“I figured if you were going to start dancing again, you were going to need them.”
She pulled the shoes out and I took the box from her so she could examine them.
“It’s been so long since I’ve held or even worn a pair of dance shoes.”
“You said it was hard for you to dance without them. I didn’t want you to miss out.”
“Thank you!”
“I’m glad you like them.”
“Are you kidding? I LOVE them!”
I looked at my watch. “We have ten minutes to get to part two of your surprise, so we better leave now.”
I put the box in the passenger side of the car, grabbed the sweater from the seat, and locked the doors.
“Part two?” she asked, confused.
“Yep. Oh, and Careless said to give this to you.” I handed her the sweater. “She said it would go with whatever you were wearing.”
“What does it look like?”
I laughed. “It’s just a short black sweater,” I said as I helped her put it on. “It’s got these strings.” I held them in my hands and pulled on them, pulling her to me. “Careless said to wrap them around you and tie it in the front.” I followed her instructions.
“It smells like rain,” Araya said and shivered against the cool night.
“Yeah. Looks like rain clouds moving in. There, perfect.”
“Thank you.”
I brushed my lips across hers and she sighed. “You’re welcome. Let’s go.”
It didn’t quite take us ten minutes to get to the small building two blocks down. It was one of the older office buildings in the city, with bars on the windows and all its original moldings.
The tile floor in the entryway was a black-and-white checker and matched the inside of the building too. We pushed our way up through the double glass doors.
“We have to climb some steps. You up to it?”
“I’ll be fine.”
She smiled and I grabbed her hand as we made our way up the staircase to the second floor. The wood was old and dark, creaking under our weight. I took out the key, unlocked the double doors, and pushed them open. I led her in first.
“Are we here?”
“Yep.” I flipped on the light.
She stopped just inside and breathed in deeply.
“I know that smell.” She knelt down and touched the smooth wood floors with her fingers. “It’s a cleaner used in dance studios to protect the floor.” She smelled her fingers. “My mom used it too.”
“I rented it for the night.” I talked fast before she could freak out. “The floors are brand new wood. There are banisters along two of the walls, both brand new. This wall over here”—I turned her in the direction—“has one big mirror from floor to ceiling.”
It was still early out and the evening sun was casting shadows along the recently polished floor.
“Over here in the corner, there’s a piano.”
She was just standing there clutching her shoes to her chest and staring in the direction of my voice.
Walking up to her, I cupped her face. “Are you upset? I thought you’d be happy. I wanted to make you happy, not angry.”
“I’m not angry. It’s just that I haven’t been a studio in such a long time. I forgot how much I loved the smell of the wood.”
“You said before that your mom owned a dance studio. What happened to it?”
“After the accident, Nina took care of all my mom’s arrangements. She said she needed to sell the studio to pay for what the insurance didn’t. I didn’t want her to sell it. It was where I grew up. We practically lived there at times. It was the only thing my mom owned free and clear, and when life got hard, it was our home. But what could I do? I was only fifteen at the time.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m not sorry that you brought me here. Thank you.”
“I thought maybe I could play and you could dance?”
“Ryland, I don’t think—”
I pulled her to me and my lips stopped her from telling me she couldn’t. When I pulled away, she swayed against me.
“Yes, you can, hummingbird.”
I jogged backward toward the piano in the corner. She looked in my direction over her shoulder and giving in, she sat on the floor to put on her shoes.
When she was done lacing the ribbon up her bare legs, she stood slowly and started to bend the shoes forward and backward before trying to balance on her toes.
“How do they fit?”
“Perfectly,” she said, still trying to balance.
“Do you want something slow or fast?” I asked, getting comfortable on the bench.
“Let’s start out slow.”
“Hummingbird?”
“Yeah?”
“You look damn sexy in those shoes.”
I hit the first note before she could say anything. Just as she requested, I started out slow and there was no rhyme or reason for the melody. I let her inspire me and I made it up as I watched her dance.
She started out slow, unsure of her movements as she tried to perform different moves. She lost her balance over and over as she tried to keep herself from falling completely over. I could see the frustration setting in, making it harder for her to dance.
She ran her fingers through her hair and sighed as she just stood there rocking her feet outward. I let the music fade away and I straddled the bench, watching her.
“I can’t do it,” she said angrily, staring down at her feet. “I’m not ready.”
“You’re overthinking it. Did you have to think about dancing before?”
“No, but I wasn’t blind before.”
“I saw your last dance, Araya. You could have done it with your eyes closed.”
Her head snapped up. “What?”
“I looked you up,” I confessed. “I know about your scholarship to Julliard. I’ve seen you dance and I know you can do this.”
“Stop telling me what I can and can’t do! I know myself better than you think you do.”
“If you’re telling me that you honestly cannot do this, that you’re not sabotaging yourself by using the blind card, I’ll stop. We’ll stop right now and I won’t bring it up again.”
I shut the cover to the keys and it closed with a snap. I moved to get up.
