Center of Gravity

by K. K. Allen

  I froze and tried to ignore what was now hard and wedged between my legs. “Sorry,” I whispered. I practiced breathing slowly in an attempt to calm my racing pulse. My lids fell shut, and I drowned my chaotic thoughts by repeating gentle commands. Go to sleep, Lex.

  Minutes passed before my body finally started to relax.

  “Lex,” Theo muttered sleepily.

  “Hmm.”

  Silence hung in the air and for a second I thought he’d fallen asleep.

  “I’ve never seen anyone dance like you. You were incredible tonight.”

  He was watching me.

  And there in the arms of a man I’d quickly grown to despise, I smiled and drifted off into a deep and restful sleep.

  CHAPTER 18

  Theo

  “Wake up, sunshine.”

  The deep singsong voice reached into my slumber and yanked me out of it. I jumped without understanding why at first. Then I searched the bed, my palm skating across the sheets for another body, one I became far too comfortable with overnight. Where was she? Where the hell is Lex?

  I looked up at the door where Reggie stood, a smirk plastered to his face. “Another late night?”

  My eyes were still heavy, and for the life of me, I wasn’t sure if I’d slept well or not. It wasn’t easy to drift off to sleep with Lex in my arms, every shift of her curves quickening my already racing pulse.

  God, I wanted to touch her last night. More than touch her. I wanted to slide her shorts down and press my cock between her thick ass cheeks, like a horny teenager with the bluest fucking balls. Every time she shifted, I looked at her to see if she’d meant to move against me.

  What the hell am I thinking? I don’t fuck backup dancers.

  “What are you doing here on a Sunday?” Sundays were the only days Gravity didn’t hold any classes.

  “Went running and stopped for a water. Thought I heard something back here.” He squinted at me then walked into the main staff room toward the fridge. I followed him, my eyes scanning the room for signs of Lex. When I looked back at Reggie, he was eyeing me over the fridge door. “What are you doing here?”

  “Working.” I shrugged. “You know how it is. I’m behind on some of the tracks. Nailed one last night and started another.” I didn’t think it was worth hiding that much. The team knew I’d been stressing.

  He tapped his wrist. “Time’s running out, Noska. Let me know if you need help.” He winked, pulling out a water and slamming the fridge door.

  No question, no discussion. Just a comment, a jab, then he left.

  Growling out my frustration, I stormed into the back room and slammed the door. Not a minute later, the bathroom door flew open, and out sprang a flustered Lex. I couldn’t believe I was seeing her there. Morning after, hair unkempt, white shorts, a black sports bra, and one of those weird shirts girls wore that just covered the arms and neckline. I could still see the swell of her breasts—a generous size for an athlete—and her toned abdomen. But it was the dip of her waist and the way her hips poured into her shorts that made me want to bend her over.

  Fuck, my mind groaned. Does she have to have the best ass I’ve ever seen too?

  “I thought you left.”

  She threw her duffel bag down, the fire from last night still evident in her eyes. “I was in the bathroom changing when I heard Reggie barge in. I thought you locked the door. Are you trying to get me fired?”

  I looked at the door, confused. She was right. How did Reggie get in? “Maybe he has a key or something. I don’t know. But it’s all good. He’s gone.” I eyed her attire and the black sneakers she was putting on. “Where are you going?”

  “For a run.” Her tone was dry and riddled with annoyance. At what? Me? She was the one who snuck into the staff room last night. She should have thanked me for letting her stay.

  I couldn’t make sense of the panic I felt at the thought of her leaving. “Are you coming back?”

  She shot me a confused look. “Do you really care?”

  I reeled back as if she’d slapped me. “I asked, didn’t I?” I rubbed my face and decided to try again. “I mean, you probably can’t go back to your apartment yet, so I thought—” I shook my head, realizing the question I wanted to ask would sound stupid. “Never mind.”

  She stood, and I had a vision of her running around North Hollywood, dudes gawking at the perfection passing by. I stood too. “I’m coming with you.”

