Center of Gravity

by K. K. Allen

  BOOKS BY K.K. ALLEN

  Sweet & Inspirational Contemporary Romance

  Up in the Treehouse

  Under the Bleachers

  Through the Lens (Coming in 2019)

  Sweet & Sexy Contemporary Romance

  Dangerous Hearts

  Destined Hearts

  Center of Gravity

  Romantic Suspense

  Waterfall Effect

  Young Adult Fantasy

  The Summer Solstice Enchanted

  The Equinox

  The Descendants

  Short Stories and Anthologies

  Soaring

  Echoes of Winter

  Begin Again

  Center of Gravity

  Copyright © 2018 by K.K. Allen

  All rights reserved.

  Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is coincidental. The author acknowledges the trademarked and copyrighted status and owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these works is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  Cover Design: Sarah Hansen © Okay Creations

  Cover Photographer: Perrywinkle Photography

  Editor: Red Adept Editing

  Formatting: Inkstain Designs

  For more information, please write to SayHello@KK-Allen.com

  To my dance sisters and brothers from Suburban Dance Studios, RHS Dance Team, Western Hip Hop, Westlake Seattle, 24Hour Fitness, and LA Fitness.

  And especially you, Kristen. Sis. When I think about the happiest times in my life, I think of dance. And when I think of dance, I think of you. Love always.

  Dear Reader,

  In an effort to give you an interactive experience, YouTube links have been included throughout this book with no copyright infringement intended. All links point to their rightful owners, and all owners have been contacted regarding the use of video in this publication. Viewing the videos is not required to read, however, my intention is to bring you the inspiration that went into creating this story while you follow along.

  Enjoy!

  K.K.

  Video Playlist

  Heartbreaker

  Confident

  New Balance

  What Do You Mean?

  The Cure

  Wild Love

  Love So Soft

  Hanging On

  Love in The Dark

  Get the full playlist on YouTube HERE!

  cen·ter of grav·i·ty

  sen(t)ər əv ˈɡravədē/

  noun: center of gravity; plural noun: center of gravities

  The point at which the entire weight of a body may be considered as concentrated so that if supported at this point, the body would remain in equilibrium in any position.

  CHAPTER 1

  Lex

  “I got an audition,” Shane announced when he walked into the apartment, slamming the door behind him. A grand flourish if I’d ever seen one. Not even I would walk ten blocks in four-inch stilettos. But that was Shane, my six foot two inches of a man-friend whom I’d known since our very first dance class back in Seattle at age five.

  His jersey bag landed at his feet, and his hands pumped the air as they often did when he was overly excited about something. “Sorry. Not just an audition. I got an invite.”

  My eyes grew wide, excitement flourished quickly, then anxiety ripped through me at the speed of a freight train. So many emotions all at once. Up until that point, everything had been good. We’d been living off our savings, spending as little money as possible, and taking a variety of classes at Gravity Dance Complex, the premiere studio of the commercial dance world. No pressure. Just fun.

  “An invite? For the Janet gig?” my voice squeaked. I scrambled to my knees. “But we’ve only been here three months. Is that even possible?”

  He winked. “When your name’s Shane Masterson, anything is possible, honey.”

  I fought back a groan. Shane had always been innocently cocky, aware of what his charm did to the human race. He was devilishly handsome, too, with raven-black hair cut short on the sides and always spiked in one direction or the other, rarely in the middle. But it was his personality that won everyone over. And yes, for Shane, anything definitely seemed possible.

  Refusing to respond to his joke, I crossed my arms. “I thought we decided to wait. We’re finally getting into a rhythm here. You can’t—”

  “Lex.” He pursed his lips as if he were about to scold me. “I got an invite. I’m not going to turn it down. That would be career suicide, and you know it.”

  I was speechless. Professional gigs for music videos and stage shows came through Gravity all the time. It was the mecca of dance talent where A-list celebrities and casting directors nationwide frequently recruited, primarily for stage, television, and film bookings. Shane and I had talked about attending an open audition one day after getting our feet wet. The plan was always to take the plunge together. But getting an invite to audition was rare. He couldn’t turn it down, not even if he wanted to.

  My mind was still reeling as Shane started to raid the cabinets, though I wasn’t sure what for. The only food remaining was the jar of peanut butter that sat half empty on the counter. He must have realized it almost as fast as I thought it, and he slammed the door shut. “We’re ordering a pizza.”

  “Shane,” I warned. We’d set aside money for one year of dance classes and rent. He knew we didn’t have money to indulge.

  “Lex,” he warned back. “We dance eight to ten hours a day. You’ve still got that ass, but I will not be held responsible for you turning into a pile of bones. It’s time to indulge in a big ole pie of heaven.”

  I let out a laugh despite the residual shock from the bomb he’d just dropped. Leave it to Shane to mask any tense situation with the topic of food.

