by Toni Aleo
When he looked up at her, waiting for her response, all she could do was nod. He didn’t deserve her forgiveness, and she couldn’t trust herself not to give it to him. A part of her, the small one that still had feelings for him, wanted to forgive him. The rest of her wanted to flick him off but, instead, she cleared her throat before saying, “What I said still stands. We have no reason to talk once you leave this studio.”
“I understand.”
She looked down at where she played with the hem of her sweatshirt and said, “But thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
Nodding, she turned again and took a deep breath, collecting herself. She thought she had felt good saying what she had, hearing Kevin’s words was ten times better. Looking back at him, she let out a breath. “Let’s do this.”
Walking towards him with her remote in her hand, he said, “You’ve picked a song?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay,” he said as she hit play. He listened for a moment and then scoffed. “Really?”
She shrugged. “It’s a good song. This is my favorite version.” And it was. Madilyn Bailey sang the female version of Bruno Mars’ “When I was Your Man” and it was stunning. They listened to the song the whole way through and then started. When he reached for her, pulling her into his chest, she looked into his eyes and felt nothing. She thought this was going to be hard, feeling his body against hers, but it wasn’t because he meant nothing to her. It felt like he was just another partner, not the man that she loved for so long, and she had a feeling that he felt nothing, too. She hoped that the hard times he went through with his wife made him fall back in love with her. She deserved all of him, and she hoped that Stacey got that.
Moving together like it wasn’t the first time in years, Reese put her heart in the dance. She not only wanted to impress her students but also Phillip. Thinking that made her heart stop but she ignored it and kept up with Kevin, making sure he didn’t outshine her. They worked for three hours straight and when they were fully satisfied with what they had, Reese backed away and nodded. “I think we are good.”
“Good, everyone should be here soon, huh?”
Reese looked up at the clock. “Yeah, in about two hours.”
“Cool, I’m gonna run and get a shower. I’ll be back then.”
She laid the remote to the stereo down. She fully expected him to walk away, but then he said, “I hope that you’re happy, Reese.”
She looked over her shoulder. “I am.”
“Good, because I want you to be. I hope he does all the things I should have done.”
She didn’t want to talk about Phillip to Kevin, hell, she didn’t even want to accept the words she was about to utter, but she surprised herself and probably Kevin when she said, “He is ten times the man you will ever be.”
Kevin nodded slowly. She knew that was a low blow, but it wasn’t like her not to speak her mind. “Good. I’m glad. Because you deserve a man like that.”
She stood up tall on her heels, her eyes locked with his as she declared. “You’re right, I do.”
He stood there a moment, a look on his face, somewhere between regret and acceptance, before turning and leaving. She let out a long breath, glad that he was out of view, out of her space. She knew she was wrong for misleading him, making him think that Phillip and her were serious, but it was so easy to make it seem like that. Reese wanted to analyze that, figure out why that was, but after the morning she just had, she figured she’d do that later.
Way later.
Apparently, this Kevin guy was a big deal in the dance world.
Even on short notice, the studio was packed with dancers. They circled him, firing questions left and right, while Reese leaned against the wall, looking bored, but Phillip still thought she was hot as hell. She had on tight black shorts, and a black sports bra with a large, black lace shirt that came to mid-thigh. Her long, luscious hair was in up a bun, and she wore no makeup. He was starting to think he liked her best like this. All homey and comfy looking. He wanted to cuddle, hold her for hours, but that wouldn’t be happening any time soon.
Sir-douche-a-lot, aka Kevin, seemed to like the attention he was getting and was talking way more than Phillip liked. He knew that Claire was excited, she was hanging on every word the guy said, but Phillip knew it pained Reese for him to be here. Since the urge to eliminate all things/persons that hurt the woman he loved, he needed this guy gone. Quick.
