by Whitley Cox
Adam wrapped a protective arm around Paige’s shoulder, and he kissed the top of her head. “Well, we may have botched our marriage, but at least we did something right. Look at our little star out there, shining so bright she’s practically blinding.”
Paige’s body shook slightly beneath his arm in a chuckle. “We definitely did do something right.”
All the children ran off the stage to the thunderous applause of the audience. Mira’s cheeks were flushed, but the smile on her face was still bigger than the sun. “Did you see me? Did you see me?” she asked, flinging herself into Adam’s arms.
He scooped her up and pressed a kiss to her neck. She smelled like sun, summer and childhood innocence. “I did. You were magnificent.”
She pulled away from him and looked deep in his eyes. “I was mag-nif-i-cent, wasn’t I?”
Adam tossed his head back and laughed. “You absolutely were.”
Violet approached them with hope in her eyes. She was focused on Paige. “So, what have you decided?”
Paige blew out a shaky breath and gave one curt nod. “I can do it. I will do it.”
Violet smiled, her shoulders relaxing. “Excellent. I’ll go tell Sarah, and she can let the sound guy know there has been a change in music.” Then she took off in search of Sarah, who Adam was sure was busy popping Tums in the corner like they were Pez, the woman was so stressed out.
“Your turn, Mommy,” Mira said, motioning to switch from Adam’s arms to Paige’s.
Paige took her willingly. “That’s right, angel. We’re a family of dancers. Your dad, you and me.”
Mira looped her arms around Paige’s neck and nuzzled her mother’s nose with hers. “You’re going to be mag-nif-i-cent.”
Paige gave Adam the side-eye. “I sure hope so.”
Violet rejoined Adam backstage just as Paige walked out to center stage and the music started. “Crisis averted. We’re good to go.”
He wrapped a protective arm around her, and she leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder. “Paige has given us her blessing,” he said softly. Both their eyes were fixed forward on his ex-wife as she danced.
“Her blessing?” Did they need her blessing?
“To be together.”
Violet sighed and melted further into his embrace. It felt so good, so right and natural to be close to Adam, to be protected by him, comforted by him. “Thank you for being so patient and understanding with me these past few months. I know I’ve put you through the wringer with my emotional rollercoaster.”
His shoulder lifted in a cavalier shrug. “I happen to love rollercoasters, so it was never a problem.”
She turned to face him, and they moved out of view of the stage and all the people milling backstage. One of the dance moms had corralled the children, including Mira and Jayda and taken them back out to the park to where all the parents, Paige’s parents included, were waiting for them.
“I love you, Violet,” he said, bending his head and brushing his lips over hers. “And I’ll wait as long as you need me to. I know you’re still grieving, and I would be a fool to try to replace Jean-Phillipe, to fill his shoes. I respect the love and connection you two shared, and I will never try to undermine it or compete with it. But I hope one day you feel about me the way I feel about you and that we can forge our own connection, our own love, unique from the one you shared with Jean-Phillipe. Something entirely our own. I—”
“I love you, too,” she said, cutting him off. “I love you so much. And you’re right, what we have is unique to us. It’s a different kind of love, a different kind of connection and partnership, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I want to be with you. Dance with you. Because I love you, Adam.”
He scooped her up around the waist and spun her around. “So you’re saying you want to dance off into the sunset with me?” He put her back down on her feet, and his fingers went into her hair, pulling the pins from her topknot and letting the waves crash down around her shoulders.
She pushed up onto her tiptoes and nipped at the small cleft in his chin. “I’m saying I want to dance at sunrise, sunset and high noon with you. You are who I want to dance with from now on.”
His smile and the love in his eyes only reconfirmed everything she already felt, that this man had breathed new life into her. He was her new dance partner. Her new life partner. Her new life, and she couldn’t be happier.
Epilogue
Four years later…
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the fourth annual Art in the Park. It is an honor to start off this evening’s show with two of our star performers, Violet Benson and Adam Eastwood of Benson School of Dance. Please join me in welcoming them to the stage,” Sarah announced, the microphone not nearly as tight in her fist, and her complexion far less mottled and sweaty. She spread her arm wide as Adam led Violet out to the center of the stage.
“Ready?” Adam asked, squeezing Violet’s hand as they got into position.
“I was born ready.” She beamed.
They faced the audience, their eyes scanning the crowd in search of familiar faces. Finally, Adam spotted two of the most beautiful faces he’d ever laid eyes on—his daughters. Mira waved, then Brielle waved, both of them in matching dresses and smiling from ear to ear as they sat with Violet’s mother and Adam’s grandparents, who had flown out for a visit.
Violet waved back, causing the girls to giggle.
Adam chuckled. “The little monkeys.”
A low, slow, lone guitar began to strum over the stereo, signaling the start of the dance. Then Violet began to move.
A recent family trip to Spain had ignited a new passion inside his woman—her love of flamenco. So much so that when they returned home to Seattle, Violet was quick to enroll both her and Adam in a beginner’s flamenco class once a week, and from there her new obsession with the passionate music took off.
