He held out his hand, which she grabbed with far too much enthusiasm. “Carina. It’s so nice to officially meet you. I’m a huge fan.”
Asher upped the wattage of his smile. “Thanks. Perhaps you can help convince Scarlett I’m not the devil then?” He dropped his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “I don’t think she likes me very much.”
“Oh, she doesn’t like anyone very much, but don’t worry. She’ll come around. Eventually.”
“Excuse me.” I crossed my arms. “I’m standing right here.”
“Yes, I know,” my traitor of a friend said. She tacked one of the papers to the bulletin board. “Let me finish putting this up, then we can leave.”
Asher examined the sheet. “‘Staff showcase auditions,’” he read aloud. “‘This year’s featured performance will be
Lorena.’ I’ve never heard of that ballet.”
“It’s a newer piece,” Carina explained. “Contemporary, not classic.”
“Which role are you auditioning for?” he asked me. “I’d love to see you onstage. Show me how the professionals do it.”
This time, even his smile wasn’t enough to unknot the twist in my gut.
“None,” I said. “I don’t participate in showcases.”
“Why not?”
“Because.” I avoided Carina’s sympathetic stare. Besides Vincent, she was the only person who knew my hang-ups around performing. “I don’t have time.”
“The showcase is a lot of work,” she added, backing me up. “Staff participation isn’t mandatory.”
“That’s too bad.” Asher appeared genuinely disappointed.
He wasn’t the only one. If I could snap my fingers and get one wish, I’d wish for the ability to dance onstage again, but life didn’t work that way.
“We have to go, or we’ll miss our train.” I hooked my arm through Carina’s and dragged her down the hall before he drew us deeper into conversation. “I’ll see you Wednesday for our next session,” I added, glancing back over my shoulder.
His mouth tilted up like he knew exactly why I was rushing off. “Looking forward to it, Scarlett.”
A breathless shiver slipped down my spine.
If the way he said darling was illegal, the velvety intimacy with which he uttered my name was downright sinful.
I didn’t look back, but the warmth of his gaze lingered long after we’d turned the corner.
“Wow,” Carina said once we were out of earshot.
She didn’t have to elaborate.
For better or worse, I knew exactly what she meant.
ASHER
Mystery Girl was Scarlett.
Scarlett was Vincent’s sister.
Vincent’s sister was our new trainer.
I’d had two days to wrap my head around those mindfucks, and I still couldn’t pinpoint how I felt about them.
Scarlett was nothing like how I’d imagined Vincent’s sister would be. She was quieter, wittier, and pricklier in the most charming way. I’d shown up at RAB on Monday, prepared to tolerate her at best, and now I found out the girl I couldn’t stop thinking about was related to my biggest rival.
The universe had a sick sense of humor.
I paused in the studio’s doorway. Scarlett was already in there setting up, but something kept me from entering right away.
I’d told myself I would stay away from her before I found out who she was. Obviously, I didn’t have that option anymore.
But you do have the option of not showing up extra early in order to spend more alone time with her, an annoying voice pointed out in my head.
My jaw tensed. Oh, shut up.
Arguing with myself. Never a good sign.
Scarlett turned. Our gazes collided, and a streak of awareness ran down the length of my spine.
“You’re early.” She didn’t move from her spot near the barre, nor did I move from the doorway.
“I’m just that type of student.”
“You mean a teacher’s pet?”
“Darling, if you want to call me pet, I won’t stop you.”
My mouth curled into a tiny grin at the pink tint creeping over her neck and face.
She blushed so easily. It was adorable, especially when it contradicted the words coming out of her mouth.
“Two new rules,” she said. “One, no flirting with me. Ever.”
“Ah, we’re back to that again.
Ever
‘s a long time.” I finally abandoned my post in the doorway and entered the studio. “Also, I wasn’t flirting. I was telling the truth.”
“Two,” she continued, ignoring me. “Don’t call me darling.”
“What about honeybun?”
“No.”
“Madame?””No.”
“Tinkerbell?”
“Only if you want me to kick you in the tinkerbell between your legs.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.