For one, they wouldn’t shut up. They kept ooing and awing over each dance and had to lean across him to do it. Secondly, they both scared the shit out of him, so he refused to move or say anything. So he was pretty much stuck. Watching as each dancer hit the stage, he decided that Reese’s company was stacked when it came to dancers. Each one was stunning in their own way but when Claire hit that stage, he noticed that the whole place fell silent. Even Harper and Elli didn’t have anything to say. They only watched in awe as pride was bursting within him.
Claire had grown so much since the first time she came to him, and he was so proud of her. Loved her more than ever and was excited for their future. He could already see himself sending her off to some major dance school, or maybe she would stay home, he wasn’t sure, but he knew he would do everything to support her and to love her. He was excited for when the playoffs were over because he was taking Claire and his cup to the beach and maybe, just maybe, if she wanted, Reese would be there.
Man, it was killing him seeing her come on stage with the tiny girls and leading them in their dance. She wore his favorite black shorts and short shirt that showed her perfectly toned belly. Desire hit him hard every time he set eyes on her, and it was really awkward sporting a stiffy between his boss and the sister of the girl he was in love with, but he couldn’t help it. She drove him insane, rocked his world, and tied him in knots all at the same time.
“I wonder if Reese is gonna dance,” Elli said, and Harper shrugged.
“I don’t know.”
“I don’t think she is,” Piper called from down the way.
“No? That sucks,” Harper complained as she sat back.
“Yeah, it does,” Phillip found himself saying, and then received a pitiful look from all three women.
“She does care for you, Phillip, you know that,” Elli said compassionately.
“I know but—”
“She does, I promise Phillip, she is just so hardheaded,” Harper added, but Phillip shook his head.
“I know and believe me, I’ll never stop wanting and loving her. Nothing has changed on my end, it’s all her. As much as I love you two for wanting to console me, don’t, it makes it worse because it reminds me that she didn’t want to take a chance on me.”
“But she does,” Harper says.
He shrugged his shoulder as he leaned back against the seat, the music ending for the last act. He couldn’t have been happier. It was time to blow this Popsicle stand, but the lights didn’t come back on. Instead, a single spotlight came on Reese, who stood in the middle of the stage. She held a mic in her hand and looked even better than she did an hour ago. She had lost the shirt, wearing a black sports bra with a black lace, dress-looking thing that came to her thighs. Her hair was up in a messy bun, and her eyes were locked with his. He took in a quick breath and tried to look away, but he couldn’t. She had him trapped in her gaze, and he couldn’t escape if he tried.