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Her gaze shifts to me, taking in my dress. “And you look lovely. Very appropriate.” She gives a quick, disapproving glance toward a cluster of women near the wall before turning back to us.

“Thank you,” I say, smiling.

She pours herself a small cup of punch. Once she’s out of earshot, I lean a little closer to Levi, keeping my voice low. “Have you noticed half the women here have put in a lot of effort tonight?”

“No,” he says, not even looking up from the punch bowl.

“You know why they’re doing it, right?”

He finally glances around, expression blank. “Why?”

Oh, this man.

I tilt my head toward the group by the wall, who immediately become fascinated by the raffle table. “They’re trying to get your attention.”

Levi follows my gaze for half a second, then looks back at me. “Right.”

“That’s all you have to say?”

“What do you want me to say?” His hand settles at the small of my back. “I’m with you.”

My chest goes a little soft.

I wasn’t looking for reassurance. Not exactly. I had only wanted to know if he saw it too—the way women seem to notice him wherever he goes. The way their eyes catch on him before they can stop themselves.

I take him in now, and I can’t blame them. He’s beautiful in that rough way of his. But he’s mine, and I want them to know that.

Levi slides his hand around my waist.

“I’m not sure the principal would approve,” I murmur, though I make no effort to pull away.

His mouth curves. “She definitely won’t approve of this.”

His hand drifts lower. I catch his wrist just in time. “That’s a good way to get us banned from school events.”

“Sorry.”

“You don’t sound sorry.”

“I’m not.”

A laugh escapes before I can stop it. I bite my lip, warmth flooding my cheeks. For a moment it’s far too easy to stand here with him, too easy to forget the conversation waiting for us later.

My smile softens. “We need to talk after this,” I say quietly.

Levi’s expression turns serious. “Yeah. We do.”

The music shifts into something slower and sweeter. We stand side by side, watching the kids. Theo is in the middle of the floor with his friends, throwing himself into wild dance moves full of flying elbows and zero rhythm.

Levi watches him with an expression he probably doesn’t realize he’s wearing.

Before I can tease him, the same boys from earlier drift back toward the punch table with exaggerated innocence. One reaches for the ladle without even glancing at us.

Levi simply steps closer to the bowl and all of them suddenly remember they have urgent business on the other side of the gym.

I laugh under my breath as Levi returns to my side. His hand settles at my waist again.

I should stop him. We’re in a school gym. Half the PTA is watching, and I’m still supposed to be annoyed with him. But I like this too much.