Jess woke to a slew of text messages, and her social media mentions had exploded overnight. Sure enough, the video of her dance with Nik had gone viral, and everyone had seen it.

She squinted at her phone as she brewed a cup of coffee. Most of the texts were from Naomi, but Rhianne’s name was in there, too, along with messages from her mom and her sister. Fuckin’ fantastic. Those could wait.

There was only one text from Rhianne and eight from Naomi, so she checked Rhianne’s first.

God, she was never going to be able to look at Rhianne the same way after that Rudolph boob thing.

Rhianne: Saw the video. Omg. Were you on a date with Nik? Did you KISS again? Are you with him now? Tell me everything.

Jess groaned and set the phone down on the counter. A hit of caffeine was in order before she could read the rest, which would undoubtedly be worse. She doctored her coffee with a heavy pour of almond milk to cool it down and a dash of stevia for sweetness, guzzled half, then picked up her phone again. She checked Naomi’s first, not yet ready to see what her family had to say.

Naomi: YOOOOOOO

Naomi: THAT VIDEOOOOOO

Naomi: ::three screaming face emojis, three heart-eyes emojis::

Naomi: Are you going out with him???

Naomi: Also you guys are amazing dancers, that goes without saying.

Naomi: It was SO CUTE

Naomi: But like

Naomi: What does it meeeeeean??

Naomi never said in one text what she could say in twenty, and with approximately ten times the correct number of vowels.

Jess wished she had an answer for the last question. Clearly Nik liked her, but how much?

I’ll stay, if you want me to.

She wanted to believe him, she really did, but her track record—and his, for that matter—did not support his statement.

Another text came through from her mom, so she checked those next.

Mommy: Hi baby! I saw your video on TV!

Mommy: You looked so beautiful, Jessie.

Mommy: Daddy and I hope you can come visit soon!

Jess shut her eyes against the subtle guilt trip. What her mother didn’t realize was that being home was incredibly stressful for her. Her parents had fought constantly when she was a kid, her dad even going so far as to leave for long stretches at a time. But now that she and Jaina had moved out and it was just the two of them? They were inseparable! What the fuck, guys, she wanted to say to them. You couldn’t have sorted out your shit earlier so you didn’t pass that baggage on to your kids?

So no, she didn’t visit as often as she could, or should, but she still visited more than she wanted to. And if deep down she still worried that her presence would ruin their relationship again, well, who could blame her?

She checked Jaina’s text last.

Jaina: Sis! What’s up with you and that hottie in the video? You got something going on there? ::winky face emoji, eggplant emoji::

Jaina used that damned eggplant emoji more than anyone else Jess knew.

Before her eyes, texts from Joel Clarke—one of the other pros on The Dance Off—and two of her friends from rooftop yoga appeared. She didn’t even dare check her social media notifications.

Everybody wanted to know what was up with her and Nik. And he seemed to be the only person in her life who hadn’t reached out this morning.

Since she didn’t have an answer for any of them, she put the phone down again without looking at the new messages. A second later, it buzzed with an incoming call.

She snatched it up, half-expecting to see Nik’s face on the screen. She’d already attached one of their dumb—but actually super cute—Christmas selfies from the night before to his number. But it wasn’t Nik. It was her agent, Lorena Malcolm.

“Lorena? What’s up?”

Lorena got right to the point. “I’m not going to ask you what’s going on with Nik Kovalenko because that’s your personal business, and you know I don’t get involved in that—unless of course you want to tell me, in which case I’m all ears—but the video of you two swing dancing at the Americana went viral overnight, and your professional life is my business. I’m calling to tell you to hurry up and get dressed because you have three—at least three, for now—talk show appearances lined up for today. This is great exposure for you and I’m already getting inquiries about other gigs.”

Jess blinked, taking a second to sort all that out. Lorena was a middle-aged Italian woman from Long Island, and she talked a mile a fucking minute. Since Jess didn’t want to discuss Nik with her agent, she chose to focus on the most pressing issue. “When is the first show?”

