When Korban and Elijah meet, they find themselves dancing to their own beat.
Korban is working undercover investigating some of the employees of an accounting company, and the cruise is meant to be a team-building exercise.
Elijah is a dancer and dance teacher aboard ship, and he has secrets of his own—such as being blackmailed by his dance partner, Mercedes.
Their romance quickly blooms, while they learn dance maneuvers for a shipboard contest.
Mercedes threatens to out Korban to his colleagues and on social media if Elijah doesn’t withdraw from the contest.
When Korban realizes the truth, he goes after Elijah so they can win the contest, and the full truth can be revealed.
General Release Date: 1st April 2025
While keeping watch on the group ahead of him, Korban bit back a groan at the way events were already turning. He settled for a fake smile and a nod at the men as they glanced back, urging him to hurry.
The men were his workmates, colleagues and, currently, the bane of his existence. This four-day cruise had been pitched as the brainchild of the accounting company’s CEO. It was meant as a teambuilding exercise to ensure better working relationships within the mega company. Korban’s floor had been selected first.
Better working relationships. Korban snorted again. Fat fucking chance. Korban looked at each of the other men in turn. Two of them are okay, at work that is, but not my choice for potential friends. So far, we’ve got on well enough. Good enough at their jobs, too, competent and thorough. But Hawkins and Mettle, not a hope in fucking hell. Nasty bigoted bastards. No wonder the ladies told Tony where to stick the notion of being away with them and supposedly bailed at the last minute. Can’t say I didn’t warn him.
He smothered a laugh as he remembered the way they’d told Tony exactly what they thought of Hawkins and Mettle. Korban had expected nothing less. But instead of canceling their room, Tony had made other arrangements for them, sending the ladies on a spa and pamper package. Korban had scored their room. Which was perfect, since he was tasked with reporting back whatever happened on the trip. He was far from just a new colleague. But rather a mole infiltrating the group to carry out a clandestine investigation.
I already told Tony that they’re not interested in teambuilding, just drinking, eating and finding an easy lay. But it’s good to see that Tony’s finally seeing the light. A good manager, but so wrapped up in his own work, he isn’t able to watch his team.
“Hurry up, Korban. Good fucking job you’re not this slow in work,” Hawkins yelled. Mettle laughed, and Korban just waved. “You’ll end up in the box room.”
“I have a big surprise for you bastards,” he muttered under his breath. “I’m getting the ladies’ room all to myself.” He allowed himself a smirk at the thought. “Guess I’ll use the time to have a little well-earned rest and relaxation while compiling the report on you pair of wankers.”
“Come on, Korban,” one of the other men, Zac, called out. “We don’t want to be late boarding.”
“I’m on my way.” Korban picked up the pace. “Let’s get this ball rolling.”
* * * *
In his crew’s quarters, Elijah began to unpack, hanging his costumes carefully, while his ‘civilian’ clothes went into drawers. It was the start of a new season, but instead of being hyped to be back, the thought of working with Mercedes left a heavy lump in his stomach.
I really need this job to clear our debts. There was no other job available that came near. I’d need at least two jobs to match my salary as a dancer here. Plus while I’m on board the ship, I cost my family nothing as everything’s included for the crew. I daren’t call Mercedes’s bluff. Fuck, I’m so screwed!
He paced the floor. But no matter which way he looked at it, however many calculations he made, the reality was that he needed not only this season, but ideally one more to be certain that the rest of their debt was manageable if he did lose his job.
Guess it’s a matter of pulling on my big boy’s panties, not crossing Mercedes and playing the straight guy. That’s the hardest part. I hate pretending to all the lovely ladies, especially the older, lonely ones, that there could be anything between us. But Mercedes insists that gets us the bigger tips. Just like the way she flirts with the unattached men. Someone feeds her that information. She always knows exactly who to target.
Elijah stared at his reflection in the mirror and gave a shaky giggle.
“How anyone on seeing my perfectly plucked eyebrows, hint of eyeliner and use of mascara can still believe I’m straight, is beyond me. But I guess some people only see what they want to see.”
He began to deal with his hair, adding gel to slick it back and secure it into a tight bun. He turned left, then right and finally shook his head forcefully to check the style had held. He grinned as not a hair had shaken loose.
“Perfect. Next thing is to check the room we’ll be using for the dance classes. Mercedes said it’s a different one this time. I hope it’s a little bigger. The last one was tiny. Well, I’m supposed to be a performer. Time for me to pretend I love being here and having the wicked witch of the east as my dance partner.”
Breathing in and out deeply, Elijah squared his shoulders, practiced a fake smile and readied to leave.
Living in clean, green New Zealand, Pelaam is a multi-published author of gay romance and erotica.
When not working at writing, Pelaam likes to indulge in her other passions of cookery and wine appreciation.
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