by Rose, Ashley
He nodded. “Okay, fair enough. Let’s take it from the top then. Let me know if you need a break. We’ve been working hard.”
She nodded and he counted them to the beat to get started again. The dance was the same, and she had some of the moves down already. She thought she’d know what to expect, but she wasn’t ready for what Nash had in store. His hands slid everywhere, touching, grabbing, squeezing. Her heart rate was much faster than it should have been for a dance this pace, and it was because the dance had gone from sexual to pure sex.
She was relieved when it was time for the twirl, because she thought it’d give her a short break. But it didn’t. Nash gripped her ass instead of her hip to push her off, which actually worked better. And he caught her thighs instead of her hips, his hands high enough that they pushed up her already dangerously revealing spandex shorts.
When she did flips or other stunts on her pole, his hand didn’t stay at her hips to help support her. They trailed up her back or stomach, or down her ass and calves.
It was all very intimate, but didn’t cross the line to become inappropriate. She wasn’t sure how he managed that, but he did, and it made her slightly more comfortable.
She tried to touch him, when she had a free hand or two, but it was hard enough for her to remember the moves, the footwork and what was coming next, to focus on where she should put her hands. When she did try, she either ended up touching his chest or shoulders, both of which were firm and distracting.
After several minutes of the dance, Lorna was starting to get a little heated, partially from the workout, and partially from the big hands that seemed to know her body like it belonged to him. Nash started to seem slightly distracted too. That was when Shep cut the music, leaving the two of them frozen in an awkward position with Nash’s hands on her neck and ass.
After a second, Nash stepped away. “Maybe it’s time for a break. The group will be here soon.”
“That’s what I was thinking,” Shep said, coming forward to take Lorna’s arm. “We’re gonna go get a breath of fresh air.”
Shep showed her to the side door, and Lorna leaned against it, taking a deep breath of fresh air.
“That was steamy,” Shep said, almost longingly.
“I knew it was going to be sexual, I just didn’t think that it would affect me that much,” Lorna admitted.
“And I can guarantee that Nash is feeling the exact same way. I’ve never seen him get that worked up while dancing.”
“Is that a good thing, or a bad thing?”
Shep grinned at her. “It’s definitely a good thing.”
“Should we go back now?” Lorna asked.
“The others are probably arriving, so yeah. Nervous?”
“Way.”
* * *
An hour later, Lorna had been introduced to the group and paired off with Gabby to learn other portions of the routine, while Nash and Shep worked with the rest of the group.
“That’s good. You have really interesting form. I can tell why Nash likes you for the piece,” Gabby said with a smile.
“Are you...?” Lorna trailed off, unsure of how to phrase the question.
“Upset that he replaced me? No way. I didn’t even want to be on the pole but I had more experience than any of the other girls, which still isn’t much. But nah, I was just doing it as a personal favor to him. I’m glad he found someone to take over.”
“Are you still in the piece?”
“Yep. But as a ballet dancer, which is more my forte.”
“I can tell.”
“Yeah, well, you could pass for a ballerina too, with the lines you’ve got.”
Lorna smiled. “Thanks.”
Shep came up and put his arms around both their shoulders. “How are my two favorite ladies?”
Gabby removed his arm without hesitation. “We’d be better if you stopped pestering us every five seconds.”
“Performance is in a couple of weeks, my darling, and Nash is getting antsy.”
“Well, Nash can just calm down. She’s doing great. More pressure from him isn’t going to speed up the process, so if you don’t m—”
The dancer in question appeared on the other side of them. “Shep, we’re running through it, so watch them. Gabby, can you go to your position for the run-through? I’ll take Lorna from here.”
Shep and Gabby moved away and as Nash got close to her, she could tell he was tense.
“How come you’re so worried? Your dancers are great.”
He shrugged and moved into position with her. “I just want it to be perfect.”
“It’s never going to be perfect.”
“I know. That’s the problem.”
Lorna now knew the dance all the way through, but needed Nash and Shep’s guidance as they transitioned from one part to the next. She hesitated through some of the portions but Nash was patient and helped her.
She moved around the pole on her toes, one hand on the metal, the other trailing in the air. She mimicked the other dancers’ movements but with the pole as a prop. After two full turns she kicked one leg straight into the air, arching her spine and throwing her head back, making sure to whip her hair like Shep had said.
Instead of lowering the leg, she threw it around the pole and used it to send her in another circle. As she landed, her foot planted right between Nash’s and she faltered.
“No, no, that’s good.” Nash hands pulled her up, her other leg trailing off of the pole.
“Not too close?”
“Nope. It’s perfect. See?” He transitioned them smoothly into the next portion, which required them to be very close.
“Yeah.” She turned her head so she wasn’t staring directly into his eyes as she put her other foot on the outside of his leg and continued with her hips.
His hands smoothed up her back, skimming over her sports bra to her shoulders. He wrapped his hands over her shoulder from behind and pulled. She arched her back tightly and fell backwards, fully trusting him, and not just because they’d done this before. The position caused their hips to press ever tighter together but it didn’t last long. In the full backbend, her hands found the pole while his hands on her waist supported her.
