Winning Moves (Stepping Up 3)

Right, of course it was, and when Marcus performed, the four dancers would do a lead-in routine and then freeze frame, like mannequins. That would leave the podium obviously open if Marissa tried to do both dances.

Kat studied Tabitha, pretty darn certain that Tabitha was up to no good. “You’re sure your ankle is too bad to dance on?”

Tabitha let her hands drop to her lap for a moment and her eyes met Kat’s. “Positive.” Kat saw an instant of hatred in the other woman’s expression that was quickly replaced by a sob and crinkled-up expression.

“Yessssss.” A whimper followed and she buried her face in her hands again.

Kat ground her teeth and stood up. She had no doubt Tabitha intended for Marissa to miss her moment in the spotlight with Marcus, and she was done trying. She’d have to proceed cautiously so Tabitha couldn’t say she was being fired for getting hurt on the job, but nevertheless, Tabitha had just sealed her exit from the show. No one here had time for these kinds of manipulative games. Kat pushed to her feet, her mind racing with options, searching for an answer that didn’t leave her dancing with Marcus again.

* * *

“HI, BOSS.”

Jason heard Kat’s voice in his earpiece through the mic system he used with his crew. Nearby, music blasted through the speakers as a pop singer named Stacey P performed. He stood by the stage, and despite the rowdy crowd that was more sardines in a can than an audience, he knew without looking the instant she was beside him. He could feel her there, as he always could feel her.

He cut her a sideways look, taking in the skimpy outfit she wore that matched that of the other three featured dancers, cursing the tightening of his body at the sight. He wasn’t surprised at how hot she looked, but he was surprised she’d chosen an outfit to match the other dancers, rather than something special for Marcus’s performance.

That thought had him grinding his teeth, and about breaking his jaw from the force. It was eating him alive to think about Kat rehearsing with Marcus, about her performing with Marcus, about her kissing him.

“I need Tabitha or Marissa on that podium at commercial,” he said into his mic.

“You got me instead,” she said, “and I’m on my way. I’ll be where you need me to be.”

“How are you going to cover your spot on the podium and be where Marcus needs you?”

“Marissa is dancing with Marcus,” she said. “Not me, Jason.” She cut around him, her hand discreetly brushing his back, until she was on the opposite side of him, and staring up at him to repeat. “Not me.” Their eyes held a moment, and more than music thrummed through his body. Every emotion he’d ever felt for Kat was there, too, twisting him into knots.

“Thirty seconds to commercial,” one of his people said into their ears.

Kat turned away immediately, darting through the crowd, and when the song ended, he wasn’t watching the famous singer on stage. He was watching Kat, who had taken the podium in a skimpy outfit that was getting plenty of male attention. But not Marcus’s.

She wasn’t dancing with him now. It should have made Jason feel better. So why did he still feel as if he’d lost something valuable?

Jason didn’t have time to analyze it. He had to be on stage himself, acting as if nothing bothered him. He didn’t like the on-camera work, and he wasn’t a host. This judging stuff had spun out of control, as had this night. But he’d agreed to all of this for a reason. To make this show work, and to create an opportunity where he and Kat could stay in one place together.

Jason headed to the stage, greeting the singer, and exchanging some banter with her for the audience and the cameras. And when he and Stacey P, a pretty blond singer most men would kill to be with, stepped off the stage to allow Marcus to claim it, she stayed by his side.

“So, Jason,” she said, leaning in close, her hand settling on his arm. “I’m in town through tomorrow if you want to get together later tonight.”

Jason knew just about every man watching this show would say yes to the offer, but he’d been there, done that, and didn’t give a damn about the shirt. Nothing, and no one, replaced Kat. Jason politely declined and fortunately had directorial duties to attend that made escape easy. From Stacey that was. There was no escaping Kat, and after what he’d learned tonight, that was about as hard to swallow as it got. One way or the other, tonight, this was it for his relationship with Kat. He was in or he was out for good.

* * *