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It feels like I’m killing it so far.
“Okay, now I would like to see something more complex,” Basil says. He walks to the back of the stage, starting in fifth position. Then he proceeds through a combination with a pirouette in the middle and ending with a grand jeté. “And five six, seven, eight. One, two, three, four. And five six, seven, eight…”
My heartbeat rises. Every single move he executed is flawless, not that I expected any less. Toward the back of the theatre, the door swings open and a man enters.
But I’m too focused on what I’m doing to pay him any mind.
“Let’s go!!” Basil yells, clapping. “On my cue. One, two, three, and?—“
The first line goes. I cue up right behind, trying to focus my attention on the moves.
“One, two, three, and?—“
Like a puppet come to life, I am suddenly smiling and dancing. I keep my movements smooth and easy, doing a complex pirouette with several turns and then leaping across the stage. My legs carry me far. I land right in center stage, beaming, and lift my arms.
This is it. This is the feeling that I’m supposed to have, I think to myself.
That’s when I suddenly make eye contact with him.
Eyes as dark blue as sapphire, and glittering just like two gems. Dark hair, grown a little overlong, shoved back from his face. High cheekbones, a jawline that could cut diamonds, a cruel yet perfect pout.
And that big, rugged, sinful body that I know all too well. The very same one that I dreamed about riding last night.
Mr. X is here.
And he is glaring right at me.
Ohgod.
All my worst fears, all in one place. The person who judges me is the very same one who I’ve been all but fucking at Club X. The same person that already inquired if I had training from a good ballet school, knowing perfectly well how taboo that is.
My smile falters, my arms droop. All the blood plummets to my feet.
“Get out of the way,” Bas snaps at me, waving his hand. “Next line, keep going…”
I manage to break his gaze and force my feet to carry me to the side of the stage. It’s only when Ella reaches out and mouths, “Are you okay?” that I realize I’m trembling.
I bob my head woodenly. There is no real reason to alarm Ella and I certainly do not want to draw any more scrutiny to myself.
“Let’s go again!” Basil calls out. “Same combination. Same lines. Let’s go, first group!”
I line up in the second group, automatically taking fifth position. I raise my arms and begin with the rest of my group. Somehow, though, the magic that I felt only a few minutes ago has disappeared like smoke. Now every leg lift is harder, my grand jetés less exaggerated. Even my pirouettes seem to take forever.
Everything slows down.
Knowing that I’m being watched by those searing deep blue eyes just makes all my steps clumsier, all my lifts less impressive. I can feel myself powering down.
Is this really happening to me right now?
I finish the combination a good four steps after the rest of my group. Basil looks me up and down, pushing out his lips in a dissatisfied expression. “Do better,” he warns.
I nod at him quickly, glancing out at Calum and Emma. Neither has much expression on their face. But Calum’s gaze is burning a hole through the middle of my torso.
I scurry to the side of the stage, turning away from that gaze. Ella comes to stand next to me, raising a brow as she glances back at our audience.
“Do you know him?” she asks in a hushed whisper.
I take a breath, trying not to panic. “Who?” I ask, all innocence.
