“Get out, Kirsten. Before I have to call someone to escort you out.”

  “You’ll come back. You always do.” Kirsten turned her gaze onto Saylor, the glare full force.

  Perfect.

  Now Saylor was the enemy when she didn’t want to be.

  Kirsten took one more step toward Tia. Saylor immediately moved in closer, almost between them. Kirsten lowered her voice, as if Saylor couldn’t hear every word. “See you Monday.”

  A cold shiver ran through Saylor, one full of displeasure and worry. Tia said nothing as Kirsten flicked her hair over her shoulder and walked toward the lobby. When the door was shut, Tia let out a breath and relaxed. Saylor waited in silence, not sure what to say or do next.

  “If you don’t mind, I’m going to lock that just to make sure she doesn’t come back.” Tia walked away.

  Cast into quiet, Saylor waited. She waited for everything. The explanation, the understanding, the reason why she was suddenly thrust into the middle of drama she had no part in. She crossed her arms and waited.

  What now?

  Tia stood in front of her, looking small for the first time since they’d met. This woman wasn’t perfect. She wasn’t strong. She had weaknesses and broken spots. Just like anyone else. But Saylor’s were so much bigger, and she’d managed to hide them so far. That was the only reason Tia had let her stay to help, because if Tia knew the real her, she would understand in an instant how incapable Saylor was.

  “Thank you,” Tia murmured, already more relaxed than before. “Kirsten can be a handful.”

  Saylor wasn’t sure what to say. She held the words deep inside her, knowing that anything she said would be the wrong thing in this moment. She was forced into silence by fear.

  “I just wish she would move on. Sometimes I think she’s about to, like last summer, but then she always comes crawling back here. I’ve tried so many times to convince her to check out different studios.” Tia walked toward her office, locking up as if she didn’t have a care in the world. She flicked the lights off as she went.

  Saylor was three steps behind what was happening, because Tia waited for her in the doorway to the lobby, her hand on the light switch. Scrambling to catch up, Saylor strode directly toward Tia. But Tia stopped her with a hand to her arm as they stood in the entryway together.

  “Come upstairs.”

  “Excuse me?” Shock ran through Saylor’s body.

  “I want to tell you what that was about.”

  “It doesn’t matter what it was about,” Saylor answered before she could think. The scent of Tia’s body pulled her in. The warmth of her hands. The look in her eyes. They were right back to where they started that evening, and Saylor found herself slipping in closer.

  Tia leaned against the doorframe, her gaze flicking down to Saylor’s lips, lingering for seconds longer than she should have before she looked back into Saylor’s eyes. “It does matter.”

  “No, it doesn’t.” Why was Saylor whispering?

  God, if anyone saw them, they would think this was intimate. No wonder Kirsten had pushed those buttons. But nothing was going on between them. Saylor was engaged to Jameson. She wanted to be with him. Didn’t she?

  “I think for you it does.” Tia trailed her hand down Saylor’s arm to her hand, twining their fingers together in a tender grasp. “I want to tell you.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “I know you don’t.” Tia squared her shoulders, moving in even closer as if they were about to start a new dance. “This makes sense to me, which is probably all that matters right now. But I want to trust you, Saylor.”

  “Trust me?”

  “Yeah.” Tia’s lips pulled upward at the sides, her smile almost freeing.

  Saylor envied that. “Why would you want to trust me?”

  “I haven’t figured that one out yet.”

  “Okay?” Saylor asked, still not understanding what was happening. She shifted in closer, their bodies touching through their clothes. But this wasn’t a dance. This wasn’t purposeful in that way. This was pure intimacy. And Saylor longed for it. “I want to trust you, too.”

  “Then come upstairs with me. We can have a drink and talk. Get to know each other.”

  Warning bells went off in Saylor’s head. This was crossing a line, wasn’t it? This was a boundary she shouldn’t be stepping over, and yet the pull to do it was more than she’d ever felt. Even with Jameson. He didn’t understand why she was the way she was. He hadn’t spent the time to learn about her family or her past.

  But neither had Tia.

