “Yes. Kiss me like that again, nerd.”
“As you wish.”
From the Author
Thanks so much for reading Courting the Ner
d. I really hope you enjoyed it. If you did, please consider leaving a review and/or rating. Ratings and reviews help other readers find the book.
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Also by RH Tucker
Rumor Has It
True to You
Heart Shaped Lock
