Page 44 of Dance with Me
She avoided his gaze. “Too many texts and calls.”
Dimitri opened the front door and greeted Kevin as he walked up the front steps. “Hey, man. Welcome.”
Kevin gave him a nod and an assessing glance. “Hey, D. How’s it going? Is Tash here?”
“She is.”
Kevin raised his eyebrows. “Can I see her?”
Dimitri’s protective instinct rose up, and for a second, he was tempted to block the doorway and question Kevin further. Instead, he stepped back. “Come in.”
Kevin’s face broke into his signature grin when he saw Natasha. “There’s my girl.” He kissed her on the cheek and dropped onto the sofa next to her. “How’s the gimp leg?”
Dimitri bristled. Who the fuck did this guy think he was? He closed the front door with more force than was necessary and stalked back into the kitchen. “You want a piña colada?” he tossed out as he passed.
“Huh? Oh, sure.” Kevin gave him a thumbs-up.
Fake-ass bastard. Dimitri wasn’t buying it. He pulled out a bottle of rum. He’d need it to get through this “visit.”
He leaned on the bar while Kevin and Natasha gossiped about the industry and other dancers, offering a few comments here and there. When Kevin asked how Gina was doing, Natasha gave a general response and changed the subject.
Hmm. Something was going on there. Dimitri would’ve bet money she hadn’t called Gina, even though he’d suggested it. And her phone was off? That was weird, too. Natasha lived with her phone glued to her hand.
They were talking about auditions. Kevin was up for a few roles, and he was regaling Natasha with the details.
Dimitri turned around so he could roll his eyes without being seen. This guy was such a blowhard. But he was Natasha’s friend, and he’d stepped in to cover some of her jobs while she was injured. He couldn’t hate him.
But he could be pissed that Kevin threw his arm over Natasha’s shoulders, like it belonged there.
When Natasha yawned for the fifth time, Dimitri intervened. “Time to go,” he told Kevin. “She’s tired, and too polite to say so.”
Dimitri didn’t miss the way Kevin’s eyes narrowed at him, but his expression was full of genuine concern when he turned back to Natasha. “You gonna be okay?”
“Yeah.” She gave him a reassuring smile and patted his knee. “I’ve got the most overprotective nursemaid in Los Angeles watching over me to make sure my ankle heals properly. I’ll be good.”
“Let me know if you need anything.” Kevin bussed her cheek and got to his feet. “Even if it’s just to talk.”
“I will.Ciao.”
Dimitri had already opened the front door and was waiting for Kevin to leave. When the other man walked past him, he bumped him with his shoulder.
Oh, this fucker was asking for it. Instead of closing the door, Dimitri followed Kevin outside.
“You got a problem, man?” You didn’t grow up in Brooklyn as a dancer without being able to fight. Dimitri had never had issues with Kevin before, but clearly the guy had a problem with him.
“Yeah, I do.” Kevin’s light eyes were hard as he rounded on Dimitri. “I don’t think you’re good for her, and I can’t help but wonder why the hell she’s staying here with you instead of with one of her friends.”
“You sure that’s the only reason you’re getting up in my face?” Dimitri shot back. “Because she’s yourfriend?”
“Yeah, asshole. Unlike you, I know how to be friends with women and respect them.”
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
“It means you’re a user. You use women and don’t give a fuck about them. If you think Lauren didn’t talk about you, you’re an even bigger idiot than I already thought you were.”
“Lauren has a big mouth and she’s a liar.”
Kevin shrugged. “Both are true, but she’s not the only one who talks. You’ve got a rep. I care about Natasha—yes, as afriend.And I don’t like seeing my friends taken advantage of.”
