by Louise Hall
“Bruce is right,” Rich smiled, “you took a big risk out there tonight but it definitely paid off. Cate, you’ve always had good technique but when you really engage with a dance, with a song, it’s like… magic and that’s what happened out there tonight. You were wholly in that dance from beginning to end. I loved every second of it.”
As Cate and Vladimir re-joined Annie and Michel and the other contestants, Tom turned to the camera, “and now just in case you need any help deciding who to vote for tonight, here’s some good luck messages from Annie and Cate’s friends and families.”
Cate gave Annie a hug as her usually happy-go-lucky friend was moved to tears by the lovely messages of support from her husband, children and grandchildren. “Annie,” her husband said gruffly, looking a little uncomfortable at being on camera. “You have made me so proud. I can’t wait for you to come home. I love you.”
“Good luck, Nanny,” her grandchildren yelped, showing off the banner they’d made for her. “We love you.”
After the VT had finished, while the camera panned back to Tom, Cate watched with a lump in her throat as Annie touched the gold ‘P’ on her necklace.
Then it was Cate’s turn.
“My sister used to be one of the most serious people I’ve ever met,” Liv laughed. “I remember when we were both teenagers and I walked in on her dancing to Shakira in her bedroom; I’ve literally never seen anybody so embarrassed before. I think it took her like five years to get over it.”
“Cate, I know how much of a challenge it’s been for you to go out there on a Saturday night and dance your little tush off in front of millions of people. I just want to say that I love you and I’m so freaking proud of you, sis.”
She was stunned when her mum was next to appear on the VT. “I’m so sorry that I can’t be there with you tonight but I want you to know that I’ll definitely be watching and you have made me so unbelievably proud, sweetheart.”
One of the crew handed Cate a tissue and she dabbed under her eyes, trying not to ruin Velma’s beautiful make-up.
“Cate,” Kian talked to the camera in his low, gravelly voice and she was just gone. He was sat on their sofa back home in Seattle with Sierra on his lap and Lola and Mateo on either side. She missed them so much that it was hard to even look at them. “I know you’ve found it really difficult being away from home so much but we just want to let you know that we are so proud of what you’ve achieved on Stepping Out.” Cate couldn’t fight them anymore; big, fat tears trickled freely down her cheeks. Annie and Michel quickly flanked her.
“Mum,” Lola grinned, “I love you more than mushrooms.”
Cate laughed a little through her tears. Mateo was next, “Mama, I love you more than ferryboats.”
“Wow, that much!” Cate wished so much that her children were here so that she could give them big hugs and kisses.
Kian looked at the camera, “I probably shouldn’t say this with the play-offs just around the corner but angel, I love you more than football.”
“I love you too,” Cate mouthed. Whatever happened tonight with Stepping Out, she was beyond grateful to have such a loving and supportive family.
CHAPTER 44
“And the winner of Stepping Out is…” Cate closed her eyes and clasped hands with Annie.
The pause seemed to go on forever.
It doesn’t matter if you don’t win. You’ve done what you set out to do – you’ve raised lots of money for 33 Rocks so you can help more women who are struggling with prenatal depression and you’ve made your family proud. When you first started on Stepping Out, you were absolutely convinced that you were going to be voted off in the first week and look at you now; you’re in the freaking final!
Cate squeezed Annie’s hand. Her friend would be a worthy winner.
“It’s Cate and Vladimir.”
Before she could even process what had just happened, there was a deafening burst of applause from the other contestants, crew and the studio audience. There was an explosion of fireworks from the front of the stage and they were all covered in glitter. Vladimir picked her up and spun her around until she was just dreadfully dizzy. “What…?” Cate clung on to him, feeling as though her world had just tilted on its axis. It wasn’t possible that she’d just won Stepping Out.
Suddenly, Charlene was picking her way across the littered dance floor towards them, holding on to the shiny, gold Stepping Out trophy. Bruce and Rich followed behind, carrying the bumper cheque for one million dollars made payable to “33 Rocks.”
