sprawled on the floor with Seth yelling at her to quit being such a baby and get back up and do it again.
Jon stormed into the studio, stepping between Maggie and Seth. When he glanced down and saw Maggie’s face wet with tears, it took every ounce of restraint not to knock Seth on his ass. Jon plucked her off the floor and set her on a bench.
Seth shouted, “What do you think you’re doing? This is a closed rehearsal and you have no right to barge in here—”
He was looming over Seth in two seconds. “I have every right when I see Maggie on the floor! What the fuck is wrong with you, Seth? I know you’re her coach, but I didn’t think you were a bully. It’s obvious she’s had enough if she’s crying.”
That seemed to knock the fight right out of Seth.
Stanis wrapped his arm around Seth’s shoulder. “Jon is right, sweetheart. Take a break. Come on.” He led Seth out of the studio and the office door closed.
Jon forced deep breaths into his lungs before he faced Maggie.
She’d stopped crying, but she still looked miserable.
“You all right?”
She shook her head and tears spilled down her cheeks.
He scooped her onto his lap, running his hands down her spine as her body was racked with sobs. “Ssh. Baby. It’s okay.”
“I hate him,” she said with a hiccup.
“No, you don’t. You’re both on edge and you’ve spent way too much time together.”
“I want to quit.”
Jon pressed his lips against her forehead. “No, you don’t.”
A few minutes passed before she said, “But I could. The company in Billings I sent my resume to after I was laid off has an opening. They want to interview me this week.”
“Which is great. But Maggie, you shouldn’t be making any career decisions before your first major dance competition.”
“Maybe I should take it as a sign that I should quit.”
“You’d be kicking yourself if you didn’t follow through with competing in regionals after all the work you’ve put into it the last six months.”
“You’re probably right. Anyway. Why are you here?”
“To tell you I have to deal with some business out of town.”
She lifted her head. “You’re leaving again?”
He smoothed damp tendrils of hair from her face. “Yeah.”
“I thought Sapa was on an extended break and you were taking time off?”
Jon hated sidestepping the issue, but Maggie had enough stress in her life this week. And he was scared she’d just walk away if he told her the truth. “It’s just…I didn’t want to leave without saying goodbye this time.”
“Thanks for that.” She sighed. “It’s probably for the best that you’ll be gone.”
“Since I won’t see you anyway because of your intensive rehearsal schedule?”
“Partially. But also because of this.” Maggie angled her head so he could see the large hickey on her neck.
“Shit. Sorry about that.”
“No, you’re not. I’m not either, because last night was incredible.” She pressed her lips to his. “But I will say Seth wasn’t happy about the obvious suck marks on my neck and chest. He warned me that if you continued to act like a horny teen then he wouldn’t allow me to see you at all this week.”
Jon whistled. “Is he grounding you from TV and your car too?”
“And he’s taking away my allowance and my cell phone.”
He couldn’t help but grin that she’d retained her sense of humor even under duress.
“As you can probably guess, his threat didn’t go over very well. The day started off on the wrong foot and went downhill from there.”
“So you’re doubly happy I bulled my way in and told him off?” he asked dryly.
“Yes. Because no one ever sticks up for me.” Maggie rested her cheek against the curve of his neck. “But I am going to miss you.”
“Same here.” Jon adjusted her position so she faced him with her knees on either side of his thighs. He framed her face in his hands and devoured her with a drawn-out kiss that wasn’t nearly enough. “Don’t
Jon stormed into the studio, stepping between Maggie and Seth. When he glanced down and saw Maggie’s face wet with tears, it took every ounce of restraint not to knock Seth on his ass. Jon plucked her off the floor and set her on a bench.
Seth shouted, “What do you think you’re doing? This is a closed rehearsal and you have no right to barge in here—”
He was looming over Seth in two seconds. “I have every right when I see Maggie on the floor! What the fuck is wrong with you, Seth? I know you’re her coach, but I didn’t think you were a bully. It’s obvious she’s had enough if she’s crying.”
That seemed to knock the fight right out of Seth.
Stanis wrapped his arm around Seth’s shoulder. “Jon is right, sweetheart. Take a break. Come on.” He led Seth out of the studio and the office door closed.
Jon forced deep breaths into his lungs before he faced Maggie.
She’d stopped crying, but she still looked miserable.
“You all right?”
She shook her head and tears spilled down her cheeks.
He scooped her onto his lap, running his hands down her spine as her body was racked with sobs. “Ssh. Baby. It’s okay.”
“I hate him,” she said with a hiccup.
“No, you don’t. You’re both on edge and you’ve spent way too much time together.”
“I want to quit.”
Jon pressed his lips against her forehead. “No, you don’t.”
A few minutes passed before she said, “But I could. The company in Billings I sent my resume to after I was laid off has an opening. They want to interview me this week.”
“Which is great. But Maggie, you shouldn’t be making any career decisions before your first major dance competition.”
“Maybe I should take it as a sign that I should quit.”
“You’d be kicking yourself if you didn’t follow through with competing in regionals after all the work you’ve put into it the last six months.”
“You’re probably right. Anyway. Why are you here?”
“To tell you I have to deal with some business out of town.”
She lifted her head. “You’re leaving again?”
He smoothed damp tendrils of hair from her face. “Yeah.”
“I thought Sapa was on an extended break and you were taking time off?”
Jon hated sidestepping the issue, but Maggie had enough stress in her life this week. And he was scared she’d just walk away if he told her the truth. “It’s just…I didn’t want to leave without saying goodbye this time.”
“Thanks for that.” She sighed. “It’s probably for the best that you’ll be gone.”
“Since I won’t see you anyway because of your intensive rehearsal schedule?”
“Partially. But also because of this.” Maggie angled her head so he could see the large hickey on her neck.
“Shit. Sorry about that.”
“No, you’re not. I’m not either, because last night was incredible.” She pressed her lips to his. “But I will say Seth wasn’t happy about the obvious suck marks on my neck and chest. He warned me that if you continued to act like a horny teen then he wouldn’t allow me to see you at all this week.”
Jon whistled. “Is he grounding you from TV and your car too?”
“And he’s taking away my allowance and my cell phone.”
He couldn’t help but grin that she’d retained her sense of humor even under duress.
“As you can probably guess, his threat didn’t go over very well. The day started off on the wrong foot and went downhill from there.”
“So you’re doubly happy I bulled my way in and told him off?” he asked dryly.
“Yes. Because no one ever sticks up for me.” Maggie rested her cheek against the curve of his neck. “But I am going to miss you.”
“Same here.” Jon adjusted her position so she faced him with her knees on either side of his thighs. He framed her face in his hands and devoured her with a drawn-out kiss that wasn’t nearly enough. “Don’t
Similar Books
