Page 45 of The Dance Deception
‘A few pictures?’ one of them requests.
‘Sure,’ Aleksis agrees, pulling me closer as we pose in front of them.
Moments later he puts his hand on my bum as we walk into the hotel, which prompts a few more camera flashes. I must be tipsier than I thought, because it makes me smirk rather than wanting to brush it off and tell him to keep his hands to himself. Knowing it’s just for show stops it from feeling intrusive.
After another pre-dinner cocktail followed by a bottle of wine with our meal, I’m definitely not sober. But theconversation flows smoothly and Aleksis makes me laugh with tales of his childhood skirmishes with Sofiya, who once painted him blue from head to foot when their parents left them alone for a couple of hours. He also recalls when he stuck an ‘I’m a nerd’ sticker on the back of her jacket just as she was going out on her first ever date – which the date noticed before she did. They didn’t speak for a fortnight.
We order starters and mains, and in between the courses Aleksis holds my hands across the table. At first I have to fight the urge to pull away, but by the time we get to dessert it’s starting to feel more natural.
While we’re drinking post-dinner coffees, Sofiya forwards us a picture that her friend Dan must have taken, with a thumbs-up emoji. We look deep in conversation and Aleksis’s eyes are sparkling. He zooms in on the image and a grin spreads across his face. ‘We’re nailing this.’
‘We are,’ I agree. ‘You look really into me.’
‘I think acting might be what I focus on in my career going forward.’
‘Really? You’d rather act than dance?’
I don’t know why this surprises me. I guess it’s because I’ve only seen him dancing.
‘There are more opportunities. And I can really see myself in a period drama. All those elaborate costumes … right up my street. Or maybe a police series on TV. Detective Inspector Lapsa – what do you think?’
‘I’m not sure I can picture you in uniform. I’m too used to seeing you in sequins. You’d make a good baddie though, especially when you do that look.’
‘What look?’ He seems mystified.
‘You know. The one where people can’t tell what you’re thinking. It’s so unnerving.’
He laughs at this. ‘And there I was thinking that was my sister’s speciality. What do you think, then – the next Bond villain?’
‘I could see that.’ He’d be perfect.
He shakes his head, but he’s still smiling. ‘I think I’m more Bond, personally. Suave, sophisticated, good with the ladies.’
‘Is that so?’
He gives my hand a suggestive squeeze. A small part of me – the drunk part, I presume – wants to think it’s not part of his act. But before I can analyse this, he asks me who I’d play if I could be the lead in any movie. The first thing that pops into my head is Julia Roberts in aPretty Womanremake.
‘So you like an older man,’ he teases.
‘I like how romantic it is,’ I correct him.
He raises an eyebrow. ‘I didn’t have you down as the romantic type.’
I can only assume he’s basing this on my behaviour with Merle.
‘Then you obviously need to get to know me better.’
‘Fair,’ he laughs. ‘So let’s say we’re making the film of your life. What’s the plot going to be?’
‘Girl goes on to become world class dancer after beating the odds to win reality TV show with her talented partner?’ I suggest.
‘Ambitious, I like it. And who’s going to play us? I can see a bit of Emma Stone in you, I think.’
‘I’ll take that,’ I smile. It’s been said a couple of times before, and it’s just as flattering coming from him.
‘And Chris Hemsworth for me?’ he says.
‘I was thinking more the guy who plays the terminator in the second movie. The liquidy one, not Arnie obviously.’
