Page 94 of In Step

“I got a call from New York. The New York City Ballet wants me there for three months. Six weeks with their main company and six with a start-up contemporary dance wing they have under their umbrella. Then I’d head to Berlin after that.”

My mouth dropped open. “But isn’t that... holy shit. Isn’t that the company you’ve always dreamed of working with?”

He finally grinned. “Yeah. They’re one of the best. This would set me up, at least career-wise. I couldn’t believe it when I got the call.” He looked so excited.

“It’s amazing, Abe. And you so deserve it.” I meant every word, but it was a struggle to keep that jagged edge from my voice at the reminder of his transient life.Three months in New York. And then there was Berlin after that.A thought struck me. “Is this what you weren’t telling me on the phone? I got the sense you were keeping something back.”

His cheeks flushed. “Yeah. I guess I have mixed feelings about it.”

I risked a glance sideways. “Because of... me?”

He nodded. “It’s just another thing, right? Another complication.”

I said nothing for a second because he was right. “But you’ve been waiting for this your whole career. It’s important. It’s the same as this vet job for me.”

“So I guess that means you’ll be staying in Painted Bay, then?”

“For a while, at least. But if I really like it, then maybe a lot longer.” I frowned at his look of disappointment. “Why is that?”

He shrugged and his gaze again slid to the side window. “I’d been thinking I might get home more regularly now, what with Mum and everything. And I guess in my head I’d thought that if you moved to a bigger city like you’ve been talking about, then maybe it could be Wellington and I’d still get to see you. But Painted Bay is a long way from Wellington, especially if my visits are short, which they will be if these contracts go through. A week at the most, and they’ll be busy with Mum.”

I squeezed his hand. “Our timing sucks. But I feel like this job is the beginning of something for me. It feels right, you know? Like New York does for you. You’ve been waiting a long time for that contract, and I’ve been waiting a long time for this chance. Areyouexcited?”

He took a second to answer, then looked at me. “Yes, I am. It’s validation for all the work I’ve put in and it’s a big deal in my world. But I absolutely think that this job is the right thing for you too. I’m just being selfish.”

“I can always fly down to see you when you’re home, if I’m free.”

He stared at me, then smiled and lifted the back of my hand to his lips. “I’d like that very much. But right now, I just want to get home and forget everything else except you.”

Home.I was pretty sure he didn’t even realise what he’d said, but the idea he thought of my small bedsit as home did dangerous things to my already tenuous hold on my heart.

I shot him a sly grin. “Well, I have three words for you.”

He arched a brow. “I’m all ears.”

“Anal. Douche. Master.”

He barked out a laugh and slapped the dashboard with his open hand. “Faster. Drive faster.”

CHAPTERTWENTY-FIVE

Abe

I lookedaround the dressing room at the excited and shining young faces and couldn’t believe we’d finally got there. Recital night. The energy was through the roof, nerves, anticipation, and even a little stage fright. It was as if every kid had chugged back half a dozen cans of Red Bull and followed up with a bag of candy just for good measure. I could only hope they blew most of it in the performance so their parents got at least a little sleep after it was all done, unlike the night before, according to the tales I’d heard.

With a mountain of last-minute things to organise, my last week in Painted Bay had passed in a blur of frantic activity. There were classes for the kids and the last public dance lesson; props and scenery to be delivered to the town hall; the setting out of chairs and confirming the catering; polishing the dress rehearsal, including May finalising hair and makeup—God love her; and Jam with all the last-minute wrinkles in music and lighting. It was exhausting... and more fun than I’d had in a long time.

Even with Judah taking half the load and the recital being a small-town event, my head still swam with checklists. This nuts-and-bolts side of getting a performance on the boards was way less familiar and I was half-excited, half-terrified. My job was usually to arrive, get the choreography sorted and make sure that side of things was ready, and then fuck off, leaving someone else to actually get the background show details ready to go. Most companies wanted me in and out as quickly as possible to keep the cost down, and I usually never even made opening night. But this time the buck stopped with Judah and me, and there was no way I was letting those kids down.

“So, how do I look?” Kane sidled next to me in the backstage dressing room. He looked good enough to eat in a body-hugging black shirt split almost to the navel, showing off all that lick-worthy olive skin; skinny black trousers in some stretchy material that hugged his arse in all the right places but left him room to stretch those long lean legs; a thin, sexy red bandana tied around his neck; and his blond hair like a waterfall on his shoulders and gleaming like the sun and, of course, jolting my cock to attention.

“Je—eepers.” I glanced at the kids still busy getting dressed and pursed my lips. “Come with me.”

I bundled a chuckling Kane out into the hallway and manhandled him down toward the back exit before shoving him into a dark cleaner’s closet by the bathrooms, where I pressed myself up against him. “That’s better.”

“You’re putting me back in the closet?” He smirked. “Is there a problem?” He arched into me, brushing his cock against mine, and all I could manage was a groan.

“Yes, a huge problem.” I planted his hands above his head.

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