His lips were on hers again and he parted them, thrusting his tongue in her mouth as he thrust his cock into her. Over and over, her tightness squeezing him.
He rolled, holding Izzy to him, until she was on top of him. This was much better. Now he could see all of her. She smiled as she lifted up and lowered herself oh… so… slowly… onto him. Damn her. He dug his fingers into her hips and plunged into her. She flung her head back as they found their rhythm again, his hands on her hips as she rode him until he felt his own orgasm building. A few more thrusts and he growled, staying buried deep inside her until her muscles relaxed and waves of pleasure washed through him.
She collapsed over him, her head buried in his neck, her breaths coming in spurts. Damn, she never failed to surprise him.
“Tanner?” Her voice was a whisper, her breaths equally shallow as she came down from her own release.
He raised his head. “Yeah?”
“I love you, too.”
He couldn’t help the huge smile that broke across his face. Okay, he was wrong. Hearing the words was everything. To know that the woman you love loved you back. There was nothing more powerful than that. He kissed her then, a kiss of a promise and a future that they weren’t ready to talk about. But soon. Very soon.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Izzy spun, her leg flying out and in with each rotation. Her eyes caught the mirror each time her head snapped around. Faster, faster. Her thigh and calf burned. She almost had it. Just one more turn.
Yes! She’d done it. She stepped out of her spin, her muscles trembling from the exertion, but she’d completed the movement. Just like she used to. She rested her hands on her knees and hung her head as she caught her breath.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
She snapped her head up. Standing at the door was none other than the bastard himself. She gasped and nearly fell to the floor. She really should have locked the front door.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
“Nice to see you again, darling.” Erik strode into the studio as if he owned the place, his broad shoulders swaying like he wore a cape that trailed behind him. Come to think of it, that was how he always moved, as if the world owed him something. Maybe it was how dancers were raised in Russia, or maybe it was just the air of superiority that he exuded with everyone in his life. Either way, nothing had changed since she’d left him in New York. He spread his arms wide and spun in a circle, his thick shoulder-length hair swaying as he did. “Cute little studio you’ve got here.”
She raised her chin. He didn’t intimidate her anymore. He didn’t have that kind of power over her. She turned off the music and grabbed a towel, swiping at the sweat dripping down her forehead. The distraction gave her a minute to collect her thoughts.
Every time she’d imagined running into Erik again, it had been in New York. Maybe at a gallery opening, wearing a stunning evening gown that hugged her body, draped on the arm of a handsome playboy who adored her. Or maybe at a fancy party where he’d never expect her to turn up and she’d shock him with her mere presence. Never in a million years had she ever expected him to come to Cedar Hill. As far as she knew, he had written her out of his life the minute she’d fell on the stage.
So what was he doing here now and what did he want from her?
“You look wonderful. And I see that you’ve been working out. I knew that the rumors of your retirement were just that. Rumors.”
She drew in a deep breath. He was trying to fluster her. But she wasn’t that weak girl anymore—she was a strong woman who knew what she wanted out of life. And it wasn’t Erik.
She spun around and squared her shoulders. “They weren’t rumors. I am retired from professional dancing. As you can tell, I opened up a studio so I can teach others. That’s the only dancing I’m doing now.”
“That’s not what it looks like from where I’m standing. I know you, Isabella. You would never stand to leave your career except on your own terms. You’re destined to go out at the top of your profession.”
She hated when he called her by her full name, the haughty tone he used when he spoke to her that way. He’d lived in the United States for years, but his accent was as thick as ever, like he was superior to everyone else because he was Russian.
But he did have a point. Her one regret was that she hadn’t been able to leave the company when she chose. On her own terms. That an injury had driven her away. “My knee is as good as it’s going to get. I couldn’t dance like I used to, even if I wanted to.”
He stepped up, crowding into her space.
Another thing she hated about him. Erik was big, tall, and by standing this close, he could look down on her. To remind her that she was small and weak and had once depended on him. “You’re wrong. I watched most of the routine. It was nothing short of spectacular. If you were dancing with me, you’d be in top form in no time.”
She took a step back. How did he always manage to twist a compliment into an insult? She was in good shape. Good enough, at least, for what she wanted out of life. And the notion that he could bring her back to top form was laughable. “Just say what you came here to say, Erik, so you can be on your way.”
“I want you to come back. I want us to dance together. We were wonderful before, and we can be again. I just know it.”
She sucked in a breath. “What?”
“You heard me. Come back to New York and take your rightful place in the company.”
“What happened with Brittany?” He had replaced her with her understudy, on stage and as his girlfriend. Oh, hell. Did he expect her to fall back into bed with him, too?
The man was delusional.
“My dear, Brittany is no Isabella Harper.”
The way he rolled her name over his tongue had her gritting her teeth. “She was good enough to replace me in the show… and in your bed.” She spit the words. Erik could claim all he wanted that he hadn’t been sleeping with her before Izzy’s injury, but she knew better. He’d been screwing Brittany since the day she’d joined the company. Always hedging his bets, she figured. Shoot, now that she thought about it, he was probably sleeping with someone else when they got together in the first place.
