Chapter 26

You’d been sitting in the back of the studio for hours.

Technically, you didn’t need to be there. Dani never expected you to. But when she looked over her shoulder and asked, “You coming to rehearsal?” with that lazy, smug grin, like she already knew you’d say yes – you hadn’t even hesitated.

And now here you were.

In a dark, late-night rehearsal room lit only by mirror glare and overheated fluorescents, half-curled on the love-seat by the wall, sipping watered-down vending machine coffee, and watching six girls perfect a dance routine for the millionth time.

Well… watching one girl in particular.

Dani was front and centre, leading the formation like she was born to be there – ponytail bouncing, sleeves rolled to her elbows, and that cropped tank that honestly should’ve been illegal at this hour. Sweat clung to her collarbones. Her movements were sharp, precise, and maddeningly fluid all at once.

You weren’t the only one who thought so – Lara had whistled during one of her moves earlier, and even Manon had fanned herself jokingly mid-routine.

“She’s a menace,” Sophia had muttered under her breath.

They were joking. You were suffering.

Because Dani hadn’t just been performing – she’d been targeting you.

A slow hip roll here, a cheeky wink there. Every now and again, her gaze would flick to you in the mirror, holding just long enough to make your stomach twist.

And worse – she knew exactly what she was doing.

*

It was past 11:30 when they finally hit pause. The choreographer gave them a five-minute break and the girls scattered across the studio in all directions like their bones had given out.

You were mid-sip of your now-cold coffee when Dani broke from the group and walked toward you – towel in one hand, water bottle in the other.

You should’ve braced for it.

The second she stood in front of you, your throat went dry. Her chest was still rising and falling fast, cheeks flushed, hair stuck to her neck. Her sports bra peeked out beneath the tank, and when she wiped her face with the towel, your eyes followed the movements like it was gravitational.

She didn’t sit. Just smirked down at you, cocking her head to the side.

“You okay over here?”

You looked up, trying to sound neutral. “Should be asking you that. You look like you just got out of a sauna.”

“Feels like it.” She leaned one knee on the couch next to you, shifting closer. “You’ve been awfully quiet tonight.”

“Just trying to behave,” you muttered, barely meeting her eyes.

“Why?”

You blinked. “What do you mean why?”

Dani grinned, leaning in so close you could feel the heat of her skin. “Because if the roles were reversed? I wouldn’t last ten minutes watching you move like that.”

You swallowed hard. “Trust me. I’m counting down the minutes.”

She reached out and tugged the hem of your hoodie, her fingers slipping just barely beneath it.

“You’re being so patient,” she whispered, voice feather-light. “Makes me want to ruin you a little.”

You glanced around – the girls were all distracted, laughing on the floor, drinking water, stretching. Still… your voice dropped to a warning whisper.

“Dani…”

She leaned in close enough that her lips brushed your cheek, her voice so soft it vibrated in your ear.

“Just ten more minutes.”

You could’ve screamed.

She stood back up like nothing happened, tossing the towel over her shoulder and walking back to the group – casual, unbothered, completely smug. You sat there, blinking at the floor, trying to breathe.

*

The final round of rehearsal dragged like molasses.

You tried to focus on your phone. Failed.

Instead, your eyes kept locking in on Dani – the way her muscles moved under her skin, the way she lip-synced the lyrics under her breath, how her eyes flicked to the mirror again, catching yours – smirking, like she was daring you to snap.

By the time the music cut for the last time and the lights dimmed, you felt like your body was buzzing.

“That’s it for tonight,” the choreographer called, finally. “Good job, girls. Get some sleep. You’ve earned it.”

“Barely,” Lara groaned, throwing herself onto the floor.

Manon peeled off her hoodie. “Tell my legs I’m proud of them.”

You stood slowly, heart racing.

Dani jogged over to you again, towel now slung around her neck, her water bottle nearly empty. She looked like sin and satisfaction – and she knew it.

“You coming?” she asked, too casually.

You stared. “You’re asking me that now?”

Her lip twitched. “I meant upstairs.”

She just smirked, grabbed your hand, and interlaced your fingers like it was nothing. Like your body wasn’t already on fire.

*

As you walked out of the rehearsal room, the girls’ voices faded behind you. Megan was joking about eating half the fridge. Sophia was begging someone to make tea. Yoonchae was FaceTiming a friend.

But all you could hear was your heartbeat in your ears.

And all you could feel was Dani’s thumb, stroking low circles against your palm – that quiet, steady reminder of what was waiting for you once the door to her room shut.

And when you passed Lara and Megan in the hallway, Dani kept her face perfectly straight – like she wasn’t thinking the same thing you were.

But the second you reached the stairs – out of earshot, out of sight – she turned to you with that look again.

Predatory. Playful.

“You made it,” she murmured. “So patient. So well-behaved.”

Your voice was hoarse. “I’m seconds from losing it.”

Dani leaned in, lips brushing yours.

“Then let’s not waste them.”

And just like that, she pulled you toward her room – one step, two – not rushing, but not hesitating either.

You didn’t even hear the door click shut behind you.

———-

Don’t worry, I have an interesting part 2 for this one coming your way 😉