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begins to play, signaling the ending of the ceremony and the beginning of the after party.  I stand and give a friendly smile to those around the table.
    “Have a good rest of your evening,” I murmur.  As a waitress passes, I lift a fresh glass of Cristal from her tray and walk off into the crowd, determined to find Benny Duncan and congratulate him on his win.  Oh, and to introduce myself properly, and to possibly apologize for my change room mix-up indiscretion.
    When I finally spot him, he is talking to a group of men who appear to be congratulating him.  I wait for a moment, taking a sip of my champagne to bolster my courage, and letting my ‘game face’ settle into place. 
    I am a professional.
    This is my job.
    I am a liar.  A damn good one at that.
    I stride with a purpose over to him and give a friendly smile to the men as they notice my approach.
    “Good evening, gentlemen.  Sorry to interrupt,” I gush apologetically.  I notice two of the men eyeing my body hungrily.  The third has his eyes planted firmly on my breast area, and as my gaze meets Benny’s, I see he is smirking in recognition.
    “No need to apologize,” one of the men says, but I can’t seem to tear my eyes away from Benny’s to acknowledge the others.
    “I just wanted to introduce myself, and congratulate you on your win tonight,” I tell him, speaking loudly so he can hear me over the music.
    “Excuse us,” Benny murmurs to the others.  Taking my elbow, he leads me into a quieter part of the room.  Even when he lets me go, I can still feel his grip on me.  My skin feels as if it is burning, but not in a way that hurts.  In a way that feels amazing.
    “Let’s start again, shall we,” I say through a grin.  “My name is Makenna Banks, and I wanted to congratulate you on your win tonight,” I say.
    “Thank you, Makenna.” 
    His voice.  Oh wow, his voice.   It is rich and deep, with a small hint of a rasp that settles over my skin.
    “I think we attend the same gym,” he throws out with a rueful grin.  His dimples appear and my knees wobble slightly.
    “Uh, yes, about that.  I apologize for the incident yesterday,” I say nervously.
    “No need,” he says, waving his hand slightly.  “Are you having a good night?”
    “I am.  It’s been lovely.  And you?”
    “I am now,” he rasps, and my heart skips a beat.  “Do you dance, Makenna?”  His question catches me off guard, and then I notice the band is singing a cover of ‘A Soft Place to Fall’.
    “I’d love to.” 
    He takes my hand and leads me onto the dance floor when others are moving slowly with their partners.  Benny takes my hand and places it on his shoulder before gently holding my other hand firmly in his, just away from our bodies.  I am hyperaware of his hand that rests right on the small of my back.  If he spread his fingers apart, he would be touching my ass.
    As the song continues, we gradually move closer together, as if it is a natural progression.  Everyone else in the room falls away and it is just me and Benny swaying to the soft strains of the music.  Releasing my hand from his, he moves to place it on my other hip while I rest both of my hands on his shoulders.  He pulls me in just a little closer, and my arms wind around his neck so my head can lay on his chest.  I hear his heart thumping beneath my ear, beating in steady synchrony with my own.
    Somewhere, in a very small part of my brain, in a very quiet voice, my subconscious is whispering that I need to get on with the job.  I reason this is my job.  I am building a relationship with him.  I am luring him in.  It isn’t like I can just throw myself at him and smash our lips together while simultaneously snapping pictures for Regina.  It doesn’t work that way.  It’s not like my heart is beginning to get involved.  It’s just a dance.
    Deep down, I know the only person I am lying to now, is myself.
    I become mesmerized by the soft pants of his