HeartBeat (Saranghaeyo Book 2) (5 page)

              As she walked down the hallway with the dance rooms, she thought she heard music, but she shrugged it off as another night time dancer. When she approached the dance studio they had been practicing in she stopped in the doorway, upon seeing the music was coming from the room. She peeked a head in, smothering a gasp at seeing, a black tank and gym short clad G.K. dancing with his eyes closed.

              She watched him, spellbound, as he moved expertly in a routine she’d never seen. His movements were the perfect combination of grace and masculinity.  Sweat ran in rivulets down his face and his hair was loosed from his normal ponytail.  He was simply breathtaking to watch and all the feelings she’d bottled up, all the reasons she’d convinced herself were the right ones, went up in smoke.

              Leila didn't know why or how but her feet moved her into the room of their own volition. She kept him in her sights as she took off her jacket, leaving her in loose sweatpants and a t-shirt.

              G.K. continued dancing to the thumping music coming from the speakers, oblivious to her presence.

***

              He breathed heavily as the song ended.  Drops of sweat decorated the polished wood floors.  His eyes snapped open when he suddenly he got the feeling he was no longer alone.

              “What are you doing here?”

              The question sounded harsh to his ears and obviously to hers because she flinched at his tone.

              G.K. walked over to an opposite corner and snatched up a towel which he vigorously rubbed over his head.  “Did you want to use the room? I think I’m done for now.”

              He was just about to call the driver to pick him up when she said, “No it's okay, you can stay…if you want.”

              His head knew he needed to leave but his heart leaped for joy.  She wanted him to stay. 

              “Okay.  I’ll stay for a little while.”

              G.K. flipped open his water bottle and drank as he watched her fidget.  “Why are you here?”

              “I…well, I seriously need to practice that routine we worked on earlier.  I just can’t get it right.”

              Disbelief crossed his features. “You looked to be doing it just fine earlier,” he said trying to keep the jealousy he felt out of his voice.  “You're an amazing dancer, you know.”

              She would never admit it aloud, but his compliment made her heart soar.

              “I’ve never seen that dance before.  Is that another one of the group’s routines,” she asked.

              G.K. shook his head.  “No, just something I came up with off the top of my head.” He paused and looked directly at her. “I like to dance when I’m...upset.”

             
“I like to dance when I’m...upset.”

              At first she was taken aback by his answer.  She was also taken aback by his coldness, though she understood the reasons behind both.

              “I’m sorry G.K.,” she began.  “I haven’t been very nice to you.  It’s just that dancers can be a pretty catty bunch and if they thought I was getting special favors…”

              He nodded in understanding. “I guess that happens everywhere.  I wasn’t trying to make you uncomfortable.  I’m sorry.”

              Leila wanted to kick herself in the head.  The conversation wasn’t going the way she’d hoped.  The words she wanted to say were still lodged in her throat. 

              She decided to change the subject.

              “Anyway, I came back because that damn dance isn’t flowing the way it should. Terrence and I look too robotic, I think.”

              She heard him say something in Korean that didn’t sound very complimentary, towards Terrence at least.

              G.K. walked over to the stereo system and grabbed his smartphone, fiddling with it until he found the song and faced her.

              “Okay let‘s see what the problem is. I’m sure it’s all in your head.” G.K. gave her a reassuring smile.

              Leila moved into the middle of the room and got into position.

              At first the music flowed through her organically, but the lack of a partner made her movements a little awkward and she could feel them become stilted towards the middle of the routine.

              In a huff she paused disgustedly. “You see what I mean. It’s not working at all!”

              “You’re thinking too much, Leila.  Don’t
think
, just
feel
.”

              Before she could think or protest, G.K. stood in front of her. “Okay, we'll do it together. Maybe that will help.”

              The routine really did call for partners since it was comprised of each partner mimicking the other, before the movements became synchronized.  Up to that point everything was fine then came the part where the two of them were to dance together.

              Leila inched over as G.K. did the same. She reached out and took his hand. He pulled her against him in a half-spin, and then pulled her in close as his hand slid sensuously down her shoulders to skim her hip.

              Leila’s senses swam.  He was so close and the small gold flecks in his brown eyes too visible.  He smelled good, sweat mixed with some light, citrusy aftershave.  She’d struggled with this routine for hours, enduring Michael’s weary patience, but now with G.K. the stars aligned and the steps seemed to sink into her very soul.

              G.K. cupped her cheek with one hand as the other brought her arm back down, fingers entwined.

              “See," he whispered huskily as both breathed heavily. “That was perfect.”

              The combination of G.K.'s hands on her was the thing responsible for her breathlessness and how quickly her heart began racing but she tried to trick herself into thinking it was the exertion of the routine.  He was still holding her.  Leila knew she should pull away.  Sanity scolded her with threats of losing her place as a dancer and going back to Atlanta in disgrace.

              Yet her heart screamed
‘please kiss me!’

***

             
I shouldn't be doing this.

              G.K.’s eyes swept over Leila’s flushed face, before stopping on her full lips as a war waged itself inside of him.  He knew he should let her go, but she felt wonderful in his arms.

             
I’m supposed to get to know her first, right?

