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EMMA'S ROMANTIC BOOK NOOK
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2023-07-08 22:27:42Hi, Y’all!!!!
How are you, guys? I hope you’re doing great!
Are you ready for a new romantic adventure? If so, fasten your seatbelts, and let’s start this new ride together.
This book is very loosely based on a true story. Significant portions of the story, or major plot turns, have been rewritten.
With this being said, follow me into the magical, gracious, exquisite, beautiful world of ballet. I love this amazing form of art since I was a little girl. At some point, I tried becoming a ballerina, but I wasn’t built to be one, so… I did other things.
But ballet kept being a part of my life every step of the way. I saw the most important shows: “Swan Lake”, “Giselle”, “The Nutcracker”, “Romeo and Juliet”, “Don Quixote” and so on. I live in Italy, so, I hope, one day, to see a ballet show at the “Scala”, in Milan. (just a little dream of mine.)
Before “taking the stage”, allow me to explain a few things. In this story, you may find mentioned some strange French words. They are ballet moves. (I promise I won’t use them too much). If you’re interested to know more, check all the ballet videos you can find. This world is absolutely MAGNIFICENT.
Fouetté – A quick change of direction of the body, or a movement of the leg. From French, meaning ‘whipped’, can either be a quick change of direction of the upper body and hips with the leg extended, or a quick movement of the working leg as it passes in front or behind the supporting leg.
Plié (bent, bending) - is a bending of the knees, usually performed in one of the six positions of the feet. Demi-plié is a small or half bend of the knees, keeping the heels of the feet flat on the floor. Grand-plié is a full or large bend of the knees.
Rond de Jambe - a circular movement of the leg that can be performed on the ground or during a jump.
The En Pointe technique in classical ballet is one of the most challenging to execute. In this move, a dancer has to support their entire bodyweight on their feet, which are fully extended.
Grand battement (large beating) - is a move in which the leg is lifted to hip level or higher and held straight.
Prima ballerina (Italian) - literally translates to ‘first principal dancer’. These female dancers are the best in their companies and perform the lead roles in ballets, along with their male counterparts.
An Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) rupture (tear) - If you injure your ACL, you may hear a popping sound and feel pain in your knee. Your knee may feel unstable and give way (or feel like it will), and you may not be able to bear weight on it. If you're playing sport or you're a dancer, you're unlikely to be able to carry on, you won't be able to walk on it.
Okay, the info list is over.
Let’s start our romantic dance together.
Thank you so much for the opportunity you’re giving to this story. I hope you’re going to enjoy it. Remember to leave a comment or a gem (if you feel the story deserves it).
Baci & Abbracci
Emma.
Related chapters
LOOK ME IN THE HEART CHAPTER 1
She could still hear the doctor’s verdict… ‘The knee isn’t working the way it's supposed to, Blaze… I know it’s not what you needed to hear, but… you can’t go on. As a ballerina, this is the end of the road for you. I’m sorry.’ No, she couldn’t stop now. All she needed to do was work even more. In time, the pain will go away. No, this wasn’t the end of the road. Dancing was her reason to be… it has been since she was three years old. Dammit! This injury could not have happened at a worse moment. The Company was preparing ‘Swan Lake’, the most known, loved, and extremely difficult ballet in the dancing world. It has some of the most notorious steps in ballet repertory. There were still so many rehearsals to attend… And Violet had some problems with those 32 fouettés. On their last rehearsal, the last five of them were quite slow. Odile/The Black Swan was as important as Odette/The White Swan, so Violet needed to pay the same amount of
Last Updated : 2023-07-08LOOK ME IN THE HEART CHAPTER 2
Outside the rehearsal studio, Blaze hesitated for a second, then braced herself to duck in and collect her bag. Head down, she did just that, not responding when Violet asked if she was going to be part of the rehearsal.“I’m ready now, B.B.,” she said, “all warmed up and ready…” But Blaze just passed near her and said nothing. They would hear soon enough. Another dancer would be promoted into her role in the latest production. Maybe Violet. Maybe one of the other soloists. Life would go on… for everybody, but not for her. Outside in the warm summer air, Blaze took deep breaths and fought back her tears. She had never been more alone and scared in her entire life. Her whole world had crumbled around her. The discipline and passion that had formed the boundaries of her days and nights had dissolved into nothingness. Right now, she had no future, and her past was irrelevant. She was the owner of a broken body and broken dreams
