“Gosh, she’s a breath of fresh air.”

I glance back to see Reese grinning at me. “I thought she was to the point, like you.”

She gives me a deadpan look before smacking my ass playfully. Looking back at Rachael, I feel Jude’s eyes on me, and when I look, I’m right. His eyes are doing a lazy stroll down my body, his mouth curving as he drinks me in. I’m usually very confident in my sports bra and booty shorts since this is my uniform most the time. Not to brag, but I have a great body, toned and lean, but my thighs are a little thick and my ass could stand my not eating those late-night bags of Cheetos. But under his gaze it doesn’t seem like he cares. He wants me. And damn it, I want him.

“Claire Anderson?”

I look back at Rachael and raise my hand. “That’s me.”

I walk to the center of the floor and cross my leg behind my ankle, holding my hands behind me. She looks me over and she says, “How long have you been dancing?”

“My whole life,” I answer.

“With, oh, Reese Allen’s Dance Company? Your whole life?”

I nod. “Yup.”

The whole dance team sizes me up and then looks back down at the paper in front of them, marking with their red pens. I figure that means I’m done, so I head back to where Reese and Skylar stand. When I feel Reese’s hand slide into mine, I glance back as she says, “I hope you don’t get in trouble for lying.”

I shake my head. “I’m not lying.”

“Claire, you’ve only danced with me for three years.”

I smile. “Yeah, but my life didn’t start until I came to you and Phillip.”

I expected that to please her. I don’t think I’ve told them enough how much they changed me, but what I don’t expect is for her eyes to well up before she wraps me up tightly in her arms, kissing my cheek.

“I love you so much, Claire,” she cries into my neck, and I hold her as she cries. I’m frozen because Reese doesn’t cry. She’s a hide your emotions kind of girl, and I am completely stunned.

When she pulls back, I say, “I love you too, but why are you crying?”

“’Cause I’m just so freaking proud of you.”

My heart warms and I’m about to say how much she means to me when Rachael calls, “Claire Anderson, you’re up.”

Reese smiles. “Knock ’em dead, baby girl.”

I shoot her a cocky grin as I back away and say, “Don’t I always?”

I can still taste her on my lips.

I swear. The taste hasn’t left me since I kissed her less than twenty-four hours ago, neither has the hard-on. She has me completely wound-up tight, whacking off till my dick is raw and wishing like hell to get in her pants. When I walked in to find her in only a sports bra and shorts that should be illegal… Well, I’m surprised I’m still vertical.

God, she is fucking hot.

Her long red hair is in a mess on top of her head with a cute little black bow at the base. She stands with such amazing confidence while the other girls cover their stomachs with their arms or slouch to the side, but not Claire. No, she stands proud, beautiful, and man, I just want to rush over there and touch her again. I still can’t believe she kissed me senseless then ran off without a second glance. While I don’t mind being used, I wasn’t done.

I need her. On me. Beneath me. Anywhere on me. Now.

I can’t take my eyes off her. I’m supposed to be watching some girl dance, but there is no way. Not with Claire in the room. She stands with the brunette from her Facebook. She’s even prettier in person, but she holds no candle to Claire. Hell, no one does. I watch as they talk, and the love just shines out of the brunette’s body for her. It’s crazy to watch. It reminds me of my mom’s love, and I figure it’s her mom. I need to ask because I have to know. I don’t know what it is about this feisty little redhead, but I want to know her ins and outs. Then I want to sleep with her. Continually. And then some more.

When Rachael calls for the numbers, I look over at Jayden and he shakes his head. “Were you even watching?” he asks in a hushed tone.

“Nope.”

“She was eh, I’m giving her a six.”

I nod and do the same, holding up my paddle. I see the girl’s face fall and then I notice that it’s April. I’ve slept with her. Well shit, guess I’ve burned that easy bridge, which really, I never planned on crossing again anyway. Looking over at my grinning brother, I say, “You couldn’t tell me it was April? I was with her like two weeks ago.”

Jayden laughs. “Dude, I can’t keep up with who you sleep with, and I actually plan to judge these girls on their talent.”

Rolling my eyes, I look back toward Claire. She’s hugging the brunette, but then her name is called, and she slowly backs away, saying something, and I want to know what it is. I’m sorta disgusted with myself. I mean, why do I care? Why am I so hung up on this girl? She won’t even give me the time of day. She’s playing this hard to get shit, and I don’t play those games. If I want attention, all I gotta do is stand up and snap my fingers, and three girls will be on me quick. So I should do that. I should ignore this attraction, this stalkerish tendency, and fuck someone who will give it to me easy.

The only problem is that I don’t want them.

I want her, and when she struts to the middle of the floor, I know that I’ll play whatever game she wants just for another taste of that delectable, red glossed-up mouth. When she purses those lips like she’s about to give me a kiss that will shatter my world, I hold on to the end of the bleachers as “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” by Whitney Houston blares over the audio system.

And as soon as the music starts, time stands still for me.

She’s shockingly amazing. I’ve watched girls dance, and then I’ve watched girls murder the dance floor, and Claire is murdering the hell out of the gym floor. Her body moves with such attention to the music – as if it is the music – and it’s breathtaking to watch. The music is fun and she’s grinning and having a good time, but like me, everyone is stunned. Each move is on point, no fumbles, no second-guessing; she knows what she’s doing, and I can’t help but admire her. When she goes into a series of turns that seem to go on forever, I want to stand and applaud her, but before I can, she stops, running her hands up her body and then she winks at me.