“In an hour! You’ve gotta get moving, sweetie. They’ll do hair and makeup for you.”

Jess hurried into her bedroom. “They have someone on staff who can do my hair?”

“Yes, I already asked.”

“What should I wear?” She tore through her closet, shoving hangers aside to reach the fancier garments hidden in the back.

“Blouse, nice jeans, and high heels should do the job. Wear that green and gold statement necklace. Don’t suppose you’ve got any Christmas-themed shirts?”

Jess shuddered. “Hell no.”

“Worth a shot. I’ll meet you there with some poinsettia earrings my kids got me a billion years ago. Wear a shirt that’ll match. And bring shoes you can swing dance in, just in case.”

Poinsettia earrings. What was she getting herself into? But this was why Lorena was such a good agent—she thought of everything. Jess thanked her and disconnected. Then she took the fastest shower ever, grabbed the hangers with her on-screen outfit and the bag with her shoes, and ran out the door in yoga clothes and sneakers.

She hoped Lorena was right about this video giving her career a boost. Since she had a pretty good deal at The Dance Off, she hadn’t been auditioning much, and this might send some new opportunities her way.

If only she had some idea of what she wanted those to be. She loved competitive ballroom dance, and getting to do it on the biggest stage possible—The Dance Off literally had millions of viewers—was great, but she wouldn’t mind taking on something a little more…fulfilling.

If she’d had a second to think since waking up, she might have guessed that Nik would also be called in for the morning show. But she hadn’t had a second, and she hadn’t guessed that he’d be there. So when she walked into the makeup room at LA Morning with Flip and Rashida to find Nik in one of the makeup chairs, she stopped short. A guy with the sharpest eyebrows she’d ever seen was combing Nik’s curls into a smooth, stylish ’do.

“You’re here,” she blurted out. Damn, she needed more caffeine.

Nik looked up from his phone and sent her a thousand-watt grin, like he was overjoyed to see her. “Of course. Been waiting for you.” He gestured at the counter, which was covered in trays of makeup. A lone to-go cup sat amidst the eyeshadow palettes. “Got you a coffee. Had them put almond milk in it since that’s what you requested yesterday with the hot chocolate.”

Still half asleep, she had no defenses against his sweetness. She slumped into the chair next to him and mumbled a thank you.

What does it mean? Naomi had asked, albeit with an excessive number of vowels. The talk show hosts were likely to ask the same. God, what was she doing here? She didn’t have an answer for any of them. She just didn’t fucking know. There was nothing to tell, right? He was her former coworker’s brother. They’d hung out together one time. No big deal. Easy-peasy.

The Nik Kovalenko she’d been checking up on—okay, fine, stalking—on social media on and off during the year had been in line with the Nik who’d kissed her in the kitchen on New Year’s Eve. He wanted adventure. He wanted to see the world. He didn’t want to be tied down. His Instagram and Snapchat showed clips and stills of a life in motion. In every shot, he was in a new place, often with new people. He was doing cool things, having those adventures he’d spoken of. Bungee jumping, cliff diving, skiing, riding a motorcycle, eating snails, posing with fans at stage doors in cities all over the world. The hashtag #lovemylife was prevalent. That Nik didn’t want to be tied down.

She couldn’t help but focus on the disconnect between the person in those pictures and the one who sat next to her, smiling. The one who’d thought to bring her coffee with her preferred choice of non-dairy milk substitute.

It was the most romantic fucking thing she could imagine.

Lorena bustled into the makeup room then, saving Jess from the awkwardness of having to rehash the date with Nik. “I’ve got the earrings!” she trilled.

Oh, joy.

“So, are you guys dating?”

