As Long As You Love Me

by LuAnn McLane

  “Yes?”

  “The ballroom dances I’ve chosen to perform are . . . passionate. I’m not going to make them easy on you just because you’ve never done ballroom before. I’m an experienced dancer, and I want my partner to be able to match me.”

  Whoa, if she didn’t have his full attention before, she had it now. “And?”

  “And you have to be strong enough to lift me.”

  Jesse had the silly urge to flex his muscles. “That won’t be a problem.”

  Ava pursed her lips as if questioning his strength. Was she serious or just trying to get to him? Wait, was that a flicker of amusement in her eyes?

  “Trust me,” Jesse said firmly. “Or do you need me to demonstrate my lifting skills?”

  Ava’s eyes widened slightly. “No.”

  “I’ve got this.” Jesse shrugged. “Just sayin’.” He decided he’d better leave out the little fact that he sometimes had trouble staying focused. Still, he always managed to learn all the complicated Heartbeat routines. Why should this be any different?

  “I’ll take your word for it.” She sighed, seeming a bit disappointed that she hadn’t chased him off with her mention of the words passionate and experienced. Aha—so was that what she was trying to do? Scare him off so she could get a bona fide ballroom dancer instead of him? Well, in that case . . .

  “My word is golden.”

  “One last thing. Um . . . that whole surfer-boy look?” Ava waved a dismissive hand in his direction. “It’s got to go.”

  “It’s not a look. I’m not a poser. It’s a lifestyle. I have a beach house and I surf. What about it?” he asked, but he was pretty sure she was still just trying to get under his skin.

  Ava pressed her lips together. “Mmmm . . .” she began, and then winced.

  Jesse waited for a moment. “Yeah?”

  Ava let out a delicate sigh. “I just don’t see us having any chemistry.”

  Jesse gave her a level look. Was this chick serious?

  “On the dance floor,” Ava added hastily, and Jesse detected just a hint of a blush. “It could be an issue. My partner needs to look the part of a true dancer—someone who’s elegant, suave, not someone who”—she wrinkled her nose—“looks like they’re about to work the snack shack at the beach.”

  Hmmm . . . wait a minute.

  “Really . . . ?” Jesse asked slowly. While Jesse was now sure Ava wanted to get rid of him because she preferred a true ballroom dance partner, he wondered if something else was going on here. He could sympathize a little bit about the non-ballroom-dancing thing, but why had she taken such an instant dislike to him? Or . . . had she?

  “No chemistry, huh?” Jesse nibbled on the inside of his cheek.

  “I’m afraid so.” Ava gave him a small, tight smile and he suddenly didn’t believe her. At all.

  “Are you sure?” Jesse asked, taking a step closer, and although she nodded firmly, something wavered in her eyes and she licked her bottom lip.

  “Sometimes it just happens that way,” Ava said, but the slight quiver in her voice gave her away. Ah, the poor thing was chock-full of telltale signs that she wasn’t as immune to him as she pretended to be.

  “Sorry, Ava, but I’ve gotta disagree.” Jesse stepped even closer. With the barre and the mirrors behind her, she had nowhere to go. He could see by the rise and fall of her chest that he’d suddenly turned the tables. “Why don’t we find out for sure?”

  “What do you mean?” Her deep blue eyes widened and she swallowed visibly.

  “Kiss me.”

  “You’re out of your mind,” Ava sputtered, but her voice was breathless, and she licked her bottom lip again as if in nervous anticipation.

  Jesse decided to go for it. “Let’s put this no-passion thing between us to the test. What do you say?”

  “I say . . . no!”

  “Are you afraid you’re wrong?” Jesse dared her with an unwavering gaze.

  “I’m not wrong!” Ava nearly shouted, protesting way too much.

  Jesse tapped his index finger to his bottom lip. “Prove it.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  DIRTY DANCING

  “I’m not going to kiss you!” Ava’s heart pounded in her chest as if she’d just consumed a triple espresso. She had the urge to reach back and grip the barre for support, but she didn’t want to show weakness. After a quick intake of breath, she decided to stand her ground.

  Barely.

