Chapter One
I’d had my bag slung over my right shoulder, phone in one hand and hot tea in the other. You read that right, had, because now my tea was down the front of my leotard, soaking through my skirt and dripping into my flats. I was staring down at my feet, trying to figure out what had happened. I’d had my tea for two seconds.Two seconds.
Hours was how long I’d waited to get my hands on a hot cup of Irish breakfast tea, and now it was gone. I jerked my head up, and my eyes slammed with his. I had no idea who he was, but at that moment, even covered in tea, my messy bun sitting on top of my head, I knew he was it. Even with having a death grip on my phone because I was still so angry I had lost my tea and could have chucked it at his handsome mug.
I knew in that moment I was a goner.
My heart raced and I sucked in an audible gasp I’m pretty sure he heard, especially with the growing smirk on his face. A lump formed in my throat and I had no idea what to say to this man.
And boy, was heallman.
I’d seen many men in my life but never one who instantly captured my attention, and I really didn’t know how he had done that. I stared at his face and his chiseled jaw drew me to lick my lips. Yeah, he looked good, but it wasn’t just that. His confidence shook me but also drew me to him. I felt myself leaning toward him instinctively, like somehow he would protect me, even though he was the one endangering me right that moment.
“I’m so sorry.” He made a move toward me, shaking me from my trance.
“It’s fine.” I scoffed at him and leaned back, trying to play it cool, even though my knees grew weak in front of him. The last thing I needed him to do was touch me. My heart hadn’t slowed down, and it felt like I’d been dancing for the past hour, not standing here for two minutes. Butterflies rattled in my stomach like I was in middle school again, staring at my first crush. Even with these feelings, the attitude was radiating off me like I took offense to the situation, but in actuality, it was all a defense mechanism. Mainly for the sake of what I knew he could do to my heart, and yet he hadn’t even hinted at flirting with me.
I looked over at the clock on the wall and cursed under my breath. I needed to get back to the theatre in half an hour and knew I had just enough time to head back to my apartment to get a change of clothes, because believe it or not, this wasn’t the first time I’d had to change today. I was definitely not putting on the leo sitting in my bag, shoved inside of a different bag, which was covered in Leah, my best friend’s vomit this morning. She didn’t hold her liquor well, and last night proved that.
“It’s fine,” I said again to him, this time with a little more sincerity in my voice. I was trying to look anywhere but at him, but it seemed impossible with him so close to me. We hadn’t moved from where we stood, but I swore we were right next to each other now.
“Listen. Let me get you another one.” He waved at the barista behind the counter and handed her my empty cup, which he had managed to catch when he rammed into me. I shot off a quick text to Leah while we stood there in awkward silence.
Me:Coming home to get a new leo.
Leah:Why?
Me:Long story. Now back to sleep.
Leah:Dying in bed. RIP.
I laughed to myself at her dramatics. She was always one to make it seem so much worse than it actually was.
Anne, our head director, had sent Leah home this morning after her incident with instructions to not come back until every ounce of alcohol was out of her system. So, now she was detoxing.
“Here.” The barista sat the cup on the counter.
I looked up from my phone and again was greeted by the most blinding blue eyes I’d ever seen. It was almost like the color of a dark rainy sky in the middle of summer, dark, but yet filled with life. The smile on his face was one I couldn’t help but smile back at. He had a way about him that would make a woman swoon in his direction, and I was standing here looking a complete mess, wondering why he wasn’t looking at any other girl in the coffee shop.
“The name’s Lawson.” He smiled down at me after saying his name. I heard it now, the deep Southern accent, one that would melt your panties right off.
“Anya.”
“What kind of name is that?”
I laughed because it wasn’t the first time I’d been asked that question, and the way Lawson said it made me want to tell him the whole story. And not just about my name, but my whole life. Like we could sit here in a back corner with warm cups in our hands, and no one would be able to break us apart. I shook my head, trying to get the mental image out of my head. I didn’t need to think of men right now.
“What kind of name is Lawson?” I took the tea off the counter that was sitting between us. He blocked me when I tried to move past him, still waiting for the answer to his question.
“It’s a name you get when your German heritage has overtaken your family, and you have to live up to the expectations of your prima ballerina great-great-grandmother.” I was aware that Lawson had taken a step toward me when I said ballerina. His hands rested loosely by his side, but he was definitely leaning into me. If I thought we were close before, he was practically on top of me now. Even with being a good five-foot-ten, I’d guess Lawson was well over six feet by the way his head was stooped down toward me.
I was getting a better look at how his muscles flexed beneath his tight black shirt and how his jeans fit right at his waist. My mouth watered at just the thought of what he’d look like naked and sprawled out on my bed.Stop thinking about him, Anya. Focus on the ballet.
It didn’t help the ever so steady heartbeat that hadn’t died down. In fact, I’m pretty sure if you hooked me up to a monitor right now, nurses would come running to my aid.
“My father was a cop.” He quickly answered my question before snatching the cup from my hand and making his way over to the side counter where the sugar awaited him. I tried to object but didn’t when I saw him pour almost half of the container of sugar into my cup. I knew they’d to refill it because of my first cup of tea. I had a sweet tooth and wasn’t ashamed to admit it. He stirred it thoroughly and then turned around to hand me the cup.
“How did you know?” I asked, bewildered at the fact he knew how to prepare my tea.
