Love Waltzes In (Dancing Under The Stars) Read Online Free Page B

“This is just a formality. I told the other producers that a better man never stood in two dance shoes. Your blood’s worth bottling. It would be an honor to have a hero on our show.”
    Bret cleared his throat. He never knew how to respond to someone calling him a hero. “Thank you, Benny, for giving me the opportunity. It’s great to see you again.”
    The doors flew open and Bret was overtaken with the smell of strong perfume. Karen Brooks Lopez stormed in. Karen was a two-time Blackpool Latin Champion with Benny, her first husband. They had two children together, Nicole and Jared. Then Karen shocked the dance world by leaving Benny when she was thirty, at the peak of her career, for her eighteen-year-old student Carlos Lopez. Karen trained Carlos and eventually they won Blackpool, stealing the title from Benny and his then wife. Karen had a reputation for being a diva, demanding limousines and five hundred thread count sheets. She and Carlos spent all of their energy training their own little devil spawn, Gregory Lopez, a brilliant rising star in the amateur Latin world.
    Karen took Bret’s face in her hands and kissed his cheeks. “Bret, wow. You have turned into a sexy man.” She ran her fingers over his biceps and Bret flinched.
    “Hi, Karen. You look beautiful as always.” Bret kissed her hand, and tried to create some distance between them. 
    “Oh, Bret. I can see you are still the charmer. I’ll tell Carlos to watch out—I might have found my next husband. Need to catch up to Benny.” She laughed.
    Her cackle reminded Bret of the screaming golden jackals in Iraq.
    Benny rubbed his temples. “Are we done? We have a show to cast? Don’t mind her Bret, she’s got kangaroos loose in the top paddock.”
    Bret laughed. He had always loved Benny’s funny Australian slang.
    Karen playfully smacked Bret’s butt. “Well I’m ready for a show.” Her fake, plumped lips curled and she flashed Bret a smile.
    Bret made his way toward Selena, his body clenched, nervous to touch her. “So now you know why I’m here. I’m still in the Marines—they just gave me special leave to do the show. I’m trying to raise money for my buddy’s family. He was killed in Iraq.” Bret left out the detail that Pierce was killed on a patrol that Bret was supposed to go on.
    “Bret, that’s horrible. I’m sorry about your friend.” Selena’s green eyes seemed almost dazed.
    It was now or never.
    He reached his hand out to her. She looked sweet, exactly as he remembered her, though he wasn’t a fan of her blond hair. Selena’s skin glowed, showing off her freckles that always were airbrushed in the magazines. Her hair was pulled of her face and seemed wet, as if she had just emerged from the shower, a vision Bret was trying to push out of his mind. 
    “I didn’t expect to run into you today. I wanted to make the show on my own, without any favors.”
    She bit her lip, then stood up, took his hand, and got into position. “Ready?”
    “Absolutely.” He forced a smile but couldn’t look her in the eyes more than a second. 
    Once he’d returned from Iraq, his mom started training him in secret. She had rented a small dance studio in Oceanside, and Bret was stationed in nearby Camp Pendleton. He had adopted Banjo, a pug/lab mix from a high-kill shelter in Los Angeles. Every day after work, he would practice. He spent most nights escaping with Banjo to dog beach to relax. Well, that and trying to teach Banjo to turn off the lights, open the refrigerator, and fetch him a beer. Being back on American soil and staring out at the clear ocean, Bret had regained his sanity and made peace with his time in Iraq. He had enjoyed his last days of anonymity. Now, his moment of truth had come.
    Benny turned on the music. “How about a foxtrot?” George Michael’s voice started singing “Feeling Good.”
    Bret pulled Selena into his arms. “Sounds good.” He adjusted her into a classic foxtrot hold.
    Selena leaned her