Into the Mist (Into the Mist 1)

CHAPTER

34

MERCURY WIPED THE sweat from her forehead as Prince’s “Little Red Corvette” came to an end.

“Holy shit, I’d forgotten how much I love those old songs,” said Stella, who used her pashmina to fan herself. “I haven’t danced this much and sung this badly at the top of my lungs for years.”

“Me neither, and I need something to drink.”

“Wait! Is that…” Stella paused and then, as a new song began, she grinned. “It is! Springsteen! “Dancing in the Dark”! OMG, slow dance with me!”

But before Stella could start twirling her around the basketball court, Mercury felt a tap on her shoulder.

“Do you mind if I cut in?” Ford asked her.

Mercury shrugged. “Sure, you can dance with Stella, but be warned. She has the endurance of a marathon professional.”

“He’s not asking to dance with me, Acorn.” Stella winked at Ford. “I’ll see if I can pry Karen off that picnic bench. Here’s hoping she’s finally liquored up enough to dance.”

“Gracias!”Ford returned Stella’s wink before he turned to Mercury and offered her his hand.

She took it and he began leading her around the court in a smooth two-step with the easy confidence that marks all good dancers.

“So, how many of those burgers did you eat?” Mercury asked playfully as she fell into rhythm with Ford.

He laughed. “Only two. I just pretended to eat more as an excuse not to dance.”

“But you’re a good dancer.”

Ford twirled her around and dipped her before he replied. “Yes, I am. But the woman I wanted to dance with was having a really good time with her best friend, so I waited.”

“Oh. That was, uh, very patient of you.” Mercury was glad she was already flushed from dancing with Stella because she knew Ford had just caused her to blush magnificently.

“I can be a very patient man. I know when to take my time, and prefer slow and thorough to fast and finished too quickly.” He held her gaze as a smile lifted the corners of his sexy lips.

“You definitely lead well,” said Mercury.

“That’s not all I do well.”

“Really?”

“Absolutely.” Ford led her through a series of intricate spins and turns that caused her dress to swirl alluringly around her and had her laughing like a girl.

The Springsteen song ended, and Toby Keith began singing about how he “Should’ve Been a Cowboy.” Ford easily changed tempo and continued to guide her around the dance floor.

“So, before the apocalypse what did you like to do besides hike and dance?” Mercury asked as she followed Ford’s lead.

“I’m a big bike rider, an amateur foodie, and I also like going to the movies.”

“Bike as in motorcycle or bike as in pedal?” she asked.

“Pedal, for sure,” he said. “And I love books. Powