Page 51 of The Way We Dance

Giselle

Iwoke up to whispered words.

"Fuck."

"Shit."

"Ouch."

Those were just a few of the words that were being yelled and whispered at the same time. I looked up to find Ty pacing around my room looking for the clothes we had discarded the night before.

He hadn't realized I was awake and I smiled as I watched him jump on one foot from one side of the room to the other. He had his shorts back on but not his shirt and I could see the tattoos lining his body in the early morning light that had started streaming in.

I giggled when he made his way back into my eye sight, hopping on the opposite foot as before, still no shirt. The noise caught his attention and he froze, looking at me.

The smile that formed on his face was breathtaking and I almost audibly gasped at how much of him was affecting me. In all fairness, I wasn't sure I had ever seen him smile so brightly and so genuinely, but a part of me wondered if maybe I was just extra smitten.

"Morning," he said as he sauntered toward the bed. I was still naked but a blanket covered me and my face was buried into a pillow.

"Morning," I lifted my mouth from the pillow and dropped it back down after I spoke.

He sat on the bed beside me and brushed the rogue strands of hair from my face. It was an extremely intimate motion and had goosebumps forming on my skin.

"I have to go to practice," Ty explained. I nodded because I knew he had practice and a part of me was relieved. It kept things less awkward that morning. "You have my number and I will text you what to do on Sunday for the game."

"Ok," I whispered with a smile in my tone.

"You ok?" He asked but had a matching smile on his face.

"Oh yeah," I nodded and his smile got bigger.

"Good," he kissed my temple and stood up, throwing his shirt over his head. "See you Sunday, Miss Priss."

He winked and was on his way out of my room when the doorbell rang.

I sat up straight and covered my chest with the blanket as Ty froze and looked back at me. No one ever rang my doorbell.

Ever.

I didn't know anyone in Atlanta well enough for them to know where I lived—or to even need to know.

"I can get that," Ty said when he saw my eyes wide open with concern.

"I don't even know who it could be."

"Get dressed and I’ll check."

I nodded and climbed from the bed. We both knew I was mostly worried because of what was going on at Brisé. No way could that guy know where I lived but what if he watched me or followed me home one night?

I took a deep breath, knowing that scenario was unlikely, and also thankful that Ty was there. If someone was going to have the guts to come to my home, I was glad I wasn't alone.

I threw clothes on quickly and followed Ty into the living room. He didn't pay much attention to his surroundings when we came in the night before so I whispered to get his attention when he walked the wrong way to the door.

"That way," I pointed to the right.

Ty did an about-face and walked quickly into the foyer. He approached the door and instead of opening it, he wisely looked through the peephole.

"Who is it?" I whispered, creeping closer.

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