CHAPTER 42
Theo
Lights from the fireplace flickered against the wall as a wave of heat washed the air. Lex looked beautiful with her hair knotted loosely at the top of her head and tendrils of blond framing her heart-shaped face. She wore a thin gray sweater that fell off her shoulder, revealing bare silky skin I’d quickly become infatuated with.
I was falling for her.
The thought hit me hard today when I walked into Gravity and saw her dance. It was so much like the first time I watched her audition, except this time, she wasn’t an amateur dancer with stars in her eyes. She was the best damn presence in my life. But she had a dream—a dream that I would ultimately be responsible for destroying if anyone were to find out what we were doing.
I couldn’t let that happen.
She pulled the chopsticks to her mouth and took the helping of lo mein between her lips. When she looked up, she caught my stare and smiled. Her mouth closed around the chopsticks before sliding them out and swallowing. “What?” she asked, and I knew if I said the right thing, regardless of the dim lighting, I’d see her cheeks fill with color.
“Nothing. I just like looking at you.”
Mission accomplished. Her cheeks glowed against the firelight. And I knew I shouldn’t have said it. Affectionate words would only make our end more complicated.
“Aren’t you hungry?” She pointed at the untouched box of Chinese in my hands.
“I had a big lunch.”
Something fell in her eyes, and I wished I could have taken back the mention of lunch. “Oh, right. Of course.”
I knew she was bothered when Winter got in my car, but she hadn’t brought it up, and I was sure she wouldn’t. Just as I’d refrained from mentioning how awkward she and Reggie looked today as they partnered during the full run-through. He threw her around the floor like a ragdoll, and I had to look away before I did something I’d regret.
“How is it? I should have gotten the noodles instead of the fried rice.” It was my best attempt at changing the subject.
She clamped her chopsticks around a helping of noodles and held them to my lips with a soft smile. “Have some.”
I took the bite, my eyes staying on hers. “Damn,” I said around a mouthful. “I definitely should have gotten that.”
“Trade me,” she offered, holding out her box. I took it and handed her mine.
“So, what’s this new routine Reggie was talking about today?” She looked up as she pushed her food around with the sticks. “I didn’t want to ask him too many questions. He didn’t look happy about not getting that music video.”
Shrugging, I swallowed another mouthful of noodles. “It’s a mystery at this point. He told Winter it will be ready in Vegas. It’ll be a trio, that’s all I know. I haven’t even heard the track. It’s some bonus song Winter’s planning to release.”
She stopped playing with her food. “How do you feel about all that?”
Lex was the only one who had asked me that question, stirring something in me. I tilted my head as I thought about what she was asking. It was no secret that there was a beef between Reggie and me, but he was still one of my peers. He hustled his way through the business, and I couldn’t hate him for that.
“It’s a good thing.” As soon as the words left my mouth, I knew I meant them. “He might be a cocky son of a bitch, but he’s a great choreographer. This way he gets a shot. And it will add a different flavor to the show. I think Winter made the best decision.”
Something flickered in her eyes at the mention of Winter’s name, and this time, I had a burning desire to tell her the truth. That lunch was only business and that Winter and I were nothing more than friends with a casual past. It was Lex I wanted now—always—but saying those dangerous words would only give her hope.
“You looked great during your freestyle today.” I muscled up a wink through my unease.
Her eyes brightened. “Wasn’t it great to see everyone let loose? We should do more of that. It felt great. And for the first time, I really felt like we came together as a crew.”
She had a point, and I couldn’t help seeing how it had helped the group with their focus. As if they’d fed their souls with the magic that would rejuvenate them. “It’s a good suggestion. I’ll keep that in mind.”
After I’d finished the rest of the noodles, I took our containers into the kitchen and joined Lex by the fire. She had her knees up, hugging them, as she stared into the flames with a faraway look on her face. I sat behind her and leaned her body back into mine. I pushed a golden tendril over her ear so I could see some of her face. She was so beautiful, in a timeless sort of way. Something tugged at my chest. “You ready for bed?”
I was hungry for her and desperate to be inside her as much as possible before the week was over.
“In a minute.” She looked over her shoulder at me. “I like this.” Her eyes lingered on mine. “It almost feels real.”
Shit. Her words were a blow to my gut. “This is real, Lex.” I tightened my hold on her so she could feel how real we were together. Because in that moment of weakness, I wanted her to know I felt the same.
Her teeth sank into her bottom lip then released it. “You know what I meant.”
I hated the feeling that stirred inside me, a fear that I would lose her any minute and never be the same. Except, that was the plan—to end things and go back to following the rules. At some point, I’d lost complete control of my emotions.
She was about to turn away when my fingers caught her chin. I brought my head to hers, letting my nose skim her lips. “I love your lips.”
Her gaze softened. “I love yours. They’re filled with so much … talent.” She grinned then let a giggle slip from her throat.
Fuck. Every sound that came out of her pretty mouth drove me wild. “Talent, huh?” I teased with a grin of my own. “What are you trying to tell me?” I moved my mouth against hers. “Are you demanding a demonstration of my talents? I’m happy to oblige.”
Her focus zoned in on my lips, then she leaned in, pressing her forehead to mine. “Maybe.” Her eyes burned into mine.
“It’s not a demand if you’re unsure,” I rasped, then I pressed a kiss to her plush lips and pulled away. “All you have to do is ask.” My hand floated to her sweater, tugging it up and drawing circles around her belly button. When she sucked in a breath, I let my hand move lower until I was skating the edge of her panty line. “Tell me what you want, Lex.”
Her hand moved to mine and pushed it lower until I was inside her panties, skimming her wet slit with my fingers. I swallowed as my length thickened in my shorts. I bit her earlobe and breathed deeply against her neck. “You make me insane, you know that?” My finger pressed against her clit and rubbed, debating whether I should get her off like this. But when her hips rolled against my fingers, I knew what she was too shy to ask. I pushed two fingers inside of her, and my mouth covered hers, capturing her moans.
It had been only a few days with Lex, and I already knew her body inside and out. I knew the intimate places no one had been before and how to touch her in a way that made her beg for more. I knew all the different sounds of her releases, because they were never ever the same. And I knew that one time was never enough. She was always ready for seconds before I was.
“I can’t wait to be inside you.” I groaned the words against her neck as I felt her tight cunt strangle my fingers. Her soft cries came soon after as she rode out her release on my fingers.
When she finally shuddered to a stop, I watched her lift herself from me and stand. I was in a complete daze as she peeled off her leggings, panties with them, then slipped off her sweater, completely baring herself for me.
“Fuck.” I breathed before making quick work of my shorts. I freed my erection and reached for my wallet to grab a condom. But before I could get it on, her mouth was already around me, sucking with an intensity that made my eyes roll into the back of my head and my body fall back onto my elbows.
As I sat there, my cock disappearing between her full pink lips and her hair wrapped around my fists, I couldn’t remember why I had to let her go.