Hutch gripped both my hands in one of his. “Thanks.” He squeezed lightly before he turned around to wrap me in his arms. “I enjoyed having you here last night, Jills. Do you...do you have plans tonight?” His voice shook slightly.
I rested my chin against his chest. “Are you asking me out on a date?” I watched as Hutch’s ears turned pink. When he gave a quick nod, I stood up on my toes to kiss his chin. “Then no, I don’t have any plans,” I told him.
“I have.” Hutch stopped for a moment, his brown eyes clouding. “I have therapy after work, which is an hour, but if you want to come by around seven?” He shifted his gaze above my head.
I saw the worried look all over his face. He had told me the truth, confided in me, and now he was waiting for my response.
“Of course, that’s perfect. It gives me time to wash up after practice.” Should I even mention the therapy? Hutch’s grip tightened. “I’m not sure—”
“I go three times a week,” he whispered. “Have been for years now.”
“Hutch—”
“Let me finish.” He released me so that he could pace the floor. “It helps, I guess, sometimes or maybe not, but I felt I should tell you. I figured that I was going to tell my therapist about you today, well, I already kind of did, but...fuck.” Hutch shook his head. “I hate this.”
I did too. When I didn’t know what to say or do for him. “You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to.” Hutch turned to look at me with uncertainty written all over his face. “I know this is hard for you, but I’m here for you, no matter what,” I assured him.
Hutch caged me in against the counter. “You’re real, right, Jills?” he whispered. “You’re not a figment of my imagination?” His hand came up to pull on my bun, causing heat to pool inside my belly.
“I assure you that I am real,” I told him again.
Hutch’s mouth came crashing down on mine, and I couldn’t help but moan when his obvious erection pressed directly against my core. I dug my nails into his arms as the kiss escalated further, and I felt the urgency behind his kisses as our tongues swirled together.
“We,” Hutch murmured, his lips not leaving mine, “need to leave.” He finally pulled back.
“Before we’re late.” His eyes were nearly as dark as the night sky as he stared down at me.
I nodded. “Don’t want to be late.” I didn’t care, but something told me that Hutch was one of those people who stuck to punctuality. I watched as he did a sweep of his apartment. Maybe to make sure everything was in its proper place, or maybe to make sure he had everything; I couldn’t be sure.
Once we were outside, Hutch locked the door behind him, and together, we walked to my ballet practice.
***
Hutch kissed me goodbyeat the door to the dance studio before he walked the rest of the way to Zed’s, which was just down the street, and then I walked inside only to find myself being stared at by the rest of the girls in my class. Madison Rae was the first to speak, and I could see by the way she was smirking at me that she couldn’t wait to let her comments fly.
“So, you two are what? Dating now?” She chuckled loudly as she looked around at everyone, encouraging them to join her. “Honestly, Jill, I don’t know what you see in him.” Everyone snickered in the background.
I shoved my bag in my locker before I spun around. “How is this any of your business?” I eyed Madison. When she didn’t answer, I shrugged. “I see how you have nothing to add to that.” I walked past her only to have her grab my arm and spin me around. “Are you serious right now?” I exclaimed.
The rest of the girls in class were younger than Madison and myself. We were the only eighteen-year-olds, the ones that had graduated and hoping to become famous dancers if we were lucky enough, but I knew them all. Ocean View was a small town. Jessie Hanson, the blonde on Madison’s left, lived a couple houses down from me, and Marley Holly, the brunette with big boobs, across the street from Bella. Both, however, would not want to cross Madison. She was always gunning to be the queen bitch in this town.
“You fucking him yet?” Madison hissed as she pressed her fingers into my skin so tight, I knew she was drawing blood. “Tell me something, Jillian, does he make noise when he comes or does he just open his mouth in a silent scream?”
“You’re such a bitch,” I snapped at her, disgusted at the angle of her thoughts.
“Girls!” We both spun around at the sound of our teacher, Mistress Dubois, as she clapped her hands together. I felt Madison’s hand slip away from my arm. “Starting positions, please.” Her heavy French accent floated through the room as we all hurried to get to the barre as she requested.
I shot a look over to Madison as I made sure to get as far away from her as possible, but the sting of her nails in my skin throughout the day never let me forget what she had said to me. I avoided her all day, and when I met Hutch for lunch, he either didn’t see the marks, which were now scabbed over, or didn’t say anything.
He did make sure our plans were still on for dinner, and by the time I left the dance studio, I couldn’t wait to spend the evening with him and forget about everything else.
