My eyes narrow on him as I look up at him. “It’s not something bad, is it?”
“No, it’s just, well, I don’t need to do those dance classes with you anymore. Coach said my footwork is amazing again, and yeah.”
“So…wait, for the few classes, you’ve been doing these lessons, and you didn’t need them?” I want to laugh, but don’t because it’s sweet.
“I stopped needing them at Halloween, but I didn’t want to give up our time together. I knew if I told you before, you would have shut me out.”
Shit, he’s right. I would have filled up my time with training.
I smile. “Well I’m glad we got that time together. But just because you’re now fessing up, don’t think for a moment you are getting out of my audition.”
He laughs. “I wouldn’t dare.”
I snuggle into his chest as he pets my hair, and I feel so content. Happy. Happy feels really good right now. But being in Tate’s arms feels even better.
Chapter 25
Tate
I
finally fessed up to Amaya that I didn’t need to have the dance lessons anymore, but she’s still making me help her out with her audition in two days. Of course, everyone now knows I’m helping her out with it, and they have plans to try to sneak in to watch, and that even includes my parents. The guys have been riding my ass hard. If it were anyone else, I’d say no way. But this is for my woman. This is cutting into my study time for exams, but it means a lot to her. She means the world to me. I love her but haven’t said the words yet. I know it would only freak her out. She’s already anxious about me coming home for Christmas with her. I’m nervous too. I’ve never done the whole meet the parents gig, except for high school and that was just for prom and homecoming. This is different. This is for the girl I plan to marry someday.
I’m heading to the dance hall to practice one last time. She’s already there. She’s been pushing so hard to be prepared. I’m so damn proud of her. She thinks I don’t know, but she got my schedule from Big Tex so she could make sure she was making enough time for me.
I drop my bag on a chair and immediately strip down to my boxers. I had sweats to wear, but I love seeing the look on my woman’s face when I dance with in her in next to nothing. Her cheeks stay pink and her eyes never stray from me.
“Hey.” She beams at me. “You got something against pants?”
“I got something against anything that separates me from you,” I tell her with a wink.
She waits patiently while I warm up and go through a few stretches. I take my time, giving her plenty to look at. I still can’t dance, but the routine Amaya has needs me mainly for lifts and her dancing around me.
We go through every step of her routine twice maybe three times. My girl is laying on the floor trying to catch her breath after we pushed our bodies to the brink. She has no idea that I am about to push her even harder. For a while, I just lay next to her watching the way her chest rises and falls with each breath. She’s beautiful. The words, I love you, are hanging between us but I stop myself. I don’t need to rush this.
“Why are you staring at me like that for?”
> “Because I like to,” I confess.
“Tate…”
“What?”
“Stop being so damn wonderful all the time.” She grins and smacks at my chest.
I take possession of her hand and hold it to my chest.
We talk about the upcoming draft and what team I want to play for. My first choice is the Jets but thinking about it now has me worried about the future for Amaya and me. We are headed two different directions. I don’t mention that fact to her though. I know I need to enjoy what we have while we have it, but I plan on keeping her forever. She doesn’t know that yet, but when the time is right, I’ll makes sure she gets it. She’s it for me.
When she starts talking about going off with a ballet company, I have to shut her mouth with a kiss. I don’t want to hear her talking of being away from me, and I don’t want to fight about it so soon in our relationship. It’s too soon to predict the future, but we have right now. I need to stop worrying and be in the moment.
Her fingers dig into me as our kisses become more heated, passionate.
The floor beneath her is hard so I give her my shirt for a pillow.
“We could get caught,” she says, her voice raspy and low, sexy.
I shove her tank top up and undo her bra, moving it out of the way.