by Linda Kage
And besides, she danced with a ton of hot girls. I absolutely could not make a fool of myself in front of multiple hot girls.
Noel snickered. “No, kid,” he said, his shoulders shaking with silent amusement. “Not the class she’s in. The class she teaches, where she’s been volunteer-helping this summer.”
My mouth fell open, because my sister helped at the dance academy, teaching beginners, like four- and five-year-old beginners.
I was going to be the only teenager in the group, and probably ten years older and three feet taller than everyone else there.
Trying to dance in front of a bunch of hot girls my age would’ve been bad enough, but if I’d put everything I had into it, at least the nice ones probably would’ve had pity on me and admired me for having the courage to try. If I’d been lucky, maybe I could’ve even secured a sympathy date or two from the whole adventure. But this… This was so much worse.
My embarrassment was never going to end, was it?
Screwing up my mouth into a snarl, I scowled at my coach, hissing, “You bastard.”
Chapter Two
Nia
I’d just sat on the rubber floor of the dance studio to start my warm-up exercises when sexy incarnate walked in. Tall and lean, he wore a black tank top and loose running shorts over neon green tights. Dumping the strap of an enormous sports bag off his shoulder, he let it drop carelessly to the floor next to him with a thud, letting the world know he was not pleased to be present.
I liked his hairstyle: twisted curls with the blowout fade.
Lately, my mom had been letting me take on a couple simple haircuts like straight buzz jobs at her shop. But I hadn’t been allowed to try a blowout yet, even though it was one of my favorites. And the way this handsome thing wore it, it was definitely going to remain one of my favorites, too.
He skimmed his gaze distastefully over the row of girls at the front who ranged between four and seven years old and shook his head with a dismal kind of depression before he caught sight of me sprawled out in the back trying to touch my toes without bending my knees. Doing a double take, he furrowed his brows and cocked his head curiously before pointing to the room at large and asking me, “Hey, is this Sky’s class?”
It took everything I had not to snort bitterly and roll my eyes. But I should’ve known he was here looking for her. Of course he went for the stick-slim, perfectly flawless, beautiful type. Typical guy.
Realizing he belonged to someone else and was therefore a lost cause for me, I focused my attention back on my toes I was grabbing as I attempted to touch my nose to my knees. “It sure is.”
“Great,” he said dryly, his voice lacking all hint of pleasure. “I guess I actually found the right place, then.”
When he plopped down about ten feet away, I jerked my head up in surprise.
“Uh…?” Why was he sitting by me? A little flutter stirred in my belly from his closeness, even though, okay, he wasn’t that close. He just had such a big presence it felt close.
He tipped his chin my way. “Are you, like, her assistant or something?”
“Whose assistant?” I asked, all the while wondering why he was mimicking me and trying to perform a toe touch. Poor guy could barely even reach his ankles.
He seemed confused when he answered, “Skylar’s.” Motioning toward the little girls talking and stretching at the front of the room, he added, “Or are you a second teacher for the class?”
“Second…? Oh. Oh. No. Good God, not at all!” I cried, my eyes widening in horror. “Someone would have to be insane to put me in charge of a dance class. I…” Realizing I was about to mention to the hottest boy I’d ever talked to that I sucked at dancing, I drew in a breath before motioning vaguely toward the front of the room. “I’m, you know, just waiting for my little sister.”
“Ah.” He seemed disappointed by that. Why, I have no idea.
I grew even more confused when he changed his stretch to follow mine as I fell back onto my spine and pulled my knee up toward my chest.
“So, where is Sky?” he asked conversationally.
I shrugged. “Don’t know. She doesn’t usually show up until two or three minutes after start time.”
He snorted cynically. “Sounds like her.”
I eyed him curiously. He didn’t exactly sound loyal and loving there, so I bluntly asked, “Are you her boyfriend?”
“What?” he cried, his aghast expression telling me that wasn’t even a slight possibility, which cheered me up because it put him back in the running for me. “Hell, no. She’s my sister.”
“Oh,” I said, beginning to nod, before it struck me that he and Skylar weren’t exactly the same color. “Wait.”
He let out a sigh as if he were well accustomed to reactions just like mine. “I’m adopted,” he explained.
“Oh,” I repeated before sending him a sheepish grin. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude.”
“You weren’t. It’s fine.” He shrugged. “I get it. It’d probably make me pause too. I mean, we’re nothing alike. She’s the overly cheerful, bubbly type. And I’m, you know, awesome.” When he flashed me a heart-stopping grin, all my girl organs melted. It took everything I had not to sigh over his absolute dreaminess.
“So, uh…” What the heck did I want to say? Some words, I’m sure, but I suddenly couldn’t recall what those words were. He was just so nice to look at I really didn’t want to think about anything else.
I swear, his brown eyes were peering straight inside me. I hoped he liked what he saw.
“Are you Skylar’s ride home today or something?” I had the presence of mind to finally ask. “Have to wait around here until she’s finished with her class?”
Lord, I hoped not. I didn’t want him to stick around long enough to realize I was actually a student.
His expression froze before he started to nod. “Yeah, yeah,” he answered, twirling his finger my way as if to congratulate me for guessing it right. “That’s exactly what I’m doing.”