“Stop,” she said, holding her hand out to me. “Start again.” I smiled. “Don’t smile,” she scolded, but that only made me smile bigger.
Lifting the cover, I pressed down on the keys and the soft sound carried throughout the room, swirling around Araya’s spinning body. I watched her as she took the simple dance moves and transformed them into something spectacular.
She kept it modest, not straying far from her comfort zone and for now that was good enough for me. She was dancing and I could tell she was having the time of her life.
I slowed the song, letting her know it was coming to an end before I played the last chord. Getting up, I walked over to her, clapping.
Araya stood there with her back arched and her hands connecting over her chest, and her hair was a waterfall of flames down her back. She was breathing hard and her body was bathed in a fine sheen of sweat.
She straightened and I lifted her against my body, wrapping her in my arms. She hugged me tightly, bending over to kiss me, and her hair fell around us.
“How did it feel?”
“Amazing!” she screamed and I laughed. “Thank you so much,” she said, kissing me all over my face. “For the amazing sandwich, for the shoes, for the amazing night, and for believing in me. Most of all for believing in me, Ryland.”
“You did this because you believed in yourself, but I’m happy I could help.”
She wanted to go through the routine one more time before we left. She probably would have gone again, but I reminded her that it would be getting dark out and I wanted to take her home before it got too late.
“Actually, Carl said he would pick me up at the park.”
“I can take you,” I in
sisted, holding the door open for her as we walked out of the building.
“It’s fine, really.”
“Are you embarrassed by me?” I was only half teasing her.
“Ha-ha! It’s just I already asked him so he’ll be expecting me.”
“What time is he picking you up?”
“Uh, seven.”
“We have some time. Let’s sit in my car and then I can take you back, okay?”
I was hoping if I said it fast enough she wouldn’t have time to focus on what I said. I opened the back door and she looked over at the car like it was trap.
“I promise we’ll just sit for a few minutes and you can keep the door open.”
She took a deep breath. “I know what you’re up to.”
“No good. Always no good, I promise.”
“Cute. Wait, why do you have the back door open?” she said suspiciously.
“We’re going to try an experiment.”
I helped her in before she could protest and walked around to my side of the car.
“What kind of experiment?”
I moved as close as I could toward her, pulling her by the waist the rest of the way. I slid her legs up and over mine so they hung off the side and our hips met.
I lifted her face so I could look at her and pushed back her hair.
“I know why you can’t be in cars. I can’t say I know how you’re feeling, but I understand. I figured maybe if we could create new, more pleasurable memories, we could take away your fear. And if not, then we’ll just have broken the record for the most steamy make-out session in car history.” I brushed my lips across hers. “I’m more than willing to see this through no matter how long it takes.”
I bit her bottom lip gently and she gasped before wilting into my touch. I pulled on her lip, sucking on it softly, and her fingers grabbed at my shirt. I ran the tip of my tongue across the seam of her lips and they opened willingly.
I ran my hands up and down her thigh, down and around her calf, and then back up. Each time my hand moved farther up her thigh, and I fought with myself to slow down and take my time enjoying her sweet noises and soft touches.
She was just as restless as I was and she shifted, trying to get closer. I wanted nothing more than to appease her. Grabbing her by her hips, I lifted her until she straddled my lap.
Her hair fell around us and I pushed it against the side of her face, holding her cheeks in my hands. I ran my thumbs under her jaw and my lips swept down her chin as I nipped at her neck. Her head fell back, giving me all the room I needed.
I traced her collarbone and down the hollow of her throat with my tongue. Her fingers tangled in my hair and tightened around the strands. The interior of the car filled with the heavy sound of our breath.
I moved my hands up her ribs and my thumbs pressed against the sides of her breasts. She arched into me and that was all the encouragement I needed before my hands covered them.
Her head fell forward and she moaned into my mouth, pushing herself harder in my hands. I leaned over and gently bit her nipple through her dress, and she sucked in a sharp breath. Her hips were moving against me and I knew she could feel how hard I was and how much I wanted her.
When I realized how much I wanted her, it sent off an alarm inside my head, and I dropped my hands away and leaned my head into the seat. I dug my fingers into my eyes and listened to her raspy breathing.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for it to get that far, but I have a hard time telling myself no when it comes to you.”
“You don’t have to stop, Ryland,” she said softly.
“Yes, I do because your first time isn’t going to be like this… in the backseat of my car.”
I wasn’t expecting her to correct me when I mentioned her first time. She moved to climb in the seat next to me and I helped her fix her dress.
“I have to get back to the park before Carl gets there.”
“Okay, let’s go.”
We held hands and made small talk about the date and her dancing as we made our way back to the park.
There were a few stragglers left in the park as we stopped in front of her tree. I looked up into the sky, at the setting sun.
“It’s almost dark,” I told her as she leaned against the tree.
“He’ll be here soon. You don’t have to wait around.”
I frowned, looking over at her. “There’s that feeling that you’re trying to get rid of me again.”