“Here they are,” Tom said. Cate was so thankful that Vladimir was there. He’d won it twice before so he knew what to do whereas she vacillated between being a blubbering wreck and thinking that this must be a fanciful dream that she was going to be wake up from soon. He gestured for her to put her hands on one side of the black, lacquered base of the trophy which Charlene was trying to hand them. “Your winners of Stepping Out, Cate and Vladimir.” As they raised the trophy high above their heads, there were yet more fireworks and glitter rained down upon them.
Cate felt a tug at her dress and when she looked down, Lola was there. “Oh my goodness,” Cate gave her eldest daughter the absolute biggest hug possible. “What are you doing here, sweetheart? You’re supposed to be back at home in Seattle.”
“Dad wanted it to be a big surprise,” Lola laughed.
It was so incredibly perfect that Lola was there to share in the triumph because she’d always been Cate’s greatest inspiration. She’d been so young when she’d found out that she was pregnant with Lola but knowing that there was a tiny, new life forming inside her womb had made her grow up really quickly. She’d been so determined that, despite her young age, she was going to be the best mum possible for her child.
As Kian walked across the dance floor towards her, Cate felt fresh tears prick the corners of her eyes. She was so lucky to have found her soulmate when she was just eighteen.
Kian didn’t say a word, he didn’t need to. He tugged her roughly towards him, wrapping his strong arms around her back. Her slender curves fitted perfectly against the contours of his rock-hard flesh. She could feel his big, beautiful heart beating against her skin. When Cate looked up at him; she could see the love and pride burning fiercely in his black eyes. He bent his head and brushed his lips against hers. It felt like warm honey was trickling through her veins. She wished very much that they were alone and not in the middle of a still crowded dance floor. “Later,” he murmured, as if he could tell what she was thinking.
“Hey,” Liv gave them a nudge, “stop mauling each other. There’s a child present.”
Cate laughed, “don’t be such a prude, Olivia.”
She watched as Annie headed backstage. “I need to talk to Annie. I’ll meet you outside?”
“Congratulations,” Annie beamed when Cate caught up with her in Wardrobe.
“Thank you,” Cate blushed. “I was wondering if I could talk to you about something. I know you’re eager to get back to your family but it will only take five minutes, I promise.”
“Of course,” Annie shrugged. Hope let them use one of the supply closets.
Cate nervously chewed on her lip. “I want to split the prize money with you fifty-fifty.”
“Wait a second,” Annie blinked, “you seriously want to give me half a million dollars?”
Cate nodded. “You deserve it, Annie. You’ve experienced real tragedy – losing your son in such a horrific way - and yet you’re the warmest, most positive person I’ve ever met. As my sister so lovingly said, I can be far too serious sometimes. But even when I had really rubbish weeks, you always managed to put the smile back on my face. I don’t even want to think about what it would have been like doing Stepping Out without you.”
“As a mum of three young children, I’m so grateful for what you’re trying to do with your charity, keeping guns out of our schools.”
Annie still looked as though she was in shock, “it’s half a million dollars, Cate.
Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?”
Cate nodded, “I discussed it with Abby and she agreed.”
“That’s…” Annie gave Cate a big hug. “That’s one of the nicest things anybody has ever done for me.”
Hope poked her head around the door, “is everything OK in here?”
Annie nodded, “Cate’s just…”
Cate shook her head; she didn’t want everybody to know that she’d split the prize money with Annie fifty-fifty. That definitely wasn’t why she’d done it.
“…A bit emotional, that’s all. She needed one of my famous pep talks.”
“OK,” Hope said, “but you’ve both got a lot of family and friends outside in the corridors waiting to celebrate with you so you might want to wrap it up in here.”
CHAPTER 45
“Congratulations again, Mrs Warner,” Guillermo said when they arrived at their hotel in Santa Monica. “I voted for you five times tonight.”
“Thank you so much for everything, Guillermo,” Cate gave him a hug. She was so sad that this would be the last time she’d see him now that Stepping Out had finished.
