by Alexis Daria
The song’s vocals dropped out, launching into an instrumental interlude, and Nik led her into a tuck turn for a Tandem Charleston. Facing out, with her back to his front, she noticed the crowd growing around them. The awareness of their audience, combined with the heat emanating from Nik’s body and the connection she felt through their joined hands, sent a thrill racing through her.
As they kicked their way into a swing out, Jess couldn’t hold back—she let out a huge laugh, and Nik’s answering grin made her melt inside. The chorus returned and they sank down, preparing to lift with their knees. A second later, Jess was going up, both feet lifting off the ground in a perfectly controlled frog jump. Her spirit soared with the movement. She freaking loved this dance.
The crowd oohed, but she ignored them, the entirety of her attention fixed on Nik’s wide smile.
And he, of course, was focused solely on her. As he had been all night.
No denying it. She hadn’t had a date this good since—probably ever.
The problem was, Nik was going to leave again. Eventually, his wanderlust would return and off he’d go, just like all the other guys she’d dated in this industry. This dancing around, talking about their families and being sweet together…it was only getting her in deeper.
Deep wasn’t fun. Deep would lead to heartbreak when he left. Because he would leave. They always did.
Except right now, she didn’t care. If the spirit of the holidays was about believing in things you had no proof of, well…then that’s what she’d try to do. Maybe Nik was right and there was something real between them. Or maybe he was just playing her. But dancing was about being in the moment, so she let everything else wash away on a tide of trombone moans and swivel steps.
They rocked and kicked and jumped and twirled their way through the rest of dance, a flurry of movement that felt like sheer perfection. When the song ended, people clapped. There were tons of phone cameras pointed their way. They bowed for the assembled crowd, then Nik drew her away and back toward the hot chocolate stand.
As they walked, Jess pressed her warm fingertips to the taut muscles of her cheeks. She was grinning like a damn fool and breathing hard, but so was Nik. He met her eyes, his chest heaving. A flippy sensation happened somewhere in her ribcage.
Oh.
Oh. No.
He’d done it. Just like that. He’d wormed his way in and won her over already. If she were being honest with herself, he’d been doing it since last New Year’s Eve. The kiss, the heart emojis, the insistence on holiday cheer. Who could resist all that? Not her, that was for damn sure.
She had to try. She should try. Or…for now, she could just enjoy it. For a little while. She’d still be her snarky self on the outside, but inside…
She’d soak it all in, holding these warm, gushy feelings tight. So when he left, she’d remember, at least for a short while, how it had felt.
Nik collected their purchases from the concierge and bought new cups of hot cocoa, as promised. Then they sat at a different table to drink.
“You’re good,” she said, finally catching her breath after a sip of the rich, sweet cocoa.
He shrugged. “I do what I can. We can’t all be swing dance champions, like you.”
“What, did you Google me?”
“Of course I did. Didn’t you Google me?”
She pressed her lips together, not wanting to answer, but his expectant eyebrow lift teased it out of her. “Yes, damn it. I did.”
He threw his head back and laughed, eyes crinkling at the corners. It was a nice sound, light and masculine.
“You’ve done Broadway,” she said, because it was something she’d read about him and wanted to know more about. Why did he join touring productions when he could be on the biggest stage of all?
“I have.”
“So, why tour?”
He fiddled with the plastic lid of his drink. “You already know why.”
“The travel and adventures?”
He hunched his shoulders, cringing as she reminded him of his own words from nearly a year ago. “It seemed important at the time.”
“Is it because you’re from New York?”
“Partly.” He kicked out his legs and reclined as much as the flimsy chair would allow, folding his hands over his flat belly. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a relentless struggle to get those roles. You have to put in the time, the effort, and be one hundred percent dedicated. But when you can stay at your parents’ house in Brooklyn for free and your brother is a movie star with a memorable—and by that, I mean foreign—last name, it’s not quite as hard as it is for other people.”
She gave him an exasperated look. “Are you saying you went on tour because getting roles on Broadway was too easy for you? Because if you are, I might have to throw this hot chocolate on you. And then you’ll have to get me a third one.”
He shifted in his chair like he wasn’t comfortable with the topic. “It’s not that it was easy, it was that I felt…I don’t know, stuck. Like I hadn’t progressed at all as a person. As a dancer, sure, I was constantly learning new things. But as a…god, this is going to sound cliché.”
“Go on. I’m sorry, I won’t make fun.” Because now she was into it, imagining a younger version of Nik, living at home and wanting…more.
She understood that feeling. And she didn’t know what to do about it, so if he had an answer, she wanted to hear it.
“As a man.” He rubbed a hand over his face, and she caught the telltale red tinge on his cheeks. That sexy, sexy blush.
He dropped his hand and continued. “I’m a younger brother, by a lot of years. As long as I was at home, I was still the baby. Maybe you get it, because you have an older sister.”
She nodded. “Oh yeah, I feel you on the awkward family dynamics. Why do you think I moved out so early? I was twenty when I came to LA.”
“And how long ago was that?” he asked with a grin.
“Three and a half years, and don’t you dare make a joke about me being younger than you, because you are not that much older than I am, okay?”
