Chapter Two

Teddy’s head whipped around. To her satisfaction, his chocolate brown eyes widened and filled with panic.

“Hey. Don’t do that!”

He tried to reach the buttons, but she stepped in front of them. Ever since he’d been stuck in an elevator for several hours by himself as a kid, he’d been terrified of them. A fact she was well aware of. He’d be at her complete mercy now. “I am not going to pretend that we’re involved. It’s bad enough you have to be here at all.”

He eyed the buttons behind her. “Don’t you think if this creep thinks you have someone like me around, he might back off?”

“I haven’t heard or seen from him in over two months, now. He’s already backed off; you and Cord are just panicking.”

At any moment, she expected him to simply manhandle her and haul her out of the way. Actually, the fact that he wasn’t showed just how terrified he was. Still, when he crossed his arms over his chest, his classic stubborn move, she knew she’d have to push even harder to get what she wanted.

Two could play the stubborn game. Like a five-year-old, she jumped, coming down hard in the small metal car and causing it to shake.

Teddy’s arms flew out to the sides to balance himself. His eyes darted around the car wildly. “Don’t do that!”

“We’re not going to pretend to be involved, got it?” She bent her knees as if to jump again.

His face was devoid of color and a bead of sweat broke out on his forehead. Glaring through narrowed eyes, he conceded. “Fine. Now get this thing moving and get me off it.”

With a satisfied smirk, Susan turned around to face the panel, released the emergency button, and hit the one for the lobby.

Suddenly, he was directly behind her, his body pressed into hers. Her breath caught at the feel of him against her.

“Don’t forget, darlin’,” he whispered, lips close to her ear. “I know your fears, too.”

The warm breath on her neck and groin pressed into her backside sent heat racing through her. Desire curled in her stomach, shocking her in its intensity.

Angry more at herself than his threat, she thrust her hips back hard, nailing him in the lower stomach. He grunted just as the elevator doors slid open. She started to sashay through them, but he grabbed her elbow and shoved her behind him.

Annoyed, she huffed, but let him lead the way out of the apartment building and into the waiting car. She introduced him to her driver, Maxwell, then sat back.

Immediately, Teddy began to interrogate the poor man. Susan rolled her eyes, then watched the city go by out the side window and thought back to the party the night before. It seemed as if it was a success. The Spielbergs said they both had a lovely time, and even the dreadful Miriam La Casa had commented that her new décor was charming. For Miriam that was huge.

The car slid to a stop and she glanced around to see why. The big golden arches reflected in the mirrored panes made her groan.

“Don’t tell me we’re stopping here?”

“Nah, we’ll go through the drive-through.” Teddy leaned up and instructed Maxwell on his huge breakfast order. “Want anything?” he asked over his shoulder.

“No.” Although the thought of the warm breakfast sandwich oozing with melted cheese and sausage sounded like heaven. Didn’t he have any idea how hard she had to work to keep her figure slim and trim? One egg sandwich and she’d have to spend an extra two hours in the gym.

“I was asking Max, not you. I know you’re a bird and eat nothing. At least not while everyone’s looking.” He turned back toward the driver. “But you know what, Max? When she’s alone, she inhales it. Seriously. Doritos, Twinkies, and don’t even let her get near barbecue, she’s a regular little piggy.”

Susan didn’t bother to comment on his ridiculous little stories—only because he was half-right; she had eaten quite a lot while she was home. And it was going to show if she didn’t get back to the gym soon. Now, that should be interesting, Teddy at my women’s gym.

After sipping black coffee and watching while both her driver and Teddy polished off hash browns, egg sandwiches, and a cinnamon bun each, Susan was thrilled to finally arrive at rehearsal. Teddy checked out her dressing room and instructed maintenance to get a new deadbolt system installed within the hour while she changed and hit the stage.

Most of the numbers she’d been able to practice on the small community stage back home, but the ones she hadn’t worked on were in serious need of practice. By mid-afternoon, she was drained and frustrated, but pushed on.

Stepping out into the center of the stage, she turned to her accompanist. “Let’s take it right from the beginning one more time, and then we’ll leave it.”

Stan nodded, and the first strains of the song started. Susan closed her eyes and tried to visualize how the dance routine had to go. Counting the beats in her head, she slowly opened her eyes once more and looked out into the audience at the empty seats. Teddy was in the fourth row, his long legs spread out in between the seats. While his posture looked calm and relaxed, even a bit lazy, the look on his face was intense. He stared at her as she began to sing and she fumbled the words.

Frustrated, she waved Stan to a stop. “Sorry, start from the top again.”

Once more, she sang, trying her best not to look at Teddy. When she turned her attention to him again, he was shaking his head. She frowned, but kept on singing. He shrugged and shook his head again.

Planting her hands on her hips, she stopped mid-note. “What?”

He dropped his feet to the floor and leaned forward. “That move you do at the end of the first chorus, it doesn’t work for me.”

Susan didn’t know whether to laugh or make a sarcastic remark. “What are you talking about? It’s perfectly choreographed. It’s fine.”

Again, he shrugged. “From where I’m sitting it looks awkward. I think you should rethink it.”

She hesitated. If it was anyone but him, she might have dismissed the entire thing, but Teddy knew his stuff. He knew it in a way that few professionals she’d encountered could master. If he said it was awkward, it needed to be reworked.

Striving to sound casual, she pushed her hair back off her face. “How would you change it?”

“Well, I see you doing this twist and then a right turn, not a step back. A right turn would flow right into the next rhythm.”

Susan tried to picture it but couldn’t. “I don’t see it.”

His boots hit the floor and he strode up to the stage. Susan heard a giggle and glanced behind her at the chorus. Rarely did she ever take advice from anyone once a number was set, and to see this cowboy striding to the stage to help her had to be more than amusing. They probably thought she was humoring her latest lover.

The whisperings intensified as his boots clopped across the stage and he reached her side.

His hands cupped her shoulders and he glanced to her pianist. “Pick it up right after that first part.” Teddy hummed the few chords. “Yeah, right there.” He stood in front of her and turned her body the way he wanted it to go. “Now, try this.”

His arm slid behind her waist and she automatically wrapped hers around him. Effortlessly, she followed him through the steps.

“That’s it. Isn’t that better? Do you see it?” He turned to the other dancers, who nodded and applauded.

“Okay, now you do it alone.” He jumped off the stage and moved back a few steps to watch.

Susan snapped her fingers to a beat of three and then sang, moving effortlessly into the new dance steps. When she spun around a second time, her gaze caught on something in the balcony.

She stumbled backward. “Oh no!”