Chapter 9
CHAPTER NINE
AVERY
If Ty thinks we’re just going to move on from the fact that apparently he hates dancing, he’s wrong.
“I don’t know if I can live here if you don’t like dancing,” I say, watching as Dolly—once again—ditches me to suck up to Ty.
They both perch on the edge of his bed.
Ty grunts. “That’s the dealbreaker about where you sleep? Not muggings? Or needles on the sidewalk?”
Shaking my head, I stand from the floor, and land next to Ty on the bed, sandwiching Dolly between us. He shifts a little, putting some distance between himself and Dolly and me.
He’s been so welcoming about me coming to live with him, but he draws the line at me sitting on the bed?
I clear my throat. “You don’t dread the dance because you can’t dance, Ty, right?”
He tucks his chin to his neck, his face flattening into some weird expression that almost makes me giggle. “I can dance.”
“Prove it.”
“No.”
“It’s okay if you can’t dance, Ty. A lot of guys can’t dance.”
“It’s not that.” A hand runs over his blond hair.
“Then what is it?” I ask.
“It’s because the last time I slow danced was at a school dance. In middle school.”
I bite my lip. That is just so… wholesome. “I bet that girl felt like the luckiest girl in the world.”
I swear for a split second his mouth almost twitches into a smile.
“And now you’ll be using those moves on your mom,” I add.
He squeezes his eyes shut. “Don’t say that.”
“What? Your mom’s gonna be so excited to dance with you at her wedding! She’ll never forget it. Everyone knows the dances are the best part.”
“I thought the cake was the best part.”
“No, silly. It’s the love part, then the dancing part. At least for me.” I bounce with excitement as the revelation hits me. “That’s it. That's the thing I’m going to do for you.”
“Dance with my mom?”
“I’ll teach you to dance with your mom. Dance lessons. I will give you dance lessons to repay you for the room.” I sigh. “And water the plants… And laundry can still be on the table too, but I’m adding in dance lessons because that’s funner.”
“Funner?”
“Funner!” I repeat.
In what can only be an act of God, Ty’s lips shudder and spread into the most gorgeous smile I think I’ve ever seen. It’s a good thing he keeps them under wraps most of the time, or my knees would be so weak I’d never be able to stand.
My body vibrates with the pent-up adrenaline from being woken up and hauled over here so early this morning. It’s not even eight o’clock yet, and already I’ve gotten a gig as a dance instructor. Kind of. Today is a good day.
A rush of gratitude fills me, and I can’t help myself.
My arms loop around Ty in a hug, pulling him so we’re basically cheek to cheek.
One squeeze tighter and the faint stubble of his jaw would be scraping against my cheekbone.
For the early hours, he smells pretty good.
It’s warm. Inviting. And it’s not cologne, maybe residually, I suppose.
A thrill courses through me at the thought that maybe this is how he smells naturally.
Oh, what I wouldn’t give to have this kind of aroma without trying… whatever it is.
My eye snags on his bedside table, and I can’t help but notice how meticulously it’s organized.
A retainer case, an empty drinking glass, a phone charger, and some small, lined-up odds and ends are all placed in their own designated quadrants.
Based on this, Ty might pass out if he ever saw the state of my typical bedside tables.
He clears his throat, and I realize my arms are still locked around him.
It’s like I’m frozen. Maybe it’s because I’m still excited about making the team yesterday, maybe it’s because I’m happy I’m not going to be sleeping in my car another night.
It might even be because his brief smile has hypnotized me into some overly ecstatic lunatic.
Whatever it is, being this close to Ty feels oddly natural.
It’s not awkward at all. It almost makes me forget that I’m laying everything on the line by being in the same room as him.