She counted to three and then curled her legs in just as Nash lifted her hips, twirling her into a vertical position with his arms and released her to wrap around the pole. After some acrobatics on the pole, she found herself upright again, back against the pole and chest to chest with Nash.
She looked over his shoulder as they undulated their bodies with the music. Her hands gripped the pole tightly over her head and she tried to ignore the effects that the moves were having on her body.
“You two are in love!” Shep yelled over the music from across the room. He had his hands on a dancer and was helping him with his form. “Look at each other or you lose all the effect!”
When she looked back at his face, she realized he hadn’t been looking at her either. Their eyes flicked back at the same time and they locked gazes. Nash’s hands were tighter on her hips now but maybe that was because she was moving against him harder. With their eyes locked, she couldn’t ignore the feel of his hands on her skin, the way his legs pressed between hers, splitting her thighs.
She forced her eyes to remain on his while he lifted her legs and settled them around his hips. She was surprised at the ease of it, as if it was something he was practiced at. Without warning, an image flashed in her vision. Her and Nash, doing the same thing they were doing now. The difference was that they were alone in studio and they were naked.
She gasped and jerked away from him as another image of them having sex that way appeared. Nash’s hands scrambled to catch her, but she twisted her legs free and fell to the floor at the base of the pole. She pushed herself up onto her palms immediately and Nash was beside her, a hand on her back.
“Shit. Are you okay?” He sounded concerned but she couldn’t get the image out of her brain. She shook her head viciously in attempt dislodge the pi
cture but it just got clearer. Of him thrusting in and out, her arching her back and screaming his name. Great, now there was audio.
“Lorna? Lorna?” Shep was shaking her shoulder, and she jerked back into her body.
“What? Yeah. Sorry. I’m fine.” She sat up and Nash took both of her hands and inspected them.
“Are you hurt? How’d you fall?”
“No, I’m fine. Um...I don’t know what happened,” she lied.
Nash peered at her and then his hands were on her knees, then feet, inspecting for injuries.
“Stop fussing. Really.”
His hands continued to inspect, turning and pressing all along her legs, moving back up past her knees.
“Nash. Stop, Nash!”
He seemed to jerk out of his trance and realized his hands were on her legs. “Sorry.” He pulled his hands away. “I just...are you sure you’re okay? An injury would—”
“Nothing’s broken. I promise.”
“Why’d you fall?” Shep asked.
“I don’t know. I just did.” She started to stand, and Nash leapt up to assist her.
“I’m fine,” she repeated for the hundredth time. “Really.” She pulled away from him but he didn’t seem to believe her.
“We’ve had you practicing a lot,” Shep said. “Maybe you should take a break? Go home and get some rest.”
“No, I’m—”
“I think that’s a good idea,” Nash agreed, helping her up.
“Guys. Really, I’m okay.” She pulled away from Nash’s caring grip.
“I know. But Shep is right. You’ve been practicing a lot already today. I think you should go home. It’s just group stuff for the rest of the day anyway.”
“But—”
“Get your stuff. I’ll walk you.”
She blinked. “You don’t have to.”
“Just do it, Lorna.” Nash’s tone was harsh as he spun and went for his things. She glanced at Shep while Nash yanked his shoes on and pulled a jacket over his shoulders.
“Just go on. He’s right, you’re all caught up. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Lorna sighed and went to grab her duffel, slipping her feet into her sandals. Nash swept past her with a gesture for her to follow. Once out of the studio, Lorna felt awkward. Outside of the dancing atmosphere, he was a very attractive guy who was walking her back to her room.
She licked her lips and hurried out of the door that he was holding open for her. “There’s really no reason to walk me.”
He pulled out a pair of sunglasses from his pocket and put them on. “And what if you have another one of those twitches and crack your skull open on the sidewalk?”
She blushed. “That won’t happen again.” Even if she did get the image again she wouldn’t freak out.
“You sure about that?”
“Yes. And do you even know where I live?”
“No.” He looked around.
“It’s this way,” she said, turning around the corner.
Nash was silent as he turned and continued to walk beside her. It wasn’t until she got a couple looks from guys on the street that she realized she hadn’t put any clothes on over her spandex shorts and bra. She blushed wildly and dug into her duffle, but there were no clothes inside. Just her music, some extra shorts and tops, and a water bottle.
“What is it?”
She slowed down. “I left my clothes back at the studio.”
“Don’t worry about it, I’ll grab them for you when I get back, give them to you tomorrow.”
“No, it’s not just that.”
Nash waited.
“I’m hardly wearing anything.”
He frowned. “It’s the same stuff you danced in.”
“I know, but I was dancing, not walking around out in public.”
“You look fine.”
She got another leery look and stepped closer to Nash, away from the guy.
“Here.” He shrugged off his jacket and held it out to her.
“No thanks.”
“It’ll cover you up. Take it.”
