Page 28 of Allegiant

“Yes.”

“Can you show me?”

I pause as I’m reaching for my water. “A pirouette?”

“No, cracking nuts with axes,” he deadpans. “Yes, a pirouette. You can do one, right?”

I scoff, immediately moving to the middle of the floor. “Puh-lease. Like breathing air.”

I don’t rush. I take a deep breath, centering myself. Then, I choose Samson as my fixed point and rise up on my toes.

Then I’m twirling.

The world falls away as I spin and spin, my leg kicking out on each rotation to keep me upright. There’s nothing except glimpses of Samson. The point I return to each time.

I spin for longer than I have in years. I’m showing off a little; I can’t help it. I shouldn’t want to impress this man. Being who he is, there’s probably little that impresses him.

But as I come to a stop, I realize I’ve done just that.

“That was beautiful,” he breathes. His arms are loose by his sides now, and he takes a step closer. “You move, and I’m moved.”

I give a shaky laugh. “Very poetic.”

“I stole it from Hozier. But it stands.”

“Hozier?”

“He’s a musician…” Samson scowls. “Don’t tell me you’ve got terrible music taste. Cade’s bad enough.”

A sour taste blossoms in my mouth. “Cade?”

“My brother,” he grunts, making the taste disappear. “Terrible fucking taste in music. Stuck somewhere in the nineties, and not the good nineties. The cheesy pop era.”

I give a mock shiver. “With the tacky, choreographed boy band dances? No, thanks.”

“Good. Already got one Cade in my life, I don’t have room for another.”

I drift forward a few inches. Somehow, we’re almost close enough to touch. “Wasn’t aware that I’m in your life.”

“You shouldn’t be,” he murmurs. One of his hands reaches out to rest on my hip. The one where my sheet music resides. “You’re not meant to be.”

“Well, if you don’t like my company, you could just…stop showing up.”

“If only it were that easy.”

I put a hand on his chest. To push him away, I tell myself. But instead, I seek out his heart. I bite my lip when I find it racing in time with my own.

His gaze snags on where my teeth are sinking into my lip. “You’re too goddamned hot for your own good.”

“I know I am.”

Samson chuckles. “Not lacking in confidence. I like that.”

His nose brushes against mine, and I suck in a breath. What am I doing? Random hookups are fine, but this isn’t that. Far from it.

I take a deep breath and step back. Then step back some more. “I can’t.”

Samson shifts on his feet, his eyes not moving from my face. “That’s supposed to be my line.”