  I expected an argument, but instead she stuck a set of earbuds in her ears, tapped into the playlist on her phone, and started for the door. We didn’t run beside each other for the entire five miles. But when we were rounding the corner of the building a few blocks from Gravity, I caught up to her and pulled her into the nearest café. “Food.”

  Again, she didn’t say a thing. It wasn’t until we were seated and had ordered our food that she looked across the table at me and opened her mouth. “Last night was bad. I shouldn’t have gotten into that bed.”

  If she only knew how great “bad” could be. But I couldn’t say that. Not to Lex. Not to Winter’s backup dancer. Instead, I aimed for nonchalance. It seemed to be working for me. “Nothing happened. What are you all twisted up about?”

  I watched as her cheeks turned pink, a sight I’d found to be quite addictive. Her blush was almost as sexy as her ass. She seemed at a loss for words as she chugged her water.

  “When will your apartment be ready for you to go back?”

  Setting down her drink, she looked at me. “It’ll be fine tonight.”

  With those quick words, there was something she wasn’t telling me.

  “And this apartment you share with your…” Boyfriend. I couldn’t even say the damn word. “Shane.” I couldn’t believe she lived with that douche.

  “My friend Shane.” She swallowed. “He’s touring with Dominic.”

  So Shane was her friend and roommate, not her boyfriend. And he was out of town. Which meant she was alone. Is that it? She doesn’t want to be alone in her apartment?

  “I guess I should thank you for not kicking me out of the staff room last night. I wouldn’t have known where to go.”

  “I’m not that big of a jerk.”

  “You kind of are,” she said, a smile cracking her beautiful lips.

  Her insult probably shouldn’t have turned me on, but it almost felt as if we were flirting. I liked it too much. Clearing my throat, I contemplated how to make my next proposition. It had played on my mind all night as I drifted in and out of sleep, but after I watched her dance, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Her haunted movements were so controlled, like an athlete and ballerina molded into one perfect specimen. I wanted to do something with her gift. Or rather, I wanted her to do something with her gift.

  “Now that you know what’s been ailing me these past few weeks, I wondered if I should take you up on your offer to help.”

  She tilted her head, curiosity blooming across her bronze skin and bright blue eyes. “I’m not following.”

  I wrung my hands together, my gaze on the table as I drummed up the courage to ask for the help I needed. It wasn’t like me, but I was desperate, and I’d never felt as inspired as I was last night while watching her move. She was poetry in motion, and I wanted more of it.

  “A few of the final pieces I need to create include partner work and solos. What you did last night—I think that’s what ‘Moonlight’ needs.”

  “Is that the ballad?”

  I nodded.

  Her gaze drifted as if she were in deep thought. She’d heard the song by now. From the way her face glowed at the familiarity of it, I knew she was interested. She looked at me. “Are you asking me to solo? Is that okay with the others?”

  What am I asking her, exactly? “I don’t know how the others will feel, but at this point, I don’t have time to care. It’s one less piece I’d have to choreograph.” I let out a breath. “You can turn it down. But Lex, there comes a point in your career when you’ll have to put yourself firs
t. And those who don’t support your success may not be the right friends to bring with you on your journey.”

  She let out a laugh as she stared at me. “Is that why you have so many friends?”

  It was my turn to squirm in discomfort. “I have my reasons for keeping my circle as tight as I do.”

  “Oh,” she teased. “You have a circle?”

  I narrowed my eyes at her as the waitress brought our food—two baskets of breakfast burritos. When she walked away, I leaned in. “My circle is very small, but yes, one exists.”

  She eyed me curiously, as if she wanted to know more, but she began eating instead. I couldn’t help watching the way her face lit up at the first bite, as if she hadn’t eaten a real meal in years. It was a ridiculous thought. Lex was built the way she was and not for lack of nourishment. Still, I wanted to know more about her. Not just about where she came from or where she lived but how she lived.

