The Storm Before the Calm

The Storm Before the Calm by Cate Ashwood Page B

Book: The Storm Before the Calm by Cate Ashwood Read Free Book Online
Authors: Cate Ashwood
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face. Clearly he’d heard everything we’d said.
    I texted back.
    Charlie: Not even a little.
    Max: Good.
    I laughed as I tucked my phone back into my pocket.
    “What?” Andy asked.
    “Nothing. I’m gonna go get changed. See you upstairs?”
    “Sure,” she chirped.
    I ducked into the changeroom, excited to see Max again. I hadn’t made it more than two steps inside before I was tugged sideways and pressed against the wall, Max’s body pinning me in place.
    “Missed you,” he said before his lips descended on mine. The kiss was brief but intense, and when Max pulled away, I had a hard time refocusing my eyes.
    “Missed you too.” I spoke against his lips before I kissed him again, just a soft press. “We probably shouldn’t do this here when there are other people in the building.”
    “Probably not,” Max agreed. “But I don’t know how I’m going to be able to keep my hands to myself all fucking day.”
    “I’m sure you’ll find a way,” I said.
    “Maybe….”
    His voice was cryptic, but I knew Max wasn’t stupid. He knew keeping us a secret meant a lot to me, and I trusted him not to jeopardize that.
    We dressed quickly, grabbing our stuff, and then I followed him up the stairs to the class. Andy was waiting for us, ready to go.
    We only had a few minutes before class started, and we filled it with mindless chitchat. I had a hard time concentrating on the conversation. I found myself staring at Max, noticing the way his Adam’s apple moved when he spoke and the way his eyes crinkled at the corners when he laughed.
    Class started, and it did little to sway my attention back to the here and now. Max was teaching, and I was grateful to have a legitimate reason to look at him. We’d split up into two groups, running through the choreography Sophie had designed for us. As I waited my turn, Max breezed by me.
    He stopped briefly and bent forward, his lips inches from my ear, and whispered, “Check out the mirror.”
    I looked, and right there in the corner were three handprints, two facing down and one right side up, head height, just where our hands had been the first time Max had kissed me. I felt the heat flooding my face. It terrified me and turned me on, all at the same time. Evidence of our secret was right there for everyone to see.
    I grinned at him, and he returned the smile, one eyebrow cocked as he made his way to the other side of the room.
    “What was that?” Andy whispered, leaning into me. Suddenly her presence annoyed me. I didn’t want her to know, and she was crowding in on me. I wanted it to be Max and me and no one else.
    “Nothing,” I whispered back. She gave me a glare, but there was no venom behind it.
     
     
    T HE REST of the week progressed in much the same way, Max and I stealing a brief moment every morning to kiss one another breathless before climbing the stairs to class. During class he did his best to drive me insane. Acro was the worst. He’d touch me a moment longer than he needed to when he was spotting me, and he stood a little too close during our other classes. He drove me nuts.
    If anyone else noticed, no one said anything, but every time he was close to me, my body responded. It was very nearly embarrassing more than once.
    By Friday I was itching for the weekend, impatient as hell to be alone with him. We’d made plans for a repeat of the weekend before, meeting at ten Saturday morning. I hoped for a repeat of more than our schedule.
     
     
    M AX WAS waiting for me when I arrived at the studio, almost an hour before we were scheduled to meet. I’d taken a chance he’d be there. Judging by the text that had come through a little before eight o’clock, I knew he’d gotten up early too. I crossed the room, suddenly feeling a little shy and unsure of myself. Being alone with him again was all I wanted, and yet it felt overwhelming at the same time.
    But then I was in his arms and his mouth was on mine and everything clicked into place like a frame

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