Chapter 2

His lips caress your skin, it's more than I can stand

Aria debated for a moment whether she should pull away, or stay exactly where she was. There were fireworks going off all over her body, and as her mouth melded together with his- his being Ezra's, her dance instructor-partner, a guy she had known for one hour, she realized that should she leave now, she would hate herself forever.

So, for those twelve seconds that Ezra stood there, kissing her as if he would never see her again, Aria ignored the irritating voice of her conscience telling her the right thing to do and continue to stand there with her tongue down his throat.

A part of her would've argued that it was all an attempt to get back at Jake. That the only reason she was kissing Ezra was because she was angry at her boyfriend. However, the fun of the situation was that Aria also knew a good seventy-five percent of her was kissing Ezra because she just damn well wanted to. Ezra was a gentlemen. Ezra had made her feel confident. Ezra smelt like body wash- her favourite brand of men's body wash, and Ezra and his touch for the Argentine tango was the hottest thing she had ever seen in her life.

Ezra suddenly broke away from her mouth, and she realized his hand placement, which was on the small of her back, holding her in a way of passionate respect. His breathing had escalated more than it had ever whilst dancing. Aria's heart fluttered again.

"I don't think I meant to do that," Ezra whispered, dropping his hand from her body. "But I don't think I regret it."

Aria bit her lip, looking up at him through her dark, curly eyelashes. "Do you kiss all your students like that?"

"Just the good ones," he grinned at her, taking a step back. "So, Aria." He rolled her name around his mouth like a hard candy.

Her head snapped away from him at the sound of her ringing cell phone- Jake's ringtone. It was some crappy One Direction ballad that Jake had decided to be their song, and had even enforced it by taking the courtesy of changing his call tone to it on Aria's phone. Aria groaned inwardly, cursing him for calling of all times, now.

Ezra looked up, meeting her eyes with this time not a look of intensity or attraction, but of disappointment.

"Do you need to get that?" he asked softly as they made their way into the empty lobby.

Aria's face fell. "I probably should, I guess."

"It's your boyfriend, isn't it?" Ezra buried his hands into the pockets of his sweat pants, head hanging down slightly. He stared at Aria's black jazz shoes.

"I figured that was who was supposed to be your partner."

Aria sighed. The phone had stopped ringing.

"Ezra-"

"No," he cut her off, sighing. "I'm sorry I kissed you. I shouldn't have. I-" he gulped, "I just couldn't help myself."

Aria stared at his sad eyes, biting on her lip. In the brief hour she'd spent dancing with him, Aria found herself feeling things she had never felt before. How could one man, after one hour, make her call things into question so much?

"I felt it too, dancing with you," Aria said softly, capturing Ezra's attention again. "The passion. I need time to think things over." Aria swallowed away the lump in her throat, eyeing his biceps and wishing she was in his arms again. Waiting for next week was going to be brutal. "But- I want you to know that I have never experienced anything like dancing with you before."

Ezra offered a sheepish smile. "Passion isn't supposed to be easy, Aria. It's supposed to be passionate." Without another word, he nodded a goodbye, turning slightly to reenter the dance studio. Before he could disappear completely however, he quickly glanced at Aria once more. "Just remember how passionate you felt, even when he didn't show up."

Jake was laying on his apartment couch, legs stretched out in front of him. WWE wrestling was on the tv, and as he watched the rerun his very favourite show on earth, he didn't notice Aria walk into his apartment.

She walked into the living room, arms crossed, glowering at the man she called her boyfriend. As soon as Jake saw her standing there, she bolted upright, smoothing his shirt.

"Busy?" Aria asked, eyebrow arched.

"Babe-" Jake stood up, reaching for her, but quickly retracted his movements as his brain registered the furious look on Aria's face. His five foot two girlfriend was intimidating him.

"Don't babe me," Aria bit the inside of her cheek, angry and upset. "The one thing I wanted to do together, you screwed up. I hope you enjoyed your day, Jake."

Aria turned, ready to march through the front door, when Jake suddenly caught her arm. Aria winced; his grip was a lot tighter, and less guiding than Ezra's had been.

"Look babe, I'm sorry! You're right. I messed up." Jake's apologies were always the same. I'm sorry, you're right. It went to show that not only did he not regret his mistake, but he didn't even want to take the time to make it up to her. Aria's blood boiled. She yanked her arm back and started walking towards the door again.

"You're such an ass," she spat, grabbing a picture of the couple that sat on a hallway shelf and threw it to the floor. "I don't ask you for much, Jake. I don't start arguments and I'm not needy or impatient. But this was the last straw."

She whipped around to face him, her intentions to glare and to make an exit, but upon meeting his big puppy dog eyes, Jake suddenly crashed his clammy mouth onto hers.

