Say It With Sequins: The Rumba: HarperImpulse Contemporary Romance Novella by Georgia Hill

I loved you,” he said abruptly. They held one another’s gaze.
    “Oh,” Julia spluttered. There was a silence and the remains of their easy friendship fled. “You were obviously, erm, just getting into the mood of the dance then.” She tried to say it without an ounce of hope or expectation.
    Harri gave a huge sigh. “Yeah, that’s it.” He seemed deflated she thought. “Duw, I need another drink! Oh, look, it’s Abi again, wouldn’t you know it. Another Becks and more wine?” He busied himself with the order and the moment passed.
    In the cab on their way home Julia tried to resurrect the companionship they’d shared by discussing Daniel’s coaching skills. But Harri remained taciturn and, as it was so unlike him, she too lapsed into silence. The atmosphere between them was as frosty as the weather outside.
    Step Eight.
    Quarter-final week. Of all the dancers who had started only Harri, Callum, Suni and, unbelievably, Julia remained.
    The show had begun to hit the papers, with Julia’s story featuring prominently. As Lavinia said, it was all good publicity, even the focus on Julia’s appalling dancing, but Julia wasn’t happy being in the full glare of the tabloids. She and Harri remained friends but he continued to be distant with her. She blamed the increased publicity; she knew he had to be careful with any press coverage.
    Daniel was as attentive as ever and, now that so many contestants had been voted off, it was good to find solace in his and Erica’s friendship. They often went out as a threesome and her cosy pizzas with Harri became a thing of the past. Harri’s position as favourite was slipping, the public were, in true British fashion, going for the underdog and Callum and Julia were increasingly tipped to win.
    Julia, under Daniel’s kind and patient tutelage, was blossoming. She was in no way as good as Suni but was really improving; even Jan had muttered reluctant words of praise.
    It wasn’t all rosy though. Now that Casey had left, Callum had fewer victims for his letching and Julia found herself constantly having to dodge his roving hands. Fortunately, Daniel acted as a type of bodyguard and had the ability to diffuse tricky situations with an enviable grace and skill.
    Julia wondered about Daniel. He was a quiet man, incredibly lithe and good looking but always seemed to be on his own. She had no idea if he was straight or gay; he seemed almost asexual. But she enjoyed his company and appreciated his friendship.
    Bob, the producer, decided to throw a Christmas party on the night before the quarter-final show. Everyone had been working hard and the atmosphere was increasingly tense. He’d hired a ballroom in a local hotel and had invited all the original contestants, plus their partners and families.
    The production team had gone to town. A host of purple and silver sequined banners fluttered from the ceiling, a tree stood to one side, groaning with purple lights and waitresses, dressed as silver mini-skirted fairies, dotted about, dispensing mulled wine and mince pies.
    At the centre of the ballroom hung an over-sized silver glitterball, from which hung an enormous bunch of mistletoe, swagged with purple and silver satin ribbons.
    It was all very over the top. And very
Who Dares Dances
.
    As Julia entered, on Daniel’s arm, the big band began to play.
    “Bit of a busman’s holiday this, isn’t it?” she whispered to him and they laughed.
    “Big difference between dancing for a competition and dancing for pleasure,” he replied and pulled her into his arms for a foxtrot.
    And he was proved right. Everyone let their hair down but the professionals really let rip. Julia, grabbing a glass of wine and using the time to get her breath back, watched in amazement.
    Erica was doing a cha cha cha with Scott, Suni’s irritable Australian partner. Alicia was smooching with husband Warren and Callum, true to form, was getting up close and personal with Casey.
    “Quite a sight, isn’t