CHAPTER 30
Lex
Reggie’s arms were like lead around me. They were heavy and forceful, as if he were trying to make up for my lack of passion with more of his own. It wasn’t working. Nothing was working, and we’d been in the studio for the past four hours.
“You’re supposed to mirror me here,” I explained as I marked the steps, but he just shook his head.
“I don’t like that. What if we did this?” He grabbed my hips, his fingers digging hard into my skin, and lifted me off the floor.
I gasped and kicked until he set me down, then spun on my heels to face him. The jackass was laughing at me.
“Seriously? Can you stick to the choreography?” I was convinced he was trying to ruin the entire dance out of spite for Theo. He’d been tweaking steps since we’d started, and even though I tried to correct him, the other dancers followed his lead.
By the time Theo walked in to observe us, I felt as if I’d yanked all my hair out of my head. My patience was worn thin.
“Let’s see it from the top, guys,” Theo called, his eyes skating over me.
I stared at him a little longer, waiting for him to acknowledge my presence, and maybe then I’d feel a little better about how the day had progressed, but no. I’d lost my solo and got paired with Reggie when I was adamant I didn’t want to pair with anyone. I’d made an exception for Theo. It took time to build trust with the person who would be flinging me around the dance floor, and it wasn’t starting out well with Reggie.
With an internal groan, I got into position and faced the mirror.
Reggie pressed against me from behind, and I shuffled forward an inch, as I’d done every other time. He was so close it was hard to breathe. His hand moved to my cheek, and I stiffened. I would have thought I’d gotten used to his touch by now, but I cringed each time I felt him near me.
“Ready, Coach,” Reggie said with mock enthusiasm.
Finally, Theo turned in our direction. I could practically feel his eyes heat at the sight of us.
As soon as the music began, we executed the start of the number. It was slow and sensual at times, the way Theo and I had choreographed it. And just as before with Reggie, everything felt completely wrong.
Theo cut the music halfway through, his eyes moving over the dancers. “That’s not my choreography.”
Reggie stepped to my side. “I changed some things.” He spoke boldly and unapologetically. I cringed as he continued. “It needed lifts to feel natural. It was lacking that extra oomph of intimacy.” He winked at Theo. “That’s cool, right, man? Figured since we’re trying to get comfortable in pairs, we should make the changes that feel right for us.”
Theo looked at Reggie as if he were crazy. “No, that is not okay. I didn’t give anyone permission to change my choreography. If you can’t make it work, then maybe you’re the wrong partner for Lex.”
“And who would be a better partner? You?” Reggie challenged, a grin spreading across his face.
Theo’s eyes darted to mine and pinned me with his stare. “Do you like the changes?”
I opened my mouth, my chest swelling as I felt all eyes in the room on me. What was I supposed to say? If I told the truth and turned against my fellow dancers, I’d surely pay the consequences through their harsh stares and whispered gossip.
Reggie lifted a hand and rested it on my shoulder, then he squeezed harder than I thought he meant to. I winced under the pressure as he glanced at Theo. “The changes were mine, not Lex’s. Lay off her.”
When I failed to speak up, Theo’s expression lost its fire. I expected him to fight back, to lunge at Reggie or something and remind him who was in charge. Part of me hoped he would.
Instead, he did the one thing I never expected. He lifted his hands in a sign that he’d given up, then he walked out the door.
I was still shaken by the time our group ended class for the night. Theo hadn’t come back, I didn’t have his address, and everything I cared about was in his car. I was pretty much screwed and starved.
Reggie and I walked to the curb in silence. Things had remained tense after Theo had left, but we’d gotten through the rest of the number with the tweaks to Theo’s choreography. It didn’t take a genius to see that Reggie had overstepped by leaps and bounds, but the other dancers weren’t concerned about who created what, they just wanted to learn the steps. I couldn’t make excuses for Reggie. It was clear he was trying to create a wedge between Winter and Theo, and I hated that I was in the middle of it. And I couldn’t understand why.