Kian followed Cate out of the car, carrying Lola who’d fallen asleep during the drive from the TV studios. “Let me take her,” Liv reached out her arms. “She can stay with me tonight.”
“Are you sure?” Cate asked, leaning over to kiss the top of her daughter’s head.
“Absolutely,” Liv insisted. “I’m so proud of you, sis.”
Kian reached for her hand, “I thought we could go for a walk unless you’re too tired?”
“That sounds good,” Cate said, taking a deep breath of the fresh, ocean air. They walked across the road and dipped under the gently swaying palm trees on to Santa Monica Beach. “I love it here,” she mused, slipping off her shoes so she could feel the cool sand between her toes.
They walked hand-in-hand along the deserted beach until the swirling, white froth of the ocean was almost at their toes. Cate shivered a little and Kian shrugged off his jacket and draped it over her slender shoulders. “I love you,” Cate murmured, pressing the palms of her hands against his strong pectoral muscles.
“I love you too,” Kian said softly. He brushed a stray tendril of inky-black hair away from her forehead. In the half light of the moon on the quiet, still beach, she looked like a goddess. He brushed his lips against her forehead, breathing in the scent of her blackberry shampoo.
Cate slid her fingers between the buttons of his shirt, eager to trace her fingertips over the intricate tattoo on his pectoral muscle.
Kian unbuttoned his shirt, giving her free rein to touch his heated flesh. She kissed the blue-black stubble which marked his jaw as her fingers danced over his chiselled muscles. He hissed through his teeth as she playfully flicked his hard nipple.
“Stop,” Kian grunted. He removed her hands from his bare skin and lifted her arms up safely around his neck. As tempting as it was, he wasn’t going to make love to his wife on a public beach.
Kian stroked her upper arms, soothing the bruises she’d sustained doing that amazing no-arm lift with Vladimir.
“Oh,” Cate jumped a little as an icy-cold wave splashed over their toes.
Kian chuckled, “I thought you liked the ocean, angel?”
“I do,” Cate shivered a little, “during the day when it isn’t so cold.”
Kian had an evil glint in his eye, “perhaps it feels worse because you’ve only got your toes wet.”
“Oh no,” Cate realised what he was thinking about doing and quickly ran down the beach away from him. As much as she loved the Pacific Ocean, she did not want to be chucked fully-clothed into its dark, icy-cold depths tonight. Kian chased after her, easily catching her and tumbling her backwards on to the dry sand.
She felt his masculine reaction prodding against her stomach. “We should go back to the hotel,” Cate stammered, trying to shift so that he was pressed somewhere more intimate.
“Are you tired, angel?” Kian chuckled, raising an eyebrow.
“No but…” He took her mouth with complete, reckless abandon. Any chill from the icy-cold water was quickly burned away by the searing heat of his tongue seductively stroking hers. She titled her head back so she could kiss him more deeply.
Kian knelt back on his heels, breathless and so fucking aroused. He looked around at the dark, deserted beach. He couldn’t wait until they got back to the hotel before he touched his wife again. He lifted her up on to his lap so her thighs were parted over his. She was wearing a red, knee-length tea-dress.
“We can’t,” Cate bit her lip, her stomach flip-flopping at the smouldering desire in her husband’s eyes.
“I’m not going to make love to you out here, angel,” Kian stroked his knuckles down the back of her flushed cheek, “but that doesn’t mean I can’t give you an orgasm.”
Cate blushed even more furiously. Kian slid his hand inside his jacket and cupped her tender breast, drawing her nipple out into a taut point. She dug her fingers into his strong shoulders. He kissed the fluttering pulse at the base of her neck. She was so turned on by the fact that they could be interrupted at any moment. He slid his large hand between her thighs. She was wearing a skimpy thong and he could already feel that the crotch was soaked through with her sweet, feminine desire. He pushed it to one side and stroked his thumb down her creamy slit.
“You’re so wet for me,” he said, imprinting his words on her clammy skin. “I wish I could taste you.”
