For two blissful seconds, Carly was caught up in the explosion of electricity that came from Heath’s lips pressed against hers. But then, another couple collided into them, knocking them off balance.
Carly pulled Heath off the floor, embarrassment starting to burn on her cheeks. “What were you thinking?”
“I was thinking that I’d finally shown you that I was capable of being a good dancer, and that now I was worthy of kissing you.”
“Yeah, but you don’t stop in the middle of a crowded dance floor to do so.”
“Never mind. Forget I did anything. I thought you’d enjoy it.”
“I did, it’s just that”
“It’s just that what? You don’t get involved with students? Or you’re such a stickler for etiquette that you don’t recognize a romantic gesture when you see it?”
“Yes, but—”
“Yes but what?”
“But there’s something else, too. Though I guess I should say someone else.”
Heath sighed. “What? Come on, don’t leave me hanging here.”
“You’re not the only man I’m interested in.”
* * * *
First, she criticizes me. Then, she rejects me. Then, she rejects me again, claiming there’s some other guy. What sort of parallel universe have I stumbled into?
“So you’re not interested. Okay, I get it. You like someone else. You could have just told me that on Tuesday, rather than giving me all that crap about not dating your students.”
“First of all, that wasn’t crap. Second of all, I didn’t say I wasn’t interested.”
“Yes, you did.”
“No, I didn’t. I said that you’re not the only man I’m interested in.”
Heath paused a moment to parse Carly’s words. “Not the only man. So you’re interested in someone else, but that doesn’t change the fact that you’re interested in me?”
Carly nodded. “Pretty much.”
“Well, it’s obvious you’re just going to have to make a choice, then.”
Carly shook her head and gave him a seductive smile. “I don’t know that I do. I mean, if you had two women you were interested in, would you want to just pick one over the other?”
“Fine, then don’t choose,” Heath said, without giving his words much thought. He immediately clasped his hands over his mouth. Did I just say what I think I said?
Carly raised an eyebrow. “So you see things my way?”
“I–I guess so. Don’t choose.”
“You actually would be willing to share me with another man?”
Although Heath never thought he’d ever be having such a conversation, he couldn’t help but agree. “I guess so.”
“You guess so?”
“Hey, cut me a break. I’m just as shocked by my own admission as you are. All I know is that I think you’re really attractive, I want to get close to you, and if that means sharing you with another guy, then so be it.”
“What about the fact that I don’t date students?”
“I was hoping you might make an exception, just this once. I mean, I won’t be your student forever. Just for a few weeks, until after the fundraiser. Then I go back to dancing in bars.”
Carly looked pensive. “I still haven’t told the other guy how I feel about him.”
“Well, what are you waiting for?”
“I was trying to say something. Then you interrupted and asked me to dance.”
“Well, don’t let me distract you any longer.”
Carly turned and walked toward the bar, and Heath followed close behind her. The guy she had been talking to smiled as she approached.
“I see you caused a bit of a traffic jam out on the floor,” he said. “I’m telling you, Mr. Taylor, you might be one of the richest men in town, but you could stand to learn a thing or two about floor control.”
The man turned toward Carly. “I believe we were in the middle of a discussion about something, yes?”
“You could say that,” Carly said.
“I’m trying to remember—oh yeah, I know where I left off.” With that, he leaned in and kissed her.
Heath watched Carly’s knees buckle and her hands grip his biceps. To his surprise, he didn’t feel jealousy. Instead, he just felt irritated that her fellow dancer had deigned to talk to him in such a way.
“See that?” the dancer said as he pulled away. “All the passion, none of the collisions.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t think we’ve been introduced,” Heath said, ignoring the commentary. “Of course you know my name, but I most definitely do not know yours.”
“I’m Jared Brooks. I just started with the studio this week. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He offered his hand, and Heath shook it, begrudging him all the while. “What, do you have a problem with me kissing your woman or something?”
“I’m not his woman,” Carly interjected.
“And I don’t have a problem. Well, not with that, anyway. I’m just used to being treated with a little more respect.”
Jared shrugged. “I don’t exactly take money seriously.”
Heath felt himself go red. “Nobody at your studio really seems to, except for Taletha.”
“And even she doesn’t care quite so much when her studio isn’t in massive debt,” Jared retorted.
“Hey, guys, if you’re going to have a verbal pissing contest, I’m going to go home and chill out in peace and quiet. I don’t need the two of you sparring. I’d rather just turn in early than deal with bullshit all night.”
Heath grabbed Carly by the hand, spun her around, and kissed her. He let her tart-yet-savory taste fill his mouth, let the curves of her hips fill his hands, let his teeth scrape her bottom lip as he pulled away.
“No more arguing,” he said.
Jared grabbed Carly’s ass and pulled her against him, placing light kisses up and down her neck. Heath seized the opportunity to bury his face in her breasts, relishing the way the soft flesh curved around him.
“Carly? What the hell are you doing?”