Last Updated : 2023-07-10LOOK ME IN THE HEART CHAPTER 3
As always when he thought of Blaze, Fabien pictured her on stage, standing in a circle of light, her small, elegant body arched into a perfect ‘arabesque’. Then came the memories of her as a woman, laughing with him on the ratty couch in the dump of a house they’d shared with two other dancers, or lounging on the back porch in the hot evening air. False memories, he knew. Gilded by time and distance. Blaze couldn’t possibly be as funny, as warm and beautiful and sensual as he remembered her. He’d turned her into a symbol of everything he’d given up.“So, what are you going to do now?” Willow asked as she slid a box across the floor to join the others he’d stacked against the wall. Fabien deliberately misunderstood her.“Well, I’m going to finish packing these boxes, then find someplace warm to have a cold beer,” he said. She rolled her eyes.“Would you stop, please? I mean… What are you going to do next? What are you going to do now that you’ve
Last Updated : 2023-07-10LOOK ME IN THE HEART CHAPTER 4
“Oh, God… It’s so good to see you…” she whispered in a shaky voice, near his ear, while Fabien was still holding her. “I’ve missed this so much.” Blaze pushed herself away from Fabien’s embrace and brushed the tears from the corners of her eyes. He appeared utterly blown away to see her. She suddenly realized how stupid she must seem, arriving on his doorstep unannounced and crying all over him. She was feeling kind of blown away herself. It had been eight years since she’d last seen his face, and Blaze was surprised at how much… older and grown-up he seemed. Fabien was thirty-one now, of course. No longer as young as she recalled him. Blaze hadn’t expected him to remain untouched by time, but the reality of him was astonishing. He almost looked like a stranger, with new lines around his mouth and eyes. His formerly long, tousled hair was cut short in a utilitarian buzz cut. His body was different, too. As a dancer, Fabien had been all
Last Updated : 2023-07-13LOOK ME IN THE HEART CHAPTER 5
She gazed at him for a few seconds then smiled slightly.“Yeah, it’s been too long…” Blaze whispered. “Way too long.” A small silence fell as they both savored their wine.“Do you want to talk about what happened?” Fabien asked after a while. “Call people names, throw a tantrum? I’m happy to listen if you do.” Blaze drew her legs up so that she was sitting cross-legged.“I wasn’t ready for this... forced exit. I mean, they told me the surgery was a long shot, but I’ve always been a good healer. I did everything they asked of me. I followed the rehabilitation schedule guided by Patrick Rump, I did yoga, Pilates… I did every single thing. It has been so hard and the pain has been excruciating, but the knee was getting better. If they’d just given me more time… just a few days more, maybe…” She looked down and saw that her left hand was clenched over her knee, while her right was strangling the glass.“What did the doctor say?”“Oh, that man… A bun
Last Updated : 2023-07-13LOOK ME IN THE HEART CHAPTER 6
Fabien ran a hand across the bristle of his buzz cut as Blaze disappeared through the bathroom door. Blaze Autumn Bergdahl. He couldn’t quite believe that she was in his apartment after all these years. The shock of seeing her on his doorstep continued to resonate within him. It was almost as though thinking of her today at his father’s apartment had conjured her into his life. She was still as magnificent as ever, with her long, rich brown hair and those deep blue eyes. And being in the same room with her was still an experience in itself, her body vibrated with so much emotion and intensity, she was utterly compelling. It was one of the reasons Blaze was such a joy to watch on stage. Blaze had presence, star quality. She’d always drawn people to her. Fabien heard the shower come on and began collecting glasses and plates. Her perfume hung in the air, something flowery and light. The same perfume s
Last Updated : 2023-07-14LOOK ME IN THE HEART CHAPTER 7
