I pull my BMW into the circular drive and park near the front entrance before cutting the engine, grabbing my duffle bag from the front seat and exiting the vehicle. It takes only a moment before I'm up the stairs two and punching in the code on the keypad. Once unlocked, I push open the front door and step inside the two-story foyer. As soon as I do, the scent of beef stroganoff hits me full force. I inhale a big breath, doubly glad I decided to get the hell out of Dodge.Even if it's only for the night.Jenna pads through the hallway from the kitchen with a dish towel in her hands. Surprise lights up her eyes when she catches sight of me. "I thought I heard the front door." She closes the distance between us before rising up on her tiptoes and pressing a kiss against my cheek. I lean down, wanting to make it easier for her. Jenna tops out at five foot. Sometimes I like to tease her by asking what the weather is like down there. "Why didn't you tell me that you were coming
Monsieur Dupre claps his hands together and we all pause. "We will do it again until it is perfection!"For just a moment, my shoulders sag before I lift and take my position. We've been practicing the same piece over and over. He wasn't kidding when he said that we would keep at it until the movements were perfection. The guy is a real taskmaster. Although, that's what makes Monsieur Dupre such an amazing instructor.The music resumes and lift up onto the toes of my shoes, stretching my arms over head and holding the pose before raising one pointed foot out in front of me. The music arcs and still I hold the pose. My muscles begin to tremble."Bon!" he says.Instead of dwelling on the pain, I force it from my mind and lose myself in the rhythm of the music.Like before, the only thing that soothes the pain of this last breakup is dance. I'm able to lose myself in the precision of the movement for hours at a time. It helps me not think about-Nope. Not going to do it.Even wh
Three years later...I roll over and stretch out an arm, only to find the space next to me empty and the sheets already cooling. I crack open an eye and glance around the room. The sun is just beginning to peek over the horizon, painting the vast stretch of space with pink and purple strokes.Where the hell did that girl disappear to?I throw off the covers and pad over to the bathroom.Empty.I don't bother to put on clothes. It's just the two of us. I surprised Alyssa with a weeklong vacation at the beach. One of my father's friends owns a house on Kiawah Island in South Carolina right on the ocean. We can hear the crash of the waves from our bedroom window. It's the perfect sound to fall asleep to with Alyssa tucked in my arms.I pad down the stairs to the first floor. The scent of fresh brewed coffee permeates the air and the door to the patio is open. I should have known that she was out here on the deck. She can't get enough of the fresh salty air.I push open the scree
Five years later..."Hey beautiful, I was wondering if I could buy you a drink?"I swing around at the bar only to find Colton standing next to me. A grin tips the edges of my lips as I shake my head. "Sorry, I'm afraid not. I'm waiting for my fiancé." I lift my hand to show off the glittering diamond that now sits on my second finger. His bright blue gaze drops to my left hand before flickering up again. "Wow. He's a lucky guy."I shrug before closing the distance between us and whispering, "Honestly, I'm the lucky one. I can't imagine my life without him."Colton's face softens. "I'm pretty sure he feels the same way."His hand rises to cup my cheek before he leans in and brushes his lips across mine. I tilt my face to give him better access. As soon as I open, his tongue slips inside my mouth to tangle with my own. That first touch is all it takes for the crowded restaurant to fall away and then it's just the two of us. It doesn't matter if I'm sitting at the bar in Mar
Summer before freshman year of college...My lips quirk at the corners as I glance around. It's fucking madness and I wouldn't have it any other way. This is exactly the way you kick off summer vacation. Leave it to Beck Hollingsworth to throw the mother of all graduation parties. The three key ingredients for a kickass party are present-scantily clad chicks, plenty of free-flowing booze, and last but not least, parents conspicuously absent from the festivities. Never let it be said that Beck doesn't know how to do it up right. After all, this isn't his first rodeo. This guy has thrown some over-the-top, police-called-to-break-it-up, someone-almost-drowns-in-the-pool parties over the years.There's a girl tucked under each arm as they stare adoringly up at me. Albeit drunkenly. A few more crowd around me, circling like sharks, waiting for an opportunity to home in on the action. Delicate hands stroke over my bare chest. Another female presses her breasts against my back as n
Spring of freshman year of college..."Do you have any idea how badly I need coffee?" At this time of the morning, I'm barely coherent. A girl walking in the opposite direction knocks into me as we make our way through the throng of student traffic moving across campus. I bare my teeth, ready to snap. "Watch where you're going!""Easy, tiger," Mia says, grabbing my arm. "Unfortunately for you, we don't have time to stop.""Ugh." I'm so blurry-eyed, I can barely see straight. I was up until the butt crack of dawn this morning working on a paper that needs to be turned in for this class. If it had been any other instructor, I would have shown up at their office and attempted to charm my way into a twenty-four-hour extension.But with this guy?No way. Professor Mendelson refuses to accept late work. I've heard horror stories about him. And so far, I can say with absolute authority that they are all true. He's already made a couple of students cry. In front of everyone. So,
Late spring of freshman year... The soft strains of stringed instruments fill the theatre as I crack open one of the double doors and carefully slip inside the darkened space. A few people seated in the back turn and stare as I settle on a seat in the last row.I've arrived in the middle of someone's performance. The ballerina leaps across the stage before halting. With her arms stretched out in front of her, she holds the pose before slowly folding in half and sweeping her arms across the floor. The spotlight shining on her dims as the music fades into nothingness. There's a moment of silence before applause rings throughout the packed auditorium.Did I miss it? Is the show over?I'd planned on getting here earlier, but Coach kept us an extra thirty minutes. We might not be in season, but practice and lifting starts up again in late winter and goes through the summer. Honestly, there is no down time. Especially when you play Division I college sports. It's more like a job
September of sophomore year..."Dude, why the hell did you drag my ass here?" Beck doesn't bother to wait for a response as he glares around the wide-open space. "You know I hate this place. It's too damn quiet."A librarian sitting behind a long stretch of counter in the middle of the second-floor scowls at us before raising a finger to her lips. "Shhhh!"Beck stiffens beside me as his mouth sinks at the corners. "That woman just shushed me."I glance at the older lady who is now full-on glaring at us. "Yup, that's her job.""Why the hell did you bring me here?" His grumbled words are barely decipherable. "Is it payback for something I did to you? If so, I'm sorry. All right? Whatever it is, I apologize. And I'll never do it again." There's a beat of silence. "Can we leave now?"I roll my eyes. What a damn baby. "Just give me a few minutes. I need to check out a few books for an econ project.""Sounds boring."He's not wrong. Most of the time, economics is dry and te