She paused for a moment, resisting the inviting urge to shove Jake away from her. His lips were rough and dry and much too domineering, even though he was kissing her in a desperate attempt of reconciliation. And she realized that she was already comparing his kisses to Ezra's.

But Jake's kiss was familiar. It was Jake who had been the one to kiss her for the last year, Jake the one to hold her. A knot formed in Aria's stomach as a wave of terrible guilt hit her like a bullet. Despite all the awful things Jake was, he wasn't ever unfaithful.

And today, she had been.

Here she was, standing in his porch, comparing her boyfriend's kisses to another man's. Aria suddenly felt overwhelmed. She pulled away from Jake, glaring at him, and then whipped around and stormed out of his apartment. She really liked Ezra, but was he really worth leaving a long-term relationship for?

One thing was for sure. Passion sure wasn't easy.

The next day, Aria didn't feel any better. Her mind was still spinning, her heart torn, her conscience screaming in three different languages all the right things to do in this situation.

She sat her empty carton of ice cream onto the night stand and reached for her remote. On the coffee table beside the remote was the Rumba Zumba Dance Company pamphlet she had taken upon signing up for the class, and absentmindedly, Aria picked it up to thumb through while she waited for her recording of So You Think You Can Dance to buffer.

And there was his face. Smiling brightly, Ezra Fitz's picture was printed on the second page under instructors. He looked gorgeous in the photo, which didn't surprise her at all. His toned biceps were the first things you noticed, besides his smile, and it was hard not to gawk over the photo. Aria sighed, thinking back to the way it felt to dance with him. It was as if they hadn't had a care in the world. As if they were floating- both too absorbed in their own little world for anything else to matter. Aria's heart involuntarily fluttered.

Thinking about Jake had never really felt quite like that.

Her head turned to the sound of her phone ringing, and Aria knit her eyebrows as the caller ID displayed "Rumba Zumba Dance Co." Her breath caught as she jumped to the conclusion she wanted- was it Ezra?

"Hello?" Aria said as causally as possible.

"Aria, it's great to speak to you," Angelina's smooth voice poured through the speaker, and Aria suddenly felt ridiculous- and disapointed. "This is Angelina Riveras, from your Saturday tango class? I hate to disturb your Sunday, but I was wondering if you'd be interested in something."

Aria was confused. "Yes, of course."

"Every year, our studio enters the Philadelphia Ballroom Dance Competition. It's a really big event, with some great prizes on the line- and Ezra Fitz is short of a partner. I think that with a little training, you'd be an excellent participant."

Aria felt stunned, flattered and a little irritated all at once. She was shocked that she of all people would be asked to join into a competitive stream of dancers, she was flattered that they thought highly of her, but she was also slightly pissed that Ezra hadn't even bothered to call her himself. She wasn't sure if it made her irked or more driven- something about his hesitance fueled her determination to get him.

"You certainly don't have to make up your mind right now," Angelina quickly added. "This is a lot for me to ask you over the phone. I just really want you to consider it, because we saw so much potential in a single first class."

Aria smiled again. "Thank you Angelina, I really appreciate it and I'm definitely going to consider the idea." Her mouth had made the decision before her brain. Her brain, that was slightly cloudy, because she was distracted. She made an arrangement to meet Ezra Fitz after work tomorrow, for their first session and to decide whether or whether not this partnership would work.

Even before she'd hit end call, Aria was plotting. By the end of next week,

Ezra Fitz was going to be begging for her affection at her feet.

She had a lot of practicing to do.

Monday, work dragged on, and Aria figured it was because of the fact she was anticipating meeting Ezra at the Rumba Zumba Dance Company afterwards. Life in the office of a publishing house didn't offer much excitement, but today it seemed even more dull, just to spite her.

As much as the day dragged on, it eventually ended, soon enough Aria was heading home to get ready. Her stomach was flipping, due to a mix of nervousness and excitement, and she suddenly felt a little self-conscious. She didn't have salsa heels, she didn't have proper ballroom outfits. What was she going to wear? What if she couldn't keep up with the competition pace?

She tried her best to put the insecurities to rest, straightening her shoulders and walking a little straighter. If they really thought she had that much talent, then maybe she did, and she was going to start believing in herself.

Ezra was dressed in a formfitting black T-shirt and a pair of Nike sweatpants. As she saw him waiting for her outside the studio, Aria suddenly felt her nervousness come back. She caught her appearance in one of the mirrors wondering if her body looked awful in the pair of black leggings and purple tank top she was wearing. She had attempted to look professional when she picked out this outfit, but was now second-guessing every choice she had made.

Ezra grinned at her. "Thanks for coming."

Aria nodded, looking up at him. "I'm flattered that you would want me to come."

He didn't answer. They walked into the studio, Ezra flicking on the spotlights so the room was now lit with a reddish glow.

