Page 10 of Easy Rumba

Chapter 4

Leo

“Hurry up, Leo,” Angelique sticks her head around the door of my dressing room and shouts at me. She didn’t knock as usual, so she’s lucky I’m already dressed, or she’d have seen more of me than she cared to. “The celebrities will be here soon, and the crew is calling us for the big reveal interviews.”

Dear God, please let me get someone who can dance.

I send a silent prayer up to the ceiling and beyond before joining Angelique in the corridor. We’re all dressed casually today. It’s only the reveal and doesn’t need the glitz and glamour of the live shows, thank God. I yearn for the day when I don’t have to wear make-up anymore.

“I’m so nervous,” Angelique says as she takes my hand. “What if they’ve only got people who can’t dance? It will be a nightmare and so hard to do anything with them. I don’t think I can breathe. It’s going to be awful.”

“Don’t worry, you’re an amazing teacher. You’ll work wonders no matter who you get. Besides you and I’ll be dancing together as a professional couple on the show, so we can create some magic there instead.”

She tuts.

“You mean I’ll have to teach two people to dance.”

Grabbing her, I start to tickle her under her ribs, knowing she’ll erupt into fits of giggles because she’s so sensitive there.

“Teach two people! I’ll have you know I’m a world champion Latin dancer.”

“I wondered when the bragging would start.” Alexis comes up behind me and thumps me hard on my back.

“Fuck the both of you,” I retort playfully and then release Angelique when a stern faced producer appears from the room we’re heading to.

“Language, Mr. Westwood, we don’t want you shocking the celebrities with profanity before they’ve even met you.”

“Sorry, Leah.” I bow my head in a halfhearted demonstration of shame.

“Apology accepted. Now, if you could all line up on the right side of the curtain, we’ll bring the celebrities in and put them on the left. When the cameras are ready, we’ll drop the curtain and record all the reactions. You’ll then have half an hour to talk with them and get to know them better before lunch break. After lunch, we’ll pair you up randomly and begin some basic technique training.”

Leah steps aside, and we all file into the room. Angelique takes my hand nervously when we hear the voices of the celebrities on the other side of the curtain. I put my arm around her shoulders and press a kiss to the top of her head. She’s like a little sister to me, and I hate it when she’s anything but happy. I know as soon as the curtain falls, though, my friend’s mood will change.

“Are you ready?” Leah shouts, and a bevy of positive affirmations come from both sides of the curtain.

My palms feel a little sweaty. Joining a show like this was never a path I thought my career would take, but now I’m here, I’m definitely excited.

Three,

Two,

One.

Everyone counts down, and the curtain falls. My eyes scan the assembled celebrities but stop dead when they land on her…the woman I’ve not seen since I left school. The only woman I’ve ever said I could love, Elise Landry. She sees me, and her mouth falls open, forming a shocked ‘o’. She’s not changed at all. She’s still stunning with her brown hair flowing in waves down her back. The tight gym attire she’s wearing shows off her curvy figure. I’ve seen her a few times in movies, but the silver screen never managed to capture the allure of the woman in real life.

The professionals and other celebrities around us cheer and partner up to talk while Elise and I are drawn immediately to each other. We’re moving closer, but it doesn’t feel like we are. One moment my legs feel rooted to the spot, and the next I’m standing directly in front of her. How the hell did that happen?

“H-Hi,” I stammer nervously.

“Hi,” she replies much more assuredly.

“I-It’s been a long time.” My cocky nature leaves me, and I sound like a schoolboy with his first crush.

“It really has.” Elise nibbles at the edge of her plump, rosy lips, and I can feel my dick stirring in my workout pants. I surreptitiously place my hands over my groin to hide it.

“You look amazing, Elise.”

“I can say the same about you. You’ve certainly muscled up.”

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