by Taylor Hart
He grunted and thought about how she had truly led a somewhat charmed life. “All she needs now are ponies,” he muttered, knowing full well she did have ponies according to Ellie.
Catching sight of another door on the other side of the room, he moved toward it and looked out of the door’s window. There was a staircase, and he could see a smaller building on the side of the house. That would be the studio they’d been talking about.
Without thinking twice about it, he opened the door, descended the shoveled steps, and noticed more steps and a shoveled path to the studio.
The music reached his ears before he entered, and he was amazed to see one side of the studio was floor-to-ceiling windows. The other wall was one large mirror. A song he didn’t recognize, one that had a classic mash-up sound, permeated the space between the studio and the house.
There she was, leaping through the air, a determined look on her face. It impressed him, but didn’t surprise him to see her extend her legs so easily and appear to float across the air. She wore a full black leotard, and her hair was pulled back into a high ponytail on her head.
He found himself mesmerized and stood watching quietly. Part of him had expected to find her wrapped in the pretty boy’s embrace. Finding her like this was magnificent.
He didn’t know what kind of dance this was, but he watched as she threw herself into the air, doing leaps and dives that turned into rolls. She twirled and threw herself into the steps of the dance as if devouring them.
It took his breath away when he watched her easily do a back handspring into a backflip and keep on dancing. Appearing to be in her own world with her eyes closed at least half of the time, she moved as if she was one with the music.
The beauty of the spectacle took him back to last year, when he’d found himself on an unplanned trip to Paris and he’d taken the time to go and walk through the Louvre. The art had stunned him—the statues, the paintings, the magnitude of it all was awe-inspiring. It was the same feeling he felt watching her now. It was the same feeling he had when he was flying. Like nothing could touch him, like nothing else mattered.
It was divine.
Not knowing how long he’d been standing there, he moved closer to the windows, to her. The spell was broken when she turned and stared back at him.
Unlike earlier on the plane, when she’d seemed so angry, the look on her face seemed resolute. He saw the rawness of her eyes and he realized she’d been crying, triggering an urge to jam his fist into Oliver’s face.
Lacey held his eyes, then gestured with her head for him to come in.
The doors to enter slid on a track, like barn doors. The studio was huge. There was a dividing wall that led to what Mike had referred to earlier as his gym.
“Please take off your boots if you come in. I don’t want snow on the floor,” she said as she moved to what appeared to be a wall of sound equipment.
He slid his boots and coat off, leaving the boots by the door and putting his coat on the rack. In the background, the music faded.
With her back to him, she said, “I’m sorry I didn’t come back to dinner. That was rude of me.”
Moments before he would have razzed her about it because he had been ticked, but he could tell this wasn’t the time. “It was fine.”
She turned off the lights and picked up her iPhone before moving in his direction.
“How did it go?” he asked.
Her brow furrowed. “Not as I expected.”
He wanted to push her for information, but he didn’t know if it was his place.
“Want to see the studio?” She began to walk to the other side of the room, where there was a door that led to the other half.
He fell into step. “Sure.”
She nodded and turned on some lights.
“I like the building. It’s a pretty rad studio,” he commented, feeling a bit out of place at the moment.
Turning to face him, her mouth quirked into a teasing smile. “Rad. Cool word.”
Scoffing, he shook his head. “Hey, I have good words.” He knew both of them were feeling awkward, and it wasn’t like him to try and do small talk, but here he was. A fake boyfriend and fake small talk.
She pushed open the door and flicked on the lights. “You might think this part of the building is a bit more rad.”
He entered and found it was as huge and impressive as the dance studio. His gaze wandered over all kinds of weightlifting equipment, cardio equipment, mats, bags, and a ring for boxing.
“My dad took our hobbies pretty seriously.”
“Guess so.”
She moved back toward her side of the building. “You can use it anytime. It’s always open.”
Not able to fathom how security didn’t seem to be that high of a priority out here in the sticks, he let out a breath. “Unbelievable.” He looked around and followed her out of Mike’s side and back to hers.
“I’m done, but if you want to stay and work out more, you can.” Her tone was quiet.
“I had the snow run, remember?” He had spent two hours out in the cold and didn’t want to do any more cardio.
“Right.” She stood next to the door, pulling on a coat and boots.
He did the same, feeling like she was avoiding the real topic. “What did Oliver say?”
She paused, and their eyes locked.
“You don’t have to tell me.”
She looked away. “Yet you keep asking.”
Dom was aware of how close they were, the smell of her, the beauty of her. It was strange that he was maybe getting this whole paid boyfriend thing confused. He forced himself to take a step back. “Are you okay?”
She didn’t answer, staring out the windows of the studio.
Dom turned to see what she was looking at. The moon was bright in the sky.
“Does the moon look different? When you’re flying?”
He pondered on her question. It felt strangely intimate. No one ever asked him about flying. Hesitating only briefly, he said, “Everything is better from the sky. Clearer. Crisp. I always think about how it’s peaceful and makes sense up there.” He sighed. “Sometimes, when I get my feet on the ground again, nothing seems to make sense.”
