704
A Dance
A Dance
When Cruz broke the kiss, her breathing was uneven.
“Dance with me,” he whispered against her mouth as the music shifted to a slow song.
“I thought you can’t dance.”
“I can’t. Two left feet. Yet, I’m willing to sacrifice pride and ego to hold you in my arms.”
“Is your photographer taking sound bites as well as photos?”
“Not at all. I mean it,” he cupped her cheek, his big hand engulfing the entire side of her head. “I know you think I’m playing, Presley but the minute we kissed today on the swing, my entire gameplan has changed. This isn’t only about fixing my public image. I’m going to win you over. I’ll spend the rest of this vacation convincing you I’m not the same kid who hurt you growing up. I don’t think I ever was, but I want to show you
who I am as a man now.”
“Cruz,” she protested his words.
“Just dance with me. Please.”
She nodded and he helped her off the stool and escorted her to the empty dance floor. He wrapped his arms around her tight and she was rocked in his arms to the soulful jazzy music playing through the sound
system.
“I feel like I’m at one of those weddings where I’m the kid and someone needs to balance me on the adult’s feet,” her cheek was pressed right between his pectoral muscles, and she was in heels. “I’m realizing in this moment how absurd many of my romantic leads must look if they were ever drafted into actual people.”
He chuckled down at her, “you could stand on my feet, but we’d probably fall over. I’m built for strength, not
finesse.”
She felt like a dolly as she snuggled against him. “How are your feet?”
“I’ll live,” he rested his hands on her hips and smiled down at her. “Oh, your fans from the restaurant have arrived. I think you’ve been given a reprieve because they have another couple with them.”
“Thank god.” She giggled as she looked up at him. “I was really worried you were going to have to be a
sacrifice.”
“A sacrifice?”
“Yeah, I was going to throw you at them and make a run for it.”
He laughed as he hugged her to his chest, “it’s not me they want. It’s all you. Do you see the impact you have on the people around you simply from your presence? The bartender at the lounge in the hotel was begging you to sit with him, even with me there. The banana hammock from the beach. The poly couple. You’re a
beacon.”
“How do I put out the flame, Cruz, because none of these people are interesting to me?”
“You can’t. It’s like an eternal flame which burns bright from you.”
“Wow, you are poetic.” She stared at him incredulously.
C
1/4
A Dance
“And horny
She gave a bark of laughter at his words.
“You’re gorgeous when you smile. I’ve seen you smile a million times in our lives I’m sure, but I think this might be the very first time you’ve actually directed a true smile in my direction. It feels very good. He clasped her hand against his chest, “right in here. It feels good.”
“Cruz,” her smile fell away.
“Shh,” he shook his head. “Don’t. Let this be. I know you have so much anger but for right now, this moment, just let this be. Please?”
She gave a nod and then rested her cheek back to his chest. The music suddenly changed from the bluesy ballad to a more upbeat tempo, and she looked at him in surprise.
“We are not dancing to this,” he shook his head laughing. “Even if both my feet weren’t injured, it would make little difference to performance. I can spin this little circle for a slow song but not anything funky like this?
She laughed and pulled him back to the bar and they sat down and ordered drinks again.
“Well Ladybird, what do you think? What are our plans for tomorrow?”
“I was thinking one of those hop on and off bus tours.”
“Hi!” the cheerful voice of Paris popped over their shoulder. “You two were looking so adorable dancing so we didn’t interrupt. How is your night going?” She jumped up into the seat next to Presley.
“Where are your friends?” Cruz looked around desperately.
“Arguing over there,” she pointed to a small table where her husband was still sitting. “I said I’d come get
drinks and left hubby to play referee. I thought for sure they were staying in their room all night, but they
showed up outside. I’m devastated.”
“Devastated?” Presley nearly kicked herself for continuing the conversation.
“Devastated. I love them dearly, don’t get me wrong, but we boarded the plane yesterday and they were at
each other’s throats, and it hasn’t stopped. Apparently,” she leaned sideways into Presley’s personal space,
they had a quickie, and she didn’t get to finish, and it set her off because the last time we played together he
made sure I was satisfied before he finished. She thinks he should have been as respectful to her. He made it
worse by telling her to use her toy. They are ruining my vacation.”
Cruz was sipping his tequila and sending Presley a warning glance not to encourage the conversation, but
she couldn’t help herself.
“Why didn’t he offer to hold the toy for her?” She could feel Cruz nearly groan with the way she pushed the
conversation to continue.
