The Blythe College Complete Series Box Set

by Rochelle Paige

  Now for the moment of truth—dance class with Aubrey.

  I got to the studio before everyone else. I liked to have plenty of time to stretch before class began. Aubrey usually ran in at the last second, but today she showed up about five minutes after me, dropped her stuff on the floor in the corner, and sat down next to me.

  “So have you heard the news yet?” she asked.

  “News? What news?” I asked, confused as to what big thing I could have missed that would have stopped her from asking me about Jackson right away.

  “Yeah. I heard some girl finally convinced my brother that dating was a good idea,” she teased.

  “About that… Are you mad at me?”

  “Not mad, just concerned. I don’t want to lose you as a friend, and if things go wrong between the two of you, it will be very awkward. But I tried to warn him off you and he wouldn’t listen,” she said.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “So I’m going to guess that if I do the same with you that you won’t listen either?” she asked.

  “I might,” I answered. “If you’re really against the idea of me dating your brother, I don’t have to go out with him again.”

  “But you want to?”

  “Yeah, I think I do,” I admitted.

  “Then go for it. Who am I to deny you two crazy kids a chance at happiness? Besides, it will be interesting to see everyone’s reactions when they realize that he’s found a girl who’s worth the effort of dating. I’ll take my entertainment where I can now that I’ve taken myself out of the dating scene for a while. It’s kinda funny that my brother decided to date shortly after I chose to take a break from it all.”

  “Yeah, I’m sure that will be loads of fun for you. Not so much for me though.”

  “What do you mean?” she asked.

  “We bumped into Sasha last night at the end of our date. It was not a pleasant experience,” I said before explaining what had happened the night before.

  “God, she’s such a bitch. After what she did to Lex, I wanted to beat the crap out of her. But no, everyone told me to let it drop. Not this time. If she pulls anything else, you need to let me know.”

  “I don’t know. I think you might have to get through Char to be able to do anything to Sasha. She was so pissed last night and she already hated her.”

  “Good! Sounds like I need to hang out with your roomie more often. She’s my kind of girl.”

  “You two really would hit it off. You should stop by the bar on Thursday night while we’re both on to hang out. It’s a slower night, but we’ll make sure you’re well taken care of,” I offered.

  “I think I’ll do that. It sounds like fun,” she said as the other students started to pile into the class since it was going to start soon.

  I moved to the front of the room, getting ready to help lead everyone in warm-ups since I was a TA for the class. It didn’t take a whole lot of effort, but it paid for my books. Plus, the teacher loved me, which was a huge bonus whenever dance companies were on campus because she always made sure I had the chance to network.

  I led the class through all the warm-ups before she arrived and then joined them as we moved through her choreography for the day. Jazz was one of my weakest forms of dance, so this class was really helping to beef up my skills in that area. I wanted to be as well-rounded as I could so that I would have more opportunities come graduation time.

  By the time class was over, I was drenched in sweat and panting. She’d really worked us hard today. I gulped down my water and tried to catch my breath. Aubrey waved when she walked out of class and made a phone sign by her ear as she mouthed, “Talk to you later.”

  I toweled off and leaned over to stretch again, needing to stay warmed up so that I could run through my routine a few dozen times as long as the studio was open. I needed as much practice time as I could get, and the room was usually open after our class. I hooked my phone into the sound system and set my music to play on a loop. The music was hauntingly sad and made me think of my parents. It was a lyrical piece that called for a lot of emotion, and my coach thoroughly approved of the feelings this one pulled out of me. I hoped it was worth it because I always felt completely drained after practicing it and it brought back the pain of missing my parents. But it seemed fitting that the piece I would dance that might decide my fate as a dancer would make me feel as though they were with me.

  I needed to remember that I dance because I’m a dancer. This showcase might mean that I never dance professionally or that I’d be offered a job where I get to dance every day. But I couldn’t lose sight that it was also another chance to dance. That was what each opportunity was. I couldn’t think about what was happening next. It didn’t matter what the dance was for. It didn’t matter how much I doubted myself either.

  When I first started to dance, I hadn’t known that my Achilles tendons were tight or my legs weren’t long enough. After a while, I’d been told that so many things were wrong with me that all I saw were all the imperfections. This was the perfect piece for me to go back to the beginning and remember what had made me dance in the first place. So I squared my shoulders, waited for the music to start again, and then I lost myself in the dance.

  About thirty minutes had passed and I was halfway into another run through when I felt someone’s presence and turned to find Jackson staring at me. He was seated on the floor just inside the door, dressed in workout shorts and a t-shirt. A huge grin was spread across his face, but his eyes were burning with desire.

  “Jackson,” I gasped.

  “Those are some impressive dancing skills you have there,” he complimented me.

  “I certainly hope so. I’ve been dancing since I was four years old.”

  “When Aubrey mentioned that you had a dance class together, I pictured you doing the type of stuff I’ve seen her do before,” he admitted. “But what you just did blows me away.”

  “Your sister is a good dancer,” I argued.

  “She’s not a bad dancer, but I can’t picture her doing anything like that.” He got to his feet and walked towards me.