The talk show co-host—Elena—had an expectant, almost maniacal gleam in her eyes, identical to the hosts Nik had been interviewed by earlier in the day. Hungry for news, for a scoop. As much as he wanted to know the answer to that question, too, he had no interest in fueling the gossip mill. And by now, he and Jess had their answer down pat.

“We’re just friends,” Jess was quick to reply, dismissing the rumor with an almost negligent hand wave. “Besides, Nik doesn’t even live in Los Angeles.”

Nik just smiled through it. When the interview turned to their personal holiday traditions, that was his cue to take over.

“We love the winter holidays in my family,” he began, to the delight of the host. “My family celebrates Christmas on both December 25th and on January 7th, according to the Eastern Orthodox calendar, and the extended family on my father’s side celebrates Hanukkah.”

The other host—Giovanni—introduced the next segment. “Now we’re going to have Nik and Jess tell us a little about the dance style in their viral video and show us some moves.”

Nik, Jess, and the two hosts got up from their chairs and moved to a clear section of the stage.

“Now, what’s the dance called?” Elena asked, even though she knew perfectly well since it was written in her notes.

“The Lindy hop,” Jess answered.

Giovanni jumped in. “And that’s a type of swing dance?” Again, it was in his notes. This was part of the game.

Nik’s turn. “If you go to a studio to learn swing dance, there are three main types they’ll probably teach: East Coast Swing, West Coast Swing, and Lindy hop.”

They’d done this enough times now that Jess picked up the thread of explanation right on cue.

“The Lindy hop, as a dance style, originated in Harlem at the Savoy Ballroom in 1928,” Jess explained. “It’s a fusion dance that evolved over time with jazz music, and it’s known for its basic step, the swing out.”

Every time she talked about it, her demeanor brightened. With her eyes shining and her dimple flashing, she was a joy to watch. Nik hoped his open admiration wasn’t clear on his face, but if it was, well…so be it.

“And that’s what we’re going to learn today?” Giovanni asked, and Jess nodded.

Nik paired up with Elena, a petite woman with a sleek red bob and too much bronzer. “This is the hold,” he said for the cameras. “I hold Elena’s right hand lightly with my left—no thumbs.”

“Oh, sorry.” Elena giggled and blushed under the makeup.

He smiled to put her at ease. “No worries. This is a learning environment.”

A few feet away, Jess did the same with Giovanni. “I put my left hand on Giovanni’s arm, just below his shoulder, and he should put his right hand on my left shoulder blade.” When Giovanni didn’t move, she gave him an encouraging nod. “Come on, man. Do it.”

“Whoops.” Giovanni laughed and completed the hold. “I got caught up in the explanation.”

Nik explained the eight-count pattern, and Jess gave instructions on the stance. Once they’d guided the hosts through the swing out steps a few times to music, Elena and Giovanni moved aside to let Nik and Jess take center stage.

Jess stepped close to Nik and got in hold.

“Ready?” he asked.

Her eyes held a glint of humor. “Always.”

The song’s bassline started, and they flew into the dance.

This, by far, was Nik’s favorite part of the whole media circus—getting to dance with Jess again, to hold her in his arms without anyone wondering what it meant, and just letting the music carry them away.

They’d put together a short, fast routine backstage before the first interview of the day, dancing to a recent electro-funk pop hit they’d been able to quickly get permission to use. The objective was to go full out, as fast as they could, no holding back. So, even though Jess was the one doing most of the jumps, that meant Nik had to put in equal energy to balance her.

Starting with a swing out, they shook it up with swivels, kick steps, and spins. Their spirited intensity matched the bubbly vocals and bouncy beat, and at each turn, they found the camera with grins and winks. The vibe was flirtatious, a courtship between him, Jess, and the viewers.

When the heavy horn section kicked in, they shifted into the bigger tricks. Nik always took dance seriously, but especially when he was dancing with a partner. The moves could be dangerous if he didn’t stay focused, attuned to Jess’s energy and his own strength.