  And yet this was an invitation to do just that, wasn’t it?

  “I don’t know,” Saylor mumbled, being as honest as she could in this moment.

  “I get it.” Tia didn’t let go. She didn’t move away. She didn’t stand down. But neither did she push or coerce. “I like you, Saylor. Not just because you’re cute and adorable, but because there’s so much more to you than meets the eye. You intrigue me. And I want to know why.”

  “I’m not interesting.”

  “Says who?” Tia wrinkled her nose. “Because I think you’re fascinating.”

  “Says anyone.” Saylor looked down at Tia’s parted lips, the fullness of them. Would kissing a woman be the same as kissing a man? She would like to know, just once, if it was the same. It’d satisfy this curiosity she’d had for years that she’d never been able to put into words.

  “I’d tell you here, but I really just want to get out of this place. I’ve been here all day, I want a drink, and I want to relax.” Tia still hadn’t moved.

  Saylor looked her in the eye again and sighed. “I have to get home.”

  “Is Jameson back?”

  Shaking her head, Saylor stepped out of the doorway. Whatever trance Tia had her in, she needed to break it. Kissing her dance teacher? What fantasy world had she jumped into? She’d never been interested in women. That thought had been crazy. Saylor shoved her hands into her pockets after opening the main door and holding it for Tia. She glanced up and down the hallway to make sure that Kirsten wasn’t hiding out somewhere.

  “So you can stay.”

  “No.” Saylor knew she had to be firm in this. Because whatever was happening inside of her, it wasn’t okay. She needed to stop it before she failed the one thing she knew she had to get right but swore up and down she’d ruin anyway. Saylor always messed everything up. She always failed when she should succeed. Watching Tia lock the door, Saylor took another step back. Distance. That was exactly what she needed right now. Jameson was her fiancé, and she needed to stick with that decision.

  “I need to go home.”

  “Next time, then.”

  Saylor didn’t answer her. Instead, she took another step back. “Stay safe, Tia.”

  “Thank you, Saylor.” Tia ran her fingers through her hair. “Really. I mean that.”

  Without another word, Saylor broke the spell. She stepped out onto the street, the cold rain hitting her hot cheeks the perfect reminder of what would happen eventually. She always ruined a good thing, and she didn’t want to lose the one place she might be making friends.

  six

  “Well, shit.”

  Tia sat heavily in the chair at her desk, her phone next to her hand as she stared at the schedule and exactly what was happening in the next week. She hated this part of running a studio sometimes, but it was a necessary evil since she couldn’t do it all by herself.

  Jericho had called in sick.

  For the entire week.

  She had somehow managed to convince Saylor to come in for the day, and while that had been a fantastic decision, Saylor had made it clear this was a one-time thing. But Jericho was now sick for the week. Tia stared through the open doorway to her office and into the studio where Saylor led the last group of girls through their cooldown routine.

  Tia finally pried herself from the desk, not knowing what was going to happen next, and helped Saylor usher the girls out to their parents. Once the last kid was gone, Tia crossed her arms and looked Saylor over and sighed heavily.

  “Jericho called.”

  “That doesn’t sound like good news.” Saylor snagged her water bottle and twisted the cap open. Tia’s eyes caught on her arm muscles, the pull of them as she moved, the easy way she seemed to go from one position to the next.

  “It’s not.” Tia frowned at herself. She shouldn’t be staring at Saylor like that. “Influenza A. She finally got the test results back.”

  “Wonderful.” Saylor started cleaning up, putting things back in place. She bent down to grab the push broom and started going back and forth on the floor to pick up the dirt the girls had left.

  “She’s out for at least ten days now.” Tia straightened her shoulders as she watched Saylor work, the line of her muscles, the confidence with which she moved as she put everything back the way it had been. Tia bit her lip. In another world at another time, she might have tried something with Saylor. Though Saylor really didn’t strike her as someone who would be comfortable with no strings attached. And with the strong reminder of Kirsten just three nights ago coming into the studio when she and Saylor were there, Tia wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

  “I’ll have to make her some soup or something,” Saylor said quietly.