Not that Adam was complaining. Oh hell no. There was nothing sexier then when she got it in her head to grab his hand and pull him toward her, gyrating her hips and pressing her body tightly against his. Flamenco music was the bomb!
He waited for his count to step in and join her. But for now, for the moment, he just watched in awe. He never got tired of watching Violet dance. She was such a natural, a born dancer, a born performer. She really did have music in her veins, and she’d taken to flamenco like the pro she was.
A swish of her long, ruffled skirt and a slow, sensual manipulation of her hands and arms cued the other instruments to start and Adam to step in. Just like they had rehearsed countless times before, he took her body in his arms, and they began to do what came so instinctively to them.
They were known for their seamless compilation dances for Art in the Park. Within thirty seconds, the music had switched to hip-hop and Violet had ripped off her dress, much to the delight of the crowd, to reveal her bodysuit. Then they moved in sync to the heavy beat.
Smiling widely, he scanned the audience, his gaze once again settling on his daughters. Even though they watched their parents dance all the time at home and in the studio, there was something special about watching a performance on stage, and the amazement and wonder in their eyes brought even more love for dance into his heart. There really was something remarkable and wonderful about experiencing things through the eyes of a child.
But it wasn’t just his children who sat in awe, it was the children of all his friends as well. Jayda and Gabe, Jordie and Freddie, JoJo and Aria, Tia and Aiden. All the children from his poker buddies were watching with bright and eager eyes and open mouths.
Their group on the grass was pretty big. All his poker buddies, their children and new loves were sitting happily on blankets and towels with beer in cozies and enough food to feed a football team spread out for snacking. After Adam and Violet’s first year performing at Art in the Park, this had quickly become a group tradition. And each year, their little makeshift family grew. As fathers found new partners and babies were born or stepchildren were welcome
d in with open arms, their family expanded.
They still had their Single Dads of Seattle poker night every Saturday, but none of them were single anymore. They’d all found a love, found new hope and started a new life. And they all celebrated their blended families at Art in the Park on the Fourth. Nothing quite said celebration like being with family on the Fourth.
Violet cleared her throat, causing Adam to pin his gaze back on her. He hadn’t missed a step, but he’d been off in his own head, thinking about how incredible his life had become, how blessed he was.
“Ready?” she asked, her eyes a touch wary.
They’d been working on a new move in their contemporary routine, and even though Adam had performed it flawlessly over a dozen times, Violet was still nervous every time he grabbed her by the ankle and tossed her into the air.
Truth be told, Adam was a little nervous every time he had to do it too.
He nodded though, knowing they would execute it without a hitch. Because his woman had whipped his ass into shape and brought out his inner perfectionist. Now they never performed unless they’d sat in the studio an hour before and visualized their performance in their heads, then meditated. It really did help. Pushing out all the negative thoughts and feelings, all the self-doubt and second-guessing, it’d made him a better performer. Hell, it’d made him a better father, a better partner, a better person.
He started counting the beats in his head as he and Violet continued on through the moves. And four, and five, and six and seven …
Her eyes locked on his. He nodded again, then she ran at him from the corner of the stage, leapt into his arms. He flipped her around his body as if she were a life preserver around his waist. She came back around to his front, and he grabbed her ankle. She went lax in his arms, and the bottom of her foot made contact with his palm. She leapt, he pushed, and she flew out of his arms and into the air.
The crowd held its breath.
So did Adam.
But she was Violet. How could they ever doubt she wouldn’t land on her feet? Like a graceful cat, she landed on one foot, nary a sound to be heard as she took her body to the floor and Adam rejoined her, pulling her back up to standing. The entire audience erupted into applause.
Their big finish was coming up. They were all smiles.
The music switched over to its final genre—ballroom—and they began to spin and dance together around the stage. Violet’s eyes landed on his, her lips spread out in a beautiful smile.
“Ready?” she asked. She always asked.
He nodded. “More than I’ve ever been.”
Her smile grew even more. The last few notes of the music played, and they came apart at the front of the stage, their chests heaving, their smiles wide and their arms up in the air.
Not a person in the park remained seated. They were all cheering and whistling, applauding and yelling for an encore.
Adam fell to one knee and turned to face Violet, taking her hand down with him.
A gasp fell over the crowd at the same time Violet turned to face him.
Her free hand covered her mouth at the same time her green eyes went wide.
Adam pulled a ring out of his jeans pocket, and he held it up for her to see. “Violet Bernadette Benson.” He let out a shaky breath as emotions began to claw their way up his throat. “I know we’re already partners. We have children together, we live together, we love each other, we dance together, but I want it all. Be my wife. Marry me and dance with me at our wedding. Dance with me on our anniversary, at our daughters’ weddings. Dance with me every day for the rest of our lives as my wife.”
A tear slipped down Violet’s cheek, but her nod was full of conviction and her smile was big and genuine. Adam slid the ring onto her slender finger, then stood, picked her up by the waist and spun them around the stage.
The crowd went crazy.
Eventually, he put her down and they kissed, running offstage when they realized they’d gone into the time slot for the next act. They were botching Sarah’s schedule.