I rested my arm above her head and leaned into her. She automatically molded against me.
“I just don’t want him to cause a scene.”
“You’re sure that’s all?” I tucked her hair behind her ear.
“I promise.”
I didn’t like leaving her here all alone, but I didn’t want to make her uncomfortable. My phone went off then and I pulled it from my pocket to look at it.
“Sebastian?” she asked.
“Yeah, he needs me to pick him up.” I sighed and put the phone back in my pocket. “I don’t know how I became his personal driver.”
She reached up and kissed my cheek. “You’re a good brother.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Monday.” She sounded as upset as I felt.
“Monday, then,” I whispered, kissing her softly.
Araya
Twenty-Four
I woke with a start. I didn’t remember falling asleep, and wondered how much time had gone by since Ryland dropped me off.
I placed my hands on the ground and my fingers shifted in the dirt as I sat up straighter against my tree. Looking around, I couldn’t locate any shadows of people to indicate there was anyone around. It was total darkness.
“Hello?” I said softly and waited. “Is there anyone here?” My eyes darted back and forth, and I chewed on my lip.
The park was quiet, no sound except for the wind as it danced through the leaves of the trees. I shivered as I realized it was colder now, and the faint scent of rain misted the air. I knew it was dark in the world around me, and even though no one was here, that comforted me.
Carl was later than usual, and part of me worried that he forgot he was supposed to pick me up after work. Spending the night alone in the park wasn’t ideal, and I prayed he didn’t forget.
Leaning my head back, I thought about my afternoon with Ryland, and despite the cool temperature, my skin burned with a flush of warmth. I could still feel the whispered caress of his lips across my skin. I touched my lips and they tingled. They still felt swollen from Ryland’s kisses and I licked them lightly.
The taste of him lingered on my tongue and I never wanted it to fade. It was sweet and addicting. I craved his lips on me again, to feel his warm breath against my face, my neck. My fingers trailed down my neck, over the spots his mouth had been earlier. My skin prickled over the memories of the steamy afternoon and I welcomed the cool breeze.
The burst of sudden laughter made me jump and something about the sound made a chill of fear splinter down my spine. I froze, listening to the loud shouts and slurred conversation, and it didn’t take long for me to recognize it for what it was. The unpleasant laughter echoed again, louder and from directly behind me. I tried to shrink into the tree, hoping the trunk would somehow make me invisible to whoever was getting closer.
Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, and I knew the second they saw me.
“Well, well, well, what do we have here?”
The question was a garbled mess as it spilled from drunken lips.
I could hear the sound of liquid as it splashed against glass and knew they were taking a drink of whatever liquor they had on them.
“Aren’t you a pretty little thing?”
His words made my stomach twist and their obnoxious laughter filled me with dread.
I kept my head down, hoping to avoid eye contact with either of them. The last thing I wanted them to figure out was that I couldn’t see them. Maybe if I didn’t give them any kind of reaction, they would get bor
ed and move on. But when I heard their clumsy footsteps moving closer, I knew that wasn’t going to happen.
“Aw, don’t be shy now, baby,” the guy to my right whined, attempting to sound flirtatious. I knew he was right next to me.
“Yeah, we won’t bite… hard.” The one on the left piped in next, and they both laughed as if they were incredibly clever.
“Unless that’s your thing, baby. What do you think Matty? You think that’s her thing?”
He knelt down beside me and I tried not to cower away from him.
“You know what they say about the sweet and quiet ones, Tim.”
“They suck good cock?”
I choked on my next breath, finally giving them what they wanted.
A reaction.
The laughter that followed was pure malice and ice-cold pricks of fear covered every inch of my skin. I wanted to get up and run, but I knew I couldn’t. Running blindly would get me in more trouble than I could handle. It made me angry.
I was angry with myself for not being able to do anything to defend myself. I was angry with Carl, and I hated him for leaving me here so late while he was off getting plastered somewhere. And for the second time in the last few days, I was angry that I was blind.
“She looks like she would be good at more than just sucking my cock.
They laughed again and my skin crawled.
The one to my right brushed cold fingers up my arm and I couldn’t control flinching away from his touch.
“Tsk, tsk,” he said, clicking his tongue against his teeth. “Don’t be like that, baby. Playing hard to get is only cute for a little while before it gets old, and right now it’s getting old… fast. Let me see that pretty face of yours.”
I refused to look up at them, and I was glad I’d put on my sunglasses after Ryland left. Clammy fingers gripped my chin roughly, and he pulled my face toward his. The strong stench of his breath fanned my face, and I tried to pull back, but he gripped harder, jerking me forward. I cried out when his fingers dug into my jaw. He pulled the glasses from my face, and instinctively I squeezed my eyes shut.
“Now I can see that pretty little face of yours.”
The sound of plastic snapping filled the quick silence between their laughter and the crack of thunder rumbling off in the distance.
The Edge Of Darkness Page 18
