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I feel free and alive, and I want to cry because it’s never been like this before. Never. I’ve been dancing my whole life, but this is different. I’m different now. Maybe I’ve finally become just a little bit more myself. And maybe all the chaos of the last few months was absolutely worth it to discover this feeling.
I don’t hear the door open, but I can feel him when he enters the room. I pause mid-movement and turn to Phoenix, who’s standing in the doorway, smiling, watching me.
“You can do it after all,” he says quietly, with unmistakable pride in his voice.
“Looks like it,” I reply breathlessly. We’re several yards apart, but my body doesn’t care. Just looking at him makes my skin tingle. Messy hair, brown eyes, soft smile. God, I really love him. He takes a step toward me, and I stop moving.
“Do you mind if I keep you company? Or do you want to be alone?”
“Don’t you have to go see Olivia?”
“Later. Clark called to say that Brittany is still with Livy at a friend’s house. I’m going over for dinner.” He takes another step toward me. “So should I stay or go?”
I press my lips together to suppress a smile but fail. “Stay.”
“Are you sure?”
“Very sure,” I reply, reaching out a hand to him. “I could use a partner.”
“You want me to dance with you?” He takes my hand, our fingers intertwining. His touch sends heat through my middle.
“Yes.” The word comes out as a longing sigh.
Phoenix pulls me toward him and positions us in front of the mirror. He stands behind me, tall and dark, and I love everything about it. His hands wander over my body, closing around my waist, warm, gentle, and firm.
“Show me what you can do, Ophelia,” he whispers, his breath brushing the sensitive skin on my neck. I’m lost, completely lost.
My ability to think shuts down, but I don’t need to think right now. I just need to feel. And with him, I feel so, so much.
We start moving in complete unison. Phoenix’s steps are confident and smooth. We dance in perfect harmony, our steps flowing together. Tensing my muscles makes it feel like flying. Smiling, more smiling, and it’s not difficult at all, just real.
He leads me into a spin, and I feel dizzy. Not physically dizzy but happy dizzy. It’s all crazy.
And then he wraps an arm around my waist, I touch his face, and our lips meet. I’m still on pointe, now almost as tall as he is, and we both notice this new difference in height as I press myself against his body, feeling him hard against my lower abdomen rather than my stomach.
He groans, and the sound sends hot shivers through my whole body. I open my lips, his tongue touches mine, and I burst into flames. His hands move up from my waist and surround my face. He tilts my head back and deepens the kiss. I bury my fingers in his hair—I can’t get enough of its softness.
The world around us fades away, and we forget where we are. There’s only us, his lips on mine, my tongue in his mouth. I breathe him in, and at this moment, everything is as it should be.
But from one second to the next, reality catches up with us. When we hear not one but two voices, just a few yards away from us.
Chapter 56
Phoenix
Fuck.
The heat in my body suddenly turns ice cold. My mind goes completely blank. There’s only one word: fuck.
I push Lia behind me, as if that would do any good. But it’s too late. We’ve been caught. Now, of all times.
“Lia?” The incredulous voice makes me turn my head. A boy and a girl are standing in the doorway, staring at us with wide eyes. First I notice her red hair, then his blond hair. Green eyes, his face strangely familiar. I recognize him the moment Lia blurts out his name, almost with relief.
“Jase.”
My knees go weak. Her brother. Of course. Damn. And thank God.
“What the hell . . . ?” Jase stares at his sister with a frown, his eyes filled with mixed emotions, as if he can’t decide what to feel first. In the end, concern wins out. I’m not sure if Lia sees it too.