"I'm going to show you a more complex variation of the tango we did in class," he hit the button on the stereo remote and the soft Spanish guitar began play. "But first things first, can you split?"

Aria nodded, "both legs."

"Awesome," Ezra straightened both of his leg and leaned forward to touvh the floor, stretching his body. Aria tried very hard not to drool. "If you can split, we're going to use it to our advantage."

Aria nodded and sat on the floor, landing into a perfect right-leg split. She could feel Ezra's eyes on her, and in an attempt to impress him, she reached behind her and grabbed her left foot.

"How high can you get your leg?" Ezra asked, coming over to stand beside her. He reached for his hand, and as if she weighed nothing, pulled her all the way back up to her feet. He was so strong, yet so gentle.

Aria sucked in a deep breath, then as she released it, swinging her leg up as far as it would go. It went straight up, so she kicked a straight split. It was a jazz technique she had learned years ago.

Ezra watched. "Good," and then unexpectedly, her reached and grabbed her leg, around the back of her knee, and pulled it up so that the back of her knee rested against his shoulder. His finger pinched the skin of her thigh. Aria was too transfixed to move, or speak, or breath.

"If you can do this without pain, you're gonna do stunts. Stunts earn points."

He smirked again and Aria finally dropped her leg.

Aria nodded, gulping. Her heart was still thudding, and she could feel a nervous sweat breaking out along her forehead.

"Here," Ezra said, he was standing in a straight, ready, tango position, holding out his hands. She joined him, popping one knee. Ezra clamped his hand on her back securely. "Watch my legs." He leaned forward slightly as if he were going to take a step forward, but then turned, taking her body with him to the side. They were now facing the opposite direction than they initially started in.

"I'm going to fake out steps," he whispered, forehead creased in concentration. "Fake the first one. We're chest to chest." He pulled her closer to him. She struggled to contain her panting. "Then slide down into a lunge split, with your right leg straight behind you." Aria did what he said, falling down into a lunge, leg straight and flat behind her.

Ezra reached down and pushed on her hip. "Straighten your frame, Aria."

Aria straightened her hips.

"Good."

This was going to be the longest two hours of her life. But she wasn't complaining.

Aria wiped her brow and took another long swig of water. Had the room gotten warmer, or was she just that out of shape?

Ezra was still watching himself in the mirror, working out footwork. His black t-shirt clung to his beautiful body, his sweaty hair pushed back out of his eyes- he was indescribably beautiful. Aria gulped.

"Let's run it once more," Ezra offered, extending his hand towards her. She sighed, though nodded and took his hand.

Even thought they had been dancing this same dance for two hours, for some inexplicable reason, the energy buzzed with a different vibe this time. Ezra looked down into her eyes and they stood, ready to dance, but this time his arms were holding her with a sense of greed. As if he wasn't going to let her go, because he wanted her for himself too bad. His warm, sweet breath was in her face, the taut skin of his abdomen pressed against his, their knees twisted together. Aria's heart gave into its new habit and started to thud wildly. The music cut in with a pulsing beat.

And they danced, harmoniously and ceremoniously, their feet turning and twisting in perfect synchronization, never missing a beat. His arms held her tightly, his feet guiding her through the classic tango rhythm, heads whipping, arms pushing, Aria falling into splits just as he'd catch her and suspend her in the air. It was beautiful. He was beautiful.

The music stopped then, and Aria and Ezra froze. They were chest to chest, forehead to forehead, hands clasped together. And Aria suddenly lost all control of her actions.

Her hand knotted into his dark curls and she dove for his lips and threw herself into a frenzied kiss.

Their mouths clashed, Ezra's soft lips crushing hers with just as much urgency and eagerness. His tongue probed at her lips, begging for access, to which she teased him and shut her lips altogether.

His hands squeezed her sides, roaming her back as she massaged his scalp with her fingers. She smirked into the kiss, and Ezra took the opportunity to shove his tongue into her mouth. Aria felt him slide one hand under her leg, behind her knee.

"Up," he commanded breathlessly, to which she complied without hesitation.

She hopped up and tightened her legs around his hips, kissing him as deeply as she could. She felt the abrupt slam of her body against the wall mirror, and Ezra used it as leverage to hold her up as they passionately devoured each other.

Perhaps this behaviour was inappropriate and uncalled for, but quite frankly, she didn't give a damn. He nipped at her neck. She ran her fingers through his curls. He sucked on her lips like they were candy. Aria tightened her legs around him, praying that this moment would never.

And once again her was right. If this wasn't passion, what was?

So here's chapter two. I hope it met your expectations.

Your feedback was amazing last chapter! Thank you so much. I appreciate it so much, and it really helps me keep writing.

I have actually choreographed chunks of Aria and Ezra's dance, so I feel like the heat in this story is going to keep going up ;)

I won't take so long to update next time.

Review! They make me want to write!