  “And I don’t have anything to prove.” She lifted her chin a notch, hoping her pants didn’t catch on fire, because she dearly wanted to shove her fingers through that sexy, shaggy mane of sun-streaked hair and tug his head toward hers so she could kiss him senseless. And she wouldn’t mind having his tanned, toned, surfer body wrapped around her. And her feminine intuition told her that he was drawn to her as well. Chemistry? Um, they had it in spades. Jesse Heart oozed sweet charm and hot sex and she just knew that dancing the tango or salsa with him would curl her toes.

  And that was another reason why she needed to chase him the hell out of her studio! She shot him a glare, but he stood there with a look of challenge on his gorgeous face.

  “Are you sure?” Jesse asked.

  “Positive.” After having her heart sliced to ribbons by her cheating ex-fiancé, she’d sworn off men . . . and Jesse was, well, all man. “I don’t have anything to prove—or disprove, for that matter.”

  “Why not go ahead and kiss me? You’re the one questioning my lack of passion.” He stood up straighter and folded his arms across his broad chest. “Aren’t you just a little bit curious to test that theory?”

  “No! Not one bit.” Dear God, what was she getting herself into? At five foot nine, Ava was tall, and yet she had to look up to meet Jesse’s piercing, sky-blue eyes . . . which she finally did, with supreme reluctance. “I said I don’t feel any chemistry between us.” She pointed to him and then at herself. “I didn’t say you had a lack of passion. How would I know?”

  “Chemistry, passion—there’s only one way to find out.”

  “Stop coming at me with all that boy-band swagger,” Ava said hotly, hoping it would piss him off. She wanted to needle him. Send him on his damned handsome, sexy way, but dammit, he stood his ground, holding firm and looking good enough to eat. “I’m not about to kiss you, so give it up.”

  “I don’t give up. It’s not in my nature.” Jesse angled his head toward the door. “Or I’d already be outta here.”

  Ava closed her eyes and inhaled a deep breath. “No, seriously, why are you still here?”

  “To prove you wrong.”

  Ava opened her eyes and gave him a deadpan stare. “About what?”

  “Everything.”

  Ava decided to try another tactic. “I’ll work you to death. You’ll be sore and miserable. You should run like the wind while you can still run and not limp.” She pointed to the door.

  “I don’t run away from hard work.” Jesse fixed his gaze firmly on Ava’s. “If I can survive Heartbeat’s choreographer, Arabella York, I can handle anything you throw at me. Trust me.”

  Ah, trust. After everything that had happened with her ex, Ava didn’t know if she could ever trust again. “You say that now,” she said lightly, unprepared for the power of his smile. Straight, white teeth and . . . damn, a dimple. While her ex-fiancé, Anthony, had been handsome in a swarthy, dark, Italian way, golden Jesse, with his sparkling blue eyes and winning smile, felt like a sunny breath of fresh air.

  “Just think of how much fun you’ll have torturing me.”

  Ava gritted her teeth in an effort not to smile, telling herself to keep her resting bitch face in place. She knew if she showed even one little crack in her armor, he’d turn up the charm and she’d be a goner. “The first good point you’ve made today.”

  “I have my moments, you’ll see.” Jesse laughed, and in spite of herself, Ava liked the deep, rich sound of it. Apparently, he didn’t scare easily. Damn. She’d have to carefully tiptoe around the land mi
nes of his charm.

  Ava never wanted to feel the kind of pain that Anthony had caused her ever again, either personally or professionally. She’d moved to Sea Breeze to get as far away from him as possible. The quaint seaside town, so removed from the harshness of the city, felt like a balm to her soul.

  “Ava?” Jesse asked, bringing her back from her musing.

  “Oh . . . sorry.” While her mind had wandered, he’d taken a step closer. The woodsy spice of his cologne drifted her way and she swallowed hard. She’d thought she preferred clean-shaven men, but his sexy stubble had her changing her mind. Unwanted desire settled in her chest and spread through her veins like sweet, warm honey. “You’re invading my personal space,” Ava said tartly, but he only grinned.

  “Um, I think me invading your personal space is a given when ballroom dancing.”

  “We’re not dancing.”

  “No, we’re not,” Jesse agreed. He raised his eyebrows. “Yet.”