Along with the fact that the guy had hurt Reese, Phillip just didn’t like him. He was standing like his shit didn’t stink and what was up with these guy dancers not wearing shirts? Phillip didn’t care if the guy was ripped, because Phillip could run circles around this guy in the gym, but he needed to wear a damn shirt. There were young girls in here; they didn’t need to see all that crap. Scowling, Phillip crossed his arms and hoped the guy knew that in Phillip’s head, he had a hockey stick and the guy’s balls, and he was going to town, shooting over and over at the net.
As Phillip ruined any chances of this guy having kids ever again in his head, he watched as the dude taught some dance moves to the kids. He was leaning against the wall outside the door to the studio. He never knew that the wall that was between the parents’ waiting room and the main studio collapsed up into the ceiling, but he thought that was pretty awesome. It provided a lot of space. Dancers sat along the side of the studio as the guy took groups of dancers and worked on their technique. Pulling out his phone, he recorded Claire getting tips. He always liked to have video of him learning new things and figured that Claire might like that, too.
When he was done, Claire smiled up at him like he was the God of dance before running towards Phillip.
“Did you see that? Ugh, Kevin is amazing,” she said in awe.
Phillip rolled his eyes and decided not to say his opinion about the guy as he handed her his phone. “I recorded that for you.”
“OMG, you rock! Thank you!”
“No problem,” he said, resting his arm across her shoulders as she watched the video he recorded.
“Okay, now, I have something super special planned for you guys.”
Claire handed back his phone as she looked towards the center of the room where the guy stood. Phillip tucked his phone in his pocket and listened as he said, “As a lot of you know, Reese and I used to dance together in New York.” The place erupted with applause for Reese as she grinned widely at her students before walking to the middle of the floor with him. “Now we haven’t danced together in what, three years?” Reese nodded, not looking him in the eye as she bent her toes into the floor. “Yeah, three years. Today we trained for three hours, and I want to show you what we came up with.”
The room fell quiet as Reese turned to the guy, and he took her hips in his hand. Leaning back, Reese looked as if her back was broken and then the music started. It was a girl version to “When I was Your Man” by Bruno Mars, but Phillip couldn’t pay attention to it if he tried with all his might because watching Reese move across the floor was something short of magic. The guy was good, amazing even, but he couldn’t hold a candle to Reese. Her heart and soul showed while she danced, and if she weren’t careful, everyone in that room would know that Kevin and her had a history. There was so much emotion in their dance that jealousy bubbled inside Phillip as he watched. The douche’s hands were in spaces that only Phillip’s hands needed to be. When he held Reese’s face in his hand, his lips hovering over hers, it took everything for Phillip not to come off the wall and take the guy by his neck. He didn’t like the way they were dancing, but he sure did love watching Reese move.
He only wished it were with him and not the douchebag.
When the song picked up and Reese pushed Kevin away, he ran after her, holding her up as she did splits in the air before kicking away from him and rolling onto her back, where she arched her back before wrapping her arms around her legs. A stricken look was on her face as she got back to her feet, turning slowly before moving out of his r
each. Phillip figured if he actually watched the guy, he would see the emotion from his side, but he couldn’t take his eyes off Reese.
She held his complete attention.
When dude fell to his knees and Reese turned her back to him, she let her shoulders fall before letting out a long breath as the music ended. When the place erupted again, Phillip didn’t realize how deafening a bunch of girls could be until that moment. Blown away, Phillip clapped loudly, whooping and hollering with Claire as Reese’s brown eyes shined the brightest he had ever seen them. When her eyes met his, she shrugged, shyly, and he threw her a wink, hoping that she knew how impressed he was with her. Yeah, he was jealous and hated the dude even more but, most of all, he was impressed and in awe of her talent.
Pushing off the wall, he decided he was going to tell her that, but everyone swarmed around her and the dude. Then the guy’s arm wrapped around Reese’s slim waist. Phillip paused mid-stride and his nails bit into his palms as he watched them together. They looked like they belonged and that bothered Phillip.
A lot.
“Let’s go, this place is a nut house,” Claire complained as she shook her head. “I got my time with Kevin, I’m good. I need to study, too.”
