Falling For My Billionaire Savior - Chapter 9: Chapter 9

I knew I had caused trouble. Although this dance teacher Riley was a bit difficult to get along with, he was definitely an expert.
An expert like him could see right through me. I tried to cover up my lack of skill, but it was obvious that I had failed.
I hid by the door, watching the situation in the hallway. Riley called out a few times, and then Mason walked out of the room, asking, "What's going on?"
Riley was so angry, he was practically losing it in front of Mason. "What's going on? You still have the nerve to ask? You promised me a dance genius. I flew all the way from Humdale, and this is what you show me?
"Didn't you say she was a natural-born dancer? That girl just gave me an aerobics routine."
Mason couldn't hold it in and laughed out loud, "Alright, it's my fault. But now that you're here, we can't just let you go back like this, right? It wouldn't look good for your reputation, Riley, would it?"
Riley sneered, "You're clearly playing me, banking on how much I care about my reputation."
"If I didn't say it that way, with your high standards, you wouldn't be moved by any amount of money anyway." Mason's flattery hit the mark, leaving me feeling a little embarrassed.
Riley scoffed, "That's true. Fine, let's go."
Mason's simple words instantly calmed Riley down, and the two of them walked toward the dance room together.
I couldn't help but admire how effective flattery was. I quickly returned to the center of the room, immediately adjusting my facial expression to appear shy, guilty, and confident all at once.
When Riley came back in, he seemed pleased with my expression. He didn't make things difficult for me. Instead, he taught me a few basic dance steps and then let me practice on my own.
Maybe I was a quick learner, but after a few moves, Riley nodded and signaled that we could move on to the next thing.
He pressed the button on the speaker again, and then waved to Mason, who was sitting nearby. "Come over here and take her through a routine."
Mason obediently walked over, gesturing with a flourish. "Miss, may I have the honor of a dance with you?" He was the perfect gentleman, following all the proper high-society etiquette.
"Of course, it would be my honor," I smiled, maintaining an air of pride as I placed my hand in his broad palm, standing straight with perfect posture.
Mason gave me a slight smile before gently pulling me into his arms, his warm hand resting on my slim waist as we started to dance to the music.
At first, I was a little nervous, my body stiff, but I didn't let it show on my face. Mason leaned in close to my ear and whispered, "Relax, I'll be with you the whole time."
His words were a huge encouragement, like having a strong anchor, and my nervousness quickly faded away.
As we continued to dance, we grew more in sync, keeping a distance no wider than a fist, and I could even feel the masculinity radiating from Mason. His soulful gaze stayed locked on my eyes, and I almost lost myself in that tender look.
But then, my mind flashed back to how Mason had reacted when he first saw my face and heard my voice, how quickly his attitude had changed.
Mason was too dangerous. I silently built up a wall in my mind. I reminded myself that with Mason, it was only about mutual use. I absolutely could not fall for him.
I still had a great debt to settle, and I hadn't healed from the pain of my past. At this point, love wasn't a luxury for me; it was more like a dangerous beast that I needed to avoid at all costs.