  “I bet she would love that.” Tia stepped in closer, wanting to touch Saylor again, like the other night, but she resisted the temptation. Or at least she tried to. Her fingers had a mind of their own, though, and they flitted across Saylor’s upper arm as she set the broom against the wall to store it for the next time in between classes.

  “Will you stay?” Tia asked.

  “I told you I'd be here all day.”

  “No, for the next ten days, while Jericho is out.”

  Saylor gnawed on her lower lip, her gaze flicking from Tia’s eyes to her mouth and back again. “I don’t know. I need to find an actual job that pays me actual money.”

  “I’ll pay you while you work for me.” Tia slid her hand up to Saylor’s shoulder and stepped in closer. Her chest tightened, her entire body alight with anticipation, as if Saylor was going to touch her too. But that wasn’t the case. They were simply getting to know each other.

  “I’m not sure if that’s a good idea.”

  “Why wouldn’t it be? Mutually beneficial.” Tia slid her hand down to Saylor’s, twining their fingers together. She moved her other hand to the small of Saylor’s waist and instinctively raised her elbows up as if she was about to start a dance.

  What the hell was she doing?

  There was no music.

  There was no indication that Saylor even wanted to dance.

  Giving into the instinct, Tia leaned forward and pressed her body against Saylor’s, their eyes locking. In Saylor’s brows, she saw the confusion swimming, the hesitation, and just an inkling of curiosity underneath. It was that curiosity that Tia snagged hold of, that she held onto and tried to pull out.

  Tia stepped forward, guiding Saylor back. She would lead this dance if it was the last thing she did. But something magically happened to Saylor on the dance floor every time. It was as if she forgot all her worries. As if the world existed without them.

  Was it the same when she was skating?

  Tia took another step, Saylor’s leg sliding between hers until she took a step back and righted her form. Tia’s lips twitched upward in a smile, and Saylor moved her hand up to Tia’s shoulder as if fully preparing herself for what was about to happen. Tia focused on the beating of her heart, the wild thudding that sped up and slowed down. It was a music unto its own.

  She spun Saylor around, taking her toward the center of the studio floor. Bending, she slid her palms down Saylor’s sides to her thighs, her knees almost touching the ground before she rebounded back up. Saylor raised an eyebrow at her in amusement. Tia grinned fully, taking Saylor on another spin before grabbing her and pulling her in close.

  Their breath was the only sound in the room aside from their feet on the floor. Tia moved swiftly, pushing Saylor back again as they walked four steps before spinning. Tia held onto Saylor, dipping her back and over Tia’s leg before pulling her up to wrap arms around her as if they were in a lover’s embrace.

  “You’re built for improv,” Tia murmured before splaying her fingers all along Saylor’s back. “I’m finding that I enjoy dancing with you more and more each time we do it.”

  “Why are we dancing?” Saylor asked, her voice breathier than Tia had ever heard it.

  Maybe Saylor wasn’t as unaffected by Tia’s presence as she’d originally thought. Tia didn’t stop though. She moved into a slower spin as they trotted around the dance floor. She kept her hands on Saylor’s body as much as she could, guiding them as they went.

  “I love dancing.”

  “I never would have guessed.” Saylor chuckled a little. “I think I’m learning to love it.”

  “Are you?” Tia’s eyes lit up. This was most definitely flirting, and that was something Tia was very comfortable with. “There’s something about dancing with someone else that’s so intimate.”

  “Yeah.” Saylor’s voice caught on the sound. She rubbed her lips together as if she was going to say something else but couldn’t find the words.

  “Work with me while Jericho’s out.”

  “Are you seducing me into a job?” Saylor straightened her back, taking a little more control of the dance than she had before.

  Tia noted it and allowed it. She wanted to see just what Saylor could do, what she would willingly try if given the opportunity. Tia relaxed her body, giving in to the push that Saylor gave her to walk backward. She grinned when Saylor spun her and leaned against her back. Saylor’s fingers dipped into the curves of her waist and over her hips before clasping on and twisting her back around in one quick movement, as if Tia had been thrown into the air on a spin.

