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sandpaper making it tingle.
    Jen stared back at him, the last shreds of haziness blowing away leaving her mind crystal clear. She wanted to kiss him. It had nothing to do with being high or being mad at Tom and wanting to pay him back. She simply wanted Drake with an intensity that left her breathless. She remembered how that long-ago first kiss had felt and she wanted to experience it again.
    For a moment, the air between them seemed charged like a power line. Jen leaned a little closer, reached out to touch the front of his T-shirt and tilted her face up. But just then a car pulled up in front of Big Ben’s. Some loud, laughing kids in formalwear, people from school she vaguely knew, piled out of it and headed into the store. The tension of the moment broke. The possibility floating in the air evaporated.
    Drake turned away from her and began to walk back the way they’d come. Jen fell into step beside him, a few polite feet separating their bodies. It was for the best, she told herself. Making out with Drake for an evening’s entertainment would only complicate her life.
    She looked to the left at the lights shining on the river and wondered if the fish were still leaping. What was the purpose of that? Some mating ritual? A reaction to the lights shining through the water? An attempt to leave their natural home and leap up to the stars? It was crazy behavior. Unreasonable. Pointless.
    It didn’t take long to reach the Heritage Glen rental hall. Music and lights still poured from the windows. The prom would be winding down soon, the magic over and couples going to either the official after-prom party or private places.
    Or home. Alone.
    Jen drew a breath, gearing up for going back inside and gathering her things. Her friends wouldn’t let her escape without telling what had happened but she’d keep it as brief as possible. She’d seen Tom making out with someone else—actually dry-humping against a stall door or maybe even more than that, she wasn’t sure. She was upset and wanted to go home and, no thanks, she didn’t need anyone to be with her.
    Except she still needed a ride. She’d call a taxi or, better yet, take the limo they’d arrived in and leave Tom stranded. He hadn’t even seen her when she’d walked into the restroom. He wouldn’t know what had happened to her. She’d just be gone.
    Jen watched a couple come out of the building smiling and talking. Happy couple having the time of their lives. Disappointment rushed through her. A fantasy destroyed, an illusion evaporated. It was for the best. She’d rather face the truth about Tom Bradford sooner than later, but oh, it was bitter.
    “You okay?” Drake asked.

    “Yeah.”
    “All right then. Bye.” He started to walk away but she grabbed his arm to stop him.
    “I mean it. Thanks for hanging out with me this evening. It helped. A lot.”
    “Sure. No problem.”
    “And, uh, you probably want your shirt back.” She slipped her arms out of the too-long sleeves which she’d rolled up and handed it to him. “You’re not the hard-ass you want people to think you are. You’re actually pretty nice.”
    “Gee thanks,” he mocked, jamming his arms into the sleeves. He rolled down the sleeves that ended halfway up his forearms and nodded toward the building. “Better get back to your prom.”
    Jen didn’t want the evening to end like this, with him pissed off about whatever it was he was mad about. A surge of pure adrenaline rushed through her and she didn’t stop to think about consequences. She stepped close to Drake, slid her hands around the back of his neck and pulled his face down to hers. She planted a kiss on his lips—no hesitation, no tentativeness, just a solid, uncompromising kiss.
    His lips were soft. His arms wound around her, holding her. He drew away and sucked in a quick breath before molding his mouth to hers once more.
    Jen had meant to stop at one kiss but she lingered. Drake knew how to kiss. There was a lot more finesse