Chapter 10 #2
My eyes closed for a split second, letting the cords and the music fill my body, before it started moving.
It was as easy as breathing. The music and the lyrics moved my body, forcing me to do shorter moves and more extensions.
It was all about control, exactly what I've been missing earlier in the day.
It felt like I never stopped dancing, my body ached in the right places from the effort, but there was no real pain, just the rush of happiness as I jumped and turned through the painful lyrics.
I knew way too well how it felt, holding onto something like the singer was saying.
My movements became sharper and more dynamic as the song progressed. I enjoyed testing my own limits while keeping my hips leveled and not forcing them above ninety degrees. I wasn't going to make the same mistake twice.
The music slowed, and my movements shifted back to fluid as I used the floor more than the air, mimicking a lost fight and resignation.
“Wow.”
My head snapped up, noticing Derek in the doorway, his lips parted and eyes glued to me.
“You're incredible.”
I didn't feel the usual embarrassment painting my cheeks as I usually did when he complimented me; I just nodded and glanced at the clock.
“You're early.”
“I'm glad I was early.” I could hear it in his voice that he was grinning, and his step shook the floor as he came next to me, lying on the floor.
“What are you doing?” I laughed, turning to face him.
Those beautiful blue eyes were already on me, and like always, his undivided attention had me smiling until my cheeks ached. And then I didn't even mention those damned butterflies.
“Coming to meet you at midnight,” he grinned easily, dressed in his Titans sweat set. “Like you requested.”
“I missed you,” I muttered quietly.
Derek extended his arm, and without thinking, I rolled closer to him, laying my head on his arm and snuggling to his side. His lips came down and grazed my forehead, and I heard him exhale.
“Rough day?” I asked from his chest before I wrapped my arm around him.
“Yeah, I'm not going to start again this weekend for the away game.”
My heart shattered for him, and the ache made me physically sick for him. “Is there anything you can do?” I whispered, scared to even hear his answer.
Derek's chest rose, then fell in a long exhale as I tightened my arms around him.
I saw how hard he worked. I saw the pressure he put on himself just to be his best self.
He ran, did Pilates, worked out, and spent extra hours on the field.
But no matter what work he put in physically, he was a liability because of his mental block.
They didn't know whether he could push through the closeness of other people.
He did well in practice, but those were his friends; he knew they wouldn't hurt him.
“Not really.” He got his voice under control, and I hated that he thought he needed to hide his pain. “They said it takes time. They see everything I'm doing, but still... they don't think I can deliver. I had a quick call with my therapist just to give it all out too, he said it takes time too.”
“Until they give you a chance, they won't know for sure.”
“Yeah, but you know how it is... every match is key.”
“Surely there is one that won't be important,” I groaned, moving my head to look at him. “You're playing Redwood, they are literally in the bottom three. There's no way they can win. It's a game that should end with 20-0 for us.”
A small smile tugged the corner of his lips. “Yeah, but this is a great opportunity to get even more ahead.”
Anger replaced the pain, and I gritted my teeth. “It isn't fair.”
“Life isn't fair, Thorn.” His fingers slid into my hair and brushed it out of my face. “I love that you leave your hair down when you dance.”
His hand cupped my face, and his thumb stroked my cheeks absently.
My next breath got stuck in my lungs as I melted into his touch. Gosh, I really wanted to kiss him.
Poking my tongue out, I wet my lips and stared at his ocean eyes that looked more like a storm was brewing in them.
“I'm trying really hard to be a gentleman here and give you time and space,” he said, his voice all raspy.
“I don't want any more time and space. I want you.” I confessed. “I've been thinking a lot about kissing you, and I'm worried that if I wait any longer, my imagination is going to surpass reality, and I'll be disappointed.”
His hand stilled, and a low laugh escaped him. It was like all the tension and pining from the past months had finally broken him.
“Trust me, Thorn, when I kiss you, it will make you forget all your fantasies, and you won't want to kiss anyone else. Ever.”
I chuckled. “That's a big statement.”
“I've had a lot of practice to know exactly what to do to make you lose your mind.”
My humor died as I remembered his playboy persona from before the injury. I bit into my lips and grimaced.
“You know damn well there wasn't anyone since the injury,” he soothed my crazy thoughts. “I've spent every waking moment besides my recovery training with you. Only you.”
It was great to hear his confession, and my heart did a little happy dance.
“Good, now come, I want to go somewhere, I didn't just drag you here to lie on the dusty floor.”
Derek's lips pulled into a grin. “Where are we going?”
“Stargazing,” I matched his smile as we pulled each other up from the floor, but instead of letting go, Dex held my hand. “There's supposed to be a meteor shower today, and I want to make a wish.”
