Play The Part (Player Next Door Book 3)

90 | The Night Was Young

Welcome to my favorite chapter and the longest one I've ever written.

Chapter 90: The Night Was Young

I'll always save you a seat next to me.

I looked over at Luke and Austin getting drinks from the bar, while five girls surrounded them. Austin was loving the crown on his head, which everyone seemed to want to touch and take pictures with.

Luke ducked out of one of the photos, taking two drinks from the bartender and walking back across the dance floor towards me.

The bleachers had been pushed back and covered with sheer curtains. And the music was blasting from the DJ booth on a stage that had been set up for prom.

I was sitting at one of the small round tables, covered in white clothes, that circled the dance floor. Each one was topped with small glass vases filled with white roses.

The dance floor was starting to wane as some people had already gone home or gotten tired by the sidelines.

I had been so clumsy at dancing that Luke had to carry half my weight to keep me looking somewhat graceful up there. I loved the way we danced together, cheek-to-cheek, even if it was for a short while.

My boyfriend approached me now, placing both drinks on the table. He stepped in between my legs, my dress sliding up a bit from the movement. He leaned his upper body down, still in his suit, and clasped his hands around my face, tilting my head up for a strong and warm kiss.

"You look beautiful," he told me.

"Should I dress like this every day?" I asked back, enjoying all this attention I was getting from him.

"Definitely," he answered without hesitation.

I raised my left hand and touched his bicep as he held my face in his hands. I felt his crisp white shirt under my fingers and, beneath that, the strength he carried. His lips softly caressed mine.

O'Conner showed up from off the dance floor, sweaty and leading his pretty date with him, "Hey guys, they're closing up in a few. Where's the after party?"

Luke stopped kissing me and stood upright, looking at his teammate. "Grotto?"

They both turned towards the bar where Austin had barely made any progress, "Yo, prom king! We partying at yours?"

"I never say no," Austin called back, pulling away from his fans as he started walking towards us.

"What about the beach?" I asked.

O'Conner tilted his head, "Not a bad idea."

Chad and Bianca approached us now too. She appeared somewhat timid behind him, having avoided us for so many months. Her gold crown was perched on her beautiful hair and the champagne colored dress she wore glittered alongside it.

Chad held her hand and blurted out, "Have you seen the color of the punch bowls back there? They've gone dark purple. I'm telling you, people don't know how to spike properly these days."

"Are we talking afterparty?" Jamie asked, also approaching us.

"No. What's happening to this one?" Chad asked.

Luke sighed, stepping back from in between my legs, "I guess we'll get some privacy later."

Luke was a magnet sometimes. My little table had gone from empty to full in the space of twenty seconds since he joined.

I smiled up at him, as more of his friends joined us, surrounding our table. It was only midnight. The night was young.

**