'' you've got to stop this , mimi. i'm serious. '' but nothing about the way his face looks matches the warning in his voice. a smile keeps tugging at the corners of his mouth , impossible to hold back , his body practically giving him away as he reads her every movement , every predictable shift of her posture. even from the sidelines , with his mind still half-occupied by muscle memory and timing determined to finish his routine , jai can feel her gaze lingering … burning on him. '' like , seriously. mimi — hey … ''
he finally cracks , laughter slipping out as he reaches for her. every muscle in his body protests , sore and heavy from a routine he finished barely ten minutes ago. sweat still clings to his skin , damp at his hairline and chest , and up close he knows he must look like a complete mess. still , this is a conversation he can't keep avoid any longer.
'' mimi , '' he says more gently now , holding his hand out to her , '' we've tried this before … ''