If Ever(42)

Ivan freezes and I see the evidence of my sneeze glistening on his face. He releases me with a look of disgust, and I fight the urge to bust out laughing.

"Oh my gosh. I guess I'm coming down with a cold." I blow my nose then reach out to mop up his face with the damp tissue. He jerks and stumbles away.

After that Ivan keeps his distance. The loud pinging of my phone every time Anna texts, keeps the distractions coming. And when my phone unexpectedly sounds Tom's ringtone, I scramble off and spend twenty minutes as I go into detail about my various ideas for Anna's bachelorette party I’m throwing after the show is over.

"You and your friends should fly to New York and hold it here," he suggests. "You can all stay at my place."

"That's an amazing idea. Let me run it by the girls and see."

Ivan keeps huffing from across the room, so I say my goodbyes and get back to work.

The rest of our rehearsals are better as I make sure to wipe my nose a lot in case Ivan wants to get too close. We fine-tune every move and step of the dance until it's second nature. But on Sunday after watching our camera blocking, Dominic pulls me aside.

"What do you think?" I ask, eager for his approval. He is my true partner and how Ivan and I do affects him as much as me.

"Well," he hesitates, searching for words. "It's obvious you don't like Ivan."

I'm taken aback. "It is?" I can't stand him, but I didn't think that came out in the dance. I just didn't want the leech groping me and trying to get me into bed all the time.

"It's like you're back to week two and won't look him in the eye. Half the rumba is the connection to your partner. Chemistry is everything. You’re better than this."

I blow out my breath and push my hair back. "He's a total creeper."

Dominic smirks. "I know, but if you don't work on chemistry, we're going home on Tuesday. And trust me, Ivan won't care. It's less competition for he and Haley."

"But how am I suppose to do that when I find him repulsive." I glance over at Ivan chatting up one of the troupe dancers. He looks up when she points out that we're watching him.

"Come on. I'll show you." Dominic drags me off to the lobby where we can have privacy. When he's satisfied there's no one else around, he takes dance position. "Remember, every move has an intention. You can't just go through the motions. You have to connect with him."

"But anytime I give Ivan the slightest encouragement, he seems to think I'll want to tango between the sheets."

"Tomorrow night you'll be done with him. You can fake it until then. Now let's give this a shot. Pretend I'm Ivan."

"But you don't know the dance."

"Pfft. I'll fake it. It's just the first few bars." He takes position and sure enough Dominic magically seems to know our number. "Eyes on mine, and remember you're playing a character," he chides.

I focus on him, but it's awkward and the emotions don't translate. I pull away.

"Pretend I'm Tom, does that help." He smirks.

I smile.

"Yeah, I thought that would work."

We begin again. Dominic turns his expression serious and then with his body movement it changes to sexy, almost steamy, but on him it isn't sleazy. It's more like how Tom transforms himself on stage to another person. It's natural and effortless.

"Now try giving me bedroom eyes," he says as we move through the seductive steps. I relax and focus and try to take on the role. Working with Dominic is natural and I can let down my guard.

"There you go. You've got it." He releases me.

I nod. I can do it, play that character. "I'm just not sure I can do it with Ivan. I don't like him, and I don't trust him."

"Well in that case, focus on his forehead and use the wind technique."

"Excuse me?"

"It's a tried and true method. Whenever you have to dance with someone you don't like, imagine that they just passed wind. The bad kind."

I give him the side eye. I can't imagine how that works.

"Use the facial expression you would if someone next to you let out a rotten egg. Like this." He flares his nostrils and his lip lifts in disdain. He stares me down, and even though I know he's pretending it’s from an odorous smell, it does come off as desire.

I bust out laughing. "Oh my God, that's hilarious."

"There's a fine line between sexual tension and smelly farts."





14





New York City





Sitting on my couch in sweats and a T-shirt, I'm waiting for Celebrity Dance Off to start. My nerves are jumpy as I wait to see Chelsea perform. It's been two glorious but torturous weeks limited to phone calls and occasional video chat. Finally the show's theme music plays and the screen is filled with spotlights, mirror balls, and the host Marcus MacIntyre.

I lean forward as he introduces the contestants one by one. First is Pavel and Haley, then there's Dominic, but he's with a different partner this week. And suddenly Chelsea's gorgeous smile fills the screen as she enters on the arm of Ivan. From the joy on her face, it's impossible to tell that she doesn't like him.