First a push out, where Jess used the tension of their joined hands to leap at him. Nik caught her hip and pushed her back out, admiring the force of her jump. When she landed, they circled each other with a series of deep swivels, throwing their knees side to side and showing off for the audience. Jess even stuck her tongue out at him as she improvised with a twirl.

A vision floated through Nik’s mind, of pulling Jess close for the next move and planting a kiss right on that sarcastic mouth. It would interrupt the dance, but her sexy little smiles and flirty winks were driving him wild with need. But he filed it away for later. If he had anything to do with it, they’d have more opportunities to dance together in the future. Without an audience.

Catching her hand again, they launched into a Frankie pop, jumping away from each other on one foot, coming back together with a small hop, and then rotating in the air—with Jess doing a full three-hundred-and-sixty-degree spin before landing again.

The studio audience murmured in awe, then cheered as Nik and Jess swung out into their last move.

The flash of pleasure in Jess’s eyes probably matched his own. There was nothing like dancing in front of a live audience. As professional dancers, they spent every moment practicing, but still, anything could go wrong. So when things went right? There was a rush of satisfaction, even after all this time.

And the crowd was going to love the next move.

The Kaye Dip wasn’t a particularly sexy finish, but there was body contact, and ending in a dip was always a crowd pleaser. Besides, he’d take any excuse to hold Jess in his arms.

Nik stepped his leg around Jess, popped her up onto his back, then swung her legs outward, bringing her to rest on his opposite hip in their ending pose. The music faded, and the hosts rushed them, clapping and gushing praise.

Nik swung Jess out from the aerial, and after she was steady on her feet, he released her hand, even though all he wanted to do was hold on. She turned away to smile and wave for the camera, and he reminded himself to be patient. After all, he still had two more dates with her.

The show broke for commercial, and they were ushered backstage while the next activity was set up.

“In the next segment, you’re going to decorate wreaths with the hosts,” a production assistant explained as the makeup crew hurried over to pat the sweat off their faces and reapply powder. “Any pine allergies?”

Jess balked. “Any what?”

“We’re fine,” Nik assured the PA.

When they were alone, she muttered, “I didn’t realize pine allergies were a thing. I’m so using that next year to get out of doing this kind of shit. From now on, yes, I do have pine allergies.”

He laughed, and it took everything in him not to hug her right then. Holding her while they danced had been wonderful, but it wasn’t enough.

Jess’s agent, Lorena, bustled over then. She was five feet if she was an inch, and carried a shoulder bag approximately the size of a small car.

“Jess, honey, I have some great news.” Lorena brandished her phone, but the screen was off. “I just got a call from the Heartflix Channel—you know, the ones who make all those romantic holiday movies?”

Nik had a feeling he knew where this was going. He smothered a smile as Jess rolled her eyes.

“I’ve heard of them,” she said. “But I definitely don’t watch those movies.”

Lorena waved that away with a flick of her hand. “They saw the video of you two dancing in the mall and they think you’re perfect for a guest spot in one of the movies they have coming out next year. They’re even willing to fit you in before the next season of The Dance Off starts.”

Jess’s eyes went wide with horror. “Wait, they want me to be in one of their Christmas movies?”

Nik turned his laugh into a cough. When Jess glared at him, he schooled his features into an expression of solemnity. No laughing over here.

Lowering her voice, Jess leaned in toward her agent. “Lorena, you know I hate Christmas. And those movies are just dripping with overblown sentimentality.”

“Those movies get millions of viewers and repeat airings,” Lorena pointed out. “And there’s a lot of overlap between their viewers and people who watch—and vote for—The Dance Off.”

Jess pursed her lips like she wanted to argue, but couldn’t.

Lorena gave her a motherly pat on the arm. “Just think about it, okay? And then say yes. Ciao!”

She scurried off, leaving them in a cloud of gardenia-scented perfume.

“Don’t laugh,” Jess grumbled.

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” Nik pressed his lips together hard to hold back a chuckle.