He held up both hands, chuckling. “I won’t, I promise. But you sure have done a lot in a short amount of time.”
And because he was so easy to talk to, it all came spilling out. Her LA story. How she’d started dancing young, with tap and hip hop, before finding ballroom dance through an extracurricular program in middle school. How she’d racked up junior championships in ballroom and swing while living in Chicago, then decided moving to Los Angeles was the next step.
If only she could figure out what came next now.
“Why did you switch to ballroom?” he asked.
She closed her eyes, remembering. “I fell in love with the Viennese waltz the first time I saw it performed, thanks to a class trip. It was so smooth and romantic. From there, I became obsessed with old movies and big dance numbers. Those led me to swing. When I found out about the Lindy hop, I researched the history and learned that it started in Harlem. I was hooked.”
She fell quiet, remembering. Ballroom had been so different from everything she’d ever known for those first thirteen years, when her whole life had been harsh angles and words. Ballroom dance was sweeping curves and intimate connection between the couple and the music. It was, at her core, all she ever wanted.
“I couldn’t wait to get away,” she went on. “Outside of the dance crowd, I didn’t have too many friends. I traveled a lot for competitions, and none of my classmates understood what I was doing—or why. So I never really felt like I belonged there, you know?” She chuckled, but it was with a bittersweet pang. It had taken time, but she could look back with compassion at the lonely girl she’d once been. “I was probably the only teenager in Chicago with pictures of Billie Holiday and Norma Miller, the ‘queen of swing,’ taped to my walls.”
“Hey, look who you’re talking to. We had framed photos of Baryshnikov and Nureyev in our living room, like they were part of the family.”
“
At least your family was all into it. Your mom was a dance teacher, right? My parents just thought I was nuts. They wanted me to be a nurse or something else with reliable job security.”
They’d supported her desire to dance, footing the bill for ballroom lessons, costumes, and travel when she started competing and winning, but they hadn’t understood it as a calling or a career until she’d appeared on TV. Now, they were her biggest fans, voting for her every week that she was in the competition, but the memory of those early years still carried a dull ache.
“So, how did you get on The Dance Off?” Nik asked. “It’s a pretty sweet gig.”
She waved a hand dismissively. “I auditioned for a backup dancer spot on a whim. I didn’t think they’d hire me.”
“Why not? You’re an amazing dancer.”
Jess tugged on the end of one of her curls and let it bounce back. “My hair. I stopped chemically straightening it after I quit competing, and you don’t see a lot of natural hair in the ballroom dance world. But the producers liked my moves and the range of dances in my repertoire, plus they were willing to bring on a new stylist for me. I couldn’t turn it down.”
“I’m glad you didn’t. Otherwise we might never have met.” Nik’s phone beeped, and he checked the screen. “Come on. It’s almost time.”
“Time for what?” But she let him take her hand and lead her along the trolley path. Other people were moving in the same direction, and when the clock hit seven, she understood why.
A noisy whirring filled the air, and as she looked up to find the source of the sound, wonder and surprise had her jaw falling open.
“Nik, is that…is that snow?”
He grinned down at her. “You didn’t know they do this here?”
She shook her head, watching in amazement as clusters of tiny flakes flew off the roof and into the dark sky over the shoppers. Around them, children squealed, and even the adults made delighted murmurs. Snow in Los Angeles was impossible, yet here it was.
Nik would say it was the magic of Christmas. And even though she knew it was a marvel of technology, part of her thought he might be right.
She held out a hand to catch some of the flakes, inspecting them on her palm. “What’s it made out of?”
“Snow.”
She shot him an amused smirk. “No, really.”
He heaved a sigh. “You want me to ruin the magic?”
“I just want to know.”
“It’s a foam. Like tiny bubbles, I guess.”
The “snow” dissolved on her hand. “It’s amazing. Floating in the air like this, it looks just like the real thing.”
“It’s weird, isn’t it?”
“What is?”
“That it’s not cold. If you’re used to real winters, it’s weird to see snow when it’s not cold. At least, I think so.”
“Yeah, I get what you mean.” Just the sight of the snow made her want to cozy up to him for warmth…or for the pleasure of cuddling with that hot bod.
In total, the snowfall lasted all of five minutes. When it was over, Jess turned to Nik. The twinkling fairy lights reflected in his eyes. “Okay,” she said in a soft voice. “I guess that was pretty magical.”
The smile that eased over his features was pretty damn magical, too, and set her heart to thumping in her chest.
He stepped closer, and even though they were surrounded by people, it was like they were completely alone.
“Jess.” His voice was soft, and the look in his eyes made her breath catch. “I’ll stay, if you want me to.”
“Stay?” The word trembled out. She wouldn’t even let herself consider what it might mean.
“In Los Angeles.”
Oh. He did mean that.
Jess took a sip of cocoa she carried to give herself time to sort out her thoughts. He’d put the ball in her court. While she couldn’t deny there was a spark between them, the fear that he’d leave as soon as the next gig popped up was too strong. What if she said yes and he left anyway? It would break her.
She needed to buy some time.
