“No. He didn’t even pause to consider it.” Ava twiddled her glass stem between her fingers, sighing heavily.
Her mother leaned toward her, a gleam in her eyes. “That photograph of his engagement from the paper, I don’t suppose you still have it?”
Ava paused, thinking hard. Optimism blossomed in her chest. Of course, how could she have been so silly? She had torn the page out and stuffed it in her bag. An image to keep of his beautiful face, but because it was an engagement photo, also a deterrent to her love. Jumping to her feet, she raced into her bedroom. She put her fingers to her forehead. Think, dammit, think. Under the bed? Dropping to her knees, she pulled a dusty box from under the bed, a box full of her travelling mementoes. Photo after photo was cast aside, along with her much worn round-the-world plane ticket. Ah, there it was. In the corner, under her sarong, the newspaper image of him and Beatriz was crumpled.
She took it out and carefully smoothed it with a little kiss.
“Mum, you are a genius.” She called out as she came through to the living room.
Her mum held her glass out. “Glad to be of help.”
Ava subsided into her armchair, gazing at Matthias. “Will it work? I don’t know. Still, it’s worth a go.” She smiled.
“Good to see you smiling again, darling. Now, since you’re in a good mood, I have an idea to run past you.”
“Mmm?” Ava couldn’t take her eyes from the photograph. It wasn’t much but at least it would prove she wanted to tell him about the baby.
“Your dad and I would like to come to the finals tomorrow night. I know you’ve been offered front row tickets.”
“Sure. I’d like you to be there. It is the final and you know the score with Matthias and me so no problem.” It would be lovely to have the support of her parents to help against the onslaught of nerves, both for dancing and seeing Matthias again.
“One other thing.” Her mum paused until Ava met her expression. “We’d like to bring Bella.”
Ava frowned. Bella, in the front row while she danced before Matthias? She couldn’t do it. Or could she? It wouldn’t make any difference to the situation she was in right now, and it wasn’t as if it could make things worse. What the hell.
“Okay. Please make sure she has a long sleep in the afternoon. That way she won’t be tired.” It would be lovely to have Bella there, to know her daughter was watching and hopefully would remember the magic of her mother dancing. A nice memory for her to have in light of things to come.
Her mother leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “Great, and Ava, darling?” Her voice rose on the question, and at Ava’s nod she continued. “It will come out right, wait and see.”
Chapter 17
On the following day, time alternated between being unbearably slow, then supercharging past her. From the moment she set foot in the recording studios, she searched for Matthias. The light chattering of Julian while he pleated her hair high and firm on the back of her head didn’t engage her, nor did the whistling of Emma when she stood back to applaud Ava in the tight black satin dress, slit to the top of her thighs and cut low at the back. Where was Matthias?
She walked as fast to dress rehearsal as her tight skirt would allow, wondering where Luca was. They were last to dance tonight, leaving an hour before the live show commenced, and nerves gnawed. He normally would’ve dropped her a text by now to say hi or that he was ready. Rounding a corner, she came to the dance floor to notice an apparently worried Felicity, deep in conversation with Simon. A quick scan showed Matthias gesticulating with another couple to the corner of the dance floor. Ava clutched her bag tighter as her breath faltered. She would soon be beside him again, and could demonstrate proof she had gone back to him.
“Ava?” Felicity called and gestured her over. With a final glance at Matthias, she went over.
“What is it?” Ava looked from Simon to Felicity.
“It’s Luca.”
“Oh no, what is it?” Her heart began to sink.
“He’s not well. In fact, he’s very unwell. He won’t make it in today.” Felicity stroked Ava’s upper arm. “We’ve searched our banks of reserve dancers to see who can step in at the last minute, but there are very few—if any—willing to risk their professionalism by dancing the Argentine Tango with an amateur on nationwide television since they’ve not had any time to practice.”
Ava stared at Felicity, dismay enveloping her. “What’s wrong with him? Is it anything serious?”
Simon coughed behind his hand. “No, not serious, just a bug tying him to the bathroom. He’ll be over it tomorrow so don’t worry about him. It’s you we are worried about. You must dance.”