A PA hurried over to collect them, and after the wreaths were made—and they’d washed pine sap off their hands—they took photos with the crew, filmed a couple segments for the show’s social media channels, and rushed off to the next interview.

And then it was more of the same.

“So, are you two dating?”

“Show us some dance moves!”

“What are your personal holiday traditions?”

During those moments, when Nik talked about his family, it seemed like Jess was watching him intently, as if she were soaking in these details about his life.

God, he hoped so. He was already falling for her, and she’d be a tough nut to crack. But, like the Nutcracker, he would… No, that was a bad analogy. He knew the story too well, having danced it multiple times in his career—it was a boring gig, but paid well. Regardless, he was determined to bring this woman some Christmas cheer, like the Sugar Plum Fairy and her band of merry makers in the Land of Sweets.

Just like that, he knew what their second date would be.

After their last interview, Jess wanted nothing more than to go home and put on her pajamas. The day had been a whirlwind of invasive questions, repetitive dance instruction, and a lot of waiting around in green rooms. And Lorena hadn’t been kidding—in addition to the Heartflix offer, three TV sitcoms and a soap opera had reached out to inquire about guest spots. Jess knew she should be thrilled, but everything was happening so fast, it made her head spin.

Nik caught up to her as she was entering the elevator. She wouldn’t tell him so, but it had been nice having him with her. This was her first time doing the talk show circuit without the entire cast of The Dance Off along for the ride, and it would have been overwhelming without Nik’s steady, soothing presence at her side.

When the doors swished behind them, he leaned against the side of the elevator car with his hands in his pockets and gazed down on her with a small smile on that sexy mouth of his. “Come over to Dimitri’s tomorrow,” he said, voice low. “I have our second date planned.”

Since his smooth rumble and A+ leaning skills were making her all fluttery inside, she tried to keep her tone teasing. “You mean today wasn’t our second date?”

He chuckled. “Today definitely doesn’t count. I had to spend the whole day trying to pretend I wasn’t into you. And we were dancing. Today was work.”

Riding high on the media stops and believing her own hype about how there wasn’t anything serious between them, she flirted more. “Technically we danced yesterday, too. Was that work?”

“If yesterday didn’t count, that means I have three more dates with you.”

She poked a finger into his chest. “Nuh-uh, dude. You have two. No wishing for more wishes.”

“Okay, fine. Two. But today didn’t count, and you’ll come to my place tomorrow. Deal?”

“You live to make deals, don’t you? Fine. You got it. What should I wear?”

“Something you don’t mind getting a little messy.”

“Messy?” Her mind supplied all sorts of messy things they could do together. “What kinda kinky shit do you have planned?”

He laughed, low and husky, and the sound tickled along her skin like the brush of a feather. The elevator doors opened, and they headed for the building exit together.

“It’s actually so wholesome, you’re going to laugh when you find out.”

“Hmm, I don’t know if wholesome is my jam.”

“Trust me. Come over at noon. And bring a bathing suit.”

“Excuse me? What were you just saying about wholesome?”

“It’s gonna be hot, and we have a pool. Just in case.”

She wasn’t buying his “wholesome” nonsense for a minute, but she’d pack a bathing suit anyway. Just in case. Dimitri’s pool was really nice. And he had a hot tub, too.

Maybe things would get a little kinky after all.

By the time Jess was back in her apartment, she had fifteen texts from Naomi. The last one read: Let me know when you get home. I’m coming over with margarita mix.

She typed back, I’m home. Drinks needed. And can you braid my hair?

When Naomi arrived, Jess opened the door clad in a shiny gold string bikini.

Naomi’s brown eyes went wide. “Whoa, what kind of party is this? I think I’m overdressed.”

Jess ushered her inside. “I’m going to Nik’s house tomorrow for our second date and he told me to bring a swimsuit. His brother has a pool and a hot tub.”

