King of Campus

I can’t help the smile that twitches around the corners of my lips. Normally I’m not one who thinks kids are charming or cute. The most interaction I have with squirts this age are when they want me to sign their footballs and programs. Or when the team puts on a clinic for kids in the community.

Otherwise I generally steer clear of the little beasties.

Ivy asks them all to hold their poses as she comes around to check their positioning. Smiling, she praises each one.

Even though her smile isn’t directed at me, it still arrows clean through me. It occurs to me that I’ve never seen Ivy smile like that before. And certainly never at me. It makes me feel as if I’ve been somehow cheated.

Clapping her hands, all the girls break their poses before instantly swarming her. She speaks quietly to them before they all nod their heads in unison. Then she gets a small bowl from the front of the room and without being told, all of the girls rest their hands on top of their heads as she comes around with stickers that she then places on their hands.

In the blink of an eye, all the little half pints are scampering away. A few of the parents stay to speak with Ivy. Asking questions, I’m guessing. She looks so completely serious as she explains whatever-the-hell-it-is-she’s-taking-the-time-to-explain to them.

When all the girls and their parents have finally cleared out of the studio, Ivy walks to the front of the room and grabs a big water bottle before taking a long drink from it. Because I’m still loitering in the hallway, she hasn’t seen me yet. I really should let her know I’m here… but I don’t.

Not quite yet.

For some reason, I just want to stand here and watch her for a little bit longer. Ivy is so full of grace and polish. Setting the bottle down, she goes to the barre and places both hands on it before leaning forward and stretching one leg out in back of her. After holding the pose for a long moment, she does a few more stretches before moving to the middle of the wooden floor.

Holding both arms out, she executes a series of leaps and jumps that span the length of the space. There is no music playing but there must be some kind of beat in her head because all of her movements are rhythmic and purposeful. Just when I feel like I couldn’t be more impressed with the sheer flexibility she exudes, she performs what looks like the splits midair. As she comes out of it, she rolls onto the floor in a somersault before popping up and then spinning around on one foot.

I’m pretty sure my jaw just hit the floor.

I can’t take my eyes off her.

Off her body as she bends and tucks and rolls. Somehow making it do whatever the hell she wants it to. I’ve never seen someone with such physical command over their body before. It may be totally unmanly to admit this, but my breath actually catches at the back of my throat as I continue watching her. Hell, I don’t think I could rip my eyes away if I tried.

I’m completely blown away by what she’s able to do. I mean, yeah, sure… I heard she danced… but I had no idea she could perform like this. That she was this good. Like a… professional or something.

And then the spell is broken.

All movement ceases as our eyes finally collide. I hadn’t realized I’d stepped inside the room instead of hovering just outside the door, but here I am.

Her breath comes in fast little pants as her eyes take me in. She looks confused.

“What are you doing here? I thought we were meeting at the library in about forty-five minutes?”

Is it wrong to say that watching her do whatever-the-hell-she-just-did is a huge turn on? And that body hugging leotard certainly isn’t helping matters either. That scalding hot kiss from yesterday suddenly crashes its way through my head. It takes everything I have inside not to immediately close the distance separating us and haul her into my arms so I can kiss the hell right out of her again.

“Roan?” Her voice rises just a bit as if she knows exactly what’s tumbling through my head.

Clearing my throat, not to mention those unruly thoughts, I reply, “I, ah, thought you might need a ride home.”

Cocking her head to the side, she continues watching me. Almost as if the offer might be some sly bit of trickery on my part. “How did you know I was here?”

Before I even have the chance to formulate a response, she mutters, “I’m going to kill Lexie.”

I can’t help but flash her a grin. “Oh, don’t be too hard on her. I weaseled it out of her before she had her first cup of coffee.”

A small smile curls around the corners of her lips. “Well, I guess that would explain it.”

Since Dylan and I have been roommates since freshman year, I met Lexie when they started hanging out last year. She’s a cool chick. I like her. And she’s slept over enough times in the past for me to know that she has a major caffeine addiction problem. If you ever need to get info out of her, hit her hard before that first cup in the morning. She’s usually so groggy she’ll tell you just about anything you want to know.