Knight Moves Book 1 Read online

  Ryker’s expression darkened and while he offered a small smile, and a slight nod, I knew he didn’t feel it. “All right, I did promise I’d let you go if you wanted, and I’m a man of my word.” He stepped to the curb and flagged down a cab. One screeched to the curb seconds later and he opened the back door for me. “It was nice to meet you Everlie. Thank you for a very lovely evening.”

  He reached for my hand, and I gave him mine, expecting him to shake it, but he turned my hand over, and planted a soft kiss to my palm. Only then, did his smile reach his eyes. His lips on the tender skin of my hand let off an entire box of fireworks in my stomach, and it took every drop of self-control to keep from flinging myself into his arms. I offered him an unsteady smile when he released me, and waved before sliding into the cab.

  Ryker shut the door and gave me a wink before the cab pulled away from the curb.

  I hadn’t made it a hundred feet away before I was questioning whether or not I’d made the right decision.

  Chapter Six

  Everlie

  By the time the cab dropped me off at home, my mind was in a full on tug-of-war over having refused Ryker’s offer. But as I went inside, I snapped at myself to get it together. If he wasn’t interested in anything but getting me into bed, then I wasn’t missing out on anything other than a hot night of meaningless sex. I laughed to myself, imagining Tori’s reaction if I were to tell her that. I could practically hear her say, “But, Ev, that was the whole point!”

  Not surprisingly, she wasn’t home yet. I went to my room, stripped out of Tori’s dress and laid it over the arm of the ungodly gold rocking chair I’d inherited from my grandmother, and made a mental note to take it to the dry cleaner’s the next day. I slipped a large, faded t-shirt on and pulled on a pair of baseball socks before sinking down into bed. It was already nearing midnight, and I forced my mind to shut down, so I could get some sleep and not stay up half the night thinking about Ryker.

  In the morning, before I even opened my eyes, I was overcome with fragments of memories from the night before. The entire thing still had me confused and conflicted. I’d been hoping a long night of sleep would release the frustration I’d been holding onto when I’d gone to bed. I rolled out of bed, flicked on my bedside radio clock to a country station, and padded into my attached bathroom to take a hot shower, singing along with my favorite songs as they swirled through the open door, mingling with the steam and the sound of the water hitting the tile floor.

  After dressing and sweeping on some mascara and lip gloss, I piled my hair into a tight top knot, releasing a few strands around my face, and went out to the kitchen to get some breakfast into my system before leaving for the dance studio. Saturday was my busiest work day, with booked out classes from ten to eight, a new group of students rotating through every hour. Tori was already in the kitchen when I got there, sitting at the small teak table for two, with a huge mug of coffee in her hands. She glanced up at my approach, her blue eyes bright against a bloodshot background. Her hair was frazzled and fluffy, but she smiled at me like a cat that had just spent all day in the sun. “Morning, Ev.”

  “Morning,” I replied. I didn’t want to be mad at her, but I couldn’t stamp down the flares of frustration from the night before, or the way she’d abandoned me to go off and get lucky.

  She leaned back in her chair and stretched her arms above her head. “What time did you get back last night?”

  “Ten something, maybe eleven.” I grabbed the carton of milk from the fridge and dumped a cup in the blender. My back was to Tori as I worked, adding some greens and a banana to the mix, with a scoop of protein powder to top it off.

  “Everlie, are you serious?” Tori was watching me, I could feel her eyes on my back. I didn’t have to see her face to know the expression she was giving me. I’d seen it a dozen times before.

  I flicked on the blender, the sound of the ingredients munching together into a smooth, green purée drowning out Tori’s lecture. When I cut the power, she was still ranting, “—I mean, I basically served him up on a platter! What the hell happened?”

  “Nothing!” I shouted. I spun around to face her. “Nothing happened, Tori. We walked around and talked a little and then I headed back here. I didn’t even want to go last night, but I did because you asked me to! How can you possibly be mad at me?”