“New Year’s Eve,” she said, lowering the cup and meeting his eyes. “At midnight. If I kiss you…” It means you convinced me. That I want you to stay. She couldn’t bring herself to say the words.
“If you kiss me, I’ll stay,” he clarified. “And if you don’t…then I’ll know where we stand.”
“Yes.” All of this had started with a kiss at midnight. It seemed right to bring it full circle, no matter how it turned out.
Nik nodded. “It’s a date.”
After they finished their drinks, Nik walked her to her car in the garage.
“Did you have fun?”
“Maybe I did,” she replied with a coy smile. She couldn’t lie and say she hadn’t, but it was still too soon to give him the upper hand.
When he passed her the bag containing her new lipstick and the gifts she’d purchased for Naomi and her agent, their hands brushed. The barest contact, but it pulled at her and made her want more.
He stood close, looking down at her with brown eyes gone soft and dreamy. Was he going to kiss her? Her breath hitched in anticipation of the touch of his lips. A beat passed, and when he didn’t lean in, she realized he was waiting for her to make the first move.
Jess didn’t consider herself shy, but something made her want to take things slow. Instead of a kiss, she reached up to give him a hug. It had been an excellent date, and he deserved that much, at least.
And also? She just wanted to.
She shut her eyes for a second to savor the feel of his hard, capable body surrounding her, to breathe in the subtle scent of his cologne—something woodsy with notes of amber that made her think of the color of his eyes.
Because she wanted to hold on, she let go. “You have my number,” she said, opening the car door. “Keep me posted about date number two.” In other words, the ball’s back in your court, buddy.
“I will.” The words rang with a note of promise.
She hoped he did. Not because she fully believed in him or this holiday magic business. But she’d had fun, and yeah, she wanted to see him again.
Hopefully her heart’s defenses were strong enough to withstand whatever else he had in store for them.
Nik walked into his brother’s house to find Natasha sitting at the kitchen counter, working on her laptop.
She looked up when Nik stopped in the arched doorway, blinking at him through red-framed glasses. “Hey. Were you out with Jess?”
“Yeah.” He’d already told Tash about the three dates thing. He pulled out a chair and sat across from her. “How well do you know her?” he asked, then quickly added, “Not that I’m digging for info or anything. Just curious.”
Natasha frowned at the ceiling. “Not super well, come to think of it. She’s newer to the cast, a bit younger. I haven’t really hung out with her outside of work or group settings. How was your date?”
“Good.” He shifted in the chair, trying to get comfortable. “I mean, I think it was good. She’s still on board for the second date, so I guess she had a nice time.”
He couldn’t figure Jess out. Sometimes it seemed like she really liked him, but then she’d switch on a dime, and he could tell she was holding back. Was it that she didn’t trust him? She’d warmed up as the night went on, and he hadn’t mistaken her genuine enjoyment when they’d danced. Swing dancing for a crowd of dozens of onlookers hadn’t been part of his plan, but dating, like dancing, sometimes required improvisation.
He hadn’t planned on telling her he’d stay, either, but with the snow and cocoa and everything, it had just slipped out. He meant it, but it was clear Jess didn’t believe that yet.
“Having never been on a date with you, I couldn’t say,” Natasha was saying. “But if you were your usual charming self, I don’t see how she could resist you.”
Dimitri walked in then. “What are you saying? I’m not charming?”
Tash grinned at him. “You can be, but I think we
both know Nik has you beat in that department.”
“As long as it’s not in any other departments.” He took her hand and pulled her into his arms. “Besides, you don’t like charming guys.”
She let out an exaggerated sigh. “You’re right. I don’t. I like moody grouches.”
She was laughing when Dimitri lowered his head to kiss her.
Nik slipped out of the kitchen to give them some privacy and headed to his room. Or, rather, the guest room. Same space, different distinction.
This wasn’t his home anymore.
When he’d sold his car and moved all his stuff into storage earlier in the year, it was with the intention of being even more free and detached than he already was.
Now? He just felt unmoored, like a rowboat stuck in the middle of a lake.
He recalled the conversation he’d had with Jess nearly a year ago. At the time, the thought of being settled had scared him. As a performer, complacency felt like giving up, and their talk had likely contributed to his decision to move out of his brother’s house. But watching Mitya and Tash grow closer made Nik take a good, hard look at his own life, and his place in the Kovalenko family.
The role wasn’t always comfortable, but he’d been the little brother for a long time. Now, it looked like he’d be a brother-in-law soon. His cousin Alex’s baby would be born in a few months; maybe Tash and Mitya would have babies too. He hoped they did. He was looking forward to being an uncle and planned to spoil the heck out of his nieces and nephews.
But what did he want for himself? What new space did he want to claim within the family dynamic? He’d been very small when their family immigrated to America, and he’d had an easier time adapting than Dimitri had. Plus, he’d always had Mitya looking out for him. Part of his reason for taking touring gigs had been to break away from that, to carve out his own niche independent of his famous older brother.
And he’d done it. He’d performed on Broadway, at the West End, as a backup dancer for multi-platinum pop stars—hell, he’d even danced during a Super Bowl halftime show.