Dancing in Circles (Circles Trilogy)

by Adams, Victoria

"Stop." She laughed, slapping at his hand. "What I came to ask you was, I have one last class this evening before the audition, would you like to come and watch?"

  Robert nuzzled her neck. "I'd love to go to the dance studio but watchin' ya dance is so not what I wanna do." He trickled little kisses up the side of her neck to her chin. The caress of his lips tingled like fire every time they touched her. Within his grasp, the shudder of her body rippled along his arms. He reached across and rolled her over so she rested her belly on his. With both hands, he urged her face closer to his. When her gloss-covered lips reached his, the flavor of Strawberry Burst teased his senses. Robert's head swam with emotion, his heart raced with passion and his body surged with lust until the pressure of Julie's hands on his chest distracted him.

  "What?" He blinked.

  Julie pushed against him in a half push-up. "We can't. What if one of the little ones walks in?"

  "They get a quick lesson in sex ed."

  "Supper." Jason bellowed up the stairs.

  Robert closed his eyes and released an exasperated sigh.

  "Coming down?" Julie hopped off the bed.

  "Yea. Been dyin' for one of your mom's suppers." Robert followed Julie. He liked watching her walk. He loved the way her hips moved. They didn't wiggle like most girls'. They swayed in a sensual motion.

  Julie led the way to the dining room. She was aware of his gaze following her. She guessed she only had a few weeks before he moved out, but she planned on making those the most memorable of his life. She promised herself, if he wasn't totally hers by that time, then it would be written that they were never meant to be together.

  Supper started in its usual confused noisy manner, dishes being asked for and passed around and several people trying to talk at once. "I've got a basketball practice tonight," Jason stated between mouthfuls of mashed potatoes. "Tournament's tomorrow so some of the guys are getting together at the community center."

  "Walkenham still coachin' Westland Junior?" Robert asked.

  "Yea."

  "Yes." His mother shook her head.

  "Yes." Jason stuffed a forkful of roast chicken into his mouth.

  "Why don't they get a good coach?"

  Jason swallowed. "What's wrong with Coach?"

  "The man can't coach." Robert took a drink of milk and set his glass down. "Ever notice Westland Prep's team never wins. It's made up of Westland Junior players. You guys shoot like sh...terrible, your court presses suck and the plays are so readable a girls' team could beat ya."

  Jason rolled his eyes "How'd you get to be so know-it-all on basketball?"

  "By havin' a good coach." Robert shot an eye roll back at Julie's brother.

  "Why don't you go and give the team a few pointers?" Julie shrugged. "You never know, Jason, you might actually learn something and win a game."

  "Whatever," Jason mumbled to his plate.

  "What do ya gotta lose?" Robert hunched his shoulders and raised his hands. "You could win the tournament."

  "Uh, just stick to win a game." Mr. Anderson chuckled. "This team isn't very good."

  "I have concerns about you going out." Mrs. Anderson wiped her mouth and placed her napkin by her plate. "Yes, Sheila and Ashley, you may leave. Put your dishes in the dishwasher, and you can play after your homework's finished and I've seen it."

  Robert grimaced and sniffed. "We decided you're not my mother. I appreciate your worryin' but you've got one baby-to-be and four other kids to worry about. I slept all afternoon and my homework's done."

  Their visual battle was broken by Julie's father. "Have we got this weekend straightened out?" He pushed his plate away and settled back in his chair.

  Mrs. Anderson nodded to Jason that he could leave as she poured herself and her husband a steaming cup of Earl Grey tea. "We leave Thursday when Jason gets back from the tournament. Julie's audition is Friday. Kelly's wedding is Saturday. Julie stays at Aunt Kathy's. The kids are all going to Karen's and we've," She patted her husband's arm. "booked a quiet room in a hotel, and we might just not tell anybody which one."

  Seeing the puzzled look on Robert's face, Julie's father swallowed his tea and placed the cup on the table. "Has anyone explained this weekend to you?"

  Robert shook his head. "Not really. I'm just supposed to know who Aunt Kathy is."

  "Aunt Kathy's my aunt and Julie's great-aunt but everybody calls her Aunt Kathy. There's also her husband, Uncle Benjamin. Kelly, the bride, is their grandniece. Her parents were killed and they adopted her. The estate is spectacular. Old English sort of thing."