              Then she swiped her tongue over her lips and he was a goner.

             
To hell with it
, he thought as he lowered his mouth to hers.

              Their lips met tentatively, a butterfly brush against each the other‘s. G.K. let out a soft groan, his hand slipping from hers to rest on her lower back. He’d never kissed a woman, not like this.  Instinct drove him as his tongue swept into her mouth. He felt Leila’s hands tangle into his messy and sweat-matted hair.

              Ambrosia, that's what she tasted like. She was pure heaven and G.K. wanted more. He bit her bottom lip gently, before running his tongue over it soothingly, as he rested his right hand on her back, pulling her to fit completely against him. Leila released a gasp, feeling his growing arousal pressed against her core.

It was just as he thought; she fit perfectly into his arms, chest to chest, pelvis to pelvis.             

Soon their need to breathe overwhelmed all else and they reluctantly separated, panting heavily. G.K. rested his forehead against hers.

              They stood that way for what felt like hours. G.K. reveled in their closeness for a while longer.  Her hair tickled his nostrils and his body reacted in all kinds of wonderful ways, one particular one that made Leila suddenly pull away in a panic.

              “I’m…I’m sorry G.K.”, she stammered, “I have to go.”

              She fretfully ran a hand over her hair before spinning and quickly exiting the room before he could say a word.

             
What had just happened?
G.K. stood there in confusion.

              He swore at himself.
Shibbal
, had he come on too strong? Perhaps, but there was little doubt now, that she wasn’t attracted to him. The way she had kissed him back told him the answer to that question.

              He had kissed her.

              A broad smile crossed G.K.’s face.

              He had kissed
her.

              G.K. let out a loud whoop. Maybe subtle wasn’t the way to go. Clearly he was just going to have to wear her down. G.K. laughed at his thoughts, happier than he had been in months.

Chapter Four

Leila lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling.

She'd had a sleepless night with the memory of G.K.'s kiss running through her mind like an Olympic marathon.

She tossed and turned, her frustration warring with her desire.

She was supposed to be staying away from him. Sucking face with the guy who in essence was her boss wasn’t exactly
staying away.
Leila let out a smothered groan as images of their kiss tattooed themselves onto her consciousness. Heat overtook her body as she re-lived the feel of his firm but gentle lips on hers. Worse still had been the momentarily insane desire to rip the man's clothes off and have her way with him right then and there on the hard wooden floor.

Leila struggled to clear her mind. It wasn't as if she'd never had boyfriends before or been attracted to men, but this
--
whatever
this
was--this kind of recklessness was new to her.

 "Chica, wake up! Don't you have practice today? Are you okay?"

Marcia stood in her doorway, concern on her face.

"What time is it," Leila slowly swung her feet to the floor. Even that took way too much energy since she'd barely slept. 

Marcia glanced at her watch. "A quarter til nine."

"Shit! Are you kidding me?" Leila jumped up, panic on her face. "I am so screwed!"

She raced past her worried roommate to the bathroom, hoping against hope that Marcia's watch was wrong or that it was a weekend. "I'll never make it! I am so screwed!"

Marcia felt her eyes widen, Leila was never late to anything. And here she was, with dark circles and practically teleporting out the house. Yes something was most certainly going on with her friend, and being the naturally curious person she was, Marcia wanted to know what.

***

Leila showered, dressed and grabbed a cup of coffee in record time. She dashed downstairs and flagged a cab.

When she reached the studio it was nine-thirty and her stomach was in knots.

As if on cue, everyone paused when she entered. Thankfully G.K. and his group weren't there.

"We wondered where you were, sleeping beauty," Michael's grin took the sting from his words.  "Are you all right? You're never late."

Leila knew what she must have looked like, clothes rumpled, hair messy and out of breath.

"I am so sorry.  The water temporarily got cut off in our building." She had no idea where the lie had came from, but from the understanding murmurs from her fellow dancers, it worked. She bent down and tied her dance shoes. "I'll catch up, I promise."

"Well we just ran through yesterday's routine so we'll start from there. But tell your building supervisor to get better plumbing."  The young choreographer clapped his hands and the dancers fell into line.  "Okay y'all, let's take it from the top."

It did not take long for Leila to lose her weariness and the wariness as the music fused to her soul.  There was no time to wonder about G.K. or the kiss as Michael kicked their butts once more.  The up-tempo steps were exhilarating and exhausting and she'd never felt better.

Several hours later, he called for a break and everyone practically crumpled to the floor.

"Man," Terrence said as he wiped the sweat from his face and arms.  "I think I've lost twenty pounds in the last few days.  That dude must have been a damn drill instructor in his past life."

Leila took her break time to eat some fruit and a granola bar.  The coffee was a lost cause, having grown cold. She tried not to peer over her shoulder to see if G.K. had arrived. On the one hand she was relieved, considering that she'd been late to rehearsal and it was partially his fault.  She was also disappointed. She wanted to see if he was just as disturbed by their kiss.

Moments later the group stepped into the studio followed by Jin Yung, but Leila had eyes only for G.K.

He wore an oversized hoodie, sweat pants, and sneakers and he looked even more delicious than before.