Page 16 of Desire

“I don’t know what’s taken your confidence away, Elise, but you’re a fabulous woman—smart, funny, and fucking sexy. Don’t ever forget that.”

“I won’t.”

We reluctantly pull away from each other and head toward our dressing rooms.

There’s only one couple left to perform their dance, and then we’ll be needed back on stage to end the show. Before that, I want to just touch up my make-up and have a drink of water. I think I just need a moment to myself. My interaction with Leo tonight was intense, and I just need to be away from him for a minute before I’m tempted to do something stupid.

The hairdresser is in the room, along with the make-up artist changing the styles of a couple of the professional dancers for a performance on the results show, which will be filmed later tonight but shown tomorrow evening.

Angelique is sitting in one of the chairs.

“Elise, you were amazing. Is Leo happy?” she questions as the hairdresser back-combs a wedge of her bright purple hair.

“He’s ecstatic and probably shocked I did so well. Fingers crossed we get enough votes from the public.”

“I don’t doubt you will. I can’t wait to help you with the salsa.”

It’s not a requirement of the show for the professional dancers to help each other but Angelique and her partner are training in the same venue as Leo and me. We’ve spent a lot of time this week working on the steps together. I think it’s been a godsend in learning the routine.

“I’m not sure I’ll be as good at that dance. It’s been a long time since I shook my hips, and I’m definitely carrying a little extra weight in them since I had Izzy.”

“That gives you all the more booty to shake. Don’t worry, we’ll get you loosened up.”

One of the show’s runners pops his head around the door.

“Five minutes and you’re all needed back on stage.”

“Ok,” we all shout out in tandem to let him know we’ve heard.

The make-up artist gives me a once-over.

“You don’t need anything. A natural beauty.”

“Thank you. Just some water then.”

She hands me a bottle, and I take a long sip and place it down where I was sitting earlier. My bag is under the chair, and I pull it out to check quickly if there are any messages. My skin chills, and my stomach turns when I see one from Simon. I should have blocked his new number, but I didn’t. It was sent a few minutes ago. He must have been watching the show.

“We need to go,” Angelique calls over to me.

“Two seconds,” I shout back.

I know I should put my phone back in my bag and ignore it, but I can’t. I swipe to open the message.

‘You had your chance. You’ve blown it. I’m coming for Izzy.’

My world goes black.

Chapter 8

Leo

After Elise fainted the other night, I’ve been terrified of pushing her too hard in training. However, we’ve only got three days until the live performance, and she still can’t remember the steps. We’re getting absolutely nowhere with this dance. She’s barely talking to me, and although I know something is wrong, she won’t open up to me no matter how hard I try. I’ve even asked Angelique to talk to her as the two of them have become friends, but she’s also failed to get Elise to share anything.

It’s like she’s a different woman. Her confidence is virtually non-existent again, and I can’t work out why. She did amazingly on the show and was top of the leaderboard. Maybe it’s just that ballroom is more her thing than Latin. I really hope not, though, because I don’t know how I’d cope with that. I love Latin dancing—the beat, the rhythm.

I start the music once again and ‘Conga’, a Gloria Estefan track, begins to play. It’s a wonderful song for a salsa, and we begin our moves. Elise forgets the steps again, and when I go to lift her, she shifts her weight to the wrong position. Luckily, I’m able to catch her before she falls.

“What are you doing, Elise? Are you crazy? I’ve told you to make sure your weight is on the left. Do you want me to hurt you?” I erupt in a furious rage. “You need to get out of your head and pay attention to what you’re doing.”

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