gaze wandered from her curious expression to her exposed shoulder. Her oversized T-shirt was hanging off again, revealing a tight tank top beneath. The rise and fall of her breathing led my attention to her tits, which were round and full, but frustratingly hidden beneath the bagginess of the top.
“Hey, guys,” came a sweet voice, and I looked up to see Alicia approaching us. “That was a tough wake-up call, huh? I think I need to start working out more.”
“Oh, stop, you did great,” Rose replied. “You’re a natural dancer.”
“Unlike me,” I added, and Rose elbowed me in the side.
“You’ll be a natural by the time Iggy and I are done with you. Don’t worry.” She smiled, and I almost believed her. Alicia edged closer and lowered her voice. “So, uh, what’s the deal with Bob? Is he, like, some kind of lush or something?”
Rose let out a slow breath. “Poor old Bob. He’s been a regular on the circuit for years, but his wife left him a couple of months ago, and he’s hit the bottle pretty hard.”
“Oh, no, really?” said Alicia with affected concern.
“Yeah, it’s sad. Heartbreak can fuck with the best of us at times,” Rose replied.
I wondered if she was thinking of Blake, how he broke her heart. I wanted to know what had happened between them, and it surprised me. Being around all these people after spending the last eight years of my life in near-solitude was overwhelming. I was eager to know them. Well, maybe not all of them. Maybe just Rose.
What was it about her?
“Right, back to the grindstone, everyone,” Iggy called, clapping his hands to gather everybody’s attention. Alicia gave us each a little finger wave and strode off. I dropped my head forward and rubbed at my temples before glancing up to see Rose giving me a sympathetic look.
“This is torture for you, isn’t it?” she said, blue eyes taking me in.
I nodded. “I’m not sure I’ll ever take to this dancing lark. I’m too big and awkward.”
“Big is good,” she replied, and then paled. A moment of quiet ensued, and it was leaden with tension. I let my eyes drop to the freckle on her jaw as she fumbled for words to continue.
“I mean, for a male dancer, because you have to be able to lift your partner and whatnot. The awkward part we can get around.” She paused and pursed her lips, tilting her head as she considered me. When she spoke again, she leaned close, her voice low. “I can give you lessons, if you like. After hours, that is. Not to brag, but I’m very good at what I do, and you seem more comfortable around me than other people. If we’re alone, you’ll be less self-conscious. You can just relax and let me guide you. What do you think?”
“Sounds like a good idea,” I answered, perhaps a little too quickly.
I couldn’t deny that the thought of spending more time with Rose appealed to me. She was right — I was more comfortable around her than others. She was a sea of calm to my troubled thoughts, and I wanted to feel more of that. I wasn’t used to it.
“Hey, you two, chop chop,” Iggy called, shooting us an impatient look.
“I’ll let you know when we can start our lessons,” Rose whispered, and hurried over to her boss’s side.
Five.
*Rose*
Props were so much fun. I sat on a sparkly, diamond-encrusted swing in the theatre as Iggy paced from left to right, his hand on his chin as he pondered me. Okay, so maybe it was more cubic zirconia encrusted than diamond, but you know what I mean.
The swing was for Alicia’s big “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” number. Though rehearsals were still ongoing at the dance studio, the set for the show was in the process of being built, and Iggy and I were trying to figure out some logistics for the choreography. I relished the freedom of the empty theatre as I swung back and forth in various seductive poses, pretending to be Satine.
No audience. No fear.
There was one reason why I’d never aspired to dance in front of an audience, and that was a severe case of stage fright. For years Iggy tried to encourage me to fight my phobia, but in the end he accepted I was a lost cause, destined to forever linger behind the curtains.
I didn’t mind. I liked my job. It was comfortable and safe. And though I sometimes mourned for