  “I’m not mad, Ev. I just don’t get it!”

  I sighed and folded my arms. “You don’t get me, is what you mean.”

  She didn’t deny it. “All I’m saying is that you had the perfect chance for a good time and you blew it!”

  I whipped around and busied myself, pouring the smoothie into a shaker cup, deciding against sitting at home and drinking it down. I needed to get out, away from Tori and her disapproval. I snapped the lid on and it let out a loud crack sound. “I don’t have time to talk about this with you, Tori. We’re different people, okay. You do you and I don’t lecture you, so please, just let me do me. I’m a grown woman, I don’t need you telling me how I should live my life, especially not on something like who and when I should sleep with a man!”

  Tori shook her head, as though in disbelief, and stared into her coffee. “You’re right, Ev. I’m sorry. Do you. I just know how stressed out you’ve been lately, and thought you might have some fun if you just let yourself go for a night. That’s all I was trying to do.”

  I sat down in the chair across from her. “I appreciate that you were trying to help, but you need to let me do things in my own speed. That’s all I’m asking.”

  She nodded. “Understood. Well, at least, as much as I can possibly understand. I still think you’re crazy for not letting Ryker fuck your brains out! Seriously girl, that is some mad self-control you’ve got there!”

  “I gotta get to work,” I said, pushing away from the table. “Will you be here tonight?”

  She smiled and shrugged. “I don’t know. Bennett and I didn’t do a lot of talking last night, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he hit me up later.”

  I nodded and slipped away before I said something the wrong way. I didn’t want to kick up more trouble between us, especially after she’d apologized for pushing me too hard.

  * * * *

  The day at the studio was just the escape I needed. It was impossible for me to stay pent up and frustrated when I had dozens of little faces watching my every move and doing their best to copy me. I loved each and every one of my students, and even though teaching sometimes made for long days, it was the most rewarding job I’d ever had.

  Sometimes, after a series of dance auditions, I’d find myself worried that I’d get a lead role and not be able to keep teaching. What had originally started as a way to keep in shape and trained, had turned into one of the biggest passions of my life, and I couldn’t imagine leaving it behind. I hoped I’d never have to choose between having my name in lights, and being there for my students.

  Each class flew by, and although I was exhausted, I was happy with the progress all of my students were making. Even the little toddlers had seemed to bring their A-game. If there was such a thing as toddler A-game. The clock on the studio wall was rapidly approaching eight o’clock and I sighed, knowing the end of the day was so near. I had no doubt that Tori would be gone all night with Bennett, and I’d be left alone in the apartment. It wasn’t that I couldn’t be alone, but I knew if I spent the night alone, my mind would wander and lead me to thinking about Ryker, and what might have happened. That would lead to thinking about all of my other close-call relationships that had ended before they’d really begun. And all of that would lead to thinking about the future and what I wanted out of life.

  And I didn’t think I had enough wine in the house to deal with it all.

  My last class wrapped, and I waited around until each student had been picked up, before cleaning up. I put away all the props and wiped down the wall mirror and barre. The school was funded mostly thanks to an education grant, and I was currently the only teacher. Which meant a
lot of paperwork to keep up with. Even though I was exhausted, I decided the best use of my time would be to get a jump on the monthly accounting logs. It beat going home to an empty apartment.

  I was refilling my water bottle at the filter in the sink in the tiny storage room that served as my break room, when I heard the front door bell go off. I shook my head, swearing I’d locked it after sending the last student home. The studio was in a less than desirable neighborhood, and I was always super cautious being there alone, especially at night. I went out into the main room, my limbs shaking and my heart thumping out a warning in my chest. My racing pulse screeched to an abrupt stop at the sight of Ryker standing in my studio. He was wearing all black, street clothes, as compared to his more dressed up look from the night before. I could see tattoos on his right forearm, a detail I hadn’t seen the night before. He had the same wicked grin as our eyes met, but it was somehow magnified once his exterior appearance matched his bad boy demeanor.

