“Sam, please don’t—”
“Don’t what?” he asked. “Worry about you? Ask what I can do to help? Care enough to be here with you, instead of somewhere else?”
She blinked at him and then pressed her hand to her face. “I’m sorry. I’m just...” She looked at him. “I’m a wreck. I swear this show has made me this way. I was never like this in the newsroom. You were right. I’m too close to this.”
“In a few minutes, what will happen, is what will happen. Whatever that final product is, embrace it and call it a success, Meg.”
She paused, considering his words, and then to his surprise, pushed to her toes and kissed him. She smiled at him and then disappeared back onto the stage.
Sam’s lips turned upward, his blood running hot for Meagan, who was driving him to the edge, he wanted her so badly. And though he was certain their time out of bed was working in his favor, helping him to get to know her, keeping her from hiding behind sex, he was damn ready to strip her naked and have his way with her. Or her have her way with him. He really didn’t care, as long as the end result meant they were together.
Tonight couldn’t arrive fast enough as far as he was concerned. In fact, tonight seemed a perfect time for pleasure in celebration of the success he was sure the show was going to have.
It was the prospect of holding Meagan, and making love to her, that led him through the next several hours of the show—including the tight security needs of a Pop star—with that smile remaining on his face. That was, until the last fifteen minutes of the show, when the bottom three dancers were announced.
Sam stood across the stage from Meagan, his eyes locked intently with hers. Derek, the host, called the first name. A dancer named Rena took her place next to Derek. The second name... Tabitha. Sam couldn’t say he’d be sorry to see her leave. But it was the next name that set the place into a purr of shocked “ohhhhs.” The final name was Carrie.
Sam watched as Meagan’s face paled. Yes, he knew she had a soft spot for Carrie, but beyond that, Meagan was a smart cookie. She was bound to be thinking the same thing he was. What were the chances that both Carrie and Tabitha would end up in the bottom three without some manipulation of the results?
18
MEAGAN FELT SICK when Carrie’s name was called. She did see Carrie as the underdog, which she’d always felt a bit herself. But then there was the coincidence factor. Had the judges been persuaded formally or informally to put Carrie’s and Tabitha’s names on the bottom three?
Kiki stepped to Meagan’s side, digging her fingers into Meagan’s arm. “We can’t lose Carrie or Tabitha. Please tell me we aren’t about to lose Carrie or Tabitha. We need them for ratings.”
Relief washed over Meagan. Kiki hadn’t played with the outcome of the judging. This second guessing Kiki thing was distracting her more than she thought.
“The first contestant that’s safe is...” Derek said, “Tabitha.”
Tabitha squealed and rushed to the bleacher-style seating where the other nine safe contestants were sitting. She flung her arms around Jensen’s neck. Carrie looked sad and disappointed, and suddenly Meagan felt as if she were on that stage with Carrie, about to hear her fate. She felt guilty for that, knowing this was emotional for the other candidate, Rena, as well, but it was Carrie whose moment Meagan was in.
“And the final contestant who is safe tonight is...Carrie!” Carrie burst into tears right along with the girl who’d just found out she would be the first to leave the show. Instead of rushing to safety, Carrie turned to her and hugged Rena. Meagan watched Carrie walk with the ousted dancer, talking to her, comforting her, and knew she was right about Carrie being a nice person.
Derek wrapped up the broadcast and the aftermath followed, the celebration and tears backstage. Meagan spoke to the celebrity judges and put fears of contestant tampering aside. These were people who took their roles seriously. The performances had been the deciding factor, and Carrie and Tabitha had spent too much time focused on Jensen, rather than on practicing, to come out on top.
When Meagan’s team, with Sam and his men following closely, arrived at the contestants’ house, they’d all vowed there would be a midnight swim. By the time they’d all quickly changed, a delivery of gourmet strawberry cupcakes arrived, donated by a famous chef who hosted a show on the same network. Everyone dug into the treats, even Rena, who seemed to find the indulgence welcome.
Meagan stood in the kitchen, watching the crowd, feeling sad that Rena was leaving, but relieved that the girl had been offered a Broadway audition before they’d ever left the theater. Meagan wanted to create dreams that came true, not crush them.
“It could have been me saying goodbye tonight,” Carrie said as she joined Meagan in the kitchen.
“You’re right,” Meagan agreed. “It could have been you. Stop focusing on Tabitha and Jensen, and focus on dancing.”
Carrie leaned on the island counter. “I know. Believe me, I know. Dancing is everything to me, and not only did I almost quit the show, I almost let silly distractions ruin it for me, too. I’ve lost track of my priorities.”
Distractions. Priorities. Meagan had allowed herself to be distracted by Sam, but somehow, he’d helped her move forward, not held her back. It was this Kiki distraction that was destroying her. She was at the point where she needed to just let the cards fall where they would with the show. She was working hard. She’d landed her new agent today. She had to learn that some things were out of her control. Like her strategy for Sam. She didn’t want to let down her guard and be with Sam, only to find him the true loser by associating with her.
She shoved aside the worry, at least, for now, and challenged Carrie to succeed. “So what are you going to do to make sure tonight doesn’t happen again?”
“Practice and focus.” Her voice tightened with emotion. “Thank you for talking me out of leaving. I’ve gotten several lifelines now. I’m not foolish enough to think I’ll get another.”
“Good,” she said, picking up a cupcake to take to Rena. “I’ll hold you to that.”
“Carrie!” came a shout.
Meagan shooed her away. “Go enjoy tonight. Tomorrow it’s back to work, harder than ever.”
Carrie grinned and took off to the other room.
Meagan sighed, and with a growling stomach that had been treated to nothing but chocolate that day, she snatched a cupcake from a tray for herself and scooped decadent icing onto her finger. In the next moment, Sam showed up, his heated gaze zeroing in on her finger in her mouth. “I see I’ve been missing more than I realized.”