Page 81 of Dandelion Sighs

“I have two left feet. Maybe even two right feet.”

He folded his hands on the table. “What has you so afraid of dancing?”

Being in his arms in public and looking absolutely blissed out. Looking clumsy when the slow song ended. More stifling anxiety. “I just don’t do it.”

“No. There’s something.”

Fine. I would tell him, and he’d take pity. He’d decide to never ask me out again. “I’m not a natural, and it frustrates partners. I had this high school boyfriend, and he had a girl best friend.”

He cocked a brow, anger simmering in his eyes. “I hate where this is going.”

“I don’t think they did anything. I mean, they’re married now, but that didn’t happen until our ten-year reunion.” I stacked our empty food trays. “But my senior year, I wanted to go to the dance they used to hold after the rodeo at the fairgrounds.”

“Yeah, I remember that.”

“He never asked, so I went with a couple of friends.” I hadn’t had many, and getting a night out with them had been so exciting. “Then I saw him there. With her. They were doing an amazing jitterbug, and it was like they’d been dancing together since they were toddlers.”

“That asshole.”

“He danced with me once. Never stopped to teach me a thing. I just fumbled out there, and he got frustrated.” Left me alone in the middle of a crowd of adults and peers. “When I got upset with him for how insignificant it made me feel, he acted like a baby and dumped me. After that, I never went to many dances, and when I did…” I shrugged. “It just wasn’t fun.”

He rose and collected our empties. I was bereft, transported back to that time. Alone. Wishing I could be at the resort where people came to me with questions when they couldn’t find my dad. I was still that young girl, burying myself in work, trying to find something I was good at and finding it in the resort. Too bad I wasn’t finding more money.

Jasper’s shadow fell over me, and he held out a hand. “Madam, may I have this dance—and every other one tonight?”

“Every one?” It came out a whisper, and heat flooded my cheeks. Fear rose, but tenderness and affection almost overwhelmed me. He knew exactly what I needed to hear.

“You can step on my feet until midnight, and I won’t let you go. You’re staying in my arms.”

Music to my ears. I took his hand and rose.

He yanked me right into him. “Right here. Until you tell me to let you go.”

“What if I never say the words?”

“Then you’ll have to fall asleep on me.” He leaned down, shading me with his hat. “Wouldn’t be the first time.”

I hoped it wouldn’t be the last. He clasped my hand and led me to the roped-off dance area in the middle of the closed street block. Keeping to the outside, he discreetly talked me through a simple two-step, using both voice commands and steering me in his strong embrace. It took several songs for me to get the hang of it, but he was patient. Then he twirled me.

It was my very own roller coaster ride. I landed right back in the circle of his arms, and I laughed, joyful and carefree. Another song started up, and we continued dancing. I did better than before.

When I finally nailed a few minutes without trying to take over and without tripping, I patted his shoulder. “I need some water and a bathroom break.”

“A porta-potty awaits.”

“Ooh, classy.”

“I’ll get us some waters.”

I used the blue bathroom. When I stepped out, rubbing sanitizer over my hands, my heart sank. Two women were chatting with Jasper. I didn’t recognize either of them.

He wasn’t laughing or joking with them. His gaze was on me, and that smile on his face was mine.

“Excuse me, ladies,” he said without looking at them. He held up the water and grinned at me. “I’ve got the drink of dance champions.”

I took a water from him, and the women moved on. One’s dress barely covered her ass, and the other had painted-on jeans. Both were beautiful. “You had some company?”

“They saw me teaching you and were trying to get some lessons.”