Page 10 of Watch Me

“To be with you. The charity was the cherry on top.”

“You paid for the opportunity to dance with me, not seduce me.”

Why not both? But I retreat from that line of questioning. Squabbling with Shanna isn't the way to entice her to stay. Raising her hackles won’t get me the up close and very personal time I want with her.

“Perhaps I’ve succeeded, since you’re here at Sneak Peek because... What was that you said? Ah, yes. You need me.”

“No. I need your help. I'd still be avoiding you if I didn’t,” she shoots back. “I have something to show you. Please.”

Hmm. She likely choked on that word. Shanna is stubborn and tough and wears her ice like armor, and I’m intrigued to learn why. No doubt it wards off most men.

I’m made of stronger stuff.

“What can I do for you, Ms. York? Take you on a tour? We have top-notch facilities.”

Her expression softens. “It’s a beautiful place. I was expecting something…”

“Dark? Dirty? Sleazy?”

She hesitates. “Glass-and-chrome seedy, yes. This is really…warm.”

That's what attracted me to the house in the beginning. I thank god every time I set foot in the place that my business partner, Del, agreed with my choice of locations.

Its shimmering white plaster walls glow Hollywood golden when the sun sets over the hills of Los Angeles. The expansive gardens have a charming Spanish Revival feel, complete with decorative tile that rims the pool and outlines the patio steps leading to the second floor.

The bars, both indoors and outdoors, welcome guests. Converting the house into a club gave it the feel of an intimate party, rather than a bunch of strangers getting naked together. That instant comfort level is one of the reasons Del and I havebeen so successful since opening Sneak Peek. That and good business sense.

I shrug. “I took one look at the house and fell in love. Cary Grant built it in the 1920s. The previous owners started restoring it about ten years ago, but they ran out of money. My business partner and I spent a small fortune to buy the place and finish the renovations. I haven’t regretted it for a moment.”

Her face softens. “It’s gorgeous.”

“As are you. But, since it’s clear you’re not here for my seduction, what help do you need from me?”

Her charmed smile disappears. The tense hand-clasping returns. “My dance partner and I have a…situation. A delicate one. Kristoff comes here as a customer, right?”

“I’m not at liberty to answer that. Privacy is something we protect fiercely here at Sneak Peek. I hope you understand.”

“But that’s just it. Someone invaded his privacy. They filmed him…” She shakes her head. “I’ll show you.”

I frown as Shanna reaches into an oversized bag hanging from her slender shoulder and extracts a flash drive in a clear plastic case. She hands it to me, her expression tense.

I don’t like where this is going as I pop the device into my laptop.

Two and a half minutes later, anger boils my blood.

“Where did you get this?”

“Someone left it in my dressing room last night just before the benefit began, along with a note telling me that if we compete in the upcoming California Dance Star, this footage will be sent to all the judges.”

“And neither you nor Kristoff have any idea who sent it?”

She shakes her head. “That’s why I’m here. I was hoping you could help me figure that out. That competition means…everything to me. I’ve worked years to win this.”

As driven as she is, as ambitious as rumor paints her, I believe it. She’s changed partners three times in the last five years. One broke his leg badly skiing just before dance season began. The next was history after he dropped her during a lift—in the middle of a competition. The third? He’s a mystery. There one day, gone the next.

My mother has the pulse of all her favorite and not-so-favorite dancers. Mamá says there were rumors of a torrid—but brief—affair between her and Jonathan Smythe. I’ll get the truth eventually. Right now, I have to focus on the business at hand.

This devastating video can’t go anywhere.

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