“Any wishes I can help with?” he wrapped his arms around my middle and whispered in my ear.
A shiver worked its way through my body, and I sank deep into his touch. It was crazy to think how comfortable I got in his arms.
“I'll let you know.”
“Always happy to help,” he winked, letting me go and taking hold of my hand again.
Considering he said he never had a girlfriend, he was doing the whole boyfriend thing amazingly. Even though we hadn’t labeled what we were, nor had we even kissed, he was acting like a boyfriend. Or at least how I wanted my boyfriend to act.
It was all very confusing as we danced on the line of friendship and relationship, blurring it completely.
Or at this point, the line literally got erased from the number of times we stomped across it.
“Here's perfect,” I pointed at the soccer field, and I dropped myself onto the grass.
“Home sweet home,” Dex chuckled as he lay on his back next to me, our fingers still intertwined. “So, what do we do?”
“Well... you lie there and look at the sky, hoping to see a meteor.”
“That's all?” he laughed.
“Pretty much. I can play some music.” I offered, reaching for my phone. Derek moved closer, touching our heads together as I scrolled through the playlists.
“You were listening to our 'If You're Still Listening' playlist,” he observed. “That's why I recognized the song.”
“Yeah, I wanted something emotional and slower,” I muttered as I settled on one I haven't shared with him yet. It was entitled 'You, Unofficially'.
“Subtle,” Dex laughed as I put the songs on in a random order.
“If you like it, I'll add you to it. It can be our new playlist.”
“New playlist is a big commitment,” he teased, his breath tickling my face.
Whenever our relationship shifted, we had a new playlist. It wasn't deliberate; it was just how we worked.
“No pressure, if not,” I shrugged.
Derek sighed and pulled me closer. “Look for your falling star, Thorn.”
I didn't tell him that with him next to me, I already had everything I wanted, and that scared me.
Usually, I would wish to be skinnier, or have a better turnout, nail a variation, or get a role.
But I was out of dance-related wishes, and I realized I was perfectly content lying in the damp grass, staring at the stars with my favorite striker.
“Is that one?” Dex asked, pointing at the sky.
“It's a plane,” I chuckled, “Shooting stars are quick. You blink, and they're gone.”
“How do you know they're real and not just your mind playing tricks on you?”
“I guess you don't. You just make your wish and hope for the best.”
“That's kind of how most things in life work,” Derek chuckled.
“Yeah, but this feels more magical.”
“It does,” he agreed, his head lying on top of mine as we let the slow romantic music lull us into calmness. My eyelids felt heavy, and I wanted to snuggle up with him and stay like that forever.
“Look, there,” I shouted, suddenly seeing one. My eyes popped open, and I sat up. “Did you see it?”
“I think so,” Dex nodded, a wide grin on his face. “I think this was the first time I saw one.”
“Now you make a wish,” I faced him with an equally wide grin. “And it will come true.”
“Really?” he flashed me his sweet playboy smile, and it got my heart hammering against my ribs.
“That's how it works,” I nodded, swallowing hard.
“You know what I wish for?” he asked, his voice dropping to a whisper as he reached for my face again. His fingers slid into my hair seamlessly, and he pulled us chest to chest.
His heart beat in an equally wild rhythm as mine.
“You're not supposed to say it,” I whispered as our lips almost brushed.
“Then I won't say it,” he agreed, his breath tickling my lips.
My next inhale was all him. His scent wrapped around me, and his breath was tickling my lips.
I leaned my forehead onto his and pushed my nose to his. There was barely any space between our lips now, and I wasn't sure how else to let him know I wanted this. I wasn't going to reject him. Not again.
“Fuck,” Dex muttered, his hand sliding to the nape of my neck as he closed the distance and pressed his lips to mine.
This kiss was different from all the others before. It wasn't rushed, or wet or sloppy. It was the perfect amount of pressure, and the slow, exploring pace drove me crazy.
He kissed me like he had all the time in the world, while I greedily opened my mouth, inviting him in further.
Derek adjusted his grip on my head and slid his tongue to meet mine.
Stars exploded behind my closed eyelids, and I moaned into the kiss.
It never felt this amazing to kiss someone. He was skilled and confident, guiding me, yet allowing me to explore every inch of him.
We broke apart, panting and in need of air.
“This was...” Derek muttered.
“Incredible,” I finished, making him grin.
His lips planted kisses all over my cheeks and forehead, making me melt into him.
“You have no idea how long I've waited to do this,” he confessed into my ear in between kisses. And if I wasn't already, I started my dangerous freefall with no means to stop it.
I just hoped he was there at the bottom, waiting to catch me.