Whoops.
Laughing, Adam pulled Violet over to a corner, out of the way of the steel drum band that was making its way on to the stage. “Surprised?” he asked, a touch out of breath.
She nodded, her eyes teeming with tears. He hoped they were tears of joy. “So surprised.”
“I’m sorry if you were hoping for something a little more private and low-key, but”—he lifted one shoulder—“I figured this kind of rounded out our relationship nicely. It was here four years ago where we decided to give our relationship a real shot. And you really are meant to spend your life on stage. Why not get engaged on stage?”
She wiped her eyes with the pad of her thumb and hiccupped a laugh. “No, it was perfect. Of course I’ll marry you.”
He wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed their bodies tightly together. “You want to get married on stage here next year? Always go bigger than the year before?”
Her mouth opened, but no words came out. But the look on her face said volumes. She was so not into it.
Adam tossed his head back with a laugh. “I take that as a no.”
She let her arms fall onto his shoulders and nipped his chin with her teeth. “I think some things should be left private, don’t you?”
He pushed his pelvis against hers and growled. “That I do.” He eyed the storage truck that transported all the stage equipment. It was unmanned, empty and open. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” he asked, his hand moving down to cup her butt.
“Already planning the dance routine for the wedding?” she asked, pulling away and giving him a sly smile. “Totally. I definitely think we should have some flamenco in it. What do you think?” She led him down the stairs backstage, and they made their way into the audience toward their children.
Adam groaned. “Yeah, sure, something like that.”
Two little beauties in matching dresses heaved themselves into their arms as they approached the blankets.
“You were magnificent,” Mira said, planting a big kiss on Adam’s cheek.
Brielle nodded. “Mag-nif-i-cent,” she mimicked, kissing Violet on the cheek.
They settled down on the blankets with their children on their laps, receiving back pats and hugs of congratulations and praise from friends, family and fans.
Violet leaned over and whispered into his ear. “Professor, I’ve been a bad girl.”
Adam turned to face her, his whole body growing hotter by the second.
Violet bit her lip before her mouth slid into a coy grin. “Tonight, my love,” she mouthed. “Tonight, we will celebrate in private.”
“Studio? Mirrors? Music?” he asked back, making sure the girls didn’t hear him. Thank goodness the steel drums were so loud.
Her fingers landed on his where they rested on the blanket and gave them a squeeze, her eyes speaking of far too many wicked things to count. “Of course. Back to where it all began.”
Saved by the Single Dad - Sneak Peek
Single Dads of Seattle Book 3
Chapter 1
Mitch Benson’s jaw dropped open and his balls tightened in his shorts. The woman dancing on stage was one of the most spectacular things he’d ever seen.
He was supposed to be taking pictures of the performers, but at the moment he was stunned. Paralyzed by the vision on stage.
Not only was she herself fucking stunning, with dark, chestnut hair piled up high on her head in a ballerina bun, but the way she danced was incredible. Every emotion she felt came through with the way she moved. The focus on her face, the raw feelings that carried through into the way her body reacted to the rhythm of the music, the tempo and beat of the slow ballad was unlike anything he’d ever seen before. She was perfection.
He thought the dance following the children’s performance was supposed to be the adult contemporary group, but when she stepped out nibbling on her bottom lip, and with apprehension in her light brown eyes, he was struck dumb. He hadn’t taken a
single photo.
She’d been introduced as Paige McPherson, a beginner adult dancer in Mitch’s sister Violet’s contemporary adult class. She must dance Wednesday nights when he was home with Jayda, otherwise Mitch would remember meeting her. He’d remember meeting Paige.
Paige.
Paige?
Paige!
Holy shit!
This was Adam’s wife.
Ex-wife. He corrected.
This was Adam’s ex-wife. Mira’s mother.
Paige was Mitch’s sister’s new boyfriend’s ex-wife.
He squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath to let it all sink in.
Did it?
Nope.
Holy fuck.
The clearing of a throat behind him brought him out of his stupor.
“Shouldn’t your camera be making more clicking sounds?” It was Zak, Adam’s brother and one of the fellow Single Dads of Seattle Mitch played poker with every Saturday night.
Mitch swallowed, nodded and focused his gaze back on the screen of his camera. His finger pressed down on the button and he began to snap shots of the woman on stage.
“She’s beautiful,” Zak said matter-of-factly. “Adam filled you in on their split?”
Mitch nodded. “Yeah. Sad.”
“Yeah, it was. You can tell that she’s pouring all of her pain into her dancing. Just look at her face, her movements. They’re so precise, so driven, so focused.”
Mitch’s finger paused on the button and he turned to face the big, beefed up, tattooed gym-owning redheaded man who stood at least three inches taller than Mitch’s six-two frame. “You uh … you interested in her?”
Zak shook his head, but didn’t smile. He also didn’t look down at Mitch. His blue eyes, the same shade as Adam’s, remained focused on Paige. “No. Not interested in anyone. Sworn off love for a bit. Sworn off women.”
