Love Takes Time (Christian Romance) by Kaci Hart

thought back to the start
of her day.  She had no school to contend with.  She didn’t have to
fight through rush hour traffic to get anywhere that morning, and when she did
get in she didn’t have to answer to a soul.  That was the life that she
had wanted.  
     
    Things
had changed so quickly since she decided to take some time off from training
after her showcase.  Denard was upset with her
for stopping, which was ironic considering she had held him back for so
long.   Maybe he had the right to be.  He had a few months left
until graduation and she was his partner.   Sure, he could get an
underclassman to work with him but he argued that it wasn’t the same. 
He’d said that dancers know each other better than most but that wasn’t it. 
     
    She’d
never realized it before but Denard had a thing for
her and he finally admitted it to her.  It was obvious now that she
thought about it.  She’d never considered him before because of their
relationship and she couldn’t now because it wouldn’t be fair to him.  Not
with the thoughts of Ryder looming.  He’d get over it.  He had to. 
     
    “There
you go Lauren!  You’re doing great, you all are.  You guys are going
to be show stoppers at that dance.   Now we’re going to take a
fifteen-minute break.  You all earned it.  Just remember what you
learned from Lauren.  Find the beat with inside move your body with it.
 You’ll never miss a beat that way.”
     
    Chelsea
bent over to tighten the bandage on her ankle and adjusted her leg warmers.
 She made a mental note to soak her feet in an ice bath later.  When
she heard the voice behind her speaking to one of the parents in attendance she
froze, still bent over as she took it in.  There was no denying who the
strong, distinct voice belonged to.  It was Ryder and he was walking her
way where he stopped right behind her.  She attempted to turn around to
greet him, but one leg caught on the other and instead of a graceful pivot, she
bumped into his chest only to fall flat on her bottom.  
     
    She
looked up to see him standing over her, with the same irresistible smile on his
face.  The irony of this predicament wasn’t lost on her as it was an exact
replay of the way they had met the first time.  Maybe they were meant to
talk again but fate sure had a sense of humor at the same time.  She
pulled her hair out of her face and reached up to take his extended hand. 
 
     
    “Now
this looks familiar.  Why is it that every other time I talk to you,
you’re getting up off the floor?  Wait, is this some new dance technique?”
     
    She
took his hand and he effortlessly helped her up.  
     
    “Thank
you, and no it isn’t.  Are you sure that you aren’t planning this in
advance?  It’s like you have some kind of magic wand or you can see the
future and already knew I’d fall.  I promise you that I really can dance,
although I must look like the biggest klutz in the world from your vantage
point.”
     
    “I’m
starting to think that I just happen to have that effect on you.  I’d
prefer if it was sweeping you off your feet rather than constantly picking you
up, but I’ll take what I can get.”
     
    Oh
you will, will you?  I thought so at first until you forgot who I was the
other night.  
     
    His
statement made her remember the last time she had seen him and she was almost
led to say something mean about him ignoring her.  She decided to hold her
tongue and be nice instead.  Besides, she wasn’t one to act all silly
about a guy, no matter how much he smelled, looked, and sounded like the
essence of every attractive male trait in one outstanding package.  His
countenance was loaded with the same confidence of their initial encounter.
     
    Apparently
nice personality Ryder was in full effect mode once again.  This was the one
that had made her heart race and her cheek flush with a simple flash of his
ivory teeth.  His presence owned the room like a king among