Page 23 of Broken Desires

As I move, letting the rhythm I can’t hear guide me, a realization hits. Screw making dance my life’s work—it’s about making it life’s joy. Dance never really left me; I just let it fade into the background noise of my own insecurities and my family’s doubts.

I’m not just dancing to fill a silent void. I’m dancing because it’s the loudest part of me, the part that screams, “I’m here, I’m alive, and I damn well matter.” And as for the steamy romance part of my life? Well, if I can dance solo, imagine the fire when there’s someone else to stoke the flames.

Nessa Caldwell doesn’t back down—not from a challenge, not from adversity, and certainly not from a ballet studio. And maybe, just maybe, there’s a duet in my future that’s worth every step, misstep, and leap of faith.

I dance for another hour, but when my body really starts protesting, I stop, feeling once again the same peace I felt just a few nights ago.

I’m far lighter when I go to change and even the email from the airline reminding me of my travel to come doesn’t bring me down. I am far more than what my family thinks, and I have nothing to prove to them.

Once I change and check my texts, I can’t help but grin like a silly teenager at the one from Liam or BB, as I’ve labeled him on my phone. Might mean British Boy or British Boner—I’m undecided for now.

BB: How are you doing? Did the tequila help?

Me: When does it not? We’re good. Were you worried?

His pause before responding sends a flutter of anticipation through me. Did I push it? I sigh with a shake of my head. There’s no reason to get lost in my head for him. He’s literally just a guy.

Is he though?

By the time I exit the building, I’m certain he won’t answer, but suddenly, my watch vibrates, and I get my phone out of my bag shamefully fast.

BB: What if I was? Will I get extra points?

Laughing to myself, I can’t help but feel drawn to this game we’re playing, a game that’s quickly becoming more than just playful banter.

Me: Maybe. Now I just need to check out your skills.

His immediate response halts me in my tracks, a bold invitation that sends my heart racing.

BB: Why don’t you come to the game tomorrow? I’ll show you some skills.

The flirtation escalates, and his next message, a hint at something more intimate, leaves me breathless.

Me: Ummm… Does it show your hip game?

BB: It shows my stamina. For the hip game - we’ll see if you’re a good girl.

I inhale loudly at the text and read it twice; the audacity of his words ignites a fire within me, a daring challenge I’m all too eager to accept.

Me: I’ll think about it.

But who am I kidding? My mind’s already made up. Liam Ashford, with his teasing words and the promise of more, has sparked a curiosity and desire I can’t ignore. As I continue my walk, a playful smirk on my lips, I know one thing for certain: I’m diving headfirst into whatever this is with Liam. It’s a gamble, but one I’m ready to take. For the first time in a long time, I’m excited about the unknown.

Chapter 9

Liam

That kiss…

That kiss haunts me, blurring the lines between blessing and curse. The moment our lips touched, a primal urge surged inside me, fueling desires I’d never acknowledged. I craved to claim her, to bring her to the brink of ecstasy where only my name would echo through her mind. This intense longing unsettles me; I’ve always prided myself on control, yet with Nessa, restraint seems like a foreign concept.

This really unsettles me. I’ve never lost control the way I did in that car, never. It seems that this unruly part of me refuses to be put back in its box. It comes to life every time she crosses my thoughts, which is shamefully far more often than it should.

Reflecting on Ethan and Cole’s entanglements, I used to view their actions as impulsive, almost irrational, when it came to Poppy and Eva. But now, feeling the pull Nessa has on me, I understand. If I’d been any other man, if I didn’t have the impending doom of responsibility hovering over me, I would make her mine any way possible.

My dad’s voice, always so damn authoritative, tries to rein me in, warning me of the mess this could lead to. A simple kiss has already turned my world upside down; taking this any further could spell disaster. Yet the part she woke, the one that refused to be silenced, is so much stronger than I expected.

As the guys go on about whether Poppy and Eva will come to the game, my mind’s stuck on Nessa. Texting her to come was impulsive, crazy even. But the thought of her there, watching me, sets something ablaze inside. She’s like a spark to dry tinder.