The three of them all looked up. Heath found himself staring at a man who was leaning on a cane, staring at Carly with a fury he’d never seen in his life. Carly was still pressed against his body, and he could feel her start to tremble. Rather than stepping back and leaving her to the confrontation, he pulled her in a little tighter, trying to absorb her fear.
“Carly, I asked you a question,” the man said.
“W–what are you doing here, Jake?”
“Let’s skip the small talk and cut to the chase, shall we?” Jake’s fake smile turned Heath’s stomach. “You broke your promise.”
“I did not.” Carly’s voice stayed strong, but Heath could feel the tremors increasing.
“Yes, you did.”
“Prove it.”
“You’re in his arms, aren’t you?”
“That doesn’t mean I danced with him.”
“Carly.”
Even Heath couldn’t suppress a shudder. The man’s tone was so angry and menacing that even he felt intimidated, and the guy clearly didn’t have any sort of trouble with him.
Carly pushed out from between Jared and Heath to confront her antagonist directly. “Okay, fine. I danced with him. I broke my stupid promise. So what? What do you plan to do about it? I danced with him, and it made me happy, and nothing is going to change that.”
“You’re going to regret what you’ve done.”
“Oh, come on, Jake. We just danced.”
“I also saw you kissing, so pardon me for thinking that something else might be going on between the two of you.”
“Well, I’m not saying one way or the other. It’s none of your business.”
Something inside of Heath snapped. “Come on, man, don’t be a prick. If you get off on watching other people make out, do it from the privacy of your own home. Don’t bug your ex-girlfriend.”
“I’m not his ex-girlfriend,” Carly said. “I’m his ex-dance partner.”
* * * *
Jared couldn’t believe it. He’d always thought that if he came face-to-face with the great Jake Cunningham, it would be a happy time, one involving some modicum of respect and awe. Instead, Jared was confronted with the shell of a broken man, who looked halfway drunk to boot. Nor did he understand why Carly wasn’t supposed to dance with him. Though this probably explains why she didn’t want to go out with me.
“She promised she wouldn’t dance with Jared,” Jake said, his speech tinged with anger. “She swore to me she’d never dance with him again.”
“What the hell is going on?” Jared snapped. “Seriously, Carly, what is going on here?”
“I–I promised I’d never dance with you because Jake said he wouldn’t be able to handle it if he knew that you and I were happy dancing together, and he’d never be able to live if we started competing together.”
Jake nodded. “And now she’s broken that promise.”
“We’re not competing together,” Carly said.
“Maybe not, but you promised you wouldn’t dance with him at all. How could you do this to me?”
“Look, Jake,” Jared said, trying to sound deferential. “I know the thought of Carly moving on must be impossibly hard for you. But Carly and I aren’t competing together, and there might be better ways to treat your problems, like perhaps getting some therapy.”
“I don’t need therapy,” Jake snapped. “I need for Carly to keep her promises. If she doesn’t, she will regret breaking them.” He turned, and hobbled his way out of the bar.
Jared was half tempted to run after Jake, to make him sorry for the hateful things he said. But he also knew it wasn’t fair to go after a guy who was already down-and-out. Instead, he put a hand on Carly’s shoulder.
“Are you okay? Do you want another drink?”
Carly looked at him, then back over at Heath. “I’m sorry, guys, but I think I need to go. And I don’t think we should have another night like this. It’s just going to lead to trouble.” She turned away from them and started shoving her way out of the crowded bar.
Chapter Four
It didn’t take long for Carly to catch up with Jake. He hadn’t had much of a head start, and since he still needed the cane, he didn’t move very fast.
“Jake, wait!” she called. He stopped for a moment, acknowledged her with a glare, and then continued walking, hobbling along as quickly as his knee would allow.
Carly was undeterred. “Jake, let’s just talk, please.”
“There’s nothing to talk about,” he said as he continued to walk. “You broke your promise, you broke my heart, and now I’m so upset, I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know.”
“Are you going to hurt yourself?”
Finally, Jake stopped walking. “I don’t know why you suddenly care. You didn’t seem to give two shits about me earlier this evening when you were dancing with that guy.”
“He has a name.”
“I’m not going to acknowledge it.”
“You know what? I don’t know why I suddenly care, either. I know you’re miserable because your dance life is over. I know it’s going to take you a long time to move on. But you’re not even attempting to deal with it in a healthy way. You’re not in therapy, and you’re trying to keep me from moving my own career forward.”
Jake started to cry. “We were supposed to be a team.”
“We were a team. But we’re not a team anymore.”
“No! That’s not acceptable! Once a team, always a team, and if one person can’t compete anymore, neither of you do.”
“You’re being completely unreasonable. You know that’s not how it works. Give me an example of one professional couple who has chosen that route.”
“Just because nobody has doesn’t mean they shouldn’t. It’s wrong to leave your partner behind.”
“It’s also wrong to hold your partner back.”
“Well, I clearly can’t stop you. I guess you never really valued our partnership the way you said you did. I guess you never really cared about me.”
“Jake, stop it. You know I always valued you as a dance partner. You know I cared about you then, and that I still care about you now. Otherwise, why would I come visit you every single week? Why would I ever have allowed you to stop me from competing again with a new partner?”
