Banged on Broadway

By Roz Lee

Haylee Daniels has landed a role in a Broadway musical about a down on her luck dancer who'll do anything for another chance at Broadway stardom. The only problem is, Haylee has never danced a day in her life.

Thankfully, she has Chase Nolton, her leading man, and Broadway's premier choreographer, Carmine Romero to teach her all she needs to know. When Carmine suggests she dance nude in order to better understand a dancer's body, Haylee fears she may be as desperate for Broadway stardom as her character.

• Language: English
• Publisher: State of Mind
• Release date: Dec 11, 2015
• ISBN: 9781476477428

Roz Lee

USA Today Best-Selling author Roz Lee is the author of thirty romances. The first, The Lust Boat, was born of an idea acquired while on a Caribbean cruise with her family and soon blossomed into a five-book series published by Red Sage. Following her love of baseball, she turned her attention to sexy athletes in tight pants, writing the critically acclaimed Mustangs Baseball series.Roz has been married to her best friend, and high school sweetheart, for nearly four decades. Roz and her husband have two grown daughters and are the proud grandparents of three adorable grandkids.Even though Roz has lived on both coasts, her heart lies in between, in Texas. A Texan by birth, she can trace her family back to the Republic of Texas. With roots that deep, she says, “You can’t ever really leave.”When Roz isn’t writing, she’s reading, or traipsing around the country on one adventure or another. No trip is too small, no tourist trap too cheesy, and no road unworthy of travel.Visit Roz’s website – www.RozLee.net

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Banged on Broadway

By

Roz Lee

This book is a work of fiction. The names, places and characters are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2012 by Roz Lee

All Rights Reserved

eBooks are not transferable. They may not be sold, shared or given away. Doing so is an infringement on the copyright of this work.

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the copyright holder.

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Chapter One

Strip.

Haylee looked up from studying the studio’s polished hardwood floor, to the wall of mirrors in front of her. Two hard masculine faces reflected over her slumped shoulders. Frustration carved deep lines around their eyes. She avoided looking at her own reflection, knowing she’d find the same lines on her own visage. The lines had been there for two weeks, ever since she began working with Carmine Romero, Broadway’s premier choreographer – now her dance instructor. Why had she ever thought she could do this? She could act. She could sing, but dance? No. That had never been one of her talents.

What?

Take your clothes off. Chase Nolton, her leading man, and Carmine’s partner in these torture sessions grinned. That’s what the word usually means.

I know what it means. I just don’t understand why or how it applies in this instance.

Carmine came to stand between her and the mirror. He was older than Haylee by a few years, not enough to matter, but his expertise as a choreographer was renowned. He rarely took on individual students, especially ones with zero dance experience. She was lucky to be working with him, and she knew it. Look, Haylee. We’ve been at this for two weeks. You still move like a Barbie doll.

Haylee bristled at the insult. I’m not a dancer.

I get that, but Madeline is, and that’s who you have to be on stage. The opening number takes place in the strip club where she’s working to pay the bills. She’s broke and desperate, and she thinks she has nothing left to offer but her body.

But she never takes all her clothes off, Haylee pointed out.

No, she doesn’t, but she’s stripped bare, none-the-less. So that’s where we’re going to begin, by stripping you bare. From now on, you’ll dance nude. Haylee shook her head. Think about it. Madeline has nothing left but her body. No money. No career. No pride. She’s willing to do anything for that one last chance to be a star, including give her body to a man she hardly knows if he’ll give her a part. She’s a dancer. She understands her body, how it moves, how it feels, how to make it do what she wants. You have to be Madeline. You have to learn these things about your body in order to portray her. I think this is the only way we’re going to get to that point, by removing everything you’re hiding behind.

Haylee stood statue still, cataloguing Carmine’s face. He was right about Madeline. Even though she was never totally nude on stage, she was exposed. Her every insecurity was on display. In that way, she was truly naked.

I don’t see how taking my clothes off will make me a better dancer.

It will allow you to learn how to use your body, how to make it move the way Madeline would make hers move. Without clothing to hide behind, you’ll be more aware of your body, like a dancer is all the time. Chase and I will show you how to use your body to seduce the audience into believing you’re a dancer, believing you are Madeline.

Haylee looked around the basement room. Two small windows at street level had been painted over to prevent prying eyes. Other than that, there was only the one door. If they locked it so no one could come in, could she do it?

Take your shirt off, Haylee, Carmine coaxed. You have a bra on, correct?

Yes. She bit her lower lip. Her bra covered more than her swimsuit top. What harm would there be in taking her shirt off? Just my shirt?

For now, Carmine said with a shrug. Then we'll see.

She tugged the oversized T-shirt over her head and tossed it into the corner where her tote bag and water bottle sat. The room was cold; a necessity when they were moving around learning dance steps, but just standing there, the cool air raised goose flesh across her exposed skin.

Carmine moved to stand behind her. He put his hands around her ribcage, something he’d done dozens of times in the last two weeks, but there had always been fabric between them. This was different. Heat seared her where he touched. Lovely, but I think the shorts need to go too. Haylee hesitated. Take them off, Madeline.

Calling her by her characters’ name did something to her. Suddenly, she wasn’t Haylee anymore. She was Madeline, a stripper. "Madeline uses