Dance For Me (Strip in the City, Book 2)

21 • Hot Bet

Dominick

I waited for Tanushree to join me in the pool, hoping that I said enough. That I apologized enough. That she believed me enough to make a difference. I might not be good enough for this woman, but I sure as hell wanted to try. Especially after she listened to my story about the way I grew up and didn't shy away. She only got closer. Looking at me with so much acceptance and understanding in her eyes.

Something had changed for me yesterday, and I'd realized something important about my ma. She'd never win a Mom of the Year award, but after all this time, she was in a good enough place that we had a chance of starting over. Since I'd left her apartment, a weight I didn't know I was walking around with had lifted. And because I wasn't walking around with so much mistrust and shame, I felt like I could make room for someone else.

I wanted that person to be Tan.

The insanely beautiful ballerina who, by some miracle, was walking towards my outstretched hand with a smile on her face. Not one of her fake ones, either. A real one.

She wasn't performing, and neither was I.

As hard as it was to allow myself to be vulnerable, it felt good being able to trust her with a little piece of my story. If I wanted her to be close, I had to open up about the things that scared me and the shit in my past that I didn't like thinking about.

My past didn't excuse my behavior, but I hoped it would help her understand why I'd been acting like such an asshole. But I was done with all that. She deserved a man who did more than show up, and I was going to start being that man.

Her dainty hand fitted into mine, and my pulse kicked up in response. My heart was pumping overtime, trying to keep up with the emotions clawing at my chest. I prayed that I hadn't done too little too late and pushed her away for good.

Tan stepped gracefully into the pool I'd spent half a day setting up, and I tried not to focus on the cigarette burn on the back of my hand, glaring up at me like a twisted reminder of the past. Instead, I focused on how good it felt to be near her light. To touch her and not be afraid of the burn.

The places where her honey brown skin met my paler, freckly coloring just felt right. So smooth and soft. So fucking perfect.

I might be terrified that a girl this good didn't belong with me, but that fear had been overshadowed by another. Hurting her.

I didn't want to do one more thing to hurt this angel, which meant I had to confront my own shit.

I might be scared of the club changing, but Mimi wasn't, and Tan was trying her best to help my grandma accomplish her dreams. The same woman who donated tickets to The Nutcracker to a little girl she never met. She was selfless and good at her core.

Once she was situated in the pool, Tan slid her hand out of mine and we stared at each other for a long moment. The tension and heat building between us. Filling in so many unspoken words. I had so much I wanted to tell her, but I didn't know where to start. I was still working on getting out of my own head and telling people what was on my mind.

Tan broke the silence first. "Let's run over the steps that lead up to the lift, and then we'll practice the drop."

So, she wanted to skip the small talk and get right down to business.

I fixed a cocky smirk on my face and crossed my arms. I didn't miss the way her eyes traced along my flexed biceps, following the vines of ink. Her pupils widened. Expanding into the pretty brown irises I liked so much. Lips softening and parting.

It took every scrap of self-restraint not to wrap her up in my arms right then and there, but I told myself to keep my head on straight. This dance was important to Tan, which meant it was important to me.