Cole shakes his head like he was lost in his thoughts. “Sorry. What?”

“I was commenting on the chandelier.”

He looks up. “Oh.” He shrugs. “It’s nice…for a chandelier.”

I’m really trying not to let negative thoughts enter my head, but I can’t help it. Cole’s been a little distracted this evening. Like he has something else on his mind.

Something that’s definitely not me.

He spins us around the dance floor. “What time does this thing end again?”

He’s got to be freaking kidding me.

Granted, this shindig is a little boring. Okay, a lot boring. But we only get one senior prom.

“Eleven,” I grit through my teeth.

Frustration lines his handsome face. “What time is it now?”

“I have no idea.”

Because unlike him, I’m not an impatient ass who’s in a rush to get out of here.

I hate the way my stomach tightens with anxiety.

But not nearly as much as I hate that negative voice whispering untrue, mean things in my ear.

Things like—Cole doesn’t want me anymore because I’ve gained weight.

It’s a stupid voice. I know better than to listen to it.

Nothing positive comes from that voice. In fact, it literally ruins almost everything in my life.

However, this is the first time since the hospital that we’ve had any time to ourselves as a couple…and he hasn’t even so much as made a sexual innuendo.

I know my man—I know him very well—and this isn’t him.

Given the only thing that’s changed since the last time we had sex is my appearance...my weight gain is the only possible conclusion I can come up with.

“I need some air.”

Nope. Can’t run away from this.

Sandy has me doing this new thing where I confront these dark thoughts instead of stuffing them down.

Because stuffing them down landed me in the hospital with a heart attack.

“Actually no, I don’t need air.”

He blinks. “Okay.”

I jab his chest with my finger. “Let’s get one thing straight, buster. If you don’t want to be with me, or if you’re no longer attracted to me because I gained weight…you can go fuck yourself.”

Fuck that negative voice.

His eyebrows shoot up to the ceiling. “What—”

The music shuts off abruptly. “Ladies and gentlemen, if I can have your attention, please. It’s time to announce the prom king…and his queen.”

The room erupts in cheers. I picked one hell of a time to start a confrontation.

I can feel everyone’s eyes on me—well, not me—Cole.

He’s a shoo-in.

However, Cole looks like he couldn’t care less about being prom king. “What the hell are you talking about?”

Leaning in, I hiss, “You used to not be able to keep your hands off me. But tonight? You haven’t even so much as grabbed my ass.”

And now, I feel like an idiot.

What girl in her right mind yells at her boyfriend for not grabbing her ass in the middle of prom?

This girl does. “I’m sor—”

Seizing the base of my neck, he pulls me in for a kiss so hot, so lewd, it sends a rush of heat from the tips of my shoes to the top of my head.

“It’s prom, you look beautiful, and you have a fancy dress on,” he exhales in a rush. “I was trying to respect you and be a gen—”

“The new prom king of Royal Hearts Academy is,” the announcer interjects. “Our favorite quarterback—Cole Covington.”

I feel like an even bigger idiot now. Here he was trying to be respectful, and I was all but begging him to violate me in front of everyone.

“I’m sor—”

In one fell swoop, his hand wraps around my wrist and he starts tugging me.

Holy shit. He’s walking so fast I can barely keep up with him.

“Where are we going?” I ask when we reach the hallway.

He drags me into an empty banquet hall next door. “I got us a hotel room for the night.” I gasp in surprise when he lifts me up and sets me on a table. “But I’m sick of waiting.”

Oh, hell. I’m such a damn fool. “So don’t.”

He crashes his mouth against mine.

Our kiss is fire and ice…saint meets sinner.

A frantic, palpable need so combustible there should be flames around us.

I yank his fly down as he plants a line of kisses on my neck and palms my breast.

“I’m sorry,” he rasps.

“Why—”

I can barely get the word out before I hear the sound of material ripping and my breast pops out into his eager hand.

“That’s why.”

My head lolls back as he teases my nipple with frantic flicks of his tongue. “Oh, God.”

His groan is low and feral. “I missed you so fucking much.”

My heart takes flight. “I missed you too.”

Plumping my tit in his hand, he looks up at me as he sucks my nipple into his mouth. “I was talking to them.”

Of course he was.

“Asshole.”

His lips curve in a vulgar smirk as he reaches under my dress. “You should stop wearing panties.”

“Why?”

He shreds the lacy fabric down the middle as though it were nothing more than paper. “They keep getting in my way.” Not wasting any time, he licks two fingers and shoves them inside me. “Fuck my fingers. Now.”

Yes, sir.

I proceed to do exactly that as he strokes himself with his free hand.

“Has anyone seen Cole Covington?” the announcer from the banquet hall asks. “We need to give him his crown.”

His eyes darken. “Spread your legs, Bible Thumper.”

I spread them as wide as they can possibly go as his hands slide under my ass and he angles my hips.

We both make a strangled noise as he drives inside me with one powerful thrust.

“Fuck.” Pulling back, he slams into me again. Harder this time. “Feels so fucking good.”

It does. It so fucking does.

“I guess we’ll move onto the prom queen,” the announcer declares. “No surprise here. It’s Casey Mulligan.”

“Fuck me harder,” I moan, dragging my nails down his back.

He fucks me so hard the table we’re on starts knocking against the wall. Loudly.

“Do you hear that?” some woman yells.

“You gonna come for me like a good girl?” Cole roars, picking up the pace.

He’s fucking me so good, I’ll do anything he wants right now.

I claw at his back as intense pleasure sizzles up my spine. “Oh, God. Oh, my fucking God.”

“It’s time for the prom king and queen to dance,” the announcer states nervously. “So once again…has anyone seen the prom king?”

Yeah, he’s busy fucking his girlfriend.

I cling to his shoulders and rock my hips as tension in my core tightens. “I’m close.”

Reaching between us, he starts rubbing my clit vigorously. Sweet baby Jesus.

I try to swallow my scream when the tension snaps and releases, but I can’t. It feels too good.

“Fuck yeah,” he groans as I clench and shudder around him. “Come all over this cock.”