She searched his face, then asked, “Can I take you someplace?”
There was a vulnerable look in her eyes. He didn’t know if it was residual from Oliver or from her question right now. “You bet,” he said.
She swallowed, furrowing her brow. “Did you happen to bring a swimsuit?”
The question was a little odd, because they were in a couple of feet of snow rather than at the beach, but he said, “I’m living in Florida at the moment, so I always have my suit.”
A wide grin spread across her face. “Meet me back here in five minutes, in your suit with your boots and your coat.”
Chapter 11
It had never occurred to Lacey when she’d agreed to pay for a boyfriend for Christmas that she’d actually like him. More than not feeling awkward, she appreciated him, felt actual interest in him. As she watched Dom approach the studio five minutes later in his swim shorts and boots and coat, she smiled at the puzzled expression on his face.
“Is this some type of Snow Valley hazing? Throw the newcomers in the snow and run?” He looked around suspiciously. “Is Mike going to pop out?”
A giggle escaped her lips. “I wish I would have thought of that. It would have made Mike’s whole holiday.” She flashed him a smile and started down the path. “Just follow me.” Quickly, she moved behind the building. It was remarkable how much better she was feeling than she had right after her discussion with Oliver. Flipping on a flashlight, she held another out to him.
“Thanks.” He switched it on.
“It’s not too far,” she said, keeping up the pace. “It’s going to be worth the short walk.”
“Did your father build a swimming pool because your brother loved swimming?” he asked a bit snarkily, but also with some curiosity. “He seems to take all your
hobbies seriously.”
She shook her head and focused on the path as it grew rockier. “You’ll see.”
Five minutes and some grumbling and small worry on his part later, the pathway cleared and she heard him inhale sharply. “Wow.”
“Right?” she asked, taking in the sound of running water. Gazing at the snow-covered rocks sticking out of the ground next to the springs, she basked in the beauty. Every time she showed it to someone for the first time, she shared their awe.
“This is amazing.”
She watched his eyes take in the gurgling water, the steam rising, the melting snow on the rocks, and the clear night sky against mountains that weren’t too far away.
“It’s surreal,” he said. “I’ve been to a lot of places, but this reminds me of a mirage. Or,” he said, pointing at her, “I guess it would be the opposite of a mirage because we’re actually in a cold place, not a desert.”
She grinned, happy that he liked it so much. “Let’s put our boots and coats on this big rock. We can make our way into the water from there.”
They both shed their coats and boots. She’d worn a simple red one-piece underneath, but she was unexpectedly self-conscious as she felt his eyes on her.
When he looked back to the water next to them, she snuck a look at the defined cut of his muscles. He was very much a manly man, more of a mature man than she’d bargained for in some aspects, and he was beautiful. Those amazing abs and chiseled jawline looked like they’d popped out of a romance novel cover.
He caught her watching him, prompting her to quickly focus on the water, and said, “I cannot believe you have actual hot springs on your property. Your father built the house here because of the hot springs, right? How did he get this land?”
Happy, she turned back to the rocks and heard the swooshing of bubbling water. “The land has belonged to the Snows for generations. My mother is a Snow.”
“Oh,” he said from behind her.
She carefully moved around the rocks and avoided the patches of snow that hadn’t melted from the warmth of the rocks. She paused when she got to the best spot. “Let’s get in here.”
“This is breathtaking,” he said, still not moving.
“Even though I grew up here, I never take it for granted. I know that might sound funny, but even as a kid, I remember thinking how lucky we were to have the hot springs.”
He shook his head. “Crazy.”
Her flashlight was still on, sitting on the rock and pointed at him. Once again, every muscle was well-defined and clearly visible. She tried to focus on his face rather than his chest or his biceps.
His face brightened with child-like delight. “This is cool.”
“Get in with me,” she said, wanting to move him along and out of the cold.
He came next to her, and she hugged herself, freezing.
“Are you ready?” she asked. When he nodded, she gestured in front of them. “Step down right there, and there’s a bench that will catch us.”
“Okay.”
They stepped in together, and before she knew it, she slipped. Luckily, he caught her before she even had time to panic, but they both ended up slipping anyway.
Hot water crashed around her, a stark contrast to the chilly air above. She felt his hands on her shoulders as he pulled her up.
“Are you okay?” he asked, a smile on his face.
She felt more okay than she had all day long.
The moment went slow and sticky, and she thought of earlier in the day when they’d first gotten to her house and he’d pulled her in and whispered into her ear. Her heart beat rapidly, and she imagined what it would be like to kiss him.
Dropping his hands, he let out a light laugh. “Dang, it feels good.” He splashed water onto his face as he lowered himself shoulder-deep in the springs.
She relaxed and splashed her face too. “Yeah, it does. Here, there’s a place right here we can sit on together.”
