Spencer chuckles. “Liar.”

“I do,” I argue, turning my head to look at him. “I’m not lying. So don’t try anything.”

“Yeah, she does,” Dempsey says, the heat of his breath close to my neck. “Me.”

“Relax,” Spencer teases. “We’re just dancing. You can tell your boyfriend all about it later.”

Since neither of them is touching me beyond the basics of dancing, I decide I can trust them. I’ve let them know I’m off-limits. If they go further, I’ll kick them in the nuts.

The song changes to one I love and I do let myself relax.

This is fun.

A lot of fun.

I can’t wait to tell Callum all about it.

Chapter Twenty-One

Callum

How long will we have to hide our relationship?

The question has been plaguing me since I took the plunge with Willa. I wish I could tell everyone to fuck off and proudly parade her around town on my arm. She’s legal. It’s not a crime.

But this isn’t a question of legalities.

It’s a moral one.

The people of Park Mountain, Washington, are judgmental as fuck. Nosey, too. As soon as they get wind that one of the high school teachers is sleeping with his student, they’ll be relentless. The spotlight will be on me and my family as they dissect every aspect of my personal life.

First off, they’ll want to know how long this has been going on for. I’ll be accused of being a pedo piece of shit. They’ll say I groomed her. It’ll be frustrating and humiliating, but nothing I can’t handle. And it’s not true.

The problem isn’t that I can’t take the heat.

Because I can.

And I’d gladly welcome hopping into the frying pan if it meant I’d be able to keep Willa at my side. It’s a no-brainer.

It’s Hugo.

Not that my brother will give a fuck who I sleep with. He won’t care. But what he will care about is his campaign. If it comes out that I’ve deflowered an innocent girl from my class, the press and people of this town won’t come after me. No, they’ll go after him.

Politics are so fucked up. Why Hugo wants to dive into it is beyond me.

There’s no easy way around this situation that’s littered with moral and ethical landmines. No matter which way I step, my relationship with Willa threatens to explode, injuring everyone around me, the worst of it hitting Hugo.

Then there’s Willa.