Page 43 of Dancing on Air

He waited until they were locked inside before pulling her into his arms and kissing her.

“I’m sorry about my dad,” he said when he came up for breath.

“It’s not your fault. But I’m not used to someone demanding I go out for drinks with him.” She rolled her eyes.

“Demanding?” Max frowned and felt his temper boil.

“Well…” Cora crossed her arms over her chest. “Not really demand so much as…” She shrugged. “It was the way he put it. You talked about the whole Me Too thing. Well, I’m pretty sure if I had gone out with him for drinks, there would have been a few of those moments last night.”

Max groaned and ran his hands through his hair. “Shit,” he said under his breath.

Had his father been strong-arming his way into dancer’s beds? Something told him that all his mother had to do was wiggle her finger and there would be a line of men waiting to jump eagerly into her bed.

His father was still in great shape and good-looking, but his attitude could be off-putting. He demanded things and, when he didn’t get them, he acted like a two-year-old in a candy shop.

Since Max was young, he’d known that his father’s narcissistic ways had dampened all of his parents’ friendships and work relationships.

“I’m sorry,” Max said again.

“Don’t be. Thankfully, when I told him we were seeing one another, it was like dumping ice over his head.” She smiled, then walked over and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “I’m sorry I used you as a blocker.”

He chuckled. “I’m thankful you could.” He kissed her again.

“We can’t spend too much time in here alone,” she pointed out. “People will think we’re…”

“Having sex?” he suggested when she dropped off with a slight frown.

Cora shrugged and then sighed. “Are there any changes you want?”

His eyebrows shot up.

“With the second act?” she hinted.

He shook his head. “No, you were perfect.” He kissed her again. Then, to ensure that he could still function and breathe without touching her, he took a giant step back, dropping his arms to his side. “We’d better head back.” He motioned towards the door.

When they returned onstage, it was to the sound of Reece and Jynx’s full-blown yelling match.

Stepping between them, he pointed back the way he’d come. “My office. Now,” he said sharply.

This time when he shut the door behind him, Reece’s and Cora Jenkin’s raised voices had his head spinning.

“Enough!” he yelled, getting their attention. “What’s this about?” They both started at the same time, and he didn’t understand a word of what either of them said. When he held up his hand, they stopped. “Jynx, you go first.”

Both of them frowned and he rolled his eyes. “Sorry, Cora.”

Cora crossed her arms over her chest. “Is that what she calls me? Jynx?”

He neither confirmed nor denied it and just shrugged and motioned for her talk.

“He’s sleeping with your mother,” Jynx—Cora—said, pointing her thumb at Reece.

“Yes, I recently found that out myself. So?” he asked. “What’s that got to do with you? Weren’t you sleeping with my father?”

Cora’s eyes narrowed. “No.” She gasped and held her hands up to her chest. “I would never…”

“Really?” Reece rolled his eyes. “The only reason I’ve been giving his old lady any attention was to make you jealous,” Reece broke in.

Jynx turned to Reece. “Really?” she asked, taking a step closer to the man.