  “She just hasn’t spent as much time working on it as I have. That’s all.”

  “No, after watching you, I’d say that you have a natural talent,” he disagreed. “You looked like you were born to dance.”

  “Maybe I was,” I admitted, thinking of my mom. “My mom used to dance. In fact, she might have danced right in this very spot many years ago.”

  “Really? I didn’t know you were a legacy too.”

  “Yeah, both my parents went here. My dad got accepted and my mom followed him since they were high school sweethearts,” I explained.

  “Mine both attended Blythe also, but they met while they were students here. What year were your parents? Maybe they know each other.”

  “Class of 1991,” I whispered, not used to talking very much about them and hoping that it wasn’t the same time that Jackson’s parents had attended. That there was no way they could possibly have met while they had been in school. My hopes were dashed at Jackson’s next words.

  “That was only a couple years behind my parents. We’ll have to get them all together when yours come into town next.”

  I shook my head in response. “That won’t be possible.”

  “I know we’ve only just started dating, and I’m not trying to rush the whole meeting-the-parents thing. I just thought it might be nice for them to meet up if they knew each other before,” he explained.

  I hated when the inevitable questions about my parents came up in conversation with someone who didn’t already know what happened. I took a deep breath to calm the nerves before explaining. “No, it’s not that. I’d love for you to have the chance to meet my parents. But that will never happen because they passed away six years ago in a car accident.”

  Jackson pulled me into a hug. “I’m so sorry, Kaylie. I had no idea,” he whispered into my hair.

  “It’s okay. There was no way you could know, and I’d ha
ve had to tell you sooner or later if we’re going to date anyway. We just got the awkward conversation out of the way. That’s all,” I reassured him.

  “No, listen to me, Kaylie. I want to get to know you, and this is a big deal. Losing your parents as a teenager… Fuck I can’t even imagine losing mine now let alone when I was still in high school. What happened?”

  “They were having a date night while I was at a friend’s house for a sleepover. They’d gone to dinner and were on their way to the ballet. My mom loved everything about dance. She didn’t pursue a career in dance because she had me right after college, but she found ways to keep dance in her life. It was something she shared with me, too,” I recalled.

  “I’m sure she was thrilled that you loved to dance.”

  “She really was. Some of the best times we had together are connected to dancing. Even just funny little moments when we’d all dance around the house together,” I explained. But this time, my dad had surprised her with tickets to the ballet, and she was so happy. There was no reason for the present. It was just because he loved her.”

  “It sounds like he had lots of reasons to love her.”

  “They both did. Even after all those years together, they were still very much in love with each other. I think that’s part of what made it so hard on me,” I admitted. “Before a truck barreled into them because the driver was in a rush to hit a deadline and didn’t follow the rules about how many hours he was supposed to be on the road, I had a fairytale life with a beautiful home, two parents who loved me, lots of friends, and an amazing dance team.”

  “And after?” he asked.

  “It was all gone. My parents were replaced by my aunt, who still held a major grudge against my dad for what she thought was ruining my mom’s life. She moved me to her apartment halfway across the country where I didn’t know anybody, and she limited how much I was allowed to use my cell phone and Facebook to connect with friends back home. But dance,” I sighed. “She let me keep dancing because she hoped I’d go to Julliard and fulfill what she thought was my mom’s destiny.”

  “But you ended up here instead?”

  “Yeah, and boy did that piss her off. I decided it was more important to me that I was able to be somewhere they had gone before me than to go where she wanted me to be. I don’t know if my decision was more about my parents or making her angry, but I don’t regret it for a minute,” I said as I squeezed him tight before stepping away.

  “I’m glad you don’t regret your decision even if your aunt was against it. Sometimes you just have to not take no for an answer and take what’s coming to you. Never give in. Never give up. Stand up and take it. Sounds like that’s what you did.”

  I was impressed with the way Jackson had put it. I hadn’t really thought about it that way before, but he was right. “You know what? I guess it was.”

  “I can’t take credit for that one. My dad says it all the time,” he admitted sheepishly.

  I couldn’t help the laugh that escaped because he looked like a little boy right then. I liked this side of Jackson. He was more sensitive than I’d expected, more open. After going to the same college for almost four years with him and hearing about his exploits all the time, I’d never expected to like him this much. And I certainly hadn’t planned to discuss my parents with him and end up laughing after. It was a topic I avoided at all costs whenever possible, but it hurt a little bit less to talk to him about them. I really liked that he got my decision to come to Blythe College, too.

  “Are you all done, or do you need to stay longer?” he asked.

  “I’m getting ready for our senior showcase, but I could probably be talked into being done for the day if I got the right offer,” I teased. “I’m feeling pretty good about where my piece is at.”

  “I’m no dance expert, but you definitely impressed me. You tell me what I can offer that will convince you to spend some more time with me and you’ve got it,” he said as he pulled me back towards him and nuzzled my neck. “I’m pretty sure if you leave it up to me I’m going to end up sexually frustrated again, but I’m free now too.”

  I enjoyed the shiver he sent up my spine. It seemed like his littlest touch did that to me every time. “Hey, that reminds me. How did you find me here? Should I be worried that you’re turning into some kind of stalker?”

