Life After Dark: Book Two of the Dark Series

Chapter 79

"No more," Elizabeth begged as she stumbled off the dance floor. Trying to catch her breath, she laughed at her cousin's reaction. The puppy dog eyes and the pout might work on some, namely Gina, but they didn't change Lizzie's opinion at all.

"Aw, Lizabeth! They're playing a good one now!" Tommy pleaded, pulling on her hand. He found himself invigorated by the gyrating beat and would have danced the entire night if he could find a willing partner. His mother had told him that he wore her out and she'd danced her last dance for at least two weeks. Gina had wandered off to go to the ladies' room and, now, Lizabeth was begging off. Maybe if she had a teeny, tiny break, she'd changed her mind-

"No, Tommy!" Lizzie said, firmly. "I'm too pooped. Maybe you could sit this one out-"

"I'll dance with you," offered a light feminine voice.

Tommy turned to face the gracious person who wouldn't force him to sit on his sudden burst of restless energy. Smiling at Lark, he said, "Thanks! Let's go."

"Good luck, Lark," Lizzie called as she waved them away.

Lark nodded in acknowledgment of Lizzie's voice, but she hadn't heard a word she said. Her concentration was on the handsome young man in the black tux with the shining green eyes. She knew he had no idea that she had feelings for him, but she couldn't allow herself to give up the hope that one day, maybe he'd see past Gina and notice her. But until that day came, she'd spend time with Sly...unless opportunities to spend time with Tommy presented themselves.

The band burst forth with their upbeat and an almost-as-good-as-the-original version of Chaka Khan's "I Feel For You" and Tommy started moving. Lark watched him for a second, amazed by his agility, and then she began to move to the music, too.

"How did you do on the test?" Tommy asked, not even winded despite the exertion of the dance movements.

"I did okay. You?" Lark asked, smiling as she bobbed her head to the music.

"Fine, I guess," he said with a shrug.

Lark smiled at the shrug. She knew him well enough to know that if he simply shrugged he did more than just 'fine.' He'd aced it as he had most of his classes. She wondered again how such a cute guy could have such an awesome personality, fabulous bod, and be good in school, too. Why on earth would he waste his time on Gina Cates, she asked herself, shaking her head.

"Is something wrong?" Tommy asked, with a frown. Lark's expression had changed, and he hoped that he hadn't worn her out, too.

"No, everything's perfect!" she said, smiling back at him.

"Cool!" he said with a grin.

~*~

Emily held out her hand to Jordan as he and his partner in crime ambled towards her. He and Sly had broad grins on their faces which immediately alerted her that they had been up to their typical antics...annoying or irritating some poor unfortunate soul. Giving Jordan's hand a gentle squeeze and moving her eyes from one to the other, she began her interrogation. "Okay, you two, where have you been?"

Jordan's attention was captured by the slight pressure of Emily's hand on his, which left the answer to Emily's question up to Sly. With a mischievous glint in his eye, he said, "Wishing the Prince and his Princess well."

"Mm..sure you were," Emily said. When the two young men began to laugh at her skepticism, she added, "Okay, spill it. What were you really doing? You didn't spike the punch or anything, did you?"

"Of course not," Jordan said, "we'd never do anything like that. We were with Nik and Dawn just like Sly said. Lucky was there, too."

Jordan and Sly nodded in unison, but again their giggling gave them away as they remembered how they pestered Dawn about her hair.