  I was in trouble.

  “What—what are you doing here?” I gawked, smoothing the loose strands of hair around my face back behind my ears, just to give my hands something to do.

  “I came to see you,” he replied, matter of fact like. “Nice place.” He let his gaze wander away from me and took in the small studio. One wall was completely taken up with the mirror and barre. The opposite wall, by the front door, had dozens of hooks for each student to place his or her bag and coat. I had a small desk in the corner, with an ancient computer, and a dinged up file cabinet. Both of which had been donations to the teacher before me who had started the studio several years earlier.

  “How did you even find me?” I asked, ignoring his compliment. My southern mother would be horrified.

  He shifted his dark eyes back to me. “I was hanging with Bennett, he called your girl, Tori, to meet up with us at this bar off the strip. When she got there, I asked where you were and she told me about this place.”

  Our bury-the-hatchet conversation from that morning had apparently flown right out the window. I was going to kill her.

  “Well, I’m sorry that you came all this way, but I was actually on my way out,” I said, sweeping my keys from the edge of my desk.

  I made a move to sidestep him, on my way to the front door, but he stepped in sync with me, blocking my path. “Come on, Ev, don’t go running off. Show me around.”

  He was too close, his body too warm, his cologne too enticing.

  I stepped back and turned away long enough to take a deep breath and steady myself. Ryker strode across the room and stopped in front of the display case that housed all the ribbons, trophies and certificates that my students had earned in different competitions or shows over the years. The top shelf was where I stored some of my own most prized ribbons, and as I watched Ryker’s eyes move to read them, a smile spread across his lip. “Wow, very impressive.”

  My cheeks flushed. “Thank you.”

  Ryker turned back to face me and pocketed his hands. “How long have you been dancing?”

  “Since I was little, my first official ballet class was right around five.” I relaxed. Talking about ballet soothed me, and with Ryker, it helped to take the focus away from the sizzle between us that was becoming impossible to ignore. “And, it just stuck, I guess. I think it was in my blood or something, even though no one else in my family was a dancer.”

  Ryker nodded, and a spark lit in his eyes. “Show me,” he said, flicking a glance towards the barre.

  I gaped at him. “You want me to dance for you?”

  He nodded and my stomach clenched. I’d danced in front of hundreds of people, but the idea of dancing, in the studio, alone, for Ryker was more unnerving than any audition I’d ever gone to.

  “I couldn’t,” I replied, shaking my head.

  “Yes, you can, Everlie. I’m an audience of one, how hard could it be?” He dared me, a mischievous half smile on his face. “If it helps, you can pretend I’m not even here.”

  Yeah. Right.

  I was about to leave, to walk out and tell him if he wanted to see me perform, he’d have to come to my next show—assuming I’d got one anytime soon. But something shifted, and against all odds—and probably my better judgment—I realized I wanted to dance for him, to show off, to make him see that side of me.

  “All right. You get one track, and then you have to go home so I can close up,” I bargained.

  “Deal,” he agreed, his smile growing. “Where do you want me to sit?”

  I pointed to a chair on the opposite wall, wanting to put plenty of space between us. When he was seated, I went to the stereo system, selected a track from the last show I’d performed in. It had been over six months ago, and I’d had a small part in the ensemble, but had been an understudy for the lead, and had practiced the solo dances just as much—if not more—than the real lead, in case I needed to go on. The music started soft as I walked to the center of the room. Ryker’s eyes were trained on me, dark, and hungry.

  I caught my cue, and began the routine. The song was about a lost lover, and was an incredibly beautiful piece of music, but it was very slow, almost mournful, which lent to long, sweeping motions. I lost myself in the song, remembering the performance, putting myself into the mind of the character. The background faded from my mind. I was no longer in a shabby dance studio in the middle of a poor, Nevada neighborhood. I was a beautiful prima ballerina, on a grand stage, telling the sad story with my body. I would leave every eye wet with tears, and at the end, the crowd would be stunned into silence for a full minute, before erupting with applause. They would throw roses and call me an inspiration, moving and meaningful.