  “Look,” he said, his sweet smile telling me he knew he’d won. “Just think. If I get this gig, we’ll be better off. We can’t take classes and live off Skippy and ramen while we wait for something to happen. Aren’t you tired of waiting, baby girl?”

  “Yes, but—”

  He popped his hip and pursed his lips. “But what?”

  “You’ll get the job.” I didn’t mean for my voice to come out so whiny, but we’d just moved to LA.

  “You don’t know that.”

  “Maybe not this job, but it won’t take you long. And then what? You might have to leave LA … and leave me here … alone.”

  He tilted his head and quirked his lip. “So dramatic.”

  I bit back my smile. The exaggerated pout was a little much.

  “You could start auditioning too.”

  “Ha,” I said on a sarcastic breath.

  “C’mon, Lex. It’s just like dating. You have to put yourself out there. Let them know you’re interested. Check out your options.” His eyes lit up, and he smacked the counter before leaning forward. “Speaking of dating options.”

  Oh no, here we go. My entire body cringed.

  “There is this gorgeous hunk of man who teaches some of my classes. Do you know Reggie Maynor?” He fanned himself with his hand as his lids fluttered dramatically. “Dear Lord.” But when he looked up and my expression hadn’t cha
nged, he threw his hand down while rolling his eyes. “Doesn’t matter. You’d know who he was if you saw him. Anyway. He was trying to be sly, but he was asking about you today.”

  I knew exactly who he was talking about, but I didn’t come to LA to find a man. So I chose to ignore his second attempt at changing the conversation.

  “You know I’m not ready to audition yet. I thought we both wanted to get some training first and—”

  “We’ve been training our whole lives. This is why we’re here. Besides, what better training than to audition and check out the competition?”

  I snapped my mouth shut. He was right, but I wasn’t ready to pay the ultimate price of my dream—losing my best friend. Not yet. Frustration shook through me. “Who gave you the invite?”

  “Her name’s Janelle. She scouts for a bunch of artists. Heard she’s friends with that dreamy choreographer you love too. Theodore Noska.” When his eyebrows wiggled suggestively, I picked up the nearest object and chucked it at him. My black-and-pink tennis shoe smacked him in the chest, causing him to shoot me a glare and stab a finger in the air. “I’m dragging your freckled ass to the next open audition just for that.”

  I wanted to scream. He didn’t get it. In this industry, it wasn’t enough to be the best dancer in the room. It was about friendships, connections, timing, and a little bit of luck. I saw the way the veteran dancers had looked at Shane and me when we first arrived, some with their side-eye glances or, worse, those who didn’t see us at all. We were blips on their radars, passersby there for the experience, and immediately dismissed as contenders. I wanted that to change—I wanted to earn my spot.

  And maybe somewhere deep down there was fear of failure too. Of getting rejected for the one thing I loved most in the world. I’d only ever had a plan A, despite my parents’ wishes. And taking class was fun. Taking class didn’t lead to the inevitable disappointment that came with this industry.

  I was comfortable, but maybe that was a bad place to be. Still, the insecurities swarmed my chest, and I couldn’t let them go.

  “Do you know how many times I’ve been told I won’t make it as a professional dancer? I’m not ready to hear it from the people who matter. This studio … those dancers … the choreographers. I need this community to accept me. If I ever get a job, I want them to know I earned it.”

  Shane’s expression changed drastically from the happy-go-lucky man who walked through the door minutes ago to someone with only my best interests at heart. I cringed at the ass kicking to come.

  “Don’t let your father’s words hold you back, Lex. That’s all they are. Words. You’re here because you belong here, and you’ll see in time, it was the right decision.”

  His comment hit me in the gut.

  “I will?”

  “Yes.” He leveled me with his eyes. “You’re the biggest fucking rock star on that dance floor, Alexandra Lorraine Quinn, and I’m not just saying that because you bought me my first pair of stilettos.”

  I giggled, but his eyes remained serious.

  “You think those dancers are going to respect you if they see you taking a million classes before you ever audition?” He shook his head emphatically. “Wrong, sweetheart. They won’t even know your name until you slap a numbered sticker on those tight abs of yours, strut onto that dance floor like you think you’re Beyoncé, and then fail—and then fail again. And third”—his eyes narrowed on mine, silencing my giggles—“the only person holding you back from your dream is you.”

  My eyes filled with tears as he made his way over to my air mattress, plopped down, then pulled me into his arms. I loved the closeness we’d maintained all these years. I loved how Shane had always been the one to push me toward my dreams and comfort me when things didn’t go as planned. So yeah, I was terrified for all of that to go away. And I could feel it in the air; the time was coming.

  Shane lived life full out. Nothing scared him. Nothing was worth backing down for. That might have been what I loved most about him. He’d faced all kinds of adversity, from his sexual orientation to surviving a toxic home life to always being considered freakishly tall compared to the rest of our peers. And all that was mixed with the ridicule he’d received for being a male dancer among our adolescent peers. He never let anything stop him from reaching what he wanted.

  Shane and I were opposites.

