“No.” Kyle took Colt’s hand and grinned, joking, “If he hits on you, let me know. I’ll press charges.”
“I got this, cher. No worries.” No. No, Kyle had to admit, every time he was in Colt’s presence, those dark eyes were focused on him and him alone. It was erotic as fuck.
In fact, Colt’s eyes, and that smile he got a few minutes ago, either one alone could make his chest ache. But together, he was done. Hooked. Totally helpless. Fuck, he could really get his heart broken this time.
“Don’t you have work to do? Go be an asshole, Kyle.”
He snorted and headed for the stage. “Ali, honey?” he shouted. “Put the tears away and let’s get to work.”
“Don’t be a dick, Kyle.” Oh, Danny did that so well.
“If the pair of you can’t lead this cast, there are a hundred others waiting in line.” He felt the bristle run through the company and hid his smile. Sometimes you had to light a fire. They were bored of dancing for him, but they’d back up their principals. This cast was so talented, and so ready for an audience. “Can we take it one more time, then? I’d like to move past this. The next piece is much more complicated.”
That was true. They needed to nail this one, or it was going to be a late night.
“Jake, call places.”
Jake stood up and shouted places, gave him an eye roll, and then got the music started. “He can be such a queen.”
Colt watched the stage, wide-eyed, silent and still like he was afraid to miss a single second.
The stage cleared and Allison and Danny took their places center stage in the near-darkness, arms and legs intertwined and tangled so it was hard to tell where one ended and the other began. They were stunning as the music started and the lights came up on them. They started to move like one creature.
All around them dancers entered the stage, walking, crawling, bent at odd angles, and all of them weaving themselves in, around, and through one another.
Kyle sat beside Colt gingerly, like he might break something if he moved too quickly. “Dan and Ali are friendship and love,” he whispered to Colt. “And the dancers around them are everything that threatens it. Jealousy, hate, envy, distance, ideology, family, class, death, that sort of thing.”
Colt nodded, lips pursed. “I can see it. They look mean, like they want to bite.”
He loved that Colt got it, appreciated it. “Exactly.” Oh, and his little scheme was working too, because while the principals floated and tangled with each other, the others jerked and bent and halted, all of them focused. “They’ve got it, Jake. Look at them.”
“Your inner asshole is a genius.” Jake’s tone was dry as a desert.
“So here they break free and….” Colt was just going to have to interpret the rest for himself, because he was completely blown away by the entire second half of the piece. When it ended—Danny and Allison hand in hand and the company scattered to corners and broken on the floor—the theater went silent.
Danny broke first, grinning. “Fuck, yeah!”
Kyle just nodded. The company hooted and hauled themselves to their feet.
“Take five, guys. That was exactly what we needed today. Nice work!” He turned to Jake. “Set for Rush Hour, Jake.”
“On it.” Jake spoke low into his headset again, and people in black started moving across the stage.
Kyle was elated and kissed Colt on the cheek impulsively. “That was about as good as you’re ever going to see that number.”
“That was something, cher.” There was a line on Colt’s cheek, a single trail from a tear. “You made that all up, huh?”
“I did.” He reached out and traced the trail with his thumb. “Love wins, baby. Truth and goodness. Things the heart knows.”
“That’s right. Love wins. That’s the biggest thing under the heavens.”
“It is. And you saw them, you saw how good that felt. They just breathe it when they want to. I’m glad you liked it. It’s one of my favorite pieces.” His second favorite was this adorable story in the second act about a boy who finds a stray dog. Just a simple, happy little piece.
“It’s beautiful. You been touched by God, I think. So fine.” Colt watched him like he was precious.
He shrugged. “I just love what I do.”
“Two minutes, lover boy.” Jake threw the words at him with a grin.