  “Is it working?” Tia asked, unable to wipe the smile from her lips. She was enjoying this tease too much. It’d been so long since she’d surrendered herself to the moment, letting her feelings and hopes and desires guide everything she did.

  “Maybe.” Saylor stepped forward, taking complete control of the dance.

  Tia surrendered to the moment, letting Saylor take the lead as she followed. They moved swiftly in four spins around the dance floor, getting awfully close to the wall of mirrors. Tia had accidentally run into those mirrors so many times over the years, she wouldn’t be surprised if Saylor was unaware of just how close they were getting.

  One more spin and Tia’s left shoulder hit the wall, her body jerking with a start. Saylor stumbled, falling into Tia to control herself and ultimately pressing Tia smartly between the wall and her body. Saylor sucked in a sharp breath, and Tia immediately wrapped her arms around Saylor’s shoulders and flipped them.

  With her thigh between Saylor’s legs, her feet firmly planted, and a hand at the back of Saylor’s neck, Tia tilted her head away enough to look directly into Saylor’s eyes. Her chest rose and fell sharply as she tried to catch her breath. Tia couldn’t stop herself when her gaze flicked down to Saylor’s lips and lingered far longer than she should.

  Tia wanted to kiss her.

  She wanted to press their mouths and bodies together in a heated moment of passion and pleasure.

  “I’m sorry,” Saylor muttered, her voice back to that nervous wobble she typically had. “I didn’t realize how close we were.”

  Tia had definitely noticed how close they were. She put her head on Saylor’s shoulder and caught her breath. What the hell was she thinking? Saylor was engaged. She’d shown no interest in Tia. She’d shown no interest in any kind of relationship other than rudimentary friendship.

  “Work for me. Just until Jericho comes back.”

  Saylor hummed, her hands still against Tia’s back. If anyone were to walk in, they would think something else was happening. If Kirsten were to see them… Tia stopped that thought. She should never have let Kirsten get that close to her.

  “What’s wrong?” Saylor asked, her fingers falling to the small of Tia’s back.

  They were still wrapped up in each other, Tia pressed to Saylor, nose buried in her neck as she breathed in Saylor’s scent. She dragged in a deep breath, her eyes fluttering shut as she spun through every way she could answer that question. Her initial response of nothing was bit back in favor of something closer to the truth.

  Why?

  Tia had no idea why.

  “There are many things I regret in my life, Saylor.” Tia pulled back, their hips pushing against each other, but this way Tia could see Saylor’s eyes when she finished talking. She could know exactly what Saylor might be thinking or feeling when she dropped this bomb. “I don’t want to regret anything else.”

  “Okay?” A line formed in the center of Saylor’s brow, and Tia resisted the urge to smooth it out with her thumb. “What does that mean?”

  “Today it means nothing.” Tia stepped back, putting space and cool air between them.

  “And tomorrow?” Saylor snagged Tia’s hand and pulled her back so they were facing each other. But this was a much stronger Saylor than the one Tia had first met. This woman had questions and she wanted answers.

  “I never know what tomorrow holds.” Tia reached up and pushed a stray strand of hair behind Saylor’s ear and then dropped her hand. The intimacy hadn’t ended when it should have. “Think about helping me out with the kids’ groups. I could really use it.”

  “I’ll think about it.” Saylor’s lips pulled upward. “Jameson comes home tonight, though.”

  “I understand if you want to spend the time with him.” Tia’s shoulders tensed. There was something about Jameson that she didn’t like, no matter how much she tried to push past it.

  “Yeah…” Saylor trailed off. “Was there anything else I needed to do to help today?”

  Tia shook her head and pressed her lips into a thin line. She needed to pull back. Maybe it would be a good thing if Saylor didn’t help out with the kids’ classes. Tia could use some space to get her head on straight again. Rolling her shoulders, she started for the stereo to find the music for the adult classes that night. She still had four hours of teaching to go before she could crawl into her bed and hide under the covers.