“Alright.”
“Unless you want to say bye to Reese, I can wait.”
Phillip shook his head. “No, I’m good, I’ll text her. Let’s go.”
He looked back one last time to see Reese grinning, and a knot formed in his stomach. He knew the thoughts he was having of the two of them getting back together was ludicrous, but he couldn’t help but think so and then he wondered if she had ever smiled at him like that.
And he couldn’t remember if she had.
Later that evening, Phillip lay on the couch, mindlessly flipping through channels, trying to keep his mind off Reese. She hadn’t texted him, and he wasn’t going to text her. She was busy… with… stuff. Not Kevin, though, he had to tell himself that or he was going to freak the hell out. Throwing the remote down when he found a game, he let out a breath.
“Jeez, what’s got your panties in a bunch?”
His eyes cut to Claire, who was sitting on the other side of the couch with her nose in her English book. All he could see was her piercing blue eyes with strands of red hair falling into them.
“Nothing,” he said before looking back at the TV.
“Whatever, you’ve been a boob since we left the studio.”
“A boob?” he asked.
“Yeah, you didn’t even talk to me during dinner, and now you’ve huffed and puffed for the last thirty minutes. It’s annoying, what’s wrong?”
He shook his head. “Nothing and I’m not being a boob, I’m tired.”
“Ooookay,” she drew out before rolling her eyes. He wanted to tell her to mind her own business but since he knew that would start a fight, he returned his attention to the Blues and Lightning game. The Blues were up by two and they were playing a good game, something to keep Phillip busy while he tried not to think of Reese… with Kevin.
It wasn’t working though.
“I know it’s about Reese.”
For fuck’s sake.
Cutting a look back at Claire, he said, “What the hell are you talking about?”
She smiled as she shook her head. “Jeez, you have it bad for her, huh?”
“Shut up,” he muttered before reaching for the remote and turning the volume up.
“Why don’t you just call her?” she asked over the music.
“No way, she’s busy with that guy.”
Claire giggled. “OMG, you know she doesn’t like him, right? She called him a dickwad when he wasn’t looking. I think she might hate him. They have history. Skylar said her mom’s sister said that she left New York because of him.”
Not wanting to confirm or deny that statement, Phillip shrugged. “They looked pretty close during that dance.”
“You’re such a dork.” Claire laughed as she laid her book down and pinned him with a look. “It was all show. It’s for the dance.”
“Whatever.”
“Oh goodness, sulk away, Phillip. You’re such a man baby.”
“And you’re a brat.”
She laughed as she leaned into him. “And you love me soooooo much.”
He rolled his eyes before wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “Maybe.”
She smiled widely at him, reaching for her book and grabbing her highlighter before going back to work. With a smile on his face, he turned his attention back to the TV, thinking that all he needed was Reese on his other side, cuddled up against him, and life would be complete. When his phone dinged, he reached into his pocket to pull it out.
Speak of the devil, he thought as he read Reese’s message.
You left without saying bye, jerk. ☺
Typing back with one hand, he said, You looked pretty comfortable with douchebag, didn’t want to interrupt.
OMG, seriously?
Yeah, I am.
Jealously is cute on you, why don’t you come over and let me show you who I am really comfortable with?
A smile pulled at his lips as desire tickled in his gut. He glanced over at where Claire was studying and asked, “What are you doing?”
Without moving her eyes from her book, she said, “Finishing this chapter and then I’m going to bed, why?”
Phillip looked down at his phone, reading Reese’s text again. Did he want to leave Claire and go? Was that rude? Would that make him an asshole? She was going to bed, she didn’t need him, but maybe she didn’t want him to go? Deciding that instead of negotiating with himself on if he should go or not, he should ask Claire, but she beat him to it.
“What? Reese wants you to come over?”
He felt his cheeks burn a little as he shrugged. “Yeah.”
“Go, I’m going to bed.”
“You sure you don’t mind?” he asked apprehensively.