Fabien woke to find himself curled into Blaze’s back, her butt nestled into the cradle formed by his hips and thighs. One of his arms was wrapped around her chest. He was painfully hard, his erection pressed against the roundness of her backside. So much for the protection of his briefs. His hand had somehow crept beneath her T-shirt to rest beneath the lower curve of her breasts. He could feel her ribs expand and contract as Blaze breathed in and out. Bon Dieu… She felt good. Small and sleek and feminine. He knew he should back off, roll away before she woke, and realized where she was and who he was, and what was happening in his underwear but his mind and his body ignored his thought. All Fabien wanted, right that instant, was to flex his hips and press himself against her… He wanted it so badly that it hurt. His whole body tensed as he imagined sliding his hand a few vital inches and cupping her breast… feel it,
Last Updated : 2023-07-14LOOK ME IN THE HEART EMMA'S NOTE
Hi, Y'all!!! I hope you're already enjoying this story. Remember to leave a comment if you like it or even a gem. I'm here to reply to a few questions I've been asked through PMs. Here I go... UPDATES I do not have a schedule for the updates. Usually, I update every single day, from Monday to Saturday (occasionally on Sundays too), mainly around 6 pm CET (Central European Time), and I publish 1 or 2 chapters per day (1800 - 2100 words each). BALLET MATERIAL I never thought that a theme so 'unusual' like ballet could interest you, guys, so much. It was a risky choice, but you seem to enjoy it. I can't publish images or other types of info. I can only explain different moves. If you want to find out more, research every single online clip. I promise you that you won't be sorry. Ballet is the most beautiful form of art. A FEW MORE BALLET MOVES DEFINITIONS: FIRST POSITION - the heels are together, with toes turned out until the feet are in a straight line. THIRD POSITION - the
Last Updated : 2023-07-14
Latest chapter
LOOK ME IN THE HEART EMMA'S NOTE
Hey, Y'all!!!! This is it!!!! The love story of Blaze and Fabien stops here for us, but somewhere, far away from here, far away from our eyes, their story goes on and on. I must say that mixing two of my passions (writing and dancing) to create this story was beautiful, frustrating... unique. I did so much research for this story, like never before. And I hope every single detail helped you understand better certain terms. I also loved mixing French. I'm in love with Paris, I'm in love with everything French (I'm sure you got this by now...) :)))) I want to thank you all for everything you've done to keep this book relevant, and to motivate me to keep writing it. Thank you so much for your gems, your comments, and your PMs asking me questions about it, about ballet and even asking me to help you with your French. :)))) It was so much fun!!!!! Well, see you soon with a new story! (Yes I'm already working on it!) Until next time... Baci & Abbracci, Emma.
LOOK ME IN THE HEART CHAPTER 39
Fabien was about to kiss her again when the sound of a clearing throat alerted them to the fact that they had an audience. They glanced up, registering the circle of very curious art lovers surrounding them. Willow stepped forward, one eyebrow raised.“I think the Americans have a phrase for this, if I’m not mistaken?” she said. “Get a room? Am I right?”“Not a room… but a house. I’m taking my woman home with me. I’m taking her where she belongs…” Fabien threw back his head and laughed. It was the best sound Blaze had ever heard in her life, but suddenly tears were squeezing from beneath her eyelids and running down her face. Fabien’s smile faded and he reached out to cup her cheek.“Chérie, what’s wrong? Please, don’t cry,” he said slowly.“I’m so sorry, Fab…” she whispered. “I’m so sorry for not understanding sooner. For not seeing. All those times I climbed into your bed. All those times I bitched to you about my boyfriends… While you… You…”
LOOK ME IN THE HEART CHAPTER 38
The crowd parted before Fabien, people smiling and watching him avidly as he passed. Without even seeing his work, Blaze understood that he was a hit. Fabien was now the hottest thing in town. People watched him as if he was a rockstar or something.“Fabien, people are staring at us…” she said, smiling a bit embarrassed to the guests around them.“I don’t care, chérie. Let them stare,” Fabien replied still towing her behind him.“You are the star of the evening. This show is important to you. Please, don’t create a fuss right now. Whatever it is you can show me later.”“None of this would exist without you, Blaze. I need to know what you think. I need to know it right away,” he insisted. Then, a man stepped to one side and Blaze saw the first sculpture: a ballerina arching forward in a perfect arabesque, the muscles of her slim frame straining. Her face was lifted, her expression serene, as though she was exactly where she needed to be. An angel dancing i
