overdo it this week, dancing queen.”
“I won’t. Don’t sweat it if you can’t make it back for the competition on Saturday.”
He locked his gaze to hers. “I’ll be there.”
“But—”
“No buts. I’ll be there. I promise.”
Chapter Ten
“Stop fidgeting.”
Maggie gave Seth a cool look. “Gimme a break. I haven’t competed in years. I’m entitled to fidgeting. And pacing. And pure panic.”
Seth curled his hands around her shoulders. “Listen to me. We are on top of the world, baby. We make a fabulous team. Some dancers are already asking who we are. We’re the sandbaggers, Maggie.”
She blinked at him. “Isn’t that a given? Since we’re unknown?”
“It’s a head game. I saw you eyeing the others’ costumes. Yes, they are much better than ours.” Seth dropped his voice. “Sweetie. That’s intentional. I can get my hands on top-of-the-line costumes, but why overplay our hand? Better to underplay it and have our competitors dismiss us as country bumpkins trying to dance in the big leagues.”
“I see your point.”
“These dancers have sponsors. We don’t. Luckily for us, that means when we win this competition, we’ll be attractive to sponsors because no one has heard of us. And the sponsors will look smart for snapping up an up-and-coming dance team.”
Sponsorship was almost too much to hope for. “Not to put the cart before the horse, but say we win. We score sponsors. Then what happens?”
Seth adjusted the seams on her sleeves. “Then we have the means to hit more competitions, notch more wins, which will get us invited to dance in exhibition showcases and we both know that’s where the real money is. Plus, we build name recognition while we’re doing it. And fingers crossed…” He paused a beat too long before he stepped back. “Never mind.”
Her stomach lurched at his vague tone. “What?”
“I’ve been hesitant to tell you this before now, because I knew it’d freak you out. But if we win, Vladimir Konski has agreed to audition us for possible coaching for nationals.”
“Seriously? He’s huge. He coached… Well, obviously I don’t have to tell you who he coached.” Maggie narrowed her eyes. “Hey. How did you manage that?”
Seth winked. “I dated Vladimir’s son Niko when we were in The Will Rogers Follies in New York. Niko and I’ve stayed on good terms and he might’ve mentioned to his father that I’m dipping my toe into the competitive dance waters.”
Pumped up by the possibilities, she gave him a smacking kiss on the mouth. “Let’s show them how it’s done, partner.”
Maggie’s butterflies didn’t settle as she checked her makeup. Her hair. Her costume. Her shoes. She glanced at Seth, performing the same rituals.
Then they were in the chute, waiting for their number to be called. They didn’t speak to anyone, nor did they chat with each other. She mentally reviewed the steps for the first dance.
Finally they heard, “Dancers in position.”
Seth smiled, snatched her hand and then it was game on.
Now they just had to get through the next ten minutes, dance their asses off and blow the other eleven couples out of the water.
At the start of the music, Maggie became someone else. She and Seth circled each other. Not as dance partners, not as friends, but as potential sexual conquests, turning up the heat as they set their bodies in motion.
The first dance was the cha-cha, flirty and fun as she made promises with her eyes and her hips. During the second dance, the rhumba, she morphed into the seductress, using sensual moves to entice her potential lover. The third dance was swing, a hopping, energetic show of stamina and athleticism. The fourth dance, the bolero, was filled with passion and longing as their bodies undulated in unison and opposition. And the fifth dance, the mambo, was back to a sexy tease.
She and Seth were in perfect synch throughout all five dances. They maintained the intensity even during the
“I won’t. Don’t sweat it if you can’t make it back for the competition on Saturday.”
He locked his gaze to hers. “I’ll be there.”
“But—”
“No buts. I’ll be there. I promise.”
Chapter Ten
“Stop fidgeting.”
Maggie gave Seth a cool look. “Gimme a break. I haven’t competed in years. I’m entitled to fidgeting. And pacing. And pure panic.”
Seth curled his hands around her shoulders. “Listen to me. We are on top of the world, baby. We make a fabulous team. Some dancers are already asking who we are. We’re the sandbaggers, Maggie.”
She blinked at him. “Isn’t that a given? Since we’re unknown?”
“It’s a head game. I saw you eyeing the others’ costumes. Yes, they are much better than ours.” Seth dropped his voice. “Sweetie. That’s intentional. I can get my hands on top-of-the-line costumes, but why overplay our hand? Better to underplay it and have our competitors dismiss us as country bumpkins trying to dance in the big leagues.”
“I see your point.”
“These dancers have sponsors. We don’t. Luckily for us, that means when we win this competition, we’ll be attractive to sponsors because no one has heard of us. And the sponsors will look smart for snapping up an up-and-coming dance team.”
Sponsorship was almost too much to hope for. “Not to put the cart before the horse, but say we win. We score sponsors. Then what happens?”
Seth adjusted the seams on her sleeves. “Then we have the means to hit more competitions, notch more wins, which will get us invited to dance in exhibition showcases and we both know that’s where the real money is. Plus, we build name recognition while we’re doing it. And fingers crossed…” He paused a beat too long before he stepped back. “Never mind.”
Her stomach lurched at his vague tone. “What?”
“I’ve been hesitant to tell you this before now, because I knew it’d freak you out. But if we win, Vladimir Konski has agreed to audition us for possible coaching for nationals.”
“Seriously? He’s huge. He coached… Well, obviously I don’t have to tell you who he coached.” Maggie narrowed her eyes. “Hey. How did you manage that?”
Seth winked. “I dated Vladimir’s son Niko when we were in The Will Rogers Follies in New York. Niko and I’ve stayed on good terms and he might’ve mentioned to his father that I’m dipping my toe into the competitive dance waters.”
Pumped up by the possibilities, she gave him a smacking kiss on the mouth. “Let’s show them how it’s done, partner.”
Maggie’s butterflies didn’t settle as she checked her makeup. Her hair. Her costume. Her shoes. She glanced at Seth, performing the same rituals.
Then they were in the chute, waiting for their number to be called. They didn’t speak to anyone, nor did they chat with each other. She mentally reviewed the steps for the first dance.
Finally they heard, “Dancers in position.”
Seth smiled, snatched her hand and then it was game on.
Now they just had to get through the next ten minutes, dance their asses off and blow the other eleven couples out of the water.
At the start of the music, Maggie became someone else. She and Seth circled each other. Not as dance partners, not as friends, but as potential sexual conquests, turning up the heat as they set their bodies in motion.
The first dance was the cha-cha, flirty and fun as she made promises with her eyes and her hips. During the second dance, the rhumba, she morphed into the seductress, using sensual moves to entice her potential lover. The third dance was swing, a hopping, energetic show of stamina and athleticism. The fourth dance, the bolero, was filled with passion and longing as their bodies undulated in unison and opposition. And the fifth dance, the mambo, was back to a sexy tease.
She and Seth were in perfect synch throughout all five dances. They maintained the intensity even during the
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