Former competitive dancer Caroline Novak dreams of leaving the corporate world to work with special needs women at the Pathways nonprofit, but the organization can’t afford a fulltime director.
All-American defensive end Ben Allen was on his way to the NFL when a knee injury sent him home and into the same office as Caroline, his best friend’s older sister. When Pathways participates in a Dancing with the Stars-inspired fundraiser, Caroline quickly volunteers, and Ben joins her as the local “star.”
It doesn’t take long for Ben to realize it’s more than a dance competition, and Caroline is more than his best friend’s sister, but after two failed engagements, she’s hesitant to trust her heart with another man. When the NFL calls Ben, it looks like his dream might finally come true—but it could cost them the championship and Caroline her heart.
It's a reverse age-gap romance that features a dance competition to help special needs women. The unique characters and setting set it apart.
The family relationships (especially pre-teen Annabelle) that support Ben and Caroline, as well as the unexpected humor.
“How’s it going?” she asked.
He kept dancing.
“Ben?” When he didn’t respond, she touched his shoulder.
“Whoa!” He spun around, arms up and ready to strike.
Caroline jumped back. “It’s me! Calm down.”
Ben panted. “Don’t sneak up on me.”
“I didn’t. Are you okay?”
“No. I think I’d rather face a three-hundred-pound linebacker.”
“You’re going to be great. I can’t believe how fast you learned, not that I should be surprised. Ben Allen has yet to meet a sport he couldn’t handle.” She winked as she playfully punched his shoulder. “Now you can add dancer to your resume.”
“Sure.” He nodded, but the tension remained in his back, shoulders, and face.
“You’ve got to relax.” Caroline grabbed his wrists and shook his arms. “I’ve seen enough footage of you playing football to know you don’t have a problem performing in front of people, so what’s going on?”
“I’ve played football since I was eight. I’ve been dancing for two weeks.”
“So has everyone else, and none of them are nearly as athletic as you. I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re the best amateur tonight.” Or ever for the competition.
He nodded again but didn’t look her in the eye. His arms stiffened as Caroline tried to loosen them.
“Ben …” But what could she say that she hadn’t already said? Panic squeezed her chest. She had to get him out of his funk and fast. They had less than twenty minutes before they danced. Cupping his cheeks with her hands, she forced him to face her, then waited for his gaze to settle on hers. “You can do this.”
His jaw clenched.
“You’re the best student I’ve ever had. I’m honestly impressed with how much you’ve learned.”
He nodded, but nothing relaxed.
If words weren’t going to work, Caroline had to get creative. Sending out a quick prayer for forgiveness, she slid her hands around his neck and locked her fingers together. Then she stepped toward him, letting herself lean into him. He trembled a moment before his arms relaxed. His hands wrapped around her waist, slid up her back, and pulled her close. Finally, his shoulders softened as he held her against his chest. He lowered his head as he lifted her off the ground, tucking her head into the crook of his neck.
Caroline let her eyes close as she absorbed the warmth and strength of his embrace. The fresh, clean scent of his skin. A tremor shook its way down her spine. Ben’s arms tightened. She’d hugged him to help him relax—he clearly needed something to get his mind off his stage fright—but what was she doing to herself? She hadn’t danced with a partner in five years. Hadn’t been held by a man in any capacity in so long. Now her traitorous body begged her to hold on longer, but a round of applause announced that the first couple had finished. She needed to focus.
Unlocking her fingers, she let her hands slide along Ben’s shoulders and didn’t stop them as they continued down his arms. With a deep breath, he set her down. He loosened his hold so she could step back but didn’t let go of her completely. She needed to step away—to break the connection between them—but she couldn’t make herself do it. Couldn’t step away from the comfort of a good man when she didn’t know the next time she’d have a chance to step back into his arms. In two days, she’d tell Ben all the reasons why they couldn’t do this again, but until then, she let him be a bit more than merely her co-worker and dance partner. A bit more than simply her friend.
Ben lifted his head and looked her in the eye. “I’m not sure if that’s fair, using how I feel about you against me.”
“Technically, I have no idea how you feel about me. I was just trying to get you out of your head and onto the dance floor. Did it work?”
The corner of his lips lifted into a crooked smile. “It did.”
His ease inspired hers, so she smiled back. “Good. Then let’s go someplace where we can move around a bit to warm up.”
She tried to walk away, but his hands clasped her around the waist, holding her in place. He leaned forward, his jaw pressed to her temple, his mouth next to her ear. “You are the kindest, most thoughtful person I know. I won’t kiss you now because I know you’re not ready for that yet, but I want you to know that I’m thinking about it. And now you’ll be thinking about it too.”
When he stepped back, he winked at her, then walked away, practically strutting down the hallway. Caroline’s legs wobbled without his arms around her. She leaned against the wall as her brain tried to piece together what had just happened. Sure, Ben had relaxed, but now her heart raced. Knees trembled. Skin tingled.
How was she going to survive the next three months?