  “Not ever. This simply isn’t going to work.” There, she’d said it.

  “Uh, sorry, you haven’t scared me off. Now, are we going to kiss or not?” When Jesse’s gaze dropped to her mouth and lingered, Ava’s body responded with a hot, slow-moving tingle. If he dipped his head and kissed her, Ava knew she might be powerless to resist, and so when he closed the small gap between them she pressed her palms to his solid chest and shoved.

  Hard.

  When Jesse stumbled backward, Ava felt instant regret. “Oh!” She fisted her hands in his shirt in a misguided effort to hold him upright, but instead she body-slammed against him, causing him to backpedal faster. Horrified, Ava tugged roughly at his shirt, trying to halt his momentum, and she succeeded, but then found herself falling backward instead.

  This wasn’t going to end well.

  Ava cringed, preparing for the impact of Jesse’s body as he crashed on top of her, but he wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled her toward him instead.

  Ava hit his hard, muscled body, but he must have been ready this time, because they didn’t go anywhere.

  A bit stunned, Ava stood still and remained clinging to Jesse when she should have taken a giant step away from him. She could feel the seductive heat of his skin beneath the soft cotton of his shirt. His chest rose and fell, as if he were also surprised by the quick turn of events. His hands, firm and strong, remained around her waist. Good thing, too, because the reliability of her legs felt a bit suspect.

  Ava closed her eyes, mortified. She’d behaved badly, unprofessionally, to a man who was here to do a good deed for his town. She lowered her gaze, unable to even look at him. An involuntary tremble shook her body . . . and when he wrapped his arms around her, Ava nearly sobbed with humiliation. She inhaled a shaky breath but for a glorious moment allowed herself to be held, comforted. She could feel the steady, strong beat of his heart beneath her cheek and she closed her eyes.

  Jesse started to sway, and Ava moved with him, instinctively following his lead. Wow, the man could move.

  “Wait, what are you doing?” Ava asked gruffly.

  “Showing you I can dance.” He spun her around and then reined her back against his body.

  Ava didn’t let him see her smile.

  “Am I impressing you yet?” Jesse asked softly. He moved with agility and masculine grace and yes, she was thoroughly impressed.

  “Mmmm . . .” Ava meant her reaction to sound unconvinced, but she sounded like she was purring. She cleared her throat. “Maybe a little,” she said with slow reluctance.

  “Really?” Jesse asked, sounding so hopeful that she nearly giggled. And Ava rarely giggled.

  “Of course you have rhythm. How could you not?” she asked, trying to keep her voice steady, but being in his arms was throwing her off-kilter. She’d seen him dance before this. She’d been a big Heartbeat fan in her youth—not that she’d let him know it. If she was being honest with herself, she’d felt a bit of a thrill after getting the call letting her know that he was going to be her partner, but she’d quickly tamped it down. And she’d done some googling. Okay, lots of googling, and she’d viewed tons of old Heartbeat videos as a result.

  “I can take direction, Ava. I know you might not take hip-hop seriously, but it does take some skill and a lot of practice. Just give me a chance, okay?” He tilted his head back and looked at her.

  When Ava remained stubbornly silent, she suddenly felt her feet leave the floor. A moment later, Jesse lifted her above his head. When Ava instinctively kicked her legs back and spread her arms out for balance—à la the classic Dirty Dancing move—Jesse spun her around with ease before lowering her feet to the wood floor.

  “What was that all about? I wasn’t ready for a lift! That could have ended in disaster!” Ava sputtered, not sure whether to be angry or impressed.

  “You seemed to doubt my strength.” Jesse shrugged, still gripping her around the waist.

  While Ava knew she should walk away, she really longed to thread her fingers through that shaggy hair and— No! She gritted her teeth, then realized that wasn’t an attractive look on her part. With an effort, she inhaled a short breath and dug deep for a calm expression. “That’s the kind of adolescent behavior I won’t stand for.”

  Jesse rolled his eyes. “I was totally in control, or I wouldn’t have lifted you.”

  “If you feel the need to say that, then it means you weren’t.” Ava put her hands on his chest yet again, contemplating another shove, but when she gazed into his eyes, time suddenly seemed suspended. Their mouths were so close.

