When the music began and she belted out the first words, “I stay out too late…” to Taylor Swift’sShake It Off, Dylan knew he wasdone. Never mind her flirty,when did she even have time to choreographmoves, the crowds cheers, and the times she slipped in a few taunting glares at him as he stood in the wings, watching like a groupie who’d been awarded a backstage pass.Donebecause he knew damn well, there was no way he would be able to keep his distance from the woman who had his heart beating again.
“Ladies and Gentlemen,by the sound of your voted cheers, it looks like we have ourselves a good old-fashioned tie.” Wilde Pirate’s owner, Conor Callaghan, spoke into the microphone as he stood in between the two finalists of the karaoke contest. “So, as per tradition, a tie requires a tie breaker. Am I right?”
“Battle! Battle! Battle!”is what the crowd began to chant, whilethe two finalists—Chloe and Dylan—stood, hands clenched to their sides, both pretty much wearing the same bug-eyed-slack-jawed expression. These two…not even a couple, yet they were already beginning to look alike. How sweet.
As for Dylan, he thought hisBaby Got Backperformance was in the bag. Now, he’d have to compete againstherto claim the title and that manuscript—which he still cared very little about, anyway.
Funny thing about thebattle: Wilde Pirate rules dictated the finalists were required to switch songs, which meant Dylan would have to sing and dance to Taylor Swift’sShake It Offand his breathtaking opponent would have to sing—rather rap—to Sir Mix-a-Lot’sBaby Got Back.
Dylan’s face turned fifty shades of pale, while Chloe’s seemed to gleam.
“Good luck out there,” she said, lips pulled into a sultry smirk.
“And why do I feel likeyou’rebeing sarcastic right now?”
“Because I totally am,” she replied with a single shoulder shrug and a smile just as cheeky as her retort.
Dylan walked on stage, head down, palms clammy, the crowd’sroar doing nothing for the queasy mess gripping his stomach muscles. Taylor Swift was not something he was used to.
Come on, man, you’ve got this. Just read the words on the screen.
This would be the one time Dylan appreciated that overbearing conscience, popping in his head just as the song began to play.
I, stay out too late…he sang along, raking his fingers through his hair, eyebrows raised, hips swaying as he inched closer and closer to the audience. To his surprise, the words to the song came to him easier than he expected. So did his moves—which had the women in the audience swooning and the men respectfully laughing their asses off. And when it was over, Dylan once again dropped the mic as he walked off stage, the crowd bawling for an encore.
“It’s as if that song were meant for you.” Sardonic amusement glinted in Chloe’s eyes. “I don’t think I’ll be able to beat that.”
“Yeah, I’m pretty sure you won’t,” he quipped, enjoying their repartee. That urge to pull her close and kiss her surfaced again, and he may have done it.
If she hadn’t skirted right on stage.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” came Conor’s voice. “Let’s see if this beauty can top Dylan’s production.”
The audience went batty.
Sir Mix–a-Lot’s song began.Oh, my gawd, Becky…
Eyes glued to Chloe, Dylan’s face lit up as he observed her perform a miniBaby Got Backconcert, admitting to himself, hers smothered the heck out of his. The way she bounced around the stage, those subtle twerk-like moves showcased her mischievous side like a display of diamonds at a jewelry store.
But the woman is no diamond in the rough.And her performance ended way too soon.
After being summoned back on stage, Dylan stood beside Chloe while Conor instructed the audience how they were to choose the winner.
“Now, you all know the routine,” Conor narrated into the microphone. “The one who gets the loudest cheers, wins. Plain and simple.”
Leaning closer to nudge Chloe’s shoulder, Dylan whispered, “You gave a remarkable performance,” then smiled at the pink hue that crept up on her cheeks.
“Likewise. And, I’m super thrilled I was able to capture yours on video.”
Dylan needed a moment for his brain to connect the dots. “Wait. What?”
“Yep. I figured something like that may be useful to me in the future.”
“Oh, so you’re sassyandefficient.” Not to mention enchanting, even when she was being brash.
“A jack of all trades. You know”—she elbowed his side—“if, for some reason, I need some sort of a bargaining chip.”
“Blackmail?” Dylan held his belly as he cackled. “Without a single measure of a doubt, you can best believe I’m reading that manuscript now, missy.”
Conor walked behind Chloe, hand hovering over the top of her head as the crowd yelped cheers with a small mix of jeers.
Great, she probably won.
And when Conor walked behind Dylan, the crowd went buck wild.
