Page 43 of Kissing the Debutant
“Because you’re hot.” Wylder shrugged.
Lillian scooted away from her. “No, I’m not… just no.”
A grin tugged at Wylder’s lips. “You’re like a new puppy I get to train. Okay, I’m going to lay it on you. You, Lillian Preston, turn heads wherever you go. I’ve seen it here at school.”
“They’re just scared of me.” Of her intensity.
“Yes, they are. But you’re also smoking.”
“I don’t smoke.”
Wylder’s grin widened. “You’re beautiful, but I don’t think that’s why Jack likes you. I mean, he could have a lot of beautiful girls. There’s something in you he’s drawn to.”
“He probably just feels bad for me.” He’d seen how her mom treated her. He was the only person who knew how conflicted she was about dance.
“Hate to break it to you, Lil, but no one feels bad for the rich girl who can have anything she wants. Least of all the Jack Butlers of the world.”
“Why least of all him?”
“Not my story to tell, babe. But I can guarantee that if he’s drawn to you, it’s despite the life you live, not because of it.”
Lillian picked at the edges of her comforter. “What about Mia?”
“What about her?”
“I don’t think she’d like her boyfriend crushing on me.”
Wylder laughed so hard she had to hold her stomach. “You keep saying they’re dating, but yikes, Lil. That would be ridiculous. Mia and Jack have been best friends forever. I used to think differently, but now I see it. They’re like siblings.”
Warmth flooded Lillian at this new knowledge, as if thinking Jack had a girlfriend was the only thing keeping her from noticing the adorable dimples when he smiled or the way his eyes lit up when he danced.
Okay, so maybe she still didn’t believe Jack wanted her as anything more than a dance partner.
But as she finally let herself really think about last night, she realized she wasn’t sure she felt the same.
15
Jack
“She’s going to nail it this time.” Mia’s camera lens followed Lillian’s graceful footwork. After weeks of arguing, she’d finally adapted to the subtle modern influence of the choreography Jack had developed for her competition.
“Don’t jinx her.” Jack drew his knees up to his chest from his seat on the floor, as Lillian worked up to the apex of the routine they’d worked tirelessly to perfect.
“She’s totally going to win this thing,” Mia said.
“Just let her finish.” A sense of pride filled Jack as he watched Lillian absolutely crush it on the main studio floor. They were treating this practice as a dress rehearsal of sorts. Today she wasn’t a classically trained prima ballerina—she was just a talented dancer pushing at the boundaries of her classical roots, blurring the lines with her newly acquired modern skills. Dressed in black joggers and a sports bra, she danced barefoot, her hair up in its customary bun with long wispy strands trailing behind her.
Lillian was awesome.
And now that she’d learned the routine and could execute it from start to finish without a single hitch, they would finally move on to Jack’s school project, which would push her boundaries even further.
As the final beats of the contemporary music escalated, Lillian’s feet barely touched the ground as she whirled into a classic pirouette, finishing with a kick, and rocking her hips to the music before she dropped to her knees, sliding across the floor and throwing her arms back.
Mia held up her hand to keep him quiet as she finished the last few seconds of the video. His pulse pounded in his ears. He was so proud of Lillian. He’d pushed her out of her comfort zone, and she’d risen to the challenge.
A breathtaking smile spread across Lillian’s face, her chest heaving with the effort to catch her breath.
“Cut,” Mia called. “That was so perfect, Lil.” She clapped. “I can’t wait to get the final edits done on this demo.” She started packing her equipment.