Great. Kill me now. He was going to see me dance and learn just how much rhythm I lacked, then he was going to laugh his butt off and probably never give me the time of day again.
Shriveling up inside, I started to nod knowingly, when suddenly his shoulders fell. “No, okay, I lied. I’m actually a…” The rest of his sentence trailed off into a mumble I couldn’t understand.
Leaning in, I wrinkled my brow as I asked, “You’re a what?”
Sending me a chagrined glance, he sighed and admitted, “I’m actually a student. In Skylar’s class. But I am her brother; that part’s still true.”
I blinked. He must’ve taken that to mean I thought he was lame or something because he rushed to explain, “My football coach forced me into the class because I have absolutely no coordination. I think he assumed putting me in my sister’s class would make it less humiliating or something, but it doesn’t. Not at all. Anyway, I have a month to learn some balance or I’m probably not going to make the team.”
He looked so miserable, I sighed. “I guess I should confess I don’t have a little sister here. Or anywhere. I’m an only child. And… I’m also a student in the class.”
He pulled back in surprise. “Wait. What?”
“I tried to join a group in my own age range but they were all so advanced, I got shuffled around until I ended up here. And I’m still the worst in the class.”
He watched me a moment before saying, “For real?”
I nodded glumly. “Yep. My dad left my mom this last year, and what was supposed to be their twentieth anniversary is coming up in about a month. Before he left, the only thing Mom ever talked about was how she wanted to dance to their wedding song with him on their big day. So, now that he’s gone, I’m trying to learn how to dance so I can dance with her on their big day. Except.” I shrugged and sent him a rueful cringe. “I have two left feet. I mean, I’m so bad Skylar was literally the only person willing to let me into her class.”
He considered
that a moment before scooting across the floor toward me and holding out a fist. “Well, never fear, my lady. I am here to suck with you. We can be bad together.”
That had to be about the sweetest thing anyone had ever said to me. Charmed, I bumped my knuckles against his and we shared a smile. At that moment, I’d never been so happy to be truly bad at something.
“Hello, my lovelies!” Skylar called, interrupting my beautiful moment with her brother as she breezed into the room, her perky brunette ponytail bobbing merrily behind her.
Next to me, the boy groaned under his breath. “And so it begins.” His lack of enthusiasm was actually a relief.
God, he better be as bad as he said he was, or I was going to be pissed.
The kids in the front cheered, and the touchy-feely ones had to rush Skylar for a round of hugs. As she accepted them all at the same time, she glanced toward the boy and lifted her eyebrows, showing surprise to see he’d actually shown up.
He rolled his eyes back at her and drew his knees up to rest his elbows on them.
“Looks like everyone started some warm-up stretches,” Skylar noticed, nodding her approval. “Good. I’ll let you guys finish that up while I take roll call.”
She started down the list of names. When she got to, “Nia,” and looked my way, I smiled and waved. “Here,” she answered for me, gaining the attention of her brother as he sent me a considering glance. A warm tingle spread through my belly as I wondered if that look meant he was maybe, possibly just as interested in me as I was in him.
“Julia?” Skylar called, making me frown and scan the row of girls in front of me, because there wasn’t a student named Julia, and none of them looked new.
“Julia?” she repeated quizzically, finally turning her attention to her brother. “Julia Ryan?”
He merely narrowed his eyes.
Skylar snickered. “Oh, sorry,” she said, over emphasizing her fake apology as she looked back down at the sheet of paper in her hand. “I didn’t see the N there. I guess it says Julian.”
Hmm. So the hot-brother-of-Skylar was named Julian, huh? I liked that.
As all the five-year-olds giggled over Skylar’s deliberate mistake, Julian muttered, “Funny,” and he flipped her off.
“Ummm…” one of the girls sang, pointing his way. “That’s a bad sign. My mom told me so. It means I hate you and never want to see you again.”
Julian arched a brow at Sky. “D’you hear what that means, sis? Don’t make it true.”
She rolled her eyes and blew him a kiss before returning her attention to her younger students. “Okay, what I need you guys here in these first two rows to do is buddy up and practice your positions together, alright? I’m just going to hop over and talk to these two real quick.”
These two?
Why was she glancing toward her brother and me as she said that? Julian and I shared a suspicious glance before we simultaneously turned back to Skylar as she jogged our way.
“Hey,” she greeted us, her grin overly bright. “So, okay, I was thinking, since you two are my only nontraditional students with pretty specific goals to reach, you guys could practice together but separately from the rest of the class, not the ballet technique everyone else is working on today but the steps to the dance Nia wants to have with her mom. That will help her with that, and Julian with his balance. You guys are about at the same level with each other, meaning you can work at your pace this way.” Grinning, she clasped her hands together. “I think it’s a brilliant idea.”
Julian and I shared another uncertain glance. Then he turned to his sister and muttered, “Yeah, until I step on her feet so much she loses all sensation in them and ends up being unable to ever walk again.”
Skylar rolled her eyes and backhanded his arm. “Don’t be dramatic,” she charged. “That’s my job.”
