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Keep that breathless charm.
One hand holding hers, the other around her back, I curse the fact that it’s not a slower song. I wouldn’t mind getting a bit closer. But this will do. For now.
“Follow my lead,” I tell her as we begin to move.
I expected her to have less rhythm after what she said. But it seems Evie’s lack of dance prowess has nothing to do with actual ability. She just needs to let go a bit.
“Dancing . . .” I spin her around, and she falls back into position easily. “. . . is just about taking a risk. Once you accept that, you don’t care about anyone else up here.”
Her cheeks flush as we spin.
And that laugh that wrinkles your nose.
It touches my foolish heart.
“Easy for you to say. Clearly you’ve had dance lessons or something.”
Or something. “Just a mother who loves dancing almost as much as her children.”
Never one to do something halfway, I let it all go. No pretend dancing, swaying back and forth. Before long, we have an audience. Others have stopped dancing to watch us.
Lovely, don’t you ever change.
Keep that breathless charm.
“Oh my goodness.”
Though smiling from ear to ear, Evie is still overthinking it. But she’s more confident now, and I take advantage. I give her hand, small and warm in mine, a squeeze.
’Cause I love you.
Just the way you look tonight.
With one last spin that makes the pleated bottom of her dress fan out, I go for the dip. Deep and low, I dip her down as Evie laughs in my arms. Pulling her up as the song ends, to applause from all around us, I pray the next song is a slower one.
The gods are listening to me tonight.
When the new song starts, I don’t even ask. Pulling her closer, I whisper in Evie’s ear. “No rhythm, my ass,” I say.
She doesn’t move to step away, so with one arm behind her back and the other clasping her hand beside us, we bring it down a notch.
“I’ve never danced like that in my life.”
I want to tell her to get used to it. That it’s not the only first she’ll have with me. But I don’t, of course. That would be absurd.
Maybe it’s the white lights everywhere. Or the music. The otherworldly atmosphere.
It’s something, for sure. Because that was more than just a dance. And looking into her eyes, I get the feeling that I’m not the only one thinking it.
5
Evie
I’m dancing with the enemy.
Well, not the enemy, precisely, but my biggest competition, for sure. And he has no idea who I am. I thought for sure someone would have told him by now. I figured it was the reason he stopped looking my way.
Not that I noticed.