  "I get the impression it'd be like living at Mrs. Murran's, and I'd certainly never fit in there."

  Julie shoved a strand of hair behind her ear and heaved an annoyed exhale. Robert glanced out of the corner of his eye and rubbed between his eyes. "First off, I wasn't invited. The invitation said Andersons. Not the Andersons and gang member. Second, I ain't no good at family things. I'm still tryin' to figure out how to cope with this one. My jeans and biker jacket's gonna look outta place around all those fuckin' penguin suits."

  "There's the Robert I've been looking for." Mrs. Anderson placed her teacup on the table. "You finally relaxed enough to swear."

  Robert's brow crinkled as he looked at Julie and shrugged.

  Julie mouthed the words. "Fuckin' penguin suits."

  Robert dropped his head. "Sorry. It slipped. I didn't mean it as a four-letter word. It's just an adjective." He ran his fingers through his hair.

  Jason stepped in the dining room. "Are we going or what?"

  "Yes." Julie stood and grabbed her plate and silverware off the table. "Give me a sec." She followed her brother into the kitchen.

  "I'm really sorry." Robert half smiled. "I never heard the f word."

  "In a very strange way, it's all right. It's nice to see you're starting to relax." Mr. Anderson took a sip of his tea.

  Robert pushed his plate forward and tilted his chair on its back two legs. "Why are you doing this? What's in it for you?"

  "This is simply compassion for another human being." Mrs. Anderson smiled.

  Mr. Anderson picked up the conversation. "When you came before my bench, you were a bratty, foul-mouthed little punk, but you stood up for yourself. Now I see someone who's been put down too often. The self-assurance is still there but the surface has to be rubbed harder to make it appear. "

  "Car leaves in five minutes." Julie tapped Robert on the shoulder.

  "I'd like to stay and hash this out, but Jason….."

  "I'd like to add one thing, before you go." Robert waited for Mrs. Anderson to continue. "We want to help. You seem like a nice kid who could use at least one break in his life. Please don't question our motives just accept them. Now go help Jason. He'd love to have an older brother. Especially one who can help him improve his hook shot."

  Julie walked back into the dining room holding Robert's jacket. Jason barged in with his gym bag in one hand and basketball in the other. "Let's go, hotshot."

  Robert rocked his chair forward, pushed it back and stood. "That sounded like a challenge?"

  "It was." Jason shot the ball at Robert.

  "Jason." His mother frowned. "No basketball in the dining room."

  "Come on, you two." Julie pushed them toward the door. "Fight it out in the car."

  Julie was relieved to deposit the two boys at the community center. The entire conversation had been about basketball. She didn't know or care what a slam-dunk was. What she did care about was her family had accepted Robert. Now as long as nothing else happens, I can work on getting him to tell me he loves me.

  Chapter Eighteen

  For the next two hours, Julie pushed all extraneous thoughts out of her head and focused on ballet technique. Madame praised her progress, wished her luck then dismissed her. Julie showered in the change room. As the hot water streamed down her body, she remembered Robert's kisses. How torn she'd felt telling him to stop when her whole body screamed for him to continue. She exited the shower, dried
herself, dressed and left to pick up Robert and Jason.

  As Julie arrived, she could see both boys sitting on the top railing of a park bench. When Jason settled into the car, he jerked a thumb towards Robert. "Do you know who this is?"

  Julie checked for traffic then pulled back onto the street. "Yes, his name's Robert."

  "No. Geez, sisters can be so dumb." He shook his head. "He's the team captain of the North Shore Raiders. I never put the two together. This guy's one of the best b-ball players in the area. The Raiders won the championship for the past five years. He's been team captain for three. I asked him why he didn't play for Westland and he said…." Jason rambled on about Robert and his skills at basketball. Robert, on the other hand, sagged against the seat and said nothing.

  ***

  Julie reached for her robe when a knock sounded on her door. "It's open."

  Robert stepped in, dressed in his blue jeans and no shirt. His right side near his ribs and left side of his stomach still taped with hospital bandages. She wanted to slide her hands along his chest and feel the curves of his muscles. She liked the hard flatness of his stomach and yet the softness of his skin.

