They watched Lauren and Kevin’s dance on the Sparkle Parlor’s screens. Technically, their rumba was perfect. Kevin was a great choreographer, and Lauren executed every move with precision. But Stone had been dancing—and watching the others—long enough that he could see how their rumba differed from his and Gina’s.
There was something forced about the way Lauren conveyed feeling. As someone who’d been faking emotion on camera for four years, it was glaringly obvious to him. She made the faces, smiling when she should smile and scowling when the dance style called for it, but she was acting, not feeling.
Then there was the fact that she and Kevin had absolutely no sexual chemistry.
Dance was about intimacy and vulnerability, connection and communication. Stone’s training with Gina had shown him that, and not just because of their physical relationship. Gina had insisted he get in touch with his emotions, which had been hard at the beginning, but he had to admit it made a difference. A good dance told a story of two people who connected on a level deeper than words.
Kevin and Lauren didn’t have that. At all. So while Lauren didn’t miss a step, Stone was sure that if he didn’t feel any sort of emotional reaction while watching her, it was likely the judges wouldn’t either.
The dance ended. Stone clapped, then listened closely while Lauren and Kevin received their comments from the judges. He bit back a smug grin as Mariah pointed out that their dance didn’t make her feel anything.
The scoreboard flashed, showing the combined scores for the night for all three couples. Stone’s heart leaped. He was on the top, with a perfect score. Jackson was three points below, and Lauren was in third place, with ninety-four percent average.
Holy shit. Maybe he could win this.
Gina appeared at his side and spoke in a low voice. “Viewer votes from last week. That’s what will make or break us.”
“I believe in us.”
She didn’t reply, but her lips pursed. The unspokenI don’tcut deep.
It all came down to Donna’s gamble. Had airing the kiss turned the viewers against them, as Gina feared it would, or had it drawn the audience into their love story?
When Stone had arrived in Los Angeles, he’d sworn to avoid the drama and the media circus at all costs. Now he was neck deep and playing to win.
Was it worth it, though? Even if they won the trophy, he’d lost Gina. At one point he’d hoped they could try some sort of long-distance relationship, but after his misstep with the kiss footage, she’d made it clear they were done.
One of the ubiquitous stage managers appeared to usher them out. They’d gone through it in dress rehearsal. The third-place winner would be chosen first, then they’d break for commercial, then the first-place winner would be named, and the hideous glittery trophy would be bestowed on the season fourteen champion.
If Stone won, someday he’d have his own house and place the gaudy thing on his mantle, front and center.
On second thought, it would only remind him of Gina. His mother could have it.
They took their place on the stage under the spotlights. Stone put an arm around Gina’s shoulders from behind, holding heragainst him. Was she as nervous as he was? While Juan Carlos talked, Stone closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to Gina’s hair. He filled his nose and lungs with her tropical scent.
“Gina?”
“Not now.”
“When?”
She didn’t answer. Did that mean never?
Juan Carlos threw out an arm toward the stage. “And that makes our third-place winner…” He drew it out. The music turned low and menacing. “Jackson and Lori!” The music lifted and soared, the crowd cheered, and Gina and Stone shifted to give Jackson and Lori hugs before they ran off the stage.
“I told you,” Gina muttered when they took their places again. “It was always Lauren and Kevin.”
Stone pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Don’t give up on me now.”
Her shoulders tensed, and her voice came out breathy and raw. “Please don’t make this harder than it has to be.”
When the show cut to a commercial, Gina broke away from him to hug Lori again.
This time, when the spotlights came back up, Stone rested his hands on Gina’s shoulders, needing to anchor himself. “I’m not trying to make this harder for you. I just—I’m nervous, okay?”
She put her hand over one of his and squeezed. “Don’t be. No matter what, you’re going to walk away from this a star.”
“Not if Lauren destroys my show.”
