Page 50 of Forbidden Dance
He steps back and kicks off his jazz shoes. They are new and gleaming. Then he pulls down the pants.
My face burns. His legs are muscled, only moderately hairy. He wears skin-colored underwear, smooth and fitted, same as a leotard. I drag my gaze away.
“You are adorable, Livia,” he says as he steps into the new pants.
“What makes you say that?” I ask.
“You are just so genuine. And sweet.” He straightens the shirt and moves close to me again. “So girl next door. I feel like I should be asking your father for your hand in marriage before I kiss you anymore.”
“You’re crazy,” I say. I want to breathe him in. His clothes smell new and expensive.
His hands separate my knees so he can step in closer. The movement sends a rush of heat through me. I want more from him. I want to get lost in it. He will take care of things. We won’t be stupid like I was before. Although there is the matter of the fifteen paternity suits.
“Why do all those women think their babies are yours?” I ask suddenly.
He sinks back a little. “That’s one heck of a segue,” he says. “You think your father would ask? Because when I was trying to get your address or number or anything to get in touch with you, everybody said your dad would kill me.”
“I don’t know,” I say. “It’s just that if all these girls think their babies are yours, then you couldn’t have been very…” I hesitate. “Protected.”
“So your mind is going there.” He leans in, his fingers sliding around my neck. “Only one of the fifteen was even someone I slept with,” he says. “The others were just opportunists who thought I would buy them off. It’s a common thing, especially when you have a reputation like mine.”
“What about the one, then?”
“Her boyfriend saw the lawsuit and had a cow. He spoke up that the baby was his. The timing was all wrong from when I was with her anyway. It was dismissed.”
“Was she a contestant?”
“No, she didn’t make it that far. But she did audition. I met her before season one began, when I was still naive enough to think girls actually liked me.”
It hadn’t even occurred to me that Blitz would be the one to feel used.
He leans in, touching our foreheads together. “I’ll answer any questions you have. I know I’m up against my own horrible reputation.”
“Are you trying to leave all that behind?” I ask.
He says, “I already have.” And his lips brush mine.
From outside the door, we hear “I have a key and I’m going to use it!” It’s Hannah.
Blitz breaks away. “Lovely woman, my manager. I guess our time is up.”
As he turns to the door, I stop him. “Blitz, I don’t have a cell phone. My father keeps me on a very short leash. He has his reasons. It’s very hard for me to get away and see you. But I want to. I do.”
His eyes flicker with anger for a moment, but he controls it. “Then we’ll make our own way to keep in touch.”
He opens the door. Hannah is outside. His voice is firm when he says, “I need a second cell phone, before the end of the shoot.”
Hannah tries to open her mouth, but Blitz stops her. “I mean it. I won’t sign off on this video without it.”
“You’re such a diva,” Hannah says, but she waves to the same girl who got the pants. “Go see Roberto for the car keys and the credit card. Pick up another cell phone, whatever is close. Get it activated and ready to go and come back.”
The girl nods.
“Good enough?” she asks Blitz.
He nods. “Thank you.” He kisses her cheek. “This is why you’re my main girl.”
Hannah rolls her eyes. “Scoot! All of you!”
