Page 28 of Damaged Boys Don't Fall For Bubbly Girls

“You rock,” I say as he lowers me.

“Tell me something I don’t know,” he jokes.

“Less talking, more dancing,” Jasmine instructs Gael and me.

Whoops.

I feel all eyes on us as we dance. When I take another peek at Brock, I find his gaze pasted on Gael and me. Well, more on me. There’s something in his eyes…I’m not sure what. Maybe awe? Fascination? I’m not the best dancer, so I don’t know why he would look at me like that. Then again, it has been four years, and I’m not the same dancer I was at twelve.

When he realizes I’ve caught him watching, he offers me a sweet, encouraging smile. I momentarily lose focus and almost step on Gael’s toes, but luckily, I catch myself in time.

“Great job, Lexi and Gael!” Dani says. “Let’s have Dean and Ruby now.”

Gael and I hug. “Awesome job,” I tell him. “You were incredible.”

“Thanks. You were amazing, too.”

“Thanks.”

I make my way to the water cooler for a drink. While I gulp it down, I watch Dean and Ruby do their thing. Dean is a pretty good dancer, but Ruby completely outshines him. Yeah, she’s Clara. One million percent. The rest of us girls don’t stand a chance.

Brock gets up and places his paperback on his chair. He then makes his way over to the water cooler. “Hey,” he says.

“Hi. You thirsty?”

“What? Oh. Yeah.” He steps up to the cooler and gets himself a cup of water.

We stand side by side drinking and watching the dancers.

“They’re really good,” he says.

“Right? Ruby has Clara in the bag. I’m not jealous—she totally deserves it. And I know she hopes to get a scholarship to a performing arts school.”

“What? No, I saidyou’rereally good. I mean, yeah, they’re really good, too, but I meant you.”

I blink at him. Wait, I heard him wrong?

He offers me another one of his sweet smiles that has my heart fluttering. “I was complimenting you, Lexi.”

I just stare at him, not sure what to say. It feels like my heart thumps in my head.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you dance,” he continues. “You’re always so…what’s the right word? Majestic when you dance.”

I continue gaping at him. He thinks I’m majestic?

“But I’m not the best,” I say.

“You don’t have to be the best to be amazing,” he says. “Although, I definitely think you’re one of the best.”

My whole body grows warm and a million jumbled thoughts race in my head. Even if I wanted to say something, Ican’t.

“I’m really glad you didn’t give it up.” He tosses his cup into the nearby bin, then gives me another one of those smiles. “I canpicture you dancing on the boat as you sail out to sea to work with the ocean animals. I bet you’ll never stop dancing your whole life.”

“I…uh…thanks,” I stammer, my face on fire.

He reaches into his pocket for his phone and checks the time. “I need to head home for my appointment with my therapist. I’ll see you tomorrow, Lexi.”

Did he always say my name so softly?