Claire whipped her head behind her and then beamed before hopping up. She called out his name and when his eyes fell on her, his face broke into a grin.

Rushing over to them, he looked worried as he asked, “I didn’t miss it, did I?”

She shook her head before wrapping her arms around his middle. He did the same, hugging her tightly as she said, “Nope, you’re right on time.”

“Awesome,” he said as she pulled away. He looked her up and down, and then asked, “Where is the rest of your costume?”

She glared, and Reese wanted to hit him. “You paid for it,” Claire pointed out.

“I know but I think I need to pay better attention to these purchases.”

Claire laughed as she shook her head. He then looked over at Brian and asked, “Could your mom not afford a shirt?”

For f**k’s sake.

Reese reached out and smacked his arm. She did it before she realized what she was doing and when he grinned over at her, she glared. “Will you shut up?”

“Seriously, Phillip, jeez! It’s a dance!” Claire complained as Brian turned every shade of red possible.

“I’m just asking. Shit, I’ll buy him a shirt,” Phillip said with his hands out towards him. She wanted to laugh but knew she couldn’t, so she shook her head, looking over to make sure Brian’s mom hadn’t heard him.

“Phillip!” Claire stressed, and he shrugged his shoulders as he took in a deep breath.

He then set Brian with a look. “So you’re her dance partner?”

Brian nodded. “Yes sir.”

“Hm, couldn’t play hockey or football? Hell, even baseball?”

Doing it before thinking again, Reese smacked Phillip at the same time Claire did. “Ow!” he yelled, rubbing his arms.

“Will you leave him alone?” Reese said.

“Yeah! Jeez!” Claire yelled as Brian chuckled beside her.

“I do play hockey, sir. I love dancing more though,” Brian said with a grin.

Phillip scoffed. “I bet you do when they wear barely nothing,” he muttered under his breath. Everyone heard him but before Reese could smack him again, he dodged out the way and smiled back at her but, thankfully, Claire still got him. “Fine, one more,” he said, moving out of reach.

“No!” Claire and Reese yelled together.

“You two hush, this needs to be said,” he said, before taking a step towards Brian. “I can kill you, you know this right?”

Brian looked up, and Reese knew he was shaking in his dance shoes. Phillip was a big man. Thick in all the right spots, rugged and sexy, and he was right, he could kill Brian, with his pinky. Oh, God, she was getting turned on! Shaking her head, she took a step towards Phillip, placing her hand on his bicep as Brian muttered, “Yes, sir.”

“Good, I am on a team with a lot of guys that don’t mind beating up someone that hurts someone I love. So don’t hurt her.”

Brian nodded anxiously. “I won’t, sir.”

“That’s right, you won’t,” Phillip said and then, by the grace of God, a worker came over to say that Claire and Brian were next.

“All right, come here, give me a hug,” Reese said, hugging them tightly. She looked over at Claire and said, “You got this. This is your time to shine. Your name is on the choreography, too. Let’s win this, okay? Good luck!”

Claire smiled widely as Brian took her hand in his. Letting them go, Reese backed away as Phillip said, “Good luck.”

“Thanks,” they both said.

“You look gorgeous, Claire, and you need a shirt, but besides that, you two go win this.”

Claire shot him a true smile, one that reached her sparkling blue eyes while poor Brian looked scared. They both turned and went towards the worker that was waiting on them. Reese led Phillip to the instructor’s part of the stage, where they could see everything perfectly.

Crossing her arms behind her to keep from reaching out to touch Phillip, she said, “Did you have to scare the kid shitless before he went on stage?”

Phillip shrugged. “I don’t like him.”

“You don’t know him. He’s a good kid.”

“He’s dancing with no shirt on with my niece. I don’t like him.”

“Jeez,” Reese said, shaking her head. “You’re impossible.”

“You like it,” he accused.

She laughed. “Maybe.”

She felt him looking at her, and then he whispered, “You look hot.”

She bit into her lip before turning to look at him. His eyes were shining with desire, his jaw covered in light blond hair and boy, how she wanted him. She wanted to lean into him and sink into his arms. “You aren’t too bad yourself.”

He winked right as Claire and Brian were announced.

“Here goes nothing,” she whispered, and then she felt his hand slide into hers.

“I’m nervous,” he admitted, and she smiled.

“So am I.”

When the music to Boyce Avenue’s cover of “Use Somebody” by Kings of Leon blasted through the speakers, Claire stood in the perfect position as Brian moved along with the music. When it was time for her to join with him, Reese held her breath as Claire actuated the music in a way that honestly brought tears to her eyes.

They were gorgeous.

“Wow,” Phillip whispered.

“Yeah,” she said as her face broke in a grin when the music picked up and they moved like one. Checking the faces of the judges, Reese was pleased with what she saw. They were all eating up the dance. Turing her attention back to her star dancers, she watched as the song came close to the end. Claire pulled her best leg stretch before completely taking off across the stage, propelling herself in the air and into Brian’s arms. He held her, looking deep into her eyes as if she was the only one in the room, and they rocked back and forth as the song ended. The place erupted and she wasn’t sure who was louder, Phillip or her. He was whooping, hollering, and practically jumping up and down as if he had scored the winning goal during game seven of the Stanley Cup finals. She had to admit, it was cute.