Page 42 of Lights, Camera, Love

But twenty minutes later, Austinisn’t getting it. He can’t even find the beat, and I can sense the tension building between him and Kye. If Austin can’t grasp the basic step of salsa, how is he going to pull off the whole routine Rafael has choreographed—and in just a few weeks?

‘Dude, I’mnevergonna get this,’ Austin whines. ‘How do you do this shit so easily?’

‘You have to relax,’Kye says. ‘Turn your feet out a little more and loosen your hips.’

Austin splits his legs into as wide a stance as possible and angles his feet out like a penguin’s.

I stifle a laugh while Kye heaves a sigh. ‘If you’re not gonna take this seriously, man—’

‘Youdo it, then,’ Austin snaps, pacing backwards. ‘You and Evie show me what the hell this dance is meant to look like, and then I’ll decide whether I can do it. Otherwise, I’m just wasting everyone’s time.’

Kye’s jaw ticks as he punches his thumb into his phone to restart the song.

As soon as my hand lifts, Kye collects it in his grasp and pulls me so close that my thigh pushes between his firm legs. His face falls into my neck as his warm breath washes over my skin. My fingers contract into the ridges of muscle beneath his T-shirt, and his palm presses against the curve of my lower back. He smellsso damn good.

He leads me into a cross-body inside turn chased by a hook turn, then covers my hand with his and glides our entwined fingers down my loose hair. He lets go of my hand and his knuckles continue a path down my bare arm, while his other hand sits cinched around my waist. We step out and in again, and my legs slot snugly between his, our thighs locking and our hips swivelling tightly together. I can feel everything between his legs.Oh.

‘Jesus, you guys are good,’ I hear Austin breathe. My pelvis moulds to Kye’s as he continues leading me through the routine, his palm sliding up my bare back beneath my jumper, pressing me closer. I clutch onto him even tighter.

A vision flashes through me that sends tendrils of heat curling around my spine.

I imagine kissing him.

Not gently either.

My eyes close as I conjure the image—thefeeling—of kissing Kye all over his face and neck…my body twisted up with his on a mattress…my mouth sucking on that sweet, pouty bottom lip…my tongue tanglingwith his…my teeth biting down on his earlobe before I kiss it better while he breathes a sigh of pleasure.

The song comes to an end and Kye immediately lets go of me, cold air slapping over my skin.

Austin stands watching us with his fingers brushing his chin. ‘Okay, well, that was fuckin’ hot,’ he says, his eyes moving from Kye to me. ‘And I can’t pull it off. Sorry. I guess we’re done here.’

He goes to walk out, but Kye lurches to grab his arm. ‘We’ll get you there, man. You know this would be awesome PR for the movie. You just have to be patient and relax your fucking hips. Come on, you can do this.’

Austin slumps. ‘Fuuuck.Fine. But let’s keep our expectations in check, okay? Whatever filthy sex you guys just had is not in my skill set. Well, not on a dance floor, anyway.’ He flings a cheeky smirk at Kye.

‘No one’s expecting the celebrities to dance like they’re pros,’ I reassure Austin, avoiding Kye’s gaze as I reel from what his friend just said.Whatever filthy sex you guys just had. I almost have to knock myself out to get that image out of my head now.

We persist with the lesson for another hour, but all it yields is the certainty that I have a new contender for the nickname of Avalanche.

At one point Austin flings me so hard into a turn that I nearly get whiplash, and then crunches my toes with his sneakers when he lunges forward instead of stepping back. I hiss through my teeth and limp away while Kyemutters to me, ‘He’s not getting it. I don’t think it’s going to happen.’

‘Hecan hear everything you’re saying,’ Austin quips while trailing after me. ‘I’m so sorry,’ he adds, grimacing at my foot.

‘It’s okay.’ I smile and give his perspiring arm a squeeze.

Austin turns back to Kye. ‘Andhedidn’t want to do this shit in the first place,’ he snaps. ‘Hetold you he couldn’t do it.Heis wasting his time.’

‘Can you stop talking in the third person?’ Kye gripes.

‘Let me have a chat with Rafael,’ I suggest, gnawing on my thumbnail. ‘Maybe we can figure something else out.’

‘Wait—I have an idea,’ Kye says as he crosses his arms. ‘What about, instead of dancing, Austinhoststhe showcase? He could be its emcee. That way he still gets to appear on stage, so the showcase won’t miss out, and we won’t lose our publicity forMovingeither.’ He glances at me. ‘Or does Rafael want to host the event himself?’

‘God, no,’ I say. ‘Rafa hates public speaking.’

‘I love this idea,’ Austin says. ‘Anything to get me out of this dance torture.’

‘I’ll check with Rafa,’ I reply.

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