He stroked his hand up her arm, stepping up so they were almost nose to nose. “Oh, darling, she was no replacement for you. Just a mere… placeholder, until you could return. And I think now is that time.”
She shuddered and pulled her arm away from him. She refused to let him intimidate her by crowding into her space. “What’s really going on here, Erik? I don’t believe for a minute that you were hoping that I wasn’t really retiring. There has to be something else.”
His smile wavered. Just barely, and he recovered quickly. Yep, there was more to his request. He may walk in here like he did, but the bluster was typically just a cover. This time was no different. “Well, uh, the box just isn’t what it was when you headlined the show. Our benefactors, they are questioning whether Brittany is the right lead. And I agree. The best dancer to lead our company is you, Isabella. Come back and return to your place by my side, and we’ll take New York by storm.”
Her response stuck in her throat, her mouth dry. After the initial shock of her injury and the doctor’s prognosis that her career was over, she’d resolved herself to the fact that she would never dance again. At least not on stage. But the one thing she couldn’t deny was that Erik knew dancers. He wouldn’t lie about something that important, would he?
“I have a boyfriend.” She wasn’t sure where that came from, but deep down, she suspected that Erik wasn’t really here about her dancing.
His eyes widened for just a split second. “I know that we are over, darling. That was my own fault and I’ll regret it for the rest of my life.”
Izzy did an internal fist pump. As much as she detested Erik, she couldn’t help but take pleasure that he’d deserted Brittany, too.
They deserved each other for what they’d done to her. His confession should have been vindication, but she
felt nothing but disgust. Seeing Erik now just confirmed that while she may not have closure on her career, she had no regrets about the end of her relationship with Erik. He did nothing for her. No butterflies in her belly. Nothing. Certainly not the intense desire that coursed through her at the mere thought of Tanner’s smile, or his touch, or the way she could barely catch her breath whenever she was near him. “What are you saying, Erik? You want me to come back and dance… and that’s all?”
“Of course.” He stalked around the room, like he was pondering his words. “We need you, darling. The company needs you. And while I still love you, I know that I’ve lost my chance. But I hope that my stupidity hasn’t ruined everything for the company. Please, darling, tell me that you’ll consider it?”
“Erik, I… I don’t know. I made peace with what happened. I’m happy here with my studio and with Tanner. Why would I want to go back to New York?”
“Because you have unfinished business. You’ll never be satisfied until you know that you made it and you left on your own terms.”
She turned her back on Erik so he couldn’t see what she couldn’t admit to herself. That he was right. She loved her studio and her students, but in the back of her mind, the way her career ended had niggled at her. She’d been at the top of her game when she’d fallen. She’d had more to accomplish and knew she had it in her to make it big. That future had been taken from her, and she’d never had the chance to prove it.
But Erik was giving her that chance. A chance until this very moment she didn’t think she’d ever have or even want.
“I know you better than you know yourself, darling. You’re thinking about it. Good. That’s all I wanted. I’ll be waiting in New York when you’re ready.”
She heard Erik’s shoes squeak on her studio floor and then the brushing of his steps on the carpet in the lobby. He may have gone, but his suggestion would linger for a lot longer. As much as she didn’t want to consider anything to do with Erik, she couldn’t deny how the prospect of a grand return had her considering things she thought she’d left behind.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Raised voices had carried through the building as Tanner stepped into the lobby of Izzy’s studio. Ever since they’d declared their love for each other, their relationship had taken on a new intensity. The prospect of not seeing her today had his car steering its way here on its own. He’d come by the studio, excited by the prospect of spending the afternoon with Izzy.
The tone of the man’s voice speaking with Izzy immediately turned Tanner’s stomach. At least as much as Tanner could hear standing outside the open door. He started to interrupt but then thought better of disturbing their conversation. He could tell that Izzy wasn’t afraid of the man. If anything, she was strong and defiant. He lingered close by in case she needed him, but she’d kept her cool and put the stranger in his place.
Then the conversation quieted. Tanner strained to hear the man invite Izzy back to New York. It was her asshole ex-boyfriend. Tanner would have burst into the room, but Izzy’s response floored him. She was actually considering it. She didn’t say the words, but she didn’t have to. Why wouldn’t she consider returning to New York—the man was offering her an opportunity of a lifetime? Something she’d assumed she’d never have again.
Footsteps clicked across the floor. Tanner ducked into the other studio as the man pranced through the lobby and out the door. He didn’t budge for a long time after that, rocked by what he’d heard.
What in the hell should he do now? He couldn’t discuss this with her. He didn’t want to react emotionally and say the wrong thing and drive her away. But did he want her to stay if her heart wasn’t in it?
He needed to think. And he couldn’t let on to Izzy that he’d overheard the offer until he knew what to say to her. He crept out of the studio and toward the front door.
“Is anyone there?” Izzy’s voice rang out from the back studio.
Tanner couldn’t see her. Not right now. He snuck out of the front door, easing it closed, and rushed away from the dance studio before Izzy found him.