  “So that’s it? You want me to solo ‘Moonlight.’ That would help you?”

  I swallowed my food then drowned it with a chug of water. “I want you to freestyle to ‘Moonlight.’ Show Winter what I saw. And I want you to help me choreograph the partner routines.”

  “I don’t partner.” Her response was so quick it gave me whiplash.

  “I’ll teach you.”

  “No,” she said, her eyes digging into mine. “I don’t partner. I’ve never been into letting guys move me around the floor like I’m some kind of … object.” Her cheeks burned red, but she wasn’t playing around. She seemed almost angry at my proposal.

  Shit. “Okay, we don’t have to do any lifts. A lot of what I’m picturing in my mind is mirroring, anyway.”

  She let out a frustrated breath. “How many?”

  “There are two.”

  “How many other dances do you need to choreograph after that?”

  “I finished one last night and started the next. Once I finish, that’s all of them.”

  She seemed to be assessing the work to be completed. Then she nodded. “Okay, I’ll help you. On one condition.”

  I cocked a brow, waiting for the terms of her agreement. Everything about her seemed so different than the day we’d met. She’d been a scared little newbie who’d been caught in a precarious position. She’d reacted on emotion and shock and tucked herself away under her shell, as if that would save her. I noticed the way she’d spot me walking the halls at Gravity and change direction. And how her entire body shook at the sight of me at the start of that audition.

  Who is this little firecracker sitting in front of me now? I liked her. A little too much.

  “What’s your condition?”

  “I need this job. Which means, I can’t take any risks in losing my place here. My reputation, my contract, all of it was at stake last night. That can’t happen again. If we dance together, there can’t be more. I’m not saying that’s your intention or anything, I just feel the need to put that out there so we’re clear. Are we clear?”

  I probably hesitated a little too long.

  “Theo.” So stern. So fucking sexy. But she was right.

  “You have my word. No more sleeping together, not even a daytime cuddle session.”

  She shot me a serious look while she laughed. “You’re impossible.”

  I shrugged. “Everything’s possible. You just have to play your cards right.”

  CHAPTER 19

  Lex

  Back at the studio, Theo played the two tracks he’d tasked me to help him choreograph, asking that I get a feel for them and choose which one we’d start with. I chose the more upbeat of the two, shying away from the emotional one—for now.

  There was something incredibly endearing in how Theo had asked for my help. How the tables had changed so drastically from that first day we met. And now we were sharing a studio with the intent of working as one. I still didn’t know how it was going to play out, but I did my best to keep my nerves in check.

  “Set the mood for me. Where’s Winter on the stage? Is she the focal point, or are the dancers?”

  Theo replayed the song and explained the placement onstage and all its transformations throughout. “Here’s what I think so far.” He showed me the first few eight counts. “What do you think?”

  I was shaking my head, blown away by what Theo could put together in only minutes from what he dreamed up. “I think you don’t need me.”

  The side-eye he shot me next made me laugh. He reached out, grabbed my hand, and pulled me toward him. “Mirror me to start, but after the intro, you’ll be here, like this.” He turned me so we were both facing the mirror. “Now move left so you’re diagonal.” He placed his hands on my hips, fingers pressing into my hip bones just enough to make me gasp. I ignored the hint of a smile that crept onto his face. “Right there. Perfect.”

  “I thought you said there would be no touching.”

  He stopped, and his face crumbled. “Shit. I thought we agreed no lifts. You’re going to have to spell this out for me, Lex.”

  I bit my lip to stop my smile. “I’ll be fine. Just warn me before you move me.”

  The truth was, I didn’t think I’d mind doing partner work with Theo. After he’d respected my space last night while it was very obvious he didn’t want to, a trust had blossomed for the jerk standing behind me. I didn’t know how I’d fallen asleep in his arms like that. In fact, I hadn’t slept that soundly since moving to LA. That wasn’t something I could ever admit to Shane. He’d feel awful. But there was no denying I felt safer in Theo’s arms than I did under my own roof.

