“I know I should stay away from you…” my voice sounds hoarse. Did I say that out loud?
She draws in a sharp breath.
I brush the backs of my knuckles along her arm, exploring the smoothness of her skin. “Would you believe me if I told you—” I stop. This time, I can’t meet her eyes. I swallow and look to the side.
Somehow caution returns. Reason returns. Now is not the time to seduce Summer LaTorre. She’s on the rebound. I want to win her fair and square.
I force myself to take my hands off her and step back. “I’d better go.” I hold her keys up and set them on the table, not even trusting myself to hand them to her. “Call me if you need me, okay?”
Yeah, I’m running like a nancy right now. Scared of a beautiful, off-limits girl and my overwhelming desire to take her in every manner of speaking.
Summer
I lean against my kitchen counter, my heart pounding. What just happened? What was Carlo going to tell me? He wanted me? Or he couldn’t be with me?
I scoot off and drop to my left foot, favoring the right. My foot stiffened during the night, making it hard to walk without a limp.
After I finished physical therapy, I returned to dance classes at Tisch School of the Arts. I could make it through the beginning barre, but once they move to “across the floor” exercises, I had to stop because the pain became too much. I had to take an incomplete in all the movement classes, which meant my dance major wasn’t going to happen. At my mom’s insistence, I changed my major to business. Now, I don’t even have time to get myself back in shape and rehab my foot. I figure returning to dance is impossible, but that doesn’t mean I don’t still want to be a dancer. Without dance...hell. I walk to the bathroom and turn on the shower.
Without dance, I don’t even know who I am.
I suppose it isn’t John’s fault I ended up stripping at The Candy Shop although I still refuse to see it as something negative the way Carlo does. I might have been filling a bigger void, though—the need to be on stage, to have my skills admired. Stripping was a far cry from making serious art, but the sexual electricity made up for that part. I was still moving to music, still improvising, creating. The energy I received from the men gave the same thrill I got from performing for an audience.
I peel off my jammies and twist to peer at my ass in the mirror. I still have a few red lines. Reaching back, I run my hands over my butt. I’ve lost a little muscle since my injury, but I could still hold my own in an ass competition. I always thought of it as my best asset. Heh.
I pinch some of the red areas, but the soreness has disappeared. Just a few twinges on the surface.
My core still clenches every time I think about last night. I want more of that side of Carlo. But was that it? Was the key drop-off the end of our steamy encounter, never to be mentioned again? Because I don’t think I can forget it so easily. In fact, I suspect I’ll be thinking of nothing but Carlo for a long time in the future.
My phone buzzes with an incoming text. It’s a group chat from some of the women in my study group. Business students, not dancers. They’re going out clubbing tonight.
I’d said I couldn’t go because I thought I’d be working at The Candy Shop, but I guess I’m available. It doesn’t sound all that fun, but that’s just because I don’t know them that well. I sort of lost my friend group with the breakup with John. Well, that’s not true, I’m sure they all still consider themselves friends with me, but I don’t like going out with them anymore because he might be there.
I guess the Candy Shop was filling a social void as well. Maggie lives with her boyfriend, Pete, so they don’t go out much. When they do, it’s with the same group of friends that John belonged to, which means the atmosphere would be beyond awkward if I went along.
I sigh. I won’t create a new social life staying home and moping. I text back, My plans fell through. I’ll meet you guys there.
Chapter Four
Carlo
I double-check the security cameras trained on the table and outside the door. Two soldiers wait outside the warehouse to keep an eye on the parking lot. Five more play security inside.
Sonny and Vince are my main guys. Sonny’s a solid soldier. Vince is a dick. A cousin of Al’s who definitely resents the position I’ve created for myself here. I always watch my back with him. Hell, I watch my back with everyone. My own brother tried to kill me back home. I know all too well that no one is safe in this business.