Page 22 of Take the Lead
Lori nodded emphatically. “We all do. That’s why I got the whole season fourteen cast onto the guest list for Club Picante.”
“Your ex-girlfriend’s still working there?”
“Yep. We’ve got VIP space at the end of the bar. Say you’ll come.”
“Come where?”
A shiver went up Gina’s spine at the rumble of Stone’s voice behind her. For a big guy, he walked lightly.
“We’re going to a salsa club tonight,” Lori told Stone. “Want to come? You’re on the list, too.”
“Stone, this is Lori. She’s wontwice.” Gina hip-bumped Lori, who playfully elbowed her back.
“Hey, you’ll get there soon. I’ve just been on the show longer.”
“A salsa club?” Stone repeated, skepticism heavy in his voice. He turned his sky blue gaze on Gina, and she sucked in a breath. “Have I learned how to salsa yet?”
Lori snickered and gave his arm a shove. “You’re not going to be judged on it, and you’ll have to learn it eventually, if you stick around. Might as well pick up the basics at a club.”
“It’s just for fun,” Gina said. “We could all use the break, and you don’t have to dance if you don’t want to.”
Stone narrowed his eyes, searching her face. The look was so sexy it had her heart racing.
“I don’t believe that for a second,” he said, voice edging toward a growl. She didn’t think he realized he did, but every time it gave her a bad case of cha-cha-ing butterflies in her belly. “Going to a salsa club with a bunch of professional dancers will result in dancing, whether I want to or not.”
Lori shrugged. “We can’t force you. You’re too big. It would take all of us to drag you onto the dance floor.”
Gina imagined dancing with Stone in the close confines of Club Picante. Crowded, hot, loud, dark—
Wait a second. This was a terrible idea. “You don’t have to go if you—”
“All right,” he said. “I’ll go.”
What? No. “Really?”
“Sure.” He jerked a shoulder. “It’ll be a good chance to get to know the other cast members, right?”
“Cool. It’s gonna be fun.” Lori took off down the hallway. “See ya!”
“Ready to practice?” Stone asked when Gina just stood there, staring after Lori.
“Yeah, of course.” They entered the room and set up their mics. When she stepped in close to him, he put his arm around her in perfect hold, wrapping her in his strength, his warmth, and the fresh, piney smell a week in LA hadn’t diminished.
Her heart rate spiked. Sweat prickled at her hairline. Bringing Stone to the salsa club was a very bad idea, but maybe she could get through the night without dancing with him.
She signaled Jordy to move out of the way or risk being run over. “Come on, let’s practice grapevines again.”
At the end of the day, they parted ways at the parking lot.
“See you at the club?” Stone asked.
Still kicking herself for giving him the club address, it was on the tip of Gina’s tongue to say no, to make up an excuse. As if she needed to spend more time around him. She was already on the verge of spontaneous combustion. Could people explode from lust? She was about to test the theory.
She wanted to go out, though. Part of her wanted the chance to blow off steam with her coworkers, and another part didn’t want to leave Stone alone to deal with all the other dancers.
Yet another part of her really wanted to salsa with him away from the watchful eyes of Donna and Jordy. It tipped the balance.
“Yes. See you there.”
