Free Strum Your Heart Out by Crystal Kaswell Page B

I pull the towel around my chest and check my reflection to make sure I'm covered. It's acceptable.
    Drew's eyes pass over me as I move to the closet, from my eyes all the way down to my toes and back up again. His gaze lingers at my chest. For a split second, his pupils dilate. His lips part.
    He wants me. Some part of him, at least. Even if it's subconscious, it's something.
    “Why does it make you so angry?” I ask.
    “What?”
    “When Tom teases that we’re together. Dares you to kiss me. Whatever.”
    “I asked Tom a million times to leave it alone.” He runs his hand through his hair. “He knows I swore off relationships after Vivian.”
    “Oh.”
    He shifts. “Are you okay?”
    "Great."
    His eyes fix on mine. "Were you?"
    I pull the towel a little tighter. "What?"
    "Hoping I'd pick dare?"
    My heart races. So not going there. So, so not going there. "I'm not a teenager. If I want a guy to kiss me, I make it happen."
    He stares at me, studying my expression. His fingers brush my shoulders. His lips part, but he doesn't say anything. He just stares.
    I press my knees together. "Why didn't you?"
    He shakes his head. "I'm not a teenager. If I want to kiss a girl, I'm not going to do it because of a dare."
    He sits on the bed, his back to me. He can't think I'm changing with him here.
    I grab a dress and underwear and change in the bathroom. My makeup is smudged from the shower. I wipe it clean with a sheet of toilet paper.
    In my room, Drew is lying on my bed, arms stretched over his head. A thin sliver of his stomach is exposed.
    It's enough to make me pant. God, he's cut. He looks damn yummy.
    I dare you to kiss Kara .
    My head is swimming. The suggestion made him angry. And every time anyone hints there's something between us...
    But he flirts with me and he runs his fingertips over my shoulders and he looks at me like he wants me.
    Drew turns toward me. This time, he's obvious about his double take. Of course, I'm wearing a tight dress and no bra. Not that I wore it so his gaze would be drawn to my chest or anything.
    He pushes himself off the bed and leads me to the hallway.
    Downstairs, someone is clapping. Tom, of course.
    He yells in our general direction. "That was fast, Drew. Kind of embarrassing."
    Drew glances at me for a second. No telling what's going on in that head of his. He brushes a wet strand of hair behind my ears and leans in close.
    Then he pulls back and he makes his way down the stairs like nothing has changed.

CHAPTER TEN
    My dance workout relieves the tension wrecking my body. So Drew dodged a dare to kiss me, then stared at me like he wanted to consume me, so what?
    I focus on hitting every step in my routine. It's been a long time since I've done any real performances, but the steps are drilled into my brain.
    By the time I'm finished practicing, I'm dripping with sweat. My heart pounds against my chest. No lust, just good old-fashioned exercise.
    I pull off my tank top and use it to pat dry. No sense in wearing more than a sports bra and leggings. Not for modern dance.
    One more time. The track is on repeat. I get into position and wait for the song to finish. The instrumental intro kicks in. Five, six, seven, eight. I launch into my routine, throwing myself into every movement.
    I hit the ending pose, catching my breath as the music fades into the outro.
    Something is different.
    I turn around. Drew is standing at the front door in a t-shirt, running shorts, and sneakers. I must not have heard him come in.
    "You're amazing," he says.
    "Thank you." I go to put my music on pause.
    I can still feel his gaze on me. My sports bra and leggings are tight as hell. That must be it. He's just checking me out. Whatever that means.
    I nod to the exercise mat sitting in the corner of the room. "I was going to do some floor work."
    "I'm afraid I can't allow that, Kendrick."
    "That right?"
    "I have push-ups and crunches to do."
    Well then. The mat is just big enough to fit the two of us, side by