Page 28 of Falling for the Bosshole

Lash smiled, trying to hide his embarrassment. “Now that you’ve asked, yes, there is something I need to ask from you.”

“You could have just asked me straight away without going through all this-this ceremony,” Ana grinned, motioning her hand wildly all over the room.

Lash gave a sheepish grin, cleared his throat, and then took a deep breath. Ana knew he was struggling and wondered what could be so important to make him this uncomfortable.

“You know that finale number between you and Ricardo, the kiss…”

“Jesus, is this still about opening night?” Ana snapped.

“Please hear me out,” Lash cajoled.

Ana rolled her eyes, showing her displeasure as she faced him. This night was definitely not turning out the way she had imagined.

“Okay, let’s hear it,” she humored him, “What about the kiss?”

“Well,” Lash started, “Jonathan and I were discussing it earlier today. I know that the kiss between you and Ricardo will be your lips touching. The LED screens will be focused on you before the lights go out. So, I was thinking … instead of a fake kiss, it would be more interesting if you exchanged a real kiss.”

Ana almost choked on the wine she was drinking. A real kiss? Was Lash out of his mind? She, Jonathan, and Ricardo had talked about the kiss at length. They had devised ways and means to highlight the kiss in the most practical terms without infringing on the beauty of the whole dance sequence.

“I-I don’t understand,” Ana stammered.

“How often has a real kiss been portrayed in the art of dance?” Lash asked. Ana didn’t reply. Lash answered his question.

“Never because the audience realizes that it’s just fake. If it were a real kiss, though, it would be different,” he continued earnestly.

Ana’s mind was in a whirl. He was trying desperately to persuade her to see it from his point of view. A part of her understood what he was trying to say. The audience was an important part of any show, and if she and Ricardo kissed for real, they would leave with something that would be remembered for some time.

Yet another part of her felt betrayed. How could Lash even allow another man to kiss her? She would hate it if he kissed another girl. Besides, it went against her values. As dancers, they had to guard themselves against any sexual advances. Lash was asking her to surrender that protection and expose herself. How could he?

“C’mon Ana,” Lash added, “think about it. If Horne Calloway sees the reaction from the audience, he will have no choice except to write a glowing review. He will not risk his reputation by going against a general sentiment. A good review from Calloway is all I need to legitimize the dance company.”

A storm was tearing her apart inside. Ana wanted to refuse. But she remembered her promise to Lash that she would do everything in her power to make opening night a success. If Lash believed that kissing Ricardo was going to get him what he wanted, then she wouldn’t renege on a promise she made to him.

“All right, if you think that it will make things easier with Calloway, then I agree,” Ana declared.

Lash whooped as he jumped out of his chair. He pulled her up and hugged her, elated that she agreed. His eyes gleamed in triumph. He held her face with both hands and kissed her ardently; it took her breath away.

“I have a bottle of champagne in the bedroom,” he whispered against her lips.

Ana felt that familiar hunger bloom inside her belly even as Lash pulled her inside. When he led her up the stairs, she had almost forgotten her initial reluctance about the kiss. Almost. But not quite. A small seed of doubt refused to be ignored. It whispered that she was being used again, just like all the other men who used her in the past.