  Doer versus dreamer. Life of the party versus wallflower. And for some reason, we loved each other more for it all. We balanced each other. Or rather, he balanced me.

  When Shane spoke next, my head was tucked safely under his chin.

  “You might never feel ready, Lex. You just have to take a leap at some point. It might as well be now. It’s time to fly, baby girl.”

  CHAPTER 2

  Lex

  The next audition didn’t appear on the bulletin board in Gravity's community area until a couple weeks later. “You’re coming with me to this one,” Shane had demanded that night over a homemade platter of meats and cheeses.

  I hadn’t put up an argument since the Janet audition was a sore subject. Shane hadn’t even made it past the first round of cuts, but at least he had tried, which was a hell of a lot more than I had done since venturing with him to LA. Maybe he was right about auditioning for the experience. When I thought about it like that, the outcome didn’t seem so intimidating.

  We were lined up in the hall, waiting to register for a music video for up-and-coming urban pop artist, Dominic Rivas, when a couple of girls in front of us started to whisper.

  “Oh my God. He’s here.”

  “Who?”

  “Theodore Noska.”

  A gasp.

  “Where?”

  “He just walked in the front door.”

  As soon as the words left the girl’s mouth, the world around me began to spin in slow motion. Voices played through a vacuum, muffled and quiet, conveniently drowning out their gushing. And my movements decelerated, as if I were being dragged through quicksand.

  “Ho-ly shit.” Shane’s voice pulled me to the surface. He’d spotted Theo too.

  Refusing to turn toward the rising commotion, I looked up at Shane just as he peered down at me. The sight of his whiskey eyes and jaw agape was enough to warn me that Theo Noska was every bit as delectable as he appeared in the media.

  My body began to quake, a ridiculous reaction to a celebrity, but Theo wasn’t just a celebrity. He was everything. He was all that I aspired to be and the one person whose opinion would mean the most, if I was ever lucky enough to have it.

  Shane’s warm fingers landed on my shoulders and swiveled me to face front. He turned my head toward the dance god himself.

  The first thing I noticed was wild sandy blond hair—a perfect display of controlled chaos that one could happily sink fingers into in the throes of passion. Because clearly, there was only one good reason to have hair that sexy. Paired with the dark shades that masked his eyes, a leather jacket wrapped around his upper body, and ankle-length black jeans, he was every bit as intimidating as his choreography.

  “Absurd.” Shane groaned, and I could have sworn drool was pooling in his mouth.

  Sure, Theo was all kinds of gorgeous, but it wasn’t his looks that had made me fall in love with him from afar. I’d obsessed over his YouTube channel since its inception and had perfected every single one of his routines that I could lay eyes on.

  He was hip-hop and contemporary fused with elements of ballet, jazz, tap, Bollywood, and every other dance style I could think of. His choreography could be epically dark and twisted or immensely beautiful and romantic, sending an audience to the edge of their seats while tears streamed down their faces.

  All of America had watched the episode of Dance Idol where he came on as a guest choreographer and taught a contemporary partner routine to the finalists. The dancers executed the number flawlessly, but it was the emotionally charged choreography that made the video clip go viral. I remembered watching the routine and knowing that if Theo Noska wasn
’t a household name before that day, he would be after.

  My heart beat like crazy just thinking about it.

  Theo had put Gravity Dance Complex on the map, so it wasn’t a complete surprise he’d shown up. I even hoped he would offer a class or two so I could mark that one off my bucket list. But I studied the weekly schedules as if that were my job, and Theo’s name never appeared on any of them. So, what is he doing here now?

  My eyes followed as he inched his way down the corridor in my direction then stopped briefly and collected a few fist bumps and one-armed hugs. He didn’t stop for long or smile for anyone as he drew closer.

  “Yo, Theo. What’s up, buddy?” someone behind me called.

  Theo was only a few feet away when he did a quick sweep of the line before giving an uptick of his chin to whoever had greeted him.

  Then his head dropped slightly, his gaze connecting with mine—I thought. Theo’s glasses hid everything, so I couldn’t be entirely sure. It was just a second, a flash, but I felt it—a connection I don’t think I could have made up despite my fierce crush on a man I knew only from his interviews. I wanted to stretch time to stay a little longer in the moment because the instant it was gone, I knew I would never get it back again.

  I was lost in my thoughts when I felt fingers splay across my back. A shove thrust me onto my toes, tipping me off balance.

  What the—?

  I shot forward, my hands reaching in front of me, ready to catch my fall, when I realized only one thing was there. Or one man, rather.

  Theo’s arms reached out, his expression unchanged, as if catching me were the most natural thing in the world. My palms slammed against his chest just as his arms wrapped around me. Then he stood me up, his grip firm as I stared into his glasses, desperate to see past the reflection of myself.

  All I could think about was the sturdiness of his form, the strength of his hold, and how absolutely consuming his rough, calloused hands were as they skimmed the bare skin of my shoulders and arms.