Ava forgot to breathe, and considered her feelings. It didn’t really matter, in the grand scheme of things. Yes, it was a shame she wouldn’t get to dance Matthias’s dance in front of him, her parents and her daughter, but there was a far more pressing situation controlling her feelings right about now.
“I’ll leave it to you two. I’m happy to fall in with whatever you think.” Out of her peripheral vision, she saw Matthias move away from the other couple. It was now or never.
“If you’ll excuse me, please?”
Not waiting for an answer, she turned to follow Matthias and hurried to catch up with him.
“Matthias?” She laid a hand on his arm, appreciating the bunch of muscles below her fingertips.
“Yes.” His stride didn’t falter and the expression he cast was uncompromising. He wasn’t slowing down.
Once away from the arena and prying eyes, she tugged on his arm. “Please, stop a minute.” Her voice was a plea and prayed he would respond.
Drawing a deep, exasperated-sounding breath, he halted abruptly and crossed his arms across his chest. Eschewing speech, he quirked an eyebrow.
Ava stared into his eyes, only to glance quickly away. No softness, only impatience and cold greeted her. A shiver ran through her. “Um, I know you didn’t believe when I said I had flown back to you. But—” She broke off to rummage in her bag, finally drawing free the newspaper cutting. “Here.”
A frown crossed his face as he took the paper, soon to be replaced with recognition. He held it aloft. “So? I remember this. Why are you showing it to me?”
Ava took a deep breath. “I tore it out of the newspaper on the day I flew in to see you. How else would I have it?” She peeped from under her eyelashes, inwardly beseeching him to show some softness in his stance, anything to let her know he cared.
Nothing.
“Well thank you for showing me that. Now, do you have any questions about the dance tonight?” Smoothly he moved into professionalism.
The intensity in his eyes caused her stomach to cartwheel and her thoughts to freefall. That was all he was going to say about the photo? What had he asked? Oh. “Haven’t you heard?”
He shook his head impatiently, black hair falling over his face. Quelling the desire to run her hands through it, she continued. “Luca is sick. I’m probably not dancing tonight.” She shrugged, holding his gaze. “I don’t mind.”
Matthias’s face darkened. “You must dance tonight. Everyone has been asking for you, sure you will win. I will talk to Simon.” He left in a flurry of disturbed air, long strides carrying him away.
Ava leaned into the wall. Well, so much for showing him proof. He had forgotten it now in his quest to get her dancing tonight. Although a small part of her rejoiced that he must care somehow about her dancing, it was surely only for the show’s sake.
* * * *
Matthias refused to examine why he was frustrated that Ava might not be performing his dance. She stood there, all big eyes and beautiful face, the black satin dress clinging to every curve. It had taken every ounce of willpower not to press her into the wall, and lift her to fit around him. A heat hit his loins and his mood darkened.
Every fiber of his being had been anticipating her dance, and if she got the moves right, she would be phenomenal to watch, all long, agile, loose limb
s. Over the past few days, he’d been dragging his mind from the gutter with less and less ease. But he hadn’t realized how much he wanted her on that dance floor.
Too worked up to engage in niceties, he stalked over to Simon who stood by the band. “Who will Ava dance with tonight?”
“Ah, Matthias, hello. You’ve heard. From the answers that we’re getting, I don’t think she will be dancing. Too bad.
“I will dance with her.” He gritted his teeth and stared the older man down. Shock was written clearly on his face.
“I like the idea. I like it lots. But…hang on, Felicity?” He waved Felicity over. “Matthias has the brilliant idea of dancing with Ava. Can we make it work?”
Felicity stared at Matthias, chewing the end of her pen. “It would hardly be fair on the other contestants. I know Ava was set to win, but even so. What else can we do?”
“Give her a handicap.” To Matthias’s mind, it was simple. Simon and Felicity looked surprised, then Simon slowly nodded.
“You mean deduct ten marks from the judge’s scores? Something like that?” The excitement was apparent in Simon’s voice.
Matthias shrugged. “Ten marks, fifteen marks. I still think she will win. You choose the points.”
