Page 156 of The First Taste
She looks up to find me tapping my foot. “I don’t understand how you made it this far through school and yet this eludes you.”
Kaia shoots me a hard look. “It’s only my second attempt, Calum.”
Bas interrupts. “Let me see you do a turn and then step into a leap. That really needs work.”
She does it again, and it looks every bit as awkward. I shake my head, moving away from the mirrored wall behind me.
“Watch,” I say.
I wait a second, pulling in a breath through my nose. Then I move, turning and stepping neatly into a leap. The move requires a great deal of precision and control on my part but I execute it almost casually.
I stop short of doing another leap, turning back toward Kaia. “See?”
Her brows draw down. “I think so. I’m missing a step between my pirouette and my leap. It’s just so fast that I almost missed it.”
I smirk. “Indeed.”
Irritation flashes across her face for a moment before she turns and walks to the corner. She takes fifth position and begins again.
This time, her turns are close to perfect, she nails the leaps, and she manages a particularly grand jeté. She kicks her leg back behind her, balancing en pointe and raising her arms above her head.
“Hold it!” I cry. “Hold it… hold it…”
She breaks, her leg coming down. She glares at me, shaking her arms and legs out.
“Come here,” I beckon. “Let’s practice that arabesque.”
Her gaze slides between me and Bas, who seems to be preoccupied with texting. She hurries over to stand before me, taking fifth position. Then she sweeps her leg back and up and lifts her arms.
I move closer, adjusting her posture ever so slightly with a hand on her waist. My other hand comes up to touch her inner thigh, lifting her leg ever so slightly higher.
Her eyes widen as I touch her. Her breath falters, only noticeable to me because I’m standing so close.
It is very tempting to slide my hand down to tease her pussy and up to nudge her breast. But I don’t.
Even if I were to give in, Bas is standing right behind us. He’s waiting for just that kind of move from me.
So I stay put. I can feel Kaia’s muscles start to tremble under my fingers.
In this moment, she is graceful and beautiful.
“One more…” I whisper.
She holds it for another half breath before slowly releasing. I step back, putting my hands behind my back.
“That was good,” I say.
Kaia looks at me, her wide hazel eyes taking me in. Her cheeks turn pink and she tucks a stray lock of her hair that has escaped her ribbon back behind her ear.
“Don’t think so much,” I murmur. “The pose is not easy, but it should be calming for you. After so much motion it is your reward. Just being still for a few moments.”
Bas smiles lightly, looking at his phone. “I should go. Good work today though, Kaia.”
Kaia blushes and ducks her head. “Have a good night.”
Bas purses his lips and arches a brow at me while he walks out of the studio. I’m not sure what that was exactly, but I’m sure that he wouldn’t leave me here with Kaia if he knew what kind of thoughts I’ve had about her in the last twenty four hours.
As he leaves, I heave a sigh. “Do you want to run it again? Repetition builds muscle memory.”
