Page 25 of Take the Lead
No, not like that. He wanted to hold her closer than the foxtrot warranted.
She cocked her head. “What’s so funny?”
On Stone’s other side, Jackson rolled his eyes. “He’s laughing at my job. I’m a serious actor, I’ll have you know.”
The others returned from the dance floor and Lori called over to Mimi, her ex, for another round of tequila shots, which appeared immediately. Knowing the bartender had its advantages.
Stone accepted his second scotch, sipping and listening with one ear while Gina and Kevin talked shop, trying to gauge the nature of their relationship. There’d been nothing sexual in the way they moved together when they danced, and it wasn’t like Stone had any designs on her, but still. He just wanted to know.
“How was New York?” Gina asked Kevin. “You just did a show, right?”
“Cold. And I was only in the role for a few weeks. Had to come back forThe Dance Off.”
“God, I want to be on Broadway so bad.” Gina’s tone was wistful. “First some hosting gigs, then Broadway. Then I want my own TV show. Oh, and movies.”
Kevin grinned. “How are you going to fit movies into that schedule?”
“I’ll manage.” Gina blew out a breath. “Work always comes first.”
Kevin gave Gina a long look, then asked Mimi to bring her a glass of water.
Stone scowled into his scotch. Gina’s words confirmed what he’d already known about her—she was hell-bent on making it in this industry. But from the sound of it, she and Kevin were just friends. There was that, at least.
Mimi poured another round of shots, and everyone reached in to grab one. Lori and Jackson crowded in on either side of Stone. When Gina grabbed one, Stone sighed and took a glass.
What the hell was he even doing here? He was all for hittinga bar and having fun, but a club of this magnitude, with people plugged into the pulse of the entertainment industry… that wasn’t him. He didn’t belong here.
Maybe it was time to go home. Well, back to the hotel, in any case. But then Jackson asked Gina to dance, so Stone stayed to watch them.
Natasha took the empty space next to him. “He wants to win.”
“Who? Kevin?”
She shook her head and pointed to Jackson. “Look. He’s asking Gina for instruction. He did the same with me earlier.”
Sure enough, Gina’s lips moved in a running stream of commentary as she danced with Jackson. She even kicked at his feet the way she did with Stone during rehearsal.
Natasha shrugged again. “He’s a good-looking young actor at the start of his career. If he wins, it’ll make him a household name and open all sorts of doors for him.”
“Huh.” So, even at a social outing, Jackson was playing the game. And Stone was standing off to the side watching his partner help someone else.
He didn’t care. He only had to stay on for a few episodes to earn the cash for his mother’s bills. But shit, if he stayed on longer, he could knock out his own student loans, too. How much did the winner stand to make?
Didn’t matter. He wasn’t going to win.
“What are you drinking?” he asked, since Natasha’s hands were empty.
“Coke.”
“Coke and…”
She jerked her chin in Gina’s direction. “Just soda. Looks like I’m the designated driver tonight.”
Was Gina drunk? He couldn’t tell from her dancing. She was just as graceful as ever. “You want me to keep an eye on her?”
Natasha smiled and patted his arm. “Thanks, guapo. But I got this.”
Kevin scooted in on Natasha’s other side. His glass was nearlyempty, and his signature grin, while still in place, was starting to look a little lopsided. “What are you guys talking about? Oh look, it’s my partner.” Kevin lifted a hand and shouted, “Hey, Lauren, over here.”