  He rubbed his forehead. "Look, I'm sorry but I can't go this weekend. I won't know what to do, and I can't just hang around ya like a lost puppy dog."

  "I'll miss you." She stepped close and slid her hands along the muscles of his back.

  Robert held her close and rested his forehead on hers. "I don't know if I'm gonna be able to keep from makin' love to ya here." The passion emanating from his voice made her shiver.

  He kissed her forehead, the tip of her nose and her lips before tickling little ones down her throat. Julie put her hand on his chest and pushed him away. She waited until the shiver that raged through her body settled, then took a deep breath and exhaled. "We can't. I'm so sorry. But, we can't."

  She nudged him backward until she could reach the door. Opening it, she propelled him out into the darkened hall. "Good night," she whispered and closed the door. Damn!

  Robert stood for a moment staring at the closed door then sighed, rubbed his face and returned to his bedroom.

  ***

  The next afternoon, when Julie returned home from school, the house bustled with activity. Her sisters and brother ran in every direction gathering clothes, books and toys to take on their trip. Julie dropped her book bag and purse on the kitchen table and sat. Her father passed through carrying two pieces of luggage. "The Anderson bus leaves in fifteen minutes." He opened the backdoor.

  "Where's Robert?"

  "Downstairs watching TV, I think." The door closed behind him.

  Julie walked down the stairs to the family room and stood at the bottom step. Robert glanced towards the stairs to see who had lost what now. His smile quickly faded. "What's up?"

  "Nothing." She stepped off the bottom stair, trudged over to the couch and plopped down.

  "Why so glum?" Robert grabbed the TV remote and pressed the off button.

  She shrugged and stared at the carpet.

  "Ya should be full of energy. No school for four days, your audition's tomorrow and the wedding. Instead, ya look like the cat died."

  "We don't have a cat."

  "Figure of speech."

  Julie lifted her gaze to meet his. "You aren't coming?"

  He shook his head.

  Her bottom lip trembled. "Hold me."

  "Scared?" Robert encircled her with his arms and held her close.

  She nestled in his embrace. "Uh-huh."

  "I'm not." Robert pulled back and cupped her face with his hands. "You'll do great. That's not just me talkin'. That's those ladies at the studio. The ones who gave ya your dance thing."

  "My exam?"

  Robert released Julie and settled back on the couch. "Yea, they was talkin' and your teacher said ya had this audition thin' and they said you'd do great. See, I'm not the only one who thinks you're good."

  The corner of Julie's mouth hinted a grin. "They said that?"

  "Yup. They didn't know who I was, so they just kept talkin' and I kept listenin'." He nodded his head towards the stairs. "Now go pack. Ya got nothin' to worry about."

  Julie started to rise then dropped back onto the couch. "I need my good luck kiss."

  "Gladly." Robert reached out and pulled Julie onto his stomach. He placed his hands behind her head and pulled her face closer. Their lips met in a passionate kiss that swirled heat within Robert. His heartbeat drummed against his chest. He didn't want to let go. He wanted to hold her and be held by her for the rest of his life. With heart-wrenching reluctance, he released her. Robert pasted a smile on his face. "That should keep ya most of the weekend."

  Giggling, she rose to leave.

  Robert grabbed her hand. "I can't explain why I don't wanna go. I'm gonna miss ya. I've spent all day missin' ya. Don't meet any pretty boy, rich guy. I don't wanna have to go beat nobody up. I can be very protective of my woman, if ya haven't already noticed."

  Julie smiled, then chuckled at herself for smiling. "I like that – your woman. I think I'll get it tattooed right here." She slid her hand along her backside then scurried upstairs to pack.

  Soon the minivan was full. The only ones not buckled in were Julie and her mother. "By now, you know where everything is." Mrs. Anderson picked up a paper and put it under a fridge magnet. "This is where I always leave feeding instructions for Jangles."

  At the mention of her name, Jangle scurried off her pillow and sat next to Robert. He bent down and scratched her ears.

  "Remember, the doctor said take it easy this weekend."

  "I promise no hang glidin', no off-track dirt bike racin' and no sumo wrestlin'." He crossed his heart and held up his hand. Julie's mother rolled her eyes, picked up her purse and headed out the door.