“Not at all,” she said with an easy smile. “I told you, I’m good. I know I’ll always have both of you in my life, I am hoping together.”
“That’s right and I am hoping too, but okay, I’m gonna go.”
“Good. See you in the morning, I guess,” she said before leaning over to place a kiss on his cheek.
“All right, study and go to bed. I’ll lock up on my way out but make sure to set the alarm before you go.”
“Will do,” she said with a little salute before looking back down at her book.
Phillip hopped up, texting Reese as he went to get his keys. On my way.
Fabulous.
Reaching for the door, he turned to look back at Claire. “No boys, right? Especially the dude that walks around like that wolf kid from Twilight.”
Claire rolled her eyes. “You did not just say that?”
He looked at her with a stern expression as he nodded. “Ugh, yeah.”
“Oh for goodness sakes, yeah, no boys, I promise.”
“All right, love you.”
“Love you,” she said before he shut the door and ran down to his car. Hopping in with a wide grin, Phillip drove faster than usual to Reese’s apartment. The ride was short, thankfully, and once he was at the studio after using the hidden key, he took the stairs two at a time up to Reese’s apartment. She opened the door, standing in only a pair of black lace panties and a white tee. She had no bra on, her hard nipples we noticeable through the thin, white shirt. His eyes ran along her body before meeting her hot gaze. His body went taut as his hands shook at his thighs. He wanted to devour her but, for some reason, he said, “Kevin here?”
He had no clue why he said that but, thankfully, she scoffed as she shook her head. “No, the man I want is here.”
Reaching out, she took the sides of his jacket in her hands before pulling him towards her, their chests touching as she looked up at him, longing shining in her brown eyes. Going up on her toes, she touched her mouth to his and he groaned against her it before his hands wrapped around her waist, mushing her breast to his chest
. Her fingers danced along the back of his neck as she deepened the kiss before hiking her leg up and wrapping it around his waist. Dropping his hands to her lace-covered ass, he picked her up, turning her and pressing her against the wall, his hard cock nestled against her hot core.
“God, I want you,” she gasped as he slid his tongue along her jaw. He pulled away, looking into her eyes, his fingers biting into her thighs.
“I’m not going to lie; I didn’t like seeing you with him. I love watching you dance, hottest and the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, but I didn’t like his hands on you.”
A small smiled pulled at her lips before she cupped his face in her hands. “I like this side of you. It’s hot.”
“I mean it. I was two fucking seconds away from smashing that dudes face in,” he said roughly, his hands dancing along the inside of her thighs.
She gasped against his lips, squeezing her legs around his waist. “Fuck, that’s so hot. I’m so wet.”
He set her with a look, taking her chin with his fingers and looking deep in her eyes. “I’m serious.”
She nodded, her eyes locked with his. “I know, but I don’t want to talk about him. I hated every single thing about today except when I saw you. Don’t you worry one bit about him. He isn’t anything to me. I don’t even like him and he knows I’ve moved on, plus, I like your hands a lot more.”
He liked that a little more than he should and had to pause and look down to keep from saying something that would scare her. Looking back up into her eyes, he asked, “Is that right?”
“Oh yeah, don’t even let him be a thought in your mind. He isn’t one in mine,” she said before running her tongue along his jaw.
“Tell me one of your thoughts,” he growled against her cheek, his cock so hard it hurt.
“You, inside me, hard and fast,” she moaned before slowly moving herself against his aching cock. A deep groan came from the base of his throat, and he was unable to take it. His desire was too great. Quickly, he dropped her to her feet as he undid his pants and she slid her panties down. Pushing his jacket off, he reached for her shirt, pulling it over her head and to the side. His shirt soon joined hers before he reached for her again. She came willingly, meeting his mouth with hers before he lifted her and pushed her against the wall. Moving his cock to her dripping wet center, he entered her, a harsh groan escaping him as he pushed to the hilt and she squeezed him with her pussy. Thrusting into her, she cried out, their bodies smacking together as he took what he wanted, which was every single piece of her.