Felicity smiled. “Let’s do it, and do it fast. We need to warn the presenters and put an added message out on the television about the changes to tonight’s show. Thinking about it, you and Ava dancing together will be fabulous. What a great end.”
Simon nodded. “Go for it, Felicity. Good thinking, Matthias. Do you know the routine?”
“I do. I helped Luca with the choreography.”
“I guess you should find Ava and let her know you’re her new partner. The sooner, the better, because the show starts soon.”
Matthias went where he had last seen her, the door behind him closing off the hustle and noise of the dance floor. He inhaled deeply, appreciating the quiet and rethinking his strategy. Ava would have probably gone to get a coffee while waiting. He took the stairs two at a time, his heart lighter than it had been in a long time. Whether it was the thought of the dance later on, with the glitz, glamour and nerves, or because it would be with Ava, he refused to examine.
He was right—Ava was sitting in the corner of the empty canteen, a cup of coffee in her hands, chewing on her lower lip. Marching straight over, he placed both hands on the table in front and leaned in. “You’re dancing tonight.”
She placed her coffee on the table and drew back from him. A spark lit her eyes as she considered his words.
“Who with?” The words emerged breathy and she cleared her throat, looking everywhere but at him.
He waited until she met his look. “Me.”
A frown appeared as simultaneously a hand flew to her mouth. “Wh-what?”
“You’re dancing the Argentine Tango with me tonight.” He stepped back from the table and drew to full height. She should be proud of who she was dancing with. Hell knows he would be proud of her. He banished the thought in favor of other, more pragmatic ones. “We need to practice.”
Ava’s eyes were wide and suspiciously shiny.
“I can’t.”
Matthias hadn’t heard right. “Pardon?”
Ava stood from the table in a hurry, the chair behind her skidding against the floor with a harsh, metallic shriek. “I’m sorry. I can’t.” She weaved her way through the canteen, hand to her mouth the entire time. Still Matthias admired the sight of her slim back shown off by the dress. But what was that about? Why wouldn’t she dance with him?
He set off to follow her. Leaving the canteen, he marched first through one corridor, then the next, and finally to the roof. She was nowhere to be found.
* * * *
Ava sat in the bathroom, aghast, letting time slide by uncaringly. Why was it when she thought life could get no worse, something else happened to twist the knife further? Anymore might push her over the edge. Was he mad? How did he think it possible she could dance the steps he had choreographed with Luca—steps designed to show desperate longing on her behalf? Not tortured enough, she was going to have to physically fling herself at him—hopefully he would pick her up—only at the end to be let down by him. It mirrored her reality too cannily. How could she do it?
She froze when voices in the corridor approached, but relaxed when they faded away. She flicked open her phone to see a text from her mum and a missed call from Felicity. While she checked her messages, two more texts came through from Felicity. The show had started. What was she going to do? She sighed, then caught sight of herself in the full length mirror. At first she hadn’t recognized the glamorous creature in front of her, but she stood and did a twirl. The eyes that stared back appeared haunted and weary, not matching the rest of her sassy and incredibly sexy appearance. She extended a long leg toward the mirror, and drew it back sharply in a quick planeo, one of the basic moves of the tango. Hell, she looked good.
From somewhere deep within, a kernel of determination emerged. Why shouldn’t she do this? Yes it would be hard to physically fling herself at the man she was, um, metaphorically flinging herself at, but wasn’t that the beauty of the moment? How better placed could she have been to dance tonight? She would simply be enacting exactly how she felt. And who knew? It may be cathartic.
Mind made up, she repaired her make-up and left, opening her phone while on the move. I’m coming.
Breathless, she arrived at the arena, hoping to change from her boots into high heel black velvet shoes. Felicity came over, a frown playing between her eyes.
“Where have you been? I’ve been worried sick. You’re on in ten minutes…” She grabbed Ava in a bear hug. “You are fantastic and you’ll be a million dollars out there. Now, where is Matthias?”
“Here.” The low voice behind Ava surprised her and she jumped, both inward and outward.
Showtime!