Cate squirmed uncomfortably. “Don’t tease me.”
He thrust into her with two fingers. “Mm,” Cate bit her lip, trying to stifle her cries.
Sliding his fingers in and out of her tight, wet flesh, Kian flicked his thumb over the hard nub of her desire. Cate buried her face in his shoulders, her hips rocking shamelessly against his hand. If somebody was to walk past them right now, they were both fully clothed but it was so obvious what they were doing. “That’s it, angel,” Kian loved feeling her grind her aching sex against the heel of his hand.
He rubbed his fingers over the thick, bumpy flesh between her legs and pressed his thumb down on her swollen, throbbing clit. “Mm,” her cries were muffled by his shoulder but he felt her convulse against him, her pussy furiously squeezing his fingers.
“I can’t…” Cate gasped for breath. Kian turned her around and sat her between his parted thighs, staring out at the Pacific Ocean. “I can’t believe we just did that.”
“That was so fucking hot,” Kian laughed, sucking his fingers clean of her intimate juices.
“You could make me do anything,” Cate laughed, leaning back against his chest. She couldn’t believe, after everything they’d been through with the sex tape, that she’d just let Kian bring her to orgasm on a public freaking beach!
Kian wrapped his arms around her shoulders and rested his chin on the top of her head. He always felt so at peace with Cate. “Do you remember the last time we came out here?”
“Mm,” Cate said. “We’d just moved to Seattle. I was five months pregnant with Sierra.”
“I’d like to bring Mats and Sierra here one day. Can you imagine how excited Mats would be to see the Pacific Ocean?”
“I think we’d struggle to get him to leave.”
“You do realise,” Cate grinned, “that now I’ve won Stepping Out, there’s going to be even more pressure on you to win the MLS Cup. Otherwise my shiny, new trophy is going to look really lonely up there all on its own on the mantelpiece.”
Kian stood up and reached for Cate’s hands to pull her up. “You’re going to be out on that pitch, wearing my shirt, angel.”
“Only if you win,” Cate teased. “If you don’t, I might wear the other team’s shirt instead.”
Kian tugged her up the beach, “let’s get back to the hotel before I change my mind about stripping you naked and making love to you right here on this very public beach.”
CHAPTER 46
Kian stood amidst all the detritus on the pitch at t
he RFK Stadium in Washington D.C. His muddied socks were rolled down around his ankles, exposing his battered shin-pads.
Just a few minutes ago, Seattle F.C. had been crowned winners of the MLS Cup for the very first time in their history. As if he’d been able to write the script for tonight’s game, he’d scored the winning goal with just five minutes left on the clock. The ubiquitous “We are the Champions” by Queen was being played over the loudspeakers.
“How does it feel?” one of the ESPN reporters asked him.
Kian looked across at the front row of the stands where Cate and the children were patiently waiting for him. “It feels…”
This moment wasn’t just about him. His family – Cate, Lola, Mateo and Sierra – had supported him through every highest possible high and lowest low in his career.
“Excuse me,” he quickly apologised to the reporter and walked across to the stands.
“Dad!” Lola was bouncing up and down with excitement. “We won.”
“We did,” Kian chuckled. A shiny winners’ medal was hanging around his neck and in his right hand was the Man of the Match trophy.
Kian lifted her up over the metal barriers and put her down on the pitch. Lola looked at his gold medal, “I’m going to have one of those someday.” There was such fierce determination in her black eyes that he had no reason to doubt her words.
Kian helped Mateo on to the pitch and then took Sierra from Cate so she could swing those long, jeans-clad legs over the barriers. She was wearing a navy-blue duffel coat which was buttoned up to the neck so he couldn’t tell whether she’d kept her promise of wearing his shirt to the game today.
“You should have seen Mum when the final whistle went,” Lola giggled, “she was crying like a baby.”
“Lola!” Cate frowned, taking Sierra back from Kian. “I was not.”
Lola rolled her eyes at her mum, “you so were!”