  He chuckled at my teasing question. “I wasn’t looking for you. I just got lucky and glanced inside when I was walking past on my way out.”

  “Ah, but what were you doing here in the first place? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in this building before, and I spend a lot of time here.”

  “Does that mean you would have noticed me?” he asked before spinning me around.

  “You’re kind of hard to miss, Jackson. I think all the girls notice you wherever you go, but that doesn’t mean you get to avoid my question. Now I’m really curious why you were here.”

  “I was teaching a self-defense class,” he said.

  Now that wasn’t the answer I had been expecting to hear. “You were? I had no idea you did stuff like that.”

  “It’s the first one I’ve done here. My sensei asked if I’d do a couple classes on campus when the school reached out to him over Christmas break.”

  “Your sensei?”

  “You know how you said you’ve been dancing since you were four? Well, I’ve done karate for about that long,” he explained. “But my parents didn’t get me into it because they loved it or anything like your mom with dance. I was a bit of a handful as a kid, really full of energy. My pediatrician suggested martial arts as a way to give me an outlet for some of that extra energy. It worked, too. Karate helped build my self-esteem and taught me how to control my impulses. It’s not all about the fighting. Just the opposite if you learn at the right place,” Jackson explained earnestly. “I know people have a lot of ideas about guys who do martial arts, but I was lucky my parents ignored that crap and still took me there when I was little.”

  “Hey, slow down there, bucko,” I said, putting my hand over his mouth. “If you love it, then you don’t have to explain anything to me. I don’t have anything against guys who do martial arts. No preconceived notions here.”

  He opened his mouth, and I figured it was to talk, but instead he licked my palm. “Mmmmmm,” he murmured.

  “Ewwww, Jackson!” I shrieked. “I’m all sweaty and gross!” I batted him away.

  “There’s nothing gross about you, Kaylie. I almost wish there was because you’re pretty damn irresistible so far.”

  “Don’t put me up on a pedestal,” I warned him. “There are lots of things you’ll probably learn to hate about me.”

  “Oh yeah?” he asked skeptically. “Name one thing, right here and right now, that you think I wouldn’t like about you.”

  I wiggled one of my dance-shoe-clad feet at him. “That’s easy. My feet. I absolutely hate ‘em. You can’t dance for as long as I have without doing some serious damage to your feet. That’s why you’ll never see me wearing flip-flops or running around barefoot.”

  “How bad could they be, really?” he asked as he glanced down at them.

  “Horrendous. You’ll just have to trust me on this one.”

  “Oh, I’m pretty sure I can do better than that. One day soon, I will get to take an up-close-and-personal look at them. I bet I can even make you like it,” he challenged.

  “Nope. No way, no how. Not gonna happen,” I said, shaking my head vigorously. “These feet are off-limits. But the rest of me might be open to negotiation some day. And if you keep it up with all the cute guy stuff, that day might come sooner than you think.”

  “Cute guy?” he questioned, acting all offended before he picked me up and tossed me over his shoulder. “That’s it. You’ve questioned my manliness. Now I need to show you just how macho I can be.”

  He carried me across the room and bent down so that I could grab my bag off the floor. “Wait,” I said as I gasped for air since I was laughing so hard. “I need
my phone, too. It’s over there by the sound system.”

  He stomped over, staggering slightly as he pretended that I was too heavy a burden, and he swiveled around so I could grab my phone. Then he smacked me lightly on the ass after I had it.

  “Now that’s enough out of you,” he said, rubbing the place he’d just smacked. “You’re all mine for the next hour or so.”

  As we headed out the door, I couldn’t help but be amazed at the fact that I was letting Jackson carry me away, literally, after only really knowing him for a few days. I wasn’t sure what to think about it, but I was having fun so I was just going to go with it for now. Char was right. I needed to live a little. And I certainly felt alive around Jackson. It was worth exploring, even if it meant that I’d get hurt in the end.

  Chapter 10

  Jackson

  I surprised myself when I picked up Kaylie and carted her off with me. But damn it felt good to hang out with her. I had to do some quick thinking since I hadn’t had a plan in mind. I hadn’t been expecting to see her today, but something had pulled me towards that dance studio, and when I saw her moving across the floor, I’d been stunned. I’d thought she had been hot on our date, but seeing her dressed up like that had done nothing to prepare me for the sight of her with a leotard hugging her body and sweat dripping down it. And the way she moved—It sounded cheesy, but she was flat-out beautiful. It was like she’d been flying across the room.

  I must have been a goddamn pervert, too. Because I couldn’t stop myself from thinking about how flexible she must be. And thinking about her flexibility led to me thinking about spreading her legs as far as they would go so I could bury myself deep inside her body. I swear to God, I’d been walking around with a perpetual hard-on since I’d met her. And the way she’d wiggled when I smacked her ass—fuck!

  I had to think quickly or else I was going to go back on my word and find someplace private for us. This waiting thing was a hell of a lot harder than I’d thought it would be. But the more I learned about Kaylie, the more I thought it would be worth it in the end.