Chapter 38
Fresh from teaching my Bailarcise class, sweaty strands of hair escaping my loose ponytail, I walk across the wood floor of Studio B to show Easton, Parker, Stone, Sayed, and Néstor how to use ícaro.
I’m overly aware of the extra oomph I put into the sway of my hips as Easton’s gaze glides down my body. He’s watching me like he’s thinking of tasting me.
“Hola, Yolanda,” he says with a sultry tone that washes over me like hot water.
I’m not the only one in the room that notices. Stone puts a hand to his forehead. Parker gives Easton a bunch of side-eye, and Néstor shakes his head.
Ay. Time to take the interaction in a new direction. “ícaro’s design flow means the bands will never tangle, no matter how complex the movements,” I say, stepping into the harness and strapping the Velcro bands to my wrists and ankles.
“Set?” Mateo asks, and the smile on his face instantly causes me to smile in return. He’s worked so very hard to create this.
I raise one hand, our ready signal. Music plays through the speakers. I take two leaping steps forward and launch into the air. The harness catches me and swings me back.
I fly.
When I reach the end of the arc, I backflip, land, do a series of single legs squats, arm pull-downs, mountain-climbers, and knee jumps. I spread out like an X and float into aerial push-ups. I kick up my legs, walk on my hands, and finish with handstand pushups—feats I could only ever do in this rig but that’ve made a big difference in my shoulder strength.
When I’m done, I’m breathing heavily, sweating, and shaking. The music fades, and I step out of the rig. Easton’s gaze is fixated on me in a way that says he’s a fan not only of the equipment but of me. I’m reminded of what he said to me two days ago. Things are complicated right now, but I can wait for you. He might’ve meant it then, but he’s currently sending me a very uncomplicated and opposite message: Now. Now. Now.
Parker nudges past him to go over to Mateo and grill him.
“Do you think she’ll let us use it?” I ask Easton as I catch my breath and detach the Velcro bands from my wrist and feet before stepping out of the harness.
His smile is wide and genuine and filled with an optimism that I remember so well from our night. “Yes.” His gaze brushes down my body with a longing I feel in my fluttering stomach. “You need to use this on the show.”
Desperate to avoid Easton’s visual arousal before I catch fire, I walk over to where Parker’s grilling Mateo.
He’s giving her detailed answers. Parker nods approvingly. “You appear to have thoroughly thought this out. But, for safety reasons, we’re still going to need to do a deep dive into the mechanics of your invention before we okay it for use on a live show.”
Stone shines his cell light at where the equipment attaches to the ceiling. “Can we even remove one from here and install it on set?”
“It’s movable. We’ll need to make adjustments to the show’s scaffolding,” Mateo says.
“Great,” Parker says. “Creativity is the next competition. If it checks out, this definitely fits the bill.”
“One sec.” My tone has everyone becoming quiet. “I love the idea of using ícaro on the show…” I grimace and cast an apologetic look at Mateo. “But not if it’s unfair to the others. There’s already a sense among the contestants that I’ve been receiving preferential treatment.”
I bite my lower lip when Parker’s eyebrows go up. She looks at me like she knows what preferential treatment I’ve been receiving. I feel guilty as sin. Though I’m gained nothing but orgasms from being with Easton, I also know that people won’t see it that way. They’d assume Easton manipulated the show for me, that he was incapable of coaching them fairly—things that are as far from the truth as from the man’s deep character.
There’s silence for a beat before Parker lets out an exasperated breath. “Fine,” she says, in a tone that rolls its eyes at me. “We’ll give everyone on the show the option of using the damn equipment.”
Mateo snorts. “We’re going to have to talk royalties.”
Parker’s head whips in his direction. The corner of her mouth twitches. They stare at each other for a moment too long.
Easton turns a you-seeing-this? look at me.
I shrug. Obviously, he’s the last one to be aware of that building attraction. And, basically, we don’t have a right to complain. Not after sex so hot that having him in my bed is basically all I can think about. It doesn’t help when he’s devouring me with his eyes. Ayúdeme.
“One last thing,” Easton says, a determined set to his beautiful mouth. “Since this is new equipment, patent pending, I’m going to want us to place some kind of security on it. Make sure no trade secrets are being stolen.”
That doesn’t sound like he’s actually worried about a patent. Which makes me wonder again about the blackmail. He told me he and Stone will let me know the moment they discover anything, but that hasn’t eased my concerns.
“Fine by me,” Parker says. She claps her hands together. “In fact, we can even get footage of the security and promote it as something so top secret we needed to place guards.”
“Perfect,” Easton says, giving Stone a look.
Stone nods subtly, but I see it.
“Let’s talk future collaboration with FTW, Mateo,” Stone says. “If that’s something you’d be willing to undertake at this time.”
Mateo shakes his head. “My goal for now is to help Yolanda win. Everything else will have to wait.”
My brother is both loyal and intelligent. He knows I have a good chance of winning the show, and, if I do, he’ll be in a much better position for bargaining.
“Can you at least promise me a chance to bid against anyone who comes at you after the show airs?” Easton says.
I smile. Also not a stupid man.
Mateo nods. “Sí.”
And just like that, my brother and my future love interest have plans for a potential partnership that will make each of their lives infinitely better.
And the best part is, no one on the show could possibly have a problem with it.