  Julie and Robert stood facing each other. Neither said a word nor moved a muscle. Mr. Anderson honked the horn. Robert pulled Julie close. "Dance your cute little butt off and knock'em dead." He brushed a kiss across her cheek. "Good luck and hurry back." He spun Julie around and pushed her to the door. "Go. The faster ya get out of here, the faster ya come back." He closed the door behind her and watched as she walked towards the van. A cold sense of dread filled him. He shook off the premonition that someday he'd stand by and watch her walk out of his life. He rubbed his face. I need a beer. No, somethin' more hardcore.

  ***

  Highgate, where Aunt Kathy and Uncle Benjamin lived, was an hour from Westland. The trip was uneventful. Aunt Kathy's house resembled an English castle. On two ends were round turrets with rooms at the top where Julie and her cousin, Kelly, had spent hours pretending they'd been captured by an evil wizard and were waiting to be rescued by Prince Charming.

  The only Anderson staying at Aunt Kathy's was Julie, as she was Kelly's maid of honor and was given one of the guest rooms in the west turret. The windows faced southwest, and the late fall sun streamed through.

  She dropped her luggage on the bed and stood next to the window. Well, I've got my Prince Charming, just not here. Wouldn't it be so romantic if he'd just burst through that doo?. Right now. Okay, now.

  After a short knock, the door swung open and in bustled the bride-to-be, cousin Kelly. With lots of hugs and squeals the two cousins greeted each other. Kelly glanced at her watch. "Supper should be ready." She stood and walked towards the door. "Oh, by the way. Heads up. Ralph's here."

  Julie stopped on the first step. "Tell me you're joking."

  "'Fraid not. He's even staying here. Talked Aunty K into it." Kelly paused on the stairs and turned. "Actually, I think he talked at her until she gave in and agreed just to get him to shut up. He's so annoying."

  "God's gift to woman-kind."

  "A legend in his own mind." Kelly continued down the stairs.

  Julie scurried down to catch up. "He repulses me."

  "You and me too. And the other three billion women on this planet." Laughing, the two cousins entered the dining room.

  Aunt Kelly sat
across from her husband. Her gray hair wrapped in a tight French braid and her piercing blue eyes twinkling when she looked at her nieces. "Kelly. Julie. Sit there. Ralph can sit… oh, here he is."

  The repulsive cousin entered from the other door. Julie's stomach lurched when he smiled at her. She didn't understand her reaction, but at a gut level, he was one-step shy of repulsive vomit.

  "Well hello, Julie. Long time no see." His voice was like fingernails on a chalkboard.

  "Hi. Ralph." The skin on the back of her neck crawled up to her head. Julie didn't know whether to laugh or cry at his attempt at looking fashionable. The clothes were the latest style but on him, they looked like clown's clothes. His dull brown hair and eyes, only added to the bleah she felt when she looked at him.

  He stepped close and slipped an arm around her waist. Julie choked on the fog of cologne that circled him. "From the looks of the boy-girl situation, it looks like it'll be you and me tripping the lights fantastic this weekend. I am currently between affaires de coeur and since you're never dating anyone that leaves us to mix and match."

  The leer on his face made Julie almost lose her lunch. She pushed his hand off her waist. "I'm seeing someone."

  Ralph glanced around the room. "Well, where is the handsome stud?"

  She stepped out of his reach. "He couldn't come." Please Robert, pop up and make Ralph disappear.

  "That still leaves just you and me. As I always say," He ran both hands through his hair. "His loss. My gain."

  "Julie." Aunt Kathy pointed at a chair. "You sit next to Kelly. Ralph. Over there. Let's get this meal over with so we can get on to the wedding rehearsal."

  ***

  After the family had returned from the wedding rehearsal, Aunt Kathy, Uncle Benjamin, Kelly, Stan, the groom, Julie and Ralph settled in the lounge. Aunt Kathy asked if anyone would like a late night snack. Julie covered her mouth with her hand and yawned. "No thank you. I'm pretty tired. I guess I'll go to bed. I've got a busy day tomorrow." She stood and smiled at Kelly. "One more day as a single woman."

  Her cousin squeezed her fiancé's hand. Ralph heaved a large faked yawn and stood. "Yes, I'm pretty tired too. Guess I'll crash early."