“Who knows but his very deliberate go f**k yourself when he put the toy in her hand was enough to set our
entire vacation off on the wrong foot.” She ordered with the bartender who approached and then looked at
Cruz. “I heard you call her Ladybird. Is it because of her hair? It’s gorgeous, isn’t it?”
“Yes, her hair is gorgeous, and no Ladybird isn’t because of her hair.” He rubbed Presley’s shoulder and
winked at her.
A sudden unbidden memory floated from the furthest recesses of her brain to the forefront, and she shot him
|||
O
2/4
< A Dance
a grin. “Actually, it’s because poor Cruz got stuck sitting with me on a vacation when we were kids, and a ladybug flew into the car window. I chatted his ear off the entire four–hour drive to the ski resort we were going with my parents about how not all ladybugs are girls and they’re also not all really ladybugs and how in other countries they’re called ladybirds.” She met his eyes smiling, “he started calling me Ladybird on the trip.
“Nobody knows as much about ladybirds as her, so she was dubbed Ladybird,” he winked at her.
“Wait, you’ve known each other your whole lives?”
“He’s my older brother’s best friend.”
“Was.” Cruz corrected. “Was his best friend. We’ve encountered a difference of opinion.”
“Over her?”
“Over life.” Cruz met Presley’s eyes. “I’m a smart man and I know when to cut my losses and secure my gains.
“And now you’re getting married?” the woman looked to Presley’s ring finger, “though I don’t see a ring.” “It’s because it’s not quite fitting right, and we’re scared she’ll lose it in the beach. She’s lost some weight over the stress of the wedding. I’m trying to fatten her up on our vacation.”
Presley gave him a warning look.
“You’re stressed about your wedding? Why?” Paris was all concern as she reached for Presley’s hands and squeezed them with a pout. “You’re far too pretty to be worrying about the stress of a wedding. My husband and I eloped, and it was the best idea ever.”
Cruz shook his head, “I’m so jealous. We can’t elope. Presley has been dreaming of a giant wedding with all the stops since she was a baby girl. She used to run all over the place wearing her mother’s veil and high heeled shoes. Would line up all her dolls and teddy bear to be witnesses and then she would march down the aisle to marry one of her dolls she shaved the head off. How could I possibly force her to elope?”
“But she’s stressed,” Paris pouted and the way she ran her hand up Presley’s arm and back down again spoke to more than a simple comforting motion. “She’s far too special to have stressed out. You should be treasuring her. Even after only seeing her for a fleeting moment across the room, I knew she was far too important a person to be left worrying.”
Cruz gently took Presley’s hands out of Paris’s and held them in his, “I’m aware of how precious she is. It’s why we are here relaxing before the big day instead of being there. I realized the toll it was taking on her and we’re here together. Presley is my world, and I’d do anything for her.”
Presley was stunned by the vehemence in his tone.
“But” Paris slipped her hand into Presley’s again and held it in the middle of Cruz’s, “you should never have let her get so overwhelmed in the first place. A good partner can predict and foresee when their better half is going to struggle. You should proactively remove the stress from her life.”
Cruz shot Presley a look which was nearly begging her to shut this down, but she gave him a helpless fler of her lashes. f**k him for saying she got overwhelmed by planning their fake wedding. She could plan wedding with her eyes closed and one hand tied behind her back because he wasn’t wrong in that she’d been dreaming of a big wedding since a small girl and might have an entire Pinterest board devoted to her fantasy wedding.
CA Dance
“What about you, Paris?” Cruz questioned. “Do you take care of your partner and help him in times of stress?”
“Of course. We work extremely hard to be communicative and loving and to share out trials together so one of us is never overwhelmed.”
“Huh. Because from where I’m standing, your partner is about ready to throw down with the guy sitting at his table. I’m wondering if it has anything to do with the fact the woman there has her shoe off and is giving your husband a foot job under the table. When you do the poly thing, aren’t you all about making sure your partner
is on board?”
Presley turned to watch with Paris as the two men started arguing and the other woman watched helplessly while her husband held her foot tight in the air over the other man’s crotch under the table.
“Is it acceptable for her to be giving your husband a footie under the table without her husband’s approval?” Paris sighed, “it’s fine. I’ll sort it out. Excuse me.” She paused to lean closer to Presley. “For the record, if you want to try on a woman, with or without my husband, let me know. I’ll give you a time which will make you forget d**k exists, even the one he is packing.” Paris skipped away and settled in between the two men, her hand sliding down their chests and very boldly to their crotches. She made a point to whisper around the table and then the four were standing on their feet and heading for the exit.
“They are so going to rage f**k,” Cruz whispered watching them.