He followed her lead, and they both sat on the small bench the rocks provided, their heads sticking out. Lacey closed her eyes, loving the way the water felt like a Jacuzzi.
“Psst.” When she peeked at him, he was smiling at her, a big, dopey smile. “Hey,” he said, and it felt like it was so nonchalant, like they’d just met.
She decided to make up for her earlier behavior. “Well, hello. My name is Lacey. Thanks for agreeing to be my Christmas boyfriend. Let’s start with you telling me a bit about yourself.”
A slow smile, one that got wide enough to deepen his dimple, spread over his face. He swiped his fingers through his hair. “Christmas boyfriend.”
“It’s what Ellie called you. Sorry, it’s dumb.”
His eyes sparkled mischievously in the moonlight. “I kind of like it.”
She rolled her eyes.
He grinned. “Nice to meet you, Lacey. I’m Dom, but some people call me Rhett.” When she snorted with laughter, he added, “And ya know, I guess I don’t mind being compared to Rhett Butler. He was the star of that famous movie Gone with the Wind. I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of it.”
“Why no, I haven’t.” She smiled, playing along.
“Yeah, he was OK. Kind of a, let’s see, what would women call him? A rogue. The thing I did like about him was that he fought for his woman.” Dom stayed locked on her eyes as he leaned back, spreading his arms across the rocks behind them. He looked up at the sky. “Isn’t that what women want—a man to fight for them?”
It didn’t suit her that her hands felt like they were trembling. She blinked, hating the way he affected her, and not just in a physical way. Sometimes it felt like he could see through her. “Tell me about you.”
Letting out a breath, he took some water and splashed it into his face. “I will, but I want to know what happened between you and Oliver tonight. What did he need to tear you away from dinner for?”
“No,” she said quickly. Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried to block out what had happened. Tears pooled behind her eyelids.
“Lacey,” he said softly.
She sniffed but didn’t try to cover. “First, he asked me if I still loved him.”
Dom didn’t say anything.
“I told him I did, that I never stopped.” She blinked and looked at Dom, but he was staring at the sky. “He asked me if I’d ever cheated on him during all the years we’d spent apart, with him here and me at college.” More tears clouded her vision, but she didn’t try to stop them. “I told him of course not.”
Lips parting, Dom turned to her in dread. “Oh no.”
“He told me he and Linda had cheated on me since the time I’d left for college three years ago and he was sorry.” She wiped at her face, grateful it was dark—Dom wouldn’t see the blotchy red spots she got on her neck when she was angry or mad or sad.
“Jerk,” Dom said quietly.
She closed her eyes, feeling the thudding headache that had started earlier behind her left eye begin to flare up, and pressed the heel of her hand into the side of her temple. “I’m such an idiot.” She was more than that. She felt hollow, like an empty-headed fool.
“Loving someone who does something bad to you does not make you an idiot.”
“I was going to give up everything for him.” She let out a shaky breath, unable to believe she’d actually believed Oliver was worth throwing away her dream.
Dom splashed his face again. “He did you a favor.”
Bitterly, she laughed. She hadn’t thought about it from that perspective. “Maybe he did.” It still hurt like heck, but maybe Dom was right.
Dom searched her face. “What did Oliver tell you last March when he dumped you?”
She’d never told anyone what he’d said. “He told me I was living a dream, and it was childish and stupid and I needed to grow up and come home.”
“He said that?”
She blinked, hating that thinking about it still made her cry. “He went for the jugular and I was heartbroken, but I still went to New York last summer.�
�� She let out a long breath. “I’ve actually been asked to go dance for that same company after I graduate this spring.”
“That’s great!” Dom’s face broke into a smile.
“But I’ve doubted myself. My choices.”
“Do your parents know?”
She shook her head.
“And you wanted to give that idiot a chance again?” Dom asked incredulously.
She shrugged. “Right.”
He fixed her with a hard look. “You’re better off without him.”
Lacey smacked the surface of the water. “The funny thing is, I still don’t know if I’ll take the job with the dance company in New York.”
“Why?” Dom asked, dumbfounded.
“I just …” As she thought about it, she realized she didn’t know exactly why. Everything felt confusing.
“Gun’s to your head. What do you do?”
“What?”
“I like making decisions this way. There’s a gun to your head. You have two seconds to decide.”
“No.”
“Yes!”
“That’s not real-life decision-making,” she said.
He sighed. “Fine, don’t play my game.”
They lapsed back into silence.
Eventually, Dom shook his head. “Man, I still don’t understand why you would seriously come back to this guy. Why you would hire a paid boyfriend to make this guy jealous when this guy told you your dream was childish?”
Lacey splashed a handful of water over her face. She leaned back into the rock wall, closing her eyes again. How did she explain it? “I want a life of going to Fourth of July parades. I want to go to the town hospital and watch the whole town gather to light the Christmas tree. I want to sit with my family on Sundays and hear Pastor John preach.”
“Sounds like you love the town. You haven’t mentioned why you love Oliver.”