  We marked the steps even as he began to add new choreography. To any outsider, it would have looked as though I wasn’t much help other than being there for placement, but I knew different. He watched me as he contemplated every next move, as if he were feeding off me and I were somehow empowering him to move forward with a confidence that maybe he’d lost.

  Theo’s first touch was cautious and gentle. “Is this okay?”

  “Yes.” Everything about him was on fire at that moment. We were on our knees, him behind me, demonstrating the next step. I was wrapped in his arms, his fingers threaded through mine, and he was dragging our arms across my chest before breaking free. It was raw and gritty and powerful, and like a sledgehammer, it hit me as all the feelings from last night came rushing back.

  “I think we can call it quits for today.” Theo laughed as he lay back on the studio floor.

  I tucked my knees under my chin and smiled. “That felt incredible.”

  “Yeah,” he agreed. “It did. And we knocked another one out. Thanks for your help today. I think the crew will love it.”

  “Who will dance it?” The entire day, I’d been wondering. It almost felt wrong to give the piece to someone else after we’d put so much effort into it.

  “I don’t know.” Theo had been watching me, probably trying to figure out why I asked the question. “Winter will want to decide that sort of thing. She might want to hold an audition for the featured spots. At the end of the day, it’s her show, even though it doesn’t feel like that sometimes. But you’ll be the first one she’ll see since you’ll help me demonstrate it.” He smiled and reached out to touch my knee. “You okay?”

  My excitement blossomed at the thought of getting any of the solos or duets. “Yeah, of course. Today was fun. Guess I’m feeling a little possessive. It’s silly, right?”

  The look Theo gave me next made me feel as if I’d just gotten the wind knocked out of me. I wasn’t sure what he was thinking, but my imagination was going wild. Is Theo feeling a little possessive of me?

  Then he shook his head. “No, not silly at all.” He sat up and rolled his neck. “You should probably get some rest. Today was intense, and Monday will be worse.”

  My head cocked to the side. “What’s Monday?”

  “Blends.” He made a face I couldn’t quite decipher. “With Winter,” he added.

  I smiled knowingly. “Oh.”

  He stood first, reaching a
hand out to help me to my feet. I thought he was just going to walk me to the door, but when we reached the sidewalk, he gestured to a sleek black Ferrari convertible. I looked at him as if he were crazy. “What?”

  “Get in. I’ll drive you home.”

  My heart hammered. Is he for real? The sun was still shining, which meant it would be daylight for a while. There didn’t seem to be a risk in walking home at that hour. “It’s okay. I’m going to walk. I’m only a few blocks away.”

  He pulled his leather jacket over his shoulders and gave me an exhausted look. “Do what you want. But just so you know, if you don’t get in this car, I will follow you home like a goddamn stalker so I know that you made it safely.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Seriously.”

  I waited until he’d made it into his driver’s seat before scrambling in beside him, fuming. Didn’t we discuss this? Anything that could jeopardize my contract shouldn’t even be considered. Yet he was making it impossible to stay away.

  Everything’s possible, Lex. You just have to play your cards right.

  I bit my lip, trying not to smile at his words from this morning. There were so many ways I could interpret that sentiment.

  “Hey, Lex.”

  I turned to face Theo. He had the car running, but it wasn’t moving. “Yeah?”

  “I don’t know where you live.” He flashed me a grin, effectively stopping my heart. Why doesn’t he smile like that more often? My heart somersaulted. Or maybe it’s a better idea if he doesn’t.

  “West on Ventura, right on Laurel Canyon.”

  I faced the passenger window the entire way home and reached for the handle as soon as he parked. I had a moment of hesitation as I stepped out of his car, hating the thought of sleeping in my crappy apartment alone. The studio wasn’t an option. Not after last night. I would suck it up—thin walls, empty fridge, and all.

  Speaking of an empty fridge, my stomach growled as I pressed forward.

  “Wait,” Theo called as he climbed out of his car. “I’ll walk you up.”