Turning to greet him, she plastered a smile on her face and struggled to hold the surprise in when she saw him. Softness rounded the hard edges on his face. Or perhaps it was the dim light hiding the shadows in his cheeks. He leaned in, bringing his face next to hers.
“I knew you would dance, bella.” His voice caressed her, his breath on her cheek causing a shiver to run down her spine.
Don’t fall for it. He’s only leading you on as stipulated by the Argentine Tango. It’s a dance of push and pull remember.
She caught sight of her parents and Bella on the large screen in the waiting area. “I’m dancing for me and my family.”
As she spoke, the truth of her words displayed themselves. She was dancing for her family. Not her mother and father outside, but rather her daughter and the father of her child. A sinking sigh threatened to tear her equanimity apart, and her head drooped, just when she heard their names announced. The countdown of two minutes before they were due on stage began.
“Ava. Listen.” His sharp command brought her awareness back to the here and now, and dancing with Mathias. Dear Lord. “Don’t think, don’t worry.”
He paused, his eyes making her feel as though she were reborn a beauty.
“Be in this moment. With me. I will guide you. I will catch you.” His voice lowered. “Trust in me.”
At every word, Ava’s heart seemed to inflate a little bit, then more until she was breathing deeply, calming oxygen streaming to her extremities. It was all right, she was safe. Matthias would take care of her.
“One thing I have to tell you.”
Matthias nodded, inscrutable once more.
“Bella, our daughter, is out there. In the front row. See?”
The large screen was now showing the audiences tumultuous response to her bio on screen and the camera zoomed in on Bella clapping her little chubby hands as fast as she could. She didn’t mind anymore that people knew about her daughter’s existence. After all, she had only wanted to keep it quiet until Matthias had accepted the truth.
The lines fell from Matthias’s face as he watched his daughter and her hea
rt swelled with pride for her beautiful, happy girl.
Their names were called and Matthias switched back to her, warmth in his expression chasing away the haughtiness and pride. Conscious the cameras rolled, she took the arm he proffered and stepped lightly down the stairs onto the stage.
Chapter 18
The crowd erupted when they emerged to take their places. Ava took deep breaths, filling her diaphragm and exhaling long breaths. Matthias stood behind her, right hand lightly resting on her stomach. Could he feel the butterflies that swarmed through her? Oh dear God why was she doing this?
Once the slow accordion strains of the first few notes of the “Assassin’s Tango” started, she allowed the music to unleash her yearning for Matthias. She heard his breath and they swayed together, bodies moving as one. The tempo increased, the music drawing her deeper into her need for the tall, strong man she danced with, the ache so strong it hurt.
She threw her head back for him to rake his hand down the side of her face, searing it. His hands went further, pulling her hips toward him and his darkly sensuous expression sent love fizzing through her veins. She dropped to one knee and he held her, then pulled her across the floor, her heart unraveling behind her. She was desperately in love with him, a love doomed to fail.
* * * *
Matthias’s heart set free in the dance as the shackles shucked off, leaving behind a new man. Ava had come back to tell him about their baby. She hadn’t thought he would be a bad father, she’d been about to trust him. It was damnable timing that she saw the newspaper.
His throat constricted when he lowered to touch foreheads with her, allowing their bodies room to twist and hook legs. Gazing into her eyes, he saw deep hurt hiding love and he wanted to tell her right here, right now, that he loved her. But he couldn’t yet. He lifted her slender body, giving her the height to kick out behind her. As though through a veil, he saw the crowd surge to their feet, applauding, a little girl clapping the hardest. His little girl. Their little girl.
He tightened his arms around Ava, and spun her around the floor. Her long legs flicked between his, awakening responses in places he never knew there were nerves. The tempo increased once more and passion flooded his being. He had to have this woman. He flung her from him, drew her near, lowered his mouth to hers only to shift away at the last minute. In one lithe movement, Ava was lying on the floor, rolling away from him. He thrust a hand out and she used it as support whilst she flung herself into his arms and his entire body tightened at the feel of her clinging to him, arms and legs wrapped around him, not letting go.
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