LOOK ME IN THE HEART CHAPTER 37
Willow was openmouthed with shock.“You sent Blaze away?” she asked, her voice rising on a high note of incredulity. “Why? I don’t understand… You wanted her in your life… You love her since forever… I don’t get it. Why did you do that?” Fabien sighed.“The day I helped you and Grant move the furniture, I came back home and I found her sitting on the floor, having a panic attack… She was looking so lost, so… in pain… She was dying in front of me, Willa! I had to help her. I had to find a way to bring her to life. So, I found a way for her to dance again.”“Okay, but you pushed her away… to another country! And then you told her not to come back?” Her face was creased with confusi
LOOK ME IN THE HEART CHAPTER 36
Her voice was quiet and low. Fabien imagined her sitting in her hotel room, her beautiful face crumpled with confusion. But he knew that any hurt Blaze was feeling would soon pass. She had a second chance at her career. The few weeks they’d had together would soon fade into insignificance as she lost herself in her craft again. If they’d ever had any significance in the first place. As Willow had so eloquently pointed out, Blaze needing him while he loved her was not a recipe for success. One of these things was definitely not like the other.“‘Fab… Please, talk to me…’”“I’ll never forget a single moment I spent with you, Blaze. But we both know it only happened between us because of what was going on in your life. Let&rsq
LOOK ME IN THE HEART CHAPTER 35
Fabien Mason Lévy… the most wonderful man on the planet. She’d thought she’d known him, top to bottom, inside out when she lived with him ten years ago. She never allowed herself to see more than a friend in him. And now, she couldn’t see herself living without him. He was the love of her life. Her heart knew that truth since the first moment she’d met Fabien, but her mind has always been filled with nothing more than dancing. For a long time, ballet was her only love. Yes, she was head over heels in love with Fabien and Blaze liked nothing better than to say it to him, but maybe it wasn’t the right time… She didn’t want Fabien t
LOOK ME IN THE HEART CHAPTER 34
Fabien decided to walk home rather than take the metro. Buds were starting to appear on the trees lining the Seine, and there was a definite hint of warmth in the air. Winter was drawing to a close, and soon it would be spring. The tourists would flood back into the city, and the streets would be full of bikes and pedestrians. Would Blaze be here to see it? Would she be here to take a walk with him? To have a picnic together? He wanted to pin her down so badly it hurt. Fabien wanted to declare himself and commit himself and have her do the same, to end the doubt and uncertainty forever. Ten years with her in his mind and in his heart. Ten years he’d been waiting for Blaze. Eight years without seeing her, without touching her. Now Fabien had her in his bed, in his life, and he wanted to keep her there forever. Fabien stopped on the small pedestrian bridge. Someone was playing ‘La Vie en Rose’ for
LOOK ME IN THE HEART CHAPTER 33
The next morning, Blaze rolled over in bed and felt the coolness of empty sheets beside her. Already half awake, she sat up with a frown and stared at the indentation Fabien’s head had left in the pillow next to hers. Blaze felt strange chills running down her spine. She hadn’t heard Fabien getting up. Somehow, she couldn’t understand how or why, she felt ridiculously cheated. Lingering between the sheets in the morning with her head on his strong chest, his hands moving in slow circles on her back, the soothing sound of him breathing, was one of the highlights of the day. Inevitably, they wound up making l
LOOK ME IN THE HEART CHAPTER 32
She couldn’t help but laugh.“Not me, silly. Real people. Tourists,” she told him. Blaze bit her lip again and moaned as he upped the pace.“I guess we’d better be quick then,” Fabien replied. Useless to pretend that the danger, the illicit nature of what they were doing wasn’t a turn-on. Desire built inside her and Blaze gasped as her climax hit her. Fabien kissed her, swallowing her small cry. By the time the tourists arrived at the fountain, he’d buttoned her jeans again and she had her flushed face pressed against his neck.“Don’t think there won’t be payback…” she said, still excited, when the tourists had gone. “Sleep with one eye open,