She didn’t want to. But she would rather wear it than walk around half naked. Lorna grabbed it and slipped it on. It reached about mid-thigh and she held the front together as they started walking again.
“Thanks.” She looked down at the sidewalk as they continued toward her building.
“Are you going to tell me what that was about?”
She glanced over at him. His hands were stuffed in his pockets and he was looking straight ahead.
“What?”
“When you fell. There was a reason.”
“No, there wasn’t,” she lied. “It was just a muscle twitch or something.”
“That was one hell of a muscle twitch. All coordinated too, like you were trying to get away from me.”
“No, just a regular twitch.”
“You’re lying.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Lorna...”
Her building came into sight, and she hurried up.
“You’re really not going to tell me?”
“There was nothing. And why do you want to know so bad if there was?”
“Because then I could tell you the reason why I dropped you.”
“You didn’t—”
“I was about to,” he said. “If you hadn’t have fallen, I would have dropped you.”
“Why?”
He turned toward her. “The same reason as you, I suspect.”
She struggled to keep up the lie. “I have no reason.”
He shrugged. “Then I don’t either, I guess.”
She unlocked the door to the building and meant to tell him that he didn’t need to walk her up, but he was so close behind her that she scurried through door to avoid contact. Once a safe distance away, in the isolated entryway, she turned to him.
“You don’t need to walk me up.” She pulled off his jacket.
“You’re sure?” he asked, taking it from her.
“Yes.”
But she didn’t make any move to go upstairs, and he didn’t make any move to leave.
“Look. If the dancing makes you uncomfortable, you need to tell me.”
“It doesn’t.”
“You’re lying.”
She shrugged.
Someone came in the door and Nash stepped out of their way, toward Lorna. She didn’t know how it was possible to be more uncomfortable just standing near him than when they’d been practically simulating sex, but she was.
“I should go.” She turned toward the door but Nash grabbed her arm, turning her back around.
“Lorna...”
She waited.
He looked like he was fighting with himself for a moment. “Rehearsal is at 11:00 tomorrow.”
“Yeah. Shep told us.”
“I’m going to be there early.” He let go of her arms and pushed the hand through his hair. “If you wanted to work on some stuff.”
“What stuff?”
“Anything you wanted.”
“Um…I’ll see.”
“It doesn’t matter to me.” He stepped away, preparing to leave. “Do what you want. Just wanted to let you know.” He left before she could reply.
14
Rikke
The next day, Rikke was back in the office of John Pierce, the Resident Hall Coordinator. Both he and Anna Clark, the Sexual Assault Coordinator, were sitting across the desk from her. She wasn’t sure if this meeting was more or less comfortable than the first one she’d had. Rikke was much less excited to be at this one, that was for sure. Her face ached, as did the back of her head, both thanks to Adam.
Adam was currently in jail, though he was going to get out on bail sometime today, no doubt.
The two professionals were explaining the on-campus judicial system. She had decided she didn’t want to press charges on Adam through the county’s criminal system, but they had convinced her to do as much as she could with the on-campus process.
“Do you unders
tand?” John asked.
Rikke blinked. “Sorry. What?”
“Once the paperwork is filed, he won’t be allowed in your building, your classes or within 100 feet of you.”
“How exactly is anyone going to stop him?”
They both frowned at her.
“The judicial system here on campus is limited, which is why we encourage you to prosecute him to keep him in jail,” John said firmly.
Anna touched his arm and gave him a look that said not to pressure her.
Rikke looked down. “So are we done?”
“All that is left for you to do is to head over to Student Affairs to sign the paperwork. They have it ready for you.”
She nodded and stood.
Anna stood with her. “Rikke, you have my card. You can always call if you have any concerns or questions or change your mind about anything. I can talk to you, or find someone else to talk to you, if you want. I can direct you to any of the support that you need.”
“Yeah,” she deadpanned. “You said that.”
John also stood as Rikke headed for the door. “Please wait for me to call the campus police to escort you to Student Affairs.”
“Why?”
“Because you could be in danger. Adam gets out of jail sometime today.”
“I don’t want an escort.”
“Please, Rikke, I insist.”
“I don’t need a cop to walk me,” she repeated.
“Maybe an RA then? One from your own building, if that would make you comfortable?”
“No, thanks.”
“Rikke, it’s procedure. I have to assign someone to escort you.”
“I’m on my longboard. I hate walking.”
John smiled and picked up the phone. “Not a problem.”
He dialed before she could stop him. “Ben?... it’s John... I need you to go with a resident to Student Affairs for paperwork... yes, and bring your skateboard please, thanks.” He hung up and looked at Rikke. “Ben will be here in a moment.”
She clenched her teeth in frustration. Of course Ben had a board. She fumed by the door until she could hear him coming down the sidewalk then grabbed her board by the trucks and left. Ben was riding an expensive-looking, black longboard.
“Hey. How—”
She practically threw her board down and stepped on it, pushing off quickly so that he had to swerve to get out of her way. She glanced back after the near miss in time to see him carve a sharp U-turn and come back behind her.