Page 154 of Captivated

“Right now, in fact,” he said, “so, let’s go.”

He didn’t allow her the chance to protest before he’d grabbed her arm, and pulled her up from the chair. She said nothing, and kept feeling that heavy weight in her hands as she looked over the shoes.

It felt like those hallways passed far too quickly, and in the next blink, Liliana was sitting on the studio floor in front of the row of barres to slip on the pointe shoes. She took her time tying the ribbons around her ankles and calves.

Perfect knots, like she had been taught.

Flexing her toes, to test the comfort.

“I should stretch a bit,” she said faintly.

Across the room, Rich shook his head. “No, dance.”

Of course.

Liliana dragged in a heavy breath as she stood, and began the few steps to a simple dance that wouldn’t put too much pressure on her, and didn’t require her to be en pointe for the majority of the moves. The shoes really did need to be broken in, and she did not want to break her goddamn toes in the process.

“Stop,” Rich muttered thickly.

Liliana did instantly.

Turning, she found him staring at her with narrowed eyes. “What?”

“Not that dance—I want you to do another.”

Her heart clenched.

“Which one?”

“The one from the time we first met—when I saw your show. That one. Do that one, Liliana.”

“I—”

“Do it!”

Jesus Christ.

“All right,” she whispered.

Back straight.

Legs tight.

Toes pointed.

Arms like wings.

Breathe in, and exhale slowly.

It was easier for her to hear her own voice in her head when she danced then because it kept her mind off the man across the room. Problem was, the dance he wanted her to do made her fucking feet scream in protest. She needed her shoes for this—not brand new ones that were too stiff, and difficult to move properly in.

“Shit,” Liliana hissed, dropping out of her en pointe pirouette, and barely catching herself before she hit the floor. “Sorry, sorry.”

She apologized out of habit.

Not for him, but because she fucked up a move.

A move she knew, and could execute perfectly with the right shoes.