A few minutes later, he parked around the corner from Jason’s House. He didn’t remember the drive, his mind racing with everything he’d overheard. A pain shot through his chest, and a dull ache built in his gut. He couldn’t do this. He thought he’d protected himself—protected Hayley—from getting hurt. He thought he’d found the one person who wouldn’t leave. He’d let Izzy into his and Hayley’s lives—and their hearts. What was going to happen now?
“Boss, you okay?” Monica threw him a puzzled look when she found him standing in the middle of the social room.
He shook his head. He had a job to do that required his full focus. “Yeah, I’m fine. Sorry, I’m just distracted.”
“I have a message from Detective Balkin. He asked that you call him back.”
Contact from the lead investigator on the case could only mean one thing—they had a clue.
He rushed toward his office. Maybe good news from the detective would salvage some part of this day. But a few minutes later, he slammed down the handset in frustration after reaching the detective’s voicemail.
Tanner propped his feet on the desk and tilted his head back. What was he going to say to Izzy when she told him about this opportunity? Would she tell him? Of course she would—she wouldn’t leave town without talking to him. What about Hayley? His little girl loved Izzy like a mother. And his daughter was going to be faced with heartbreak again when another woman in her life left her.
He slammed his hand down on the desk. “Dammit!”
“What’s wrong with you?” Monica asked from the doorway.
“Nothing. It’s just… nothing.”
“It doesn’t sound like nothing.”
“Well, it is.”
Monica’s eyes widened and she inched back at his growling response. He couldn’t blame her surprise. He rarely if ever raised his voice or lost his temper. The kids at the center had enough anger in their lives without him adding to it. He was their calm in the eye of the storm—their voice of reason. He couldn’t afford to lose his cool.
“I’m sorry, Monica. I just have a lot on my mind.”
“Did you reach the Detective?”
“I didn’t.” He let her believe that was the reason for his frustration. He wasn’t ready to discuss the Izzy situation with her or anyone else.
“Is something else wrong?”.
“Listen. Stephanie is coming in to help.” Stephanie was a counselor they worked with from time to time when the cases warranted it. “Do you think you’d be okay if I scooted out? I’m sure the two of you can handle the kids today.” Besides, he’d be worthless with his mind filled with his fears about to become reality.
“Absolutely.” Based on the expression on Monica’s face, she didn’t believe he was all right for one minute.
He used to live for his work, putting in long hours at the center and more at night after Hayley went to bed. Since meeting Izzy, the hours had changed, but his dedication to the kids hadn’t. This was the first time since he could remember that he’d rather be anywhere but the center…or with Izzy... But he couldn’t risk taking his frustration out on the kids.
He grabbed his keys off the desk and shoved them in his pocket. He contemplated the pile of papers on his desk but left them where they were sitting. He wouldn’t be able to focus on work tonight. He couldn’t think of anything but what he’d overheard at the studio and what it meant for his family. “Thanks. I’ll check in later.”
He rushed by Monica and out the door before the kids arrived and corralled him into an activity that he had no interest or enthusiasm for. Just another thing for him to feel bad about. He didn’t want to abandon the kids, but he’d be no good to them today.
The house was quiet when he walked in. That’s right, Hayley was still in school. He was rarely home this time of day. And it was Thursday. Hayley had a dance class with Izzy after school. That was just as well—give Hayley one mo
re good memory with Izzy before she left them for the bright lights and fame in New York. Thankfully Mary was taking Hayley so he wouldn’t risk running into Izzy in his current state.
He plopped onto the chair in the living room. How long would it take Izzy to contact him? She was in class now, but she wouldn’t be in a couple hours. Would she call then?
His question was answered not long after he tucked Hayley into bed. She’d come home chattering about the new steps she’d learned in class, giving no indication that anything had been unusual with Izzy. All through dinner, Hayley had rambled on about an upcoming birthday party and a project at school, and neither she nor Mary had noticed that he wasn’t actually responding.
He had just turned off her light and stepped out of her room when his phone buzzed in his pocket. He didn’t even have to slip it out to know the message would be from Izzy.
He sank into the couch and stared at the short question she’d sent him. “You there?”
He sighed. There was just no avoiding the inevitable. “Yes.”
“There’s something I needed to talk to you about.”
There it was. What he’d been dreading all day. At least she hadn’t put off talking to him. “OK.”
“Can I come over?”
He glanced down the hall. Hayley and Mary were both in their rooms. He didn’t want them to overhear this conversation.
“How about I come there?”
“I’ll see you soon.”
That was the most sedate exchange they had since they’d met. Did she suspect he knew something or was she herself unsure of what to do?
After he scribbled a note for Mary in case she woke, he grabbed his keys and dashed out the door before he lost his nerve. A few minutes later, he pulled up in front of Izzy’s cottage. She was standing on the stoop, a serious expression on her face.
She glanced down at her feet as he approached. “Hi.”
He leaned in and pressed a kiss to her cheek. More didn’t feel appropriate considering the topic of conversation. Worse, she didn’t know that he had overheard her with her ex-boyfriend. How in the hell was Tanner going to act surprised when he’d been able to think of nothing else since the minute he walked out of the studio?
Chasing Dreams_A Small Town Single Dad Romance Page 21
