He brought me back up, and my leg fell from around his hip. He spun me around to the right and then one quick twirl to the left before Maddox brought me closer to him again. Our movements were synchronized.
I lifted my arms up, and his hands slid down my waist, just below my ribs. I swayed and moved my hips to the music. His fingers tightened on my waist before he lifted me up. My feet left the floor, and I wrapped my legs around his hips before he bent me backward again.
When we were finally standing straight up, I hugged him close, burying my face in his neck. I felt slightly dizzy, my heart beating too fast. But so was his.
Body against body. Chest to chest. I felt his heart beating to the same maddening rhythm as mine. Maddox twirled both of us around once.
My stomach tightened as I slid down his body, and my feet touched the ground once again. His fingers grazed my flushed cheek, and I wondered if he could feel how hot I was. Maddox removed the blindfold as he was told to do during our dance practices.
I blinked, and our eyes locked together.
His face shone with sweat, and my hair was sticking to my sweaty forehead and cheeks. His eyes narrowed on me, hungry and searching. Blazing with something – I didn’t understand, I couldn’t explain.
The expression on his face… I wished I knew what it was.
Maddox took a step back… then another and another, walking backward from me. The song was coming to an end; this was our final move.
Once there was enough distance between us, he crooked his finger at me, beckoning for me to come to him.
I did.
I walked, and then I took off running, one final lift, the same climatic lift as the one in the movie.
Once I was close enough to Maddox, I jumped. His hands gripped my hips, and he lifted me up and over his head. Strong and firm, he kept me steady.
Oh God.
Every muscle in my body tightened. I released a shaky breath as I slowly slid down the length of his body, feeling every hard inch of him. My palms pressed over his chest, sliding down his ribs and abs.
“I got you,” he rumbled.
Do you?
Once I was touching the ground again, I curled my arms behind his neck, and our foreheads pressed together. His lips brushed against the tip of my nose, and my eyes fluttered close.
I can’t breathe.
I swayed, dizzied by the mere proximity of Maddox. My heart hammered in my chest. He exhaled, and his minty breath was on my lips.
Don’t kiss me.
Kiss me.
No, don’t ruin this.
A loud clap against the silence of the room had me flinching away. My eyes flew open, and Maddox’s darkened as he pulled away.
I swiveled around and faced Bea. When did she get here?
“Lila!” she squealed, clapping her hands. “That was amazing… explosive! Oh my god!”
Bea walked further into the room, looking quite pleased. If there was any tension in the air, she ignored it.
She fanned herself. “The chemistry… Sweet Jesus, have mercy on us. Just wow! No one would believe you two are just friends. That was… yeah, wow.” Bea pointed at Maddox and I. “This is exactly what I was looking for. You need chemistry with your dance partners. You need the audience to feel your dance even though they aren’t dancing.”
Her smile widened. “Oh, I’m so excited. Thank you, Maddox. For doing this on such short notice.”
“Lila asked,” he grumbled, running his fingers through his hair. “I couldn’t say no.”
Bea turned to me. “Are you guys hungry? We can grab lunch.”
Maddox took a step back, pulling further away from me. He grabbed his duffel bag, his jaw clenching and his body tensing. “No. You go ahead. I’m leaving.”
“Maddox–”
But he was already stalking away without glancing back at me. Without a goodbye.
My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach.
The moment between us was gone, the spell broken.
It was better that way, before either of us made a mistake we’d both regret for the rest of our lives.
Friends?
Friends.
33
Lila
I walked in on Riley and Colton. They both looked furious, glaring and spitting venom at each other. He had her caged against the wall, and their heads snapped toward me as I walked inside the apartment. Colton pulled away from Riley as though she burned him, and Riley was glaring daggers at his back.