A Dance too Far

by H L Day

  It was a very different man who opened the door this time, his face breaking into a huge smile as soon as he saw it was me. He grabbed my arm and hustled me inside, his arms wrapping around me as soon as the door had closed. I squeezed him tight, breathing him in, his body almost vibrating in my arms with excitement. He pushed me away, too excited to stand still for longer than two minutes. "Max, did you see? They loved me. I'd forgotten what it was like to dance in front of an audience, to look out and see hundreds of faces all watching me. And I got a standing ovation. Did you see that? Even though I didn't reach perfection. Which gives me something to work on. I don't think that anyone noticed." He grabbed a bottle of champagne from an ice bucket, pouring a glass and handing it to me. "Aren't you meant to be congratulating me?"

  I stared at him, loving how happy and carefree he was with the adrenaline of performing still coursing through his veins. "I would if I could get a word in edgeways."

  His brow furrowed. "But you liked it?"

  "Of course I liked it. You were fantastic. But then I already knew that. I think I fell in love with you the first moment I watched you dance."

  He smiled. "That explains why you couldn't even manage to press a button at the right time." His face suddenly shadowed. "I have news."

  I didn't like the expression on his face or the fact that he'd gone from ecstatically happy to worried, all in the space of a matter of seconds. "Bad news?"

  He crossed his arms over his chest, half of the glitter that had been on it, now smeared all over the front of my shirt. Not that I cared. "I guess that depends on your viewpoint."

  My mind started to race. Had he heard from Dmitry? Was it something about his ankle? "Tell me."

  He leaned back against the wall, still wearing a somber expression that did nothing to ease my panic. "I knew before the show, but I wanted to wait until after." He grimaced. "I don't know why, really... it just seemed better."

  I wasn't used to my boyfriend fumbling for words. He was usually the epitome of calm and collected. "Valentin, whatever it is, just tell me."

  "They signed a contract to take the show to New York for six weeks, with a good chance of a possible extension, and they want to keep me in the lead role."

  I stared at him, shaking my head slightly when that was all he had to say, a smile breaking out on my face. "That's fantastic news! Congratulations."

  His face didn't change. "Is it? I mean, I know it is, but we are going to be apart for six weeks." He looked even sadder. "I know we talked about the fact that this might happen, but I'm going to miss you, Max, so damn much. I'm not used to feeling like this. Aren't you going to miss me?"

  I grabbed his hand, pulling him back into my arms so we swayed together, my heart bursting with love. "Like you wouldn't believe. But we're going to talk on the phone every night and think of the reunion we'll have when you get back."

  Valentin smiled, but he didn't look any happier. "We wouldn't get out of bed for at least a week after."

  "Bed!" I did my best Valentin impression in an effort to cheer him up. "You're so vanilla." For once, it didn't work. "Hey! Don't be sad. This is your big night. You should be enjoying it. This is not for a few weeks anyway. Don't start missing me while we're still together."

  He nodded. "I know." He paused. "Unless..."

  "Unless what?"

  "Unless you come with me?"

  "To New York?"

  "Da. For the whole six weeks. Longer, if it is extended. When I am not dancing, we could go sightseeing, and you could come to rehearsals. They're paying me good money, and the hotel is already paid for, so you will not need to worry about the fact that you will not be working. Your work is flexible so you can take the time. Right? What do you say?"

  It was on the tip of my tongue to say no, to say that I couldn't live on his money, but if he'd done the same while his ankle was healing, we'd never have gotten anywhere as a couple. He hadn't liked depending on me, but he'd done it. So really, it would only be returning the favor. I imagined six weeks without being able to see him or touch him, wondering constantly what he was doing and who he was with. Not that I didn't trust him, I did. Neither of us was interested in anyone else. We'd found the person we wanted to spend the rest of our lives with and that was it for us.

  Thinking of it that way, recognizing that our lives were inexorably entwined and that what was mine was his and vice versa, left only one possible answer. "Yes. Yes, I'll come to New York. For however long you want me—"

  I didn't get a chance to finish my sentence due to the eager pair of lips pressing against mine and the enthusiastic tongue looking to get better acquainted. We kissed until we were both dizzy, our cocks straining together. I forced myself to stop. "You've got a party to get to so that everyone can tell you how fabulous you are and fawn over you all night."

  He backed off a few steps, a mischievous look on his face, his arousal clearly evident in the ballet tights, which made me want to get down on my knees and worship something very different from his dancing talent. "That does sound fantastic, but I think there's enough time for you to fawn all over me first.” I didn't need asking twice. I dropped to my knees, peeling the ballet tights down over the muscular thighs and preparing to demonstrate just how much I loved Valentin Bychkov.

  He might be an insufferably arrogant diva at times.

  But he was my diva.

  Afterword

  For those of you that are annoyed that Dmitry didn't get his comeuppance, all I can say is that I wasn't too happy myself, but it just didn't fit with this book. Maybe he'll pop up again though in another book, and hopefully then he might get what's coming to him.

  Watch this space.

  Thanks, from H.L Day

  Thank you so much for choosing to read this book. You've made me really happy. How could you make me even happier? Well, you could leave a review. Then, I'd be ecstatic. :)

  About H.L Day

  H.L Day grew up in the North of England. As a child she was an avid reader, spending lots of time at the local library or escaping into the imaginary worlds created by the books she read. Her grandmother first introduced her to the genre of romance novels, as a teenager, and all the steamy sex they entailed. Naughty Grandma!

  One day, H.L Day stumbled upon the world of m/m romance. She remained content to read other people’s books for a while, before deciding to give it a go herself.

  Now, she’s a teacher by day and a writer by night. Actually, that’s not quite true—she’s a teacher by day, procrastinates about writing at night, and writes in the school holidays, when she’s not continuing to procrastinate. After all, there’s books to read, places to go, people to see, exercise at the gym to do, films to watch. So many things to do—so few hours to do it in. Every now and again, she musters enough self-discipline to actually get some words onto paper—sometimes they even make sense and are in the right order.

  Finding H.L Day

  Where am I? I often ask myself the same question.

  You can find me on Twitter.

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