Toe to Toe (On Pointe Book 1) by Penelope Freed (comprehension books txt) 📗

I quickly glance to make sure no one from the studio is around before running and jumping into his arms. His strong arms wrap around my back, easily holding me up as he kisses me. “That was epic!”

I laugh, like this mountain of muscle knows anything about ballet. “Thanks,” I say. “Sorry I’m still kinda sweaty.” Tyler shrugs and bends to kiss me again. I briefly respond, loving the taste of his lips before I remember where we are and squirm to get him to put me down.

“So…we have about forty-five minutes before anyone misses me, what should we do?” I ask. “Wanna go get something to eat?”

“Honestly babe, that was so fucking hot, I kinda wanna just take you to my car and make out with you for the rest of the night. I didn’t think anything could be hotter than you in your cheer skirt, but that was….” Tyler grins wolfishly.

“Buy me a coffee and then I’ll make out with you in the car,” I tease back. I know I promised Ms. Parker I would focus this weekend and I am. I swear. But have you seen the muscles on this boy? They’re kind of hard to resist. Not to mention how sweet he is for driving two hours, in traffic, just to watch me dance a two minute solo. I can’t ditch him now, that would make me a terrible girlfriend.

Besides, I can focus when I’m actually in the theater, I don’t have to think about ballet every second of every day to be focused for this competition. “Let’s go!” I laugh, jumping on his back like a monkey and pointing to his car.

Tyler runs to his car with me on his back, not even breathing hard, and we peel out of the parking lot to the nearest coffee shop. As he’s driving, I study his face. I wasn’t sure if he would really come all the way down here just to watch me dance. “What? Is there something on my face?” he asks.

“Nope, just admiring you,”

“Take a picture, it’ll last longer,” he teases, flexing his bicep for my benefit. “You’re not dancing again tonight, are you?”

“Nope, I just need to be there to cheer for the other girls when they do their classical solos.” Technically, I should be there right now for Hannah’s contemporary solo, but she doesn’t need me. Not really. She’s so self-sufficient, she probably doesn’t even realize I’m not there. Self-sufficient is being generous. Honestly, self-absorbed is probably more accurate, but ballet isn’t a team sport. She’s focused on herself because she has to be, even if it is annoying. Her goal this weekend has to be to stand out on her own, not be a perfect robot in the group.

True to my word, we get coffee and snacks, then head back to the theater where Tyler parks his car in the far corner of the parking lot and we make out like the teenagers we are. I’m glad it’s dark already and everyone is probably inside. We alternate between sipping our coffee, kissing, snacking and listening to music, while I keep an eye on the time.

“So…” I say as Tyler pops a handful of chocolate-covered espresso beans in his mouth. “Do you want to stay and watch the next section? I could sit with you?” On the one hand, I don’t want him to think he drove all the way down here just to see me for an hour, we don’t get to see each other that much as it is. But on the other hand, I know Ms. Parker won’t approve of him being here and I don’t know what Hannah will think of him being here.

I know it wasn’t exactly nice of me to invite her on that double date, but I’m not such a bitch that I would purposely sabotage her this weekend. But tonight would be so much more fun for me if Tyler stays. I don’t want to be with the O’Brian’s all weekend. I love Mrs. O, she’s awesome, but being with her is hard. Every time I catch her looking at me with the same sad eyes my dad does, it reminds me that my mom isn’t here. If my mom were still alive, this whole weekend would have felt more like a girl’s trip than a ballet competition. I miss her so much.

“Nah, I think I’ll bail, I can only take so much ballet,” he winks, then pulls me in for a kiss. Equal parts relief that I don’t have to make the decision and disappointment that he doesn’t want to stay floods through me. I try to relax into the kiss, but it takes a few sweeps of Tyler’s tongue against my lips to truly forget and just enjoy the moment, the sweetness and fire of his kiss. Tyler’s hand is warm against the back of my neck, pulling me closer. His hand slowly drifts down my neck, fingers gliding across my collar bone. I squirm a little, not wanting him to explore any lower. The sweetness of the moment fades rapidly as self-consciousness creeps up on me—I have a leotard on, and it’s not sexy. If Tyler’s going to get his first feel of my boobs, 1) it’s not going to happen in the parking lot of a ballet competition and 2) I better be wearing something sexier than the ratty, old, black leotard that I threw on when I changed out of my costume. His hand starts drifting lower, yeah, he’s definitely trying to get to my boobs now.

A sharp tap on the glass startles us apart. I look up to see Hannah’s confused face peering down at me through the window. The confusion turns to hurt as she realizes exactly where Tyler’s hand was when she interrupted us. “Shit,” I scramble to grab my bag and make sure all my stuff is in it. “I gotta go babe. Thanks for coming, I’ll text you later, okay?”

“What? Uh, yeah, sure.” Tyler