  When the song came to a soft finale, and faded out, I struck my final pose, arms overhead, and after taking a long, slow breath, opened my eyes to find Ryker staring at me, the smile had fallen from his lips, and his eyes were wide. After a beat, he stood and applauded. I curtsied and gave him a small smile, but he remained serious.

  “Wow. That was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” he said, his voice so quiet it barely reached me. “You’re incredible, Everlie.”

  My heart raced and I knew it had nothing to do with the dance I’d performed. Ryker had transformed once again, showing me a different side, and I couldn’t help but get drawn into him. My mind, alight with curiosity, wondered what else was hiding behind his hard, chiseled exterior.

  “Thank you,” I replied, with a graceful nod. “It was a piece from the last show I was in.”

  “Thank you for showing me. That was…unexpected, but in a very good way.” He paused and for a moment, I wondered if he wasn’t sure what to do. He was always so sure footed and confident, as though every room he walked into was his to command, but in the silence that fell between us, there was a peek of awkwardness to his motions as he crossed to the front door. “Can I walk you out?” He asked, pausing at the door.

  I wrung my fingers together for a moment, considering his question. Then nodded. “Uhm, sure. Let me get my bag.”

  He waited for me to grab my gym bag, and then held the door open for me as I exited, stopping to set the security alarm and lock up on the way out. He walked me to my car, and opened the door for me once I’d unlocked it with my key fob, but then he blocked my way so I couldn’t get in the car yet. He ran a finger down my face, and I stiffened every muscle to keep from trembling at his slow, smoldering touch. “Are you busy tonight?” He asked, his invitation very clear.

  “Ryker…” I started, trying to think of an excuse.

  “Okay. Tomorrow then, I want to see you tomorrow, Everlie. I don’t know how much longer I’ll be in town, Bennett keeps changing his mind, but I do want to see you again.”

  “I have to work tomorrow, but we could do something after I get done,” I agreed. Between the moonlight, his sweet reaction to my performance, and his gentlemanly routine—not to mention that searing kiss he’d left on my palm the night before—he had me willing to try again. “Around this time. Weekends are the busiest
days.”

  He nodded. “I’ll pick you up here.”

  “Okay.”

  “Goodnight Everlie, drive safe.” He shut the door before I had a chance to reply, and as I drove away, I noticed he waited in his car for me to leave the small lot. Another small, but sweet, gesture that had me wondering if my initial reaction to him had been too judgmental.

  I supposed I’d find out the next day.

  Chapter Seven

  Ryker

  I walked into the hotel room I shared with Bennett, just in time to see Tori down on her knees in front of him, topless, her devil-red lips wrapped around his cock. Her eyes moved up to mine, but she continued working him as though I wasn’t even there.

  The hotel room door slammed shut behind me and the noise startled Bennett. He shoved back from Tori. “Shit bro! Don’t you fucking knock?” Bennett demanded, frantically zipping his fly.

  Tori rocked back on her heels and pushed up to standing, brushing a finger across her lips, her eyes locked on mine. “No luck with Ev, huh?” She asked, still smiling like the Cheshire cat.

  “I wouldn’t say that. I’m seeing her tomorrow.” I rubbed the back of my neck, replaying the evening with Everlie. I still didn’t know exactly what’d happened, she’d been really nice, and the way she’d danced had been so sexy, but when the time came to close the deal, she’d backed away as if she had no idea what game we’d been playing. I’d never met a girl quite like her before. Usually, the girls that I met, especially in clubs, could barely wait to the end of the night to get me into their bed. It was part of the thrill for me, making them wait as long as I wanted, letting their anticipation build for hours before I finally got them alone and could have my way with them.