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He covered his heart, and looked all wounded. “I’m here to keep my little neighbor company. I was surprised to see you here.”
“Shocked that I could actually have some fun?”
“You got it. Totally surprised me.”
This caused her to giggle. “I can have some fun.”
He stared at her, and she really didn’t like what that look he was giving was doing to her body. “You can? How about having a dance?”
“I can dance.”
Slade held his hand out. “Then come on. It’s a party out there, and instead of being on the sidelines, let’s get in.”
She placed her hand in his, and within seconds she was on the dance-floor, laughing in his arms. At first, he held her hands, and they did a kind of two step. She was so busy laughing as they were stumbling over their own feet. She forgot everyone else on the dance-floor, as they were suddenly doing some kind of sixties dance with a twist and pull thing. When he pulled her against him, her back was to his front, and his hands were holding her close.
They were swaying their hips, and she was able to look out at the bar, seeing people watch them, and in that moment, she didn’t care.
“You know Chuck’s after a cook for his ranch, don’t you?”
“Yeah, I know. Don’t worry. I’m not easily smitten. I didn’t mind coming out on a date though. Sometimes it’s nice to dance.”
He turned her around, dropped her down with a spin so that her hair grazed the ground, and by the time she was up, chest against chest, the music had changed to a really slow number.
“I have to tell you something, Cassie,” he said.
“What is it?”
“I can’t dance.”
This she found so funny, and she threw her head back laughing. He joined her, and for at least a minute that was all they were doing.
“Well, for a terrible dancer, I’m having a good time. My feet don’t hurt at all. You’ve not stepped on them once.” She glanced down, and then smiled back up at him. “See, you’re not doing so bad. Don’t always be so hard on yourself.”
She was loving the feel of his arms being around her, and how much fun she was having. It didn’t matter that she was here on a date with someone else. Chuck had left her to have a cigarette, and Slade had asked her to dance. She found him really sweet for asking.
“I, erm, I struggle with men.”
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“The whole talking, and dealing with them, and having to … I don’t know. I guess I try to put on this show, and it can make me uncomfortable.”
“You don’t need to put on a show.”
“I don’t?” she asked.
“No. You can just be yourself, and guys will like you.”
Maybe it was the dancing, or the beers she had enjoyed, but Cassie didn’t know why she told him about Andrew. Yet she did.
“Before my last year of high school, I, erm, I fell in love with one of the guys at school. We’d been hanging out all summer, and he was so nice, and sweet. He told me that he loved me, and I’d never felt that way. He didn’t judge me, or at least I didn’t think he did. It had all been a lie.” Cassie looked at him. “I’ve struggled to trust anyone else after that.”
“I don’t blame you. Some kids are assholes.”
“I’ve made this really depressing.”
“You haven’t. I don’t think so. Thank you, Cassie, for trusting me with this. It means a lot to me.”
The song came to an end, and couples began to make their way onto the dance-floor.