Bustling into the kitchen with her grocery bags clinking, Naomi shot Jess an accusatory look over her shoulder. “Second date? You didn’t even tell me about the first one!”

“I know, I know.” Jess fiddled with the straps on her top as Naomi unloaded bottles onto the kitchen counter. Two types of tequila, two types of margarita mix, and a bottle of seltzer. From a second bag she produced chips, cut veggies, salsa, guacamole, and margarita salt.

Once the bags were empty, she turned to Jess and waved a hand expectantly. “And?”

“We just went shopping at the mall. And then we danced—but you saw that part.”

“So, it was a date. Ice?”

Jess opened the freezer and pulled out an ice tray.

While Naomi mixed the drinks, Jess put the snacks on serving dishes and told her about the three holiday-themed dates. She hadn’t mentioned them at Rhianne’s party because she wanted to see how the first date went.

“So, that’s why you’re in a bikini.”

Jess glanced at herself. She’d almost forgotten she was mostly naked, drinking margaritas in her kitchen. “Yeah, basically. I need you to help me pick one out, and then braid my hair in case I go in the pool.”

“Let’s see what you’ve got.”

They took the margaritas into Jess’s bedroom, where she had upended the swimsuit bin from her closet onto the queen-sized bed.

“Damn, girl, you got a lot of bikinis!”

“We all have our vices.” Jess sifted through the scraps of spandex. “I want to find one that says ‘sexy’ without also saying ‘obvious,’ you know?”

“If that’s the case, what you’re wearing now is pretty obvious.”

Jess glanced down at herself again. “I guess you’re right.”

Naomi plucked a shimmering green top with a mermaid scale pattern from the pile. “How about this?”

“No, that’s one I took to Brazil for Carnaval. It doesn’t even cover my ass.”

“Ah. So it goes in the obvious pile.”

They continued to sort and debate the merits of Jess’s swimsuit collection. The decidedly unsexy one-pieces Jess wore for swimming laps at the gym were also out.

“What about this?”

Jess cocked her head, considering the white one-piece Naomi held up. It had bits of netting and artful cutouts that made it sexy and stylish. “I’ll try it on.”

When she emerged from the master bathroom wearing the white suit, Naomi raised her margarita glass. “That’s the one, my dear.”

“Excellent.” Jess did a little shimmy, then clinked her glass to Naomi’s.

After changing into sweats, Jess shoved all the bathing suits into their bin while Naomi sat on the edge of the bed.

“I feel like a proud mama,” Naomi said, pretending to wipe away tears. “Baby’s first hot tub date.”

Jess rolled her eyes. “I know I work for a reality show, but there will be no cameras on this date.”

“How do you know? There were cameras on the first one.”

“That was spontaneous!”

“Are you sure?” Naomi raised a brow.

Jess paused, then shook her head. “Nik wouldn’t do that.”

Sure, she still had doubts about his wanderlust sending him packing again, but he wouldn’t use her for a publicity stunt. Of that, at least, she was certain.

“How do you know?”

“I know.” Jess snapped the lid back on the bin. “He’s…a good person.”

“I’m just looking out for you. You dated some real losers when you first moved here.”

With a sigh, Jess shoved the bin back into her closet. “Yes, I remember. Come on, those chips aren’t going to eat themselves, and I need you to braid my hair.”

That night, after Naomi left, Jess thought back, not to her friend’s suggestion that Nik was using her in some way—that just didn’t gel with what she’d seen of him at all—but to one of Naomi’s text messages from that morning.

What does it mean?

She puzzled over it as she packed her bag for the next day, tossing in the white bathing suit, a clarifying shampoo, and her new Holly Jolly Berry lipstick.

Maybe she didn’t have to know what it all meant. Maybe she could just live in the moment and enjoy spending time with this man. Wasn’t that enough?

It would have to be. Because as much as she was starting to trust him, she still didn’t believe he’d stick around.