“Maybe you did care, once. I just seems like some shiny new men have turned your head.”
“You’re acting like I cheated on you.”
“It feels like you did. It feels like you’re my wife, who was supposed to stick by me in sickness and in health. Only instead, I find out you’re screwing not one but two new guys.”
“First of all, I’m not your wife. I’m not your girlfriend. I never even was your girlfriend. And second of all, why bring Heath into this? I thought your only problem was with Jared.”
“My problem is with anyone who takes you away from me.”
Carly gasped. “You think you’re in love with me, don’t you?”
“I don’t think. I know I’m in love with you.”
“Now you’re just being ridiculous. You told me on Monday that you’re glad you never let romantic entanglements screw up our dance partnership.”
“What’s the point of being honest if you just know you’re going to be rejected?”
“Jake, I’m sorry, but first of all, I don’t have those kinds of feelings for you. I care about you very much, but I don’t have romantic thoughts for you.”
“See?” he snapped. “I knew that you were going to say that.”
Carly ignored him and continued talking. She knew she had to speak her piece before she lost her nerve. “Second of all, I have to say that I doubt your sincerity. You’ve changed, Jake. You’re not the person I used to know. The man I used to dance with would never have placed such unreasonable demands on me. The man I used to know would never have used our friendship to manipulate me. It pains me to say it, but it’s not clear to me whether or not your feelings are genuine, or if they’re just a ploy to keep me in line.”
Jake stared at her as though he was in shock. “I can’t believe you’d ever doubt me.”
“I can’t believe I would, either.”
“You—you bitch,” he snapped and raised his hand. Carly flinched and then moved out of the way. Never in her life had she imagined him as the violent type, but all of a sudden, she felt she was in danger.
“That’s it,” she said, taking a few more steps back. “I can’t deal with this anymore. I’m going home. Our friendship is officially over. I am not going to be coming to visit you anymore, and I’m not going to let myself get emotionally blackmailed. I will dance with whomever I want to dance with, I will kiss whomever I want to kiss, and I will compete with whomever I want to compete.” She started to storm off toward the studio.
“Fine, I just hope that you can live with the consequences.”
Carly froze. The emotional edge in Jake’s voice scared her. “What do you mean?” she asked, refusing to turn around and meet his gaze.
“I mean, you’re really toying with me here, and there’s only so much I can handle in my fragile emotional state. You lie to me, you break your promises, and when I finally reveal my love for you, you reject me. I’m not sure what’s going to happen when I get home tonight.”
As Jake finished speaking, he broke down crying, sobbing so hard that Carly thought his legs might collapse underneath him.
“Jake, you’re not going to hurt yourself, are you?”
“I–I don’t know,” he wailed through his tears.
Carly’s own legs started to shake. As furious as she felt, she couldn’t deny that she still cared about Jake’s well-being. They had so much shared history, and no matter how deeply he hurt her, she still didn’t want any harm to befall him.
I’ll make a deal. I’ll make it just this once. Then, I’ll convince him to get therapy. Once he starts seeing someone, he’ll stop acting thi
s way, and we can both move on.
“Jake? What if I promise not to dance with him again?”
“What’s the point?” he asked, looking up at her with a bitter stare. “You’ll just break the promise again. I can’t trust you.”
“That was—that was before I realized just how much it was going to hurt you. I swear, I didn’t realize just how awful you were going to feel. I’d never hurt you like that, Jake, not intentionally. Give me another chance. I promise, I’ll never dance with him again.”
“What about the other guy?”
“Heath? He’s my student. I have to dance with him.”
“But he’ll just be your student, right?”
“Jake, are you seriously telling me who I can and cannot date?”
The tears started to flow again. “Even if you don’t want me, please don’t force me to suffer by knowing you’re seeing guys like him. Please. I don’t—I don’t know what I’ll do if I have to deal with that sort of thing. I might—things might get out of control.”
Carly sighed. I just need to get him into therapy. That’s all I need to do. If this is what it takes, that’s what I have to do.
“Okay,” she said. “Now, do you want a ride home?”
“That would be great, thank you. Thank you for everything, Carly. You mean so much to me, and I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
They were silent on the walk back to Carly’s vehicle and stayed that way for the drive home.
“Will I see you tomorrow?” Jake finally asked as Carly pulled into the driveway.
“Monday, as usual.”
“Okay, if you insist. You’ve already been so great to me tonight. I won’t try to be an inconvenience.” He placed a kiss on her cheek before exiting the car. Carly couldn’t stop the shudder that crawled across her skin.
* * * *
Heath stood in shock as he watched Carly leave the bar.
“Are you sure we shouldn’t go after her?” he asked. “I thought chicks liked it when you ran after them. That’s what’s supposed to happen in the movies, anyway.”
“She’s not a chick, she’s a woman, and movies don’t always get it right. Besides, how many times do you see a guy go after the woman he loves, only to have her get even madder and push him away?”
Jordan, Olivia - Carly's Two-Stepping Temptations [Studio Seductions 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 4