“Look, Sky.” He stepped in toward his sister and lowered his voice, even though I could still hear him clearly. “This is ridiculous. Why can’t you just show me all this bullshit at home? In private. Why do I have to come all the way out here and take a damn class?”
“Because having witnesses around will force you to take it seriously and actually try.”
I winced when she repeated the very thing I’d said to her when she’d offered to teach me privately a few weeks ago.
Sky glanced my way and winked. “Besides, Nia needs a partner to practice with. This will work perfectly for both of you.”
Julian glanced warily my way. “You really, truly suck at dancing?” he asked, measuring me up and down. “You’re not just pulling my leg? I don’t want to start this and end up looking like a damn fool because you’re talented after all, and I still can’t keep a simple rhythm.”
“Trust me,” Skylar said, patting his arm in reassurance. “She’s honestly as bad at this as you are.” When Julian sliced her an incredulous glance, her face turned bright red. She whirled to me, her eyes wide as she slapped her hands over her mouth. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean… I was just trying to—”
I lifted a hand, forgiving her. “It’s fine.”
She nodded but still cringed as she lowered her hands. Glancing worriedly between me and her brother, she asked, “So… What do you guys think?”
My gaze slid toward Julian’s just as his moved my way. After a moment, he shrugged. “I’m game if you are.”
On any other day, I’d never agree to humiliate myself in front of such a beautiful boy. But after his sister reassured us we were equally bad, I found myself shrugging too. “Looks like you just got yourself a new suck buddy.”
As Skylar blurted out a laugh, Julian lifted an eyebrow, and it suddenly occurred to me just how suggestive and close to another term that had sounded.
“Oh, Lord,” I moaned, closing my eyes and slapping a hand to my forehead. “You know what I meant.”
Chapter Three
Julian
So I guess I had myself a suck buddy. Still grinning over the term Nia had created, I glanced at my curvy petite new dance partner. She was a cute thing with massive breasts and braided extensions that were twisted up in a big bun on the top of her head. One strand that had beads woven in it had fallen loose and dangled hypnotically by her ear that hosted about half a dozen rings. My favorite was actually the silver hook in her nose, though.
She definitely had a style I liked.
“So, I’m not going to teach you two ballet like the rest,” Sky was saying, all of it background noise as I checked out the girl on the other side of her. “Here’s what I’d like you to do.”
My sister bent down to my sports bag and unzipped it, digging a moment until she pulled up my phone. As she unlocked the screen and pulled up the YouTube app, explaining how she wanted us to try following the steps in the dance she was going to play, I frowned, finally realizing what she’d just done.
“Hey, how did you know the code to my phone?”
Sky just snorted and waved an unconcerned hand. “Please,” she said, before turning toward Nia and bringing the screen of the phone up so they could watch the couple in the video explain the sequence of a specific dance. “So just follow these guys, pause and rewind however much you need to so you can go at your pace. I’ll check in periodically to see how you’re doing and toss out suggestions.” Then she grinned at Nia, patted her arm and took off to return to her younger students, clapping her hands cheerfully to get their attention.
I frowned after her. “Seriously, how did she know my passcode?”
Nia was too busy squinting at the screen of my phone to answer. She shook her head slowly. “This doesn’t look so bad. I might actually be able to do this dance.”
I glanced over her shoulder just as the guy in the video placed his hand on the female dancer’s hip and then spun her away from him, where she twirled on her tiptoes before stopping in a swooping pose.
Nia’s eyes went wide. “Or maybe not.”
I motioned my finger at the phone. “We can just skip that part.”
Nodding, my suck buddy glanced at me. “Agreed.”
Wow, she was short. Now that we were standing side by side, I could tell she dwarfed my six-two frame by a good eight to ten inches.
She seemed to realize the height difference too because she blinked a moment at my chest before drawing in a breath and shaking her head. “So, um…” Her dark brown eyes lifted to mine. “You want to get started?”
Yes. Because that meant I’d get to put my hands on her. For some reason, I totally forgot that I was actually supposed to dance, and that I sucked at dancing, and the most humiliating thing I could do was dance in front of someone else. I was too focused on the fact that I’d get to touch this cute, little thing.
Trying not to sound too eager about it, I answered, “Sure,” and then tossed in a loose shrug for effect. “That’s why we’re here, right?”
“Right.” Her cheeks darkened into the cutest blush, and she tucked that single beaded weave of hair behind one ear. “So, uh, I guess we need to start by facing each other.”
“Okay.” As she looked down at my phone and went back to the beginning of the video, I stepped in close. “Like this?”
Nia looked up. “Oh,” she breathed out in surprise. “I…” She quickly lowered her face and studied my phone before saying, “Yeah. Uh, this seems right.”
Then she held up the screen so we could both watch. After the first five steps into the dance, she pushed pause and glanced at me. “That’s probably enough to start with.”
I nodded and started to reach for her hip, only to pause, not sure if I was supposed to touch her yet. Total awkwardness ensued as I glanced at her, not sure if I needed to ask first, or if I was supposed to just start grabbing.
God, I felt like a dork.
“So, yeah.” She cleared her throat before she latched a hand around my wrists and drew both my hands to her waist. “It looked like your hands go here.”