Page 34 of Flirty Dancing

“Exquisite!” Stewart chirped. “Mateo, Archer…” He threw a chef’s kiss at them. “How fortunate we are to have found you two.”

Archer looked at Mateo, expecting him to be smiling back, but he was not. He was looking at Stewart, face blank. Archer’s chest ached, now that he was starting to understand a little of what might be going on behind Mateo’s stormy facade. Still… it hurt the way Mateo gave him tiny glimpses of his inner workings, then slammed the door shut moments later.

“Wow,” Caleb said when Archer approached. “When did you two work on that?”

“Oh, Mateo asked if I wanted some extra rehearsal time earlier,” Archer said vaguely.

“Yeah? Some alone time with Mateo, hey? Should I be jealous?”

Archer snorted. “Not at all. He clearly hates me.”

Caleb pecked him on the nose. “Don’t worry, I’m kidding. He hates everyone.”

Mateo didn’t dance like he hated him, though. Their tango was as smoldering as ever when they debuted theLatinshow that night. Every touch of Mateo’s hands saidI’ve got you—firm on Archer’s back or thigh as he guidedand lifted, reassuring and warm. When their eyes met, Mateo’s saidI want you, always fully committing himself to the fire the audience needed to see between them. Their hips slotted together in perfect sync—I feel you—not a foot out of place, the two of them melting a path across the stage with every chassé and pivot and lunge.

But when it was over, when they faced the audience together, chests heaving in equal measure, hands clasped as they took a small bow… there was nothing. Mateo turned it off.

“Gorgeous,” Caleb said to him with a kiss when Archer came off the stage. “You two are so hot together. Makes me kinda… hot.” He squeezed Archer’s hips and gave him a meaningful look.

The swirl in Archer’s stomach was more apprehension than excitement. “Thanks,” he said. “But you’d better get out there.”

“Okay, but I’ll be thinking about you…” Caleb winked before taking Ben’s hand and cha-cha-ing onto the stage. Archer turned to go find his water and saw Mateo watching him.

“So… you and Caleb?” Mateo asked, casting a sidelong glance around to make sure no one else was listening.

Archer blinked. “Me and Caleb what?”

Mateo rolled his eyes. “You know what I mean. You and Caleb are together?”

“Um…” Archer blinked some more. “Maybe? We haven’t really talked about it.”

Mateo nodded with pursed lips. “Be careful. You’re here to work, not fuck around.”

Irritation flared in Archer’s chest. “I guess I can do whatever I want while I’m here, can’t I, as long as I do my job?”Mateo didn’t get to treat him like he didn’t exist, then tell him how to live his life a minute later.

“You think it’s smart to get involved with someone you have to perform with every night for three months?”

“Your concern is not needed,” Archer said crisply. “I’m a grown-up, and I can make my own decisions, thank you.”

Mateo shrugged, giving cool indifference back. “Fine. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Fuming, Archer ignored the voice that told him he didn’t need to get the last word. “You’re an expert in workplace relationships, are you?”

Hurt flashed over Mateo’s face, and Archer instantly regretted it.

He stepped over to Archer and grabbed his hand.

“What are you—?” Archer started, but Mateo was pulling him onto the stage. Oh, right. Time to cha-cha.

After the show, Archer kissed Caleb hard, making sure Mateo saw. He was perfectly capable of making his own choices, thank you. And when Caleb smiled and slid his hands around Archer’s waist and kissed him back, it was easy to feel like it was the right one.

The rest of the debut performances went as smoothly—Urban BeatWednesday,Around the WorldThursday,Broadway BoulevardFriday, and rounding out the week, the contemporaryFrom the Hearton Saturday. The partying toned down after the first show, especially since they were still rehearsing every morning, making sure everything was locked up before Stewart left.

“Oh, my darlings,” Stewart purred after the last show of the week, grabbing each dancer and kissing them on both cheeks. “You have made this old man happy. Look at you. Yes, even you, Dominik,” he said, shaking his headaffectionately. “You have already moved beyond the need for my guidance. I am irrelevant!”

“Noooo,” they sang in chorus.

“We do this every year,” Caleb whispered to Archer. “Stewart leaves ‘early,’ but we beg him to stay longer. He’ll be out of here first thing tomorrow.”

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