  Ava swallowed hard and her heart raced. She should take a step backward and put some distance between them. Oh, but it had been so long since she’d been kissed, and he gazed at her as if he had kissing her on his mind. No—what the hell was she thinking? Ava opened her mouth to say something, anything, but the shrill bell for the change of classes rang, making her jump, and to her horror, her mouth brushed against his . . .

  And suddenly, they were kissing.

  The second Jesse’s mouth hit hers, Ava’s brain screamed, Shove him away! But her body had other ideas. God, his warm mouth and firm lips had her melting against her better judgment. He kissed her gently, coaxing her lips apart, and when his tongue tangled with hers, Ava felt a sharp sizzle of desire. Unable to resist, she threaded her fingers through his hair, and when he deepened the kiss, she nearly groaned. Sensual by nature, Ava moved against him, pressing her breasts to his chest. God, the man could kiss.

  While she’d been drawn to Jesse the moment she’d first laid eyes on him, she hadn’t been prepared for this kind of primal reaction. It had been so long since she’d given herself a moment to linger and enjoy a steamy, all-consuming, knee-weakening . . . kiss.

  And then all of her senses suddenly came flooding back to her. He was her dance partner. For a charity competition. What was she thinking? She pulled her mouth from his. “What the hell was that?”

  “A kiss.” But instead of releasing her, Jesse’s hands remained around her waist, light and yet firm. Good, because she wasn’t ready to step back and look at him just yet. With her eyes still closed, she rested her forehead against his chin, trying to quell the rapid beat of her heart.

  “You shouldn’t have kissed me,” Ava said, but her accusatory tone came out a bit breathless.

  “Uh, you kissed me.”

  Ava sucked in a breath and took a step back. “I most certainly did not!” She felt warmth in her cheeks, but she stood her ground.

  “When you press your lips to someone else’s lips, it’s generally called a kiss.”

  “I brushed against your mouth by accident!” She pressed her lips together.

  Jesse arched an eyebrow. “Okay, we’ll go with an accidental kiss.” He nodded his head slowly and then had the nerve to smile!

  Ava felt anger flood through her veins. “I was startled by the bell! And if you hadn’t been invading my personal space it wouldn’t have happened. You took full advantage of the situation.”

&nbs
p; “I did,” Jesse admitted, taking a bit of the wind out of her billowing, angry sails. “Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, should we begin rehearsal? You have to admit that the, uh, accidental kiss completely dispelled any concern that we don’t have chemistry.”

  “My part was accidental,” Ava said firmly, but she still swallowed hard. Denying the chemistry between them would be laughable after her reaction. And she couldn’t really reprimand him for kissing her, since she’d kissed him back and then some. But the hot desire she felt for him only made her want to push him out the door even more.

  And then again . . . not.

  “Ava?” Jesse asked softly, the gentle concern in his voice nearly her undoing.

  “You had no right to do that.” She tried to sound firm but had to look away so Jesse couldn’t see the desire in her eyes.

  “Do what?”

  “Everything,” she sputtered, not able to voice the word. “You seem to enjoy baiting me.”

  “You make it pretty easy.”

  “You’re insufferable.” She sighed, and then felt like a stuffy schoolmarm.

  “I’ve been called worse.”

  “I’m not surprised.” She took a few steps away from him and crossed her arms over her chest. “And . . . you’re reckless! That’s not how this works. I mean . . . how dare you!” she sputtered, not wanting to give specifics. Namely, the kiss.

  “I tend to be impulsive,” he admitted. “But I felt compelled to prove a point.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels, looking so damned cute that Ava wouldn’t have minded if he’d wanted to prove his point all over again.

  Still. The kiss would not leave the room.

  Ava squared her shoulders. “Just so you know, my reaction stemmed from surprise. You caught me off guard.”

  “Maybe you need to leave your guard off,” Jesse suggested. “Ever think of that?”

  “My guard is firmly back in place, where it will stay.” Ava drew an imaginary circle around her face.

  “Too bad.”

  Ava would have been offended by his audacity but the expression on his face seemed sincere. She lifted her chin. “Please, try to curb your impulses. I’ll be ready next time, so you might not like my reaction.”