“You need a ride?”
I looked around. There was still no sign of Theo. “Thanks, Reggie, but I can walk.”
“You sure? We could grab a quick bite. Your place is on my way home.”
I thought about it, checked my phone again, and shot Theo a text asking where he was. When I didn’t get a quick response, I sighed. “Yeah, okay. Let’s grab a bite.”
Reggie flashed me a grin, and he steered me down the sidewalk and around the building to the main parking lot, where his red Camaro sat. “There’s a French café a few blocks away. They have the most amazing dips, if you’re into that kind of thing.”
“I could eat just about anything right now.”
We arrived at the quaint café. It had a blue awning with yellow script lettering—Bonjour Deli. We ordered our food then found a table outside where we watched the Ventura Boulevard passersby.
When the waitress approached with two glasses of red wine, I held up my hand and noted her confusion when I said, “Oh, I didn’t order that.”
She set the glass down and smiled. “The gentleman ordered it.”
Reggie looked up from his phone and spotted the drinks. “I’ve got this,” he said with a wave of his hand, completely missing the point.
I sighed and handed the glass back to her. “I’m sorry. I can’t drink this.”
She looked between us, annoyance flitting across her features. “I’m afraid I’ll still have to charge you.”
The sharp look Reggie cut me next filled me with unease. “I’ll drink it.” He pointed at a spot in front of him for her to set it down, never taking his eyes off me. She placed the glass in front of him and stalked off with a huff. Then he looked at me, an overly friendly smile appearing on his face. “It’s against my nature to waste. Food, drink, whatever. I should have asked.”
I watched as he took a swig of wine, wondering if I was supposed to ask him more about that statement. But I didn’t want to ask. I wasn’t interested in knowing the inner workings of Reggie’s brain. At that point, I just wanted to leave.
But where would I go?
A full sandwich, a bowl of soup, and a half plate of French fries later, Reggie had rambled off every dance opportunity he’d ever been blessed with. I knew the guy had an ego the size of Texas, but I’d never quite known the shape of it until that night. “It’s only a matter of time before I’m producing shows like this Vegas one. And I won’t wait until two months before to start choreography.” He chuckled, and I could almost pretend his comment wasn’t a dig at Theo.
It continued on like that for the rest of dinner. Reggie, boasting. Me, unsure how to respond. By the time the waitress came around with the check, I was more than ready to leave.
I was silent on the ride to my apartment, checking my phone though I knew I shouldn’t. A dull pang hit my heart when I noticed Theo had never responded to my messages. It had been hours, and I was beginning to think I wouldn’t hear from him for the rest of the night.
Reggie pulled up to the front entrance, leaned in, and gave me a hug. “Think about that choreography over the weekend. We’ll hit it hard on Monday. You’ll pick it up in no time.”
He winked and I returned it with a pinched smile. I hadn’t even stepped onto the curb when he gunned the engine and sped out of the parking lot.
I sat on the bottom step, in no hurry at all to enter my hellhole of an apartment. How had today turned into a massive pile of crap?
A flash of headlights lit me in my spot, and then a black vehicle crawled toward me. My chest heated when I recognized Theo’s car. Had he been waiting for me?
The tears that threatened earlier came back with a vengeance. I swiped them away and covered my eyes with my sunglasses before standing and sliding into Theo’s car without a word.
He didn’t speak to me, and I sure as hell wasn’t going to speak to him. Instead, I let him drive to wherever he planned to take me. My energy was depleted, and the last thing I wanted was another argument. I would settle for one of his guest beds if that was what he offered. I’d even take the couch. It didn’t mean either of us owed each other anything.
For the first time that day, I started to regret kissing Theo that morning. I’d complicated everything that was already complicated to begin with.
By the time we pulled into his driveway, I’d prepared myself for the worst. That the silence would continue until we were back to the way we were supposed to be. Just a choreographer and his dancer.
Satisfied, I reached for my bag, but Theo grabbed it first, his voice gruff. “I got it.”
Air puffed out my nose in frustration. “Thanks,” I shot back, just as cold.
He looked at me as if he wanted to say something but made the choice not to. And on the trek up the drive, through the side door, and up the stairs into his massive kitchen, I could feel my anger brewing.
I stopped in the hallway at the landing to another set of steps. “Where’s your guest bedroom?”
Our eyes connected, and I felt the ripple of energy between us, energy that had never disconnected. My feelings for Theo were tearing me apart, tearing my dreams apart, and all I wanted was to lock myself in a room and have space away from him to clear my head. But I couldn’t. I was trapped under his roof with this fucking energy zapping between us, tethering two opposites with steel chains.
He let out a breath and nodded for me to take the stairs. He followed, and I didn’t stop walking until we reached the end of the hall and he pushed open the door to a room. “This one should work. Feel free to use anything in here. Kitchen too, but you already ate.”
I slipped past, careful not to touch him, and placed my duffel on the four-poster bed. “Thanks.” I glanced in his direction, attempting to drop some of my attitude. “Really, thank you. You didn’t have to do this, but I appreciate it.” I turned to the bed and unzipped my bag.
What else was there to say with this insurmountable tension between us? I refused to look at him again. I couldn’t. The tears were already resuming, and I wanted him gone before the dam burst.
I tore my shirt off, leaving my sports bra intact. Then I kicked off my shoes and peeled back my socks. I expected him to leave when I reached for my leggings, but I could feel him behind me, waiting—for what, I didn’t know.
I turned. “What do you want, Theo?”
His eyes blazed. “You don’t want me to answer that.”
I let out a sarcastic laugh. “Okay, fine. But can you leave? I’d like to shower and go to bed.”
“How was your date?”
I whipped around. “What?”
“Reggie’s into you. You know that, don’t you? I know you know that. Everyone knows. And you went to dinner with him, anyway.”
“I was starving. And you were nowhere to be found. Just disappeared like some goddamn jealous boyfriend. You didn’t answer my messages. You never came back. Reggie offered to take me to dinner, so I accepted.” I shook my head in disbelief. “What does it matter to you? Your career is already set. I’m the only one with anything to lose here.”
“Is that what you think? That I have nothing to lose?” He stepped closer, but he was still several feet away. “I’m taking a risk here too. Don’t insult me.”
“I don’t even know why we’re fighting.” Emotion clogged my throat. I turned again, swiveling on my foot so fast it caught on the carpet. I could feel my balance fail me before I had a chance to catch my fall. My foot twisted behind me, and I flew forward. My hands shot out, but Theo’s arms wrapped around my middle, stopping me from crashing into the floor.
He lifted me and set me on the bed, then he sank to the floor to examine my ankle.
“I’m fine. It’s fine,” I pleaded.
I didn’t know if he was concerned because of the show or because he genuinely didn’t want to see me hurt, but the worry on his face did something to me.
“Just hold still and let me look at it.”
His words broke the dam. Tears exploded from my eyes. It was the buildup from the entire day, my conflicted emotions, and the pain in my foot that threatened everything I’d worked so hard for. But none of that held a candle to what Theo’s kindness did to me. The way he took gentle hold of my foot and applied pressure in the most tender of areas as he checked to see if anything was broken.
“You just tweaked it. You don’t want it to feel stiff tomorrow.” He stood up. “Stay here. I’m going to get you some ice. Stay off it and keep it elevated.” He said all of this while picking me up and setting me against the headrest. He proceeded to stack a couple of pillows under my ankle before he left.
He was back less than a minute later, and as he tended to my foot, I couldn’t help staring at his face. At the hard lines that seemed to melt away as he cared for someone other than himself. And I listened to the tone of his voice every time he asked me how something felt or if I was okay.
Those were the moments that tricked me into believing there was something real between us. That Theo could possibly care for me as more than a dancer or partner, more than something he needed to heal because his production depended on it.
I didn’t know what to believe.