Page 44 of The Devil and His Goddess

“I have no doubt.” I smiled, and my attention inadvertently drifted back to Harper like two magnets drawn to each other. Before I could stop myself, my gaze traveled down her lithe form and the baby pink leotard she wore.

The leotard I’d given her.

Our eyes met again, and a light flush warmed her already red cheeks. The weird feeling I’d had that night resurfaced in the center of my chest. I promptly cleared my throat, hoping that would rid the ache now taking up residence inside of me.

“Too bad I came in for the last of the rehearsal,” I chuckled, hoping I sounded normal.

“Would you like to see it from the beginning?” Harper suddenly offered.

Our gazes locked again, and when I saw the hope in her eyes, I had to lick my dry lips. As if I could say no when she looked at me like that.

I nodded and shoved my hands in the pockets of my slacks. “Sure. If the two of you still have another go in you.”

Harper looked to Elijah, who nodded. The two got in their starting positions while I found my place next to Delilah and Hans to watch. The music swelled to life in a lilting dark and romantic theme. My two dancers immediately fell into character, and though I tried to watch both for any necessary corrections, changes, or things they did well, Harper stole the show.

Like always, she danced with the smooth and delicate beauty of a ballerina. Despite still learning the repertoire, every movement of her body or expression on her face conveyed a story—a storyI’dwritten, yetshemade all her own. I could only imagine the magic she’d create on stage with music, lights, and a costume adding to her grandeur.

The music ended with the two in their final pose of Elijah holding Harper close to the ground in a fish dive. As he sat Harper back on her feet, the two working hard to catch their breath, I clapped with a wide grin pulling on my lips.

“Are you sure you’ve only been doing this set for one day?” I asked with a chuckle.

The two dancers grinned and thanked me for the implied compliment. Delilah, Hans, and I went over the critiques and adjustments we thought the two needed to work on. Elijah and Harper had moved to the opposite wall, drinking their water as they discussed the pas de deux, too.

“Great job with rehearsals today,” I complimented my dance master and répétiteur as I made to leave.

I passed by Harper and Elijah. I could practically feel Harper fighting the urge to make eye contact as she listened to Elijah while he squatted by his bag to pack up. With her eyes firmly trained on her friend, I waltzed by, brushing the back of my fingers over hers.

My ears burned with the sweet sound of her soft inhale, but I didn’t break my stride to look at her or stick around. My own arm tingled with pinpricks of electricity and didn’t stop, even after I’d reached the solitude of my office. I took a deep breath and stared at the back of my fingers as I flexed them, trying to rid the buzz from my skin.

I couldn’t explain what I was feeling—physically and otherwise. All I knew was my goddess fucking shook me up inside.

Eager to see more of her than just that fleeting moment during work, I whipped out my phone, pausing only long enough to give my screensaver an appreciative groan—the photo I’d taken of Harper nearly naked and covered in our fluids with the dildo sticking out of her pussy. It was still my favorite photo to date.

Pulling up her contact, I shot her a text.

Have dinner with me tonight.

Her response came only moments later.

Can’t. I’m studying choreo videos.

Even better. Come over. We’ll watch them together.

Nice try. I seriously need to study and practice.

And what better person to do that with than the artistic director who wrote the ballet?

The phone went quiet for a minute, and I chuckled as I pictured her backed into an undeniable corner.

My phone dinged.

You’re annoying when you make sense.

I laughed just as it went off again.

Address?

I’d never given out my personal address faster. Did I typically invite people over, other than my band mates or demons? No. But I was willing to make an exception this time. After all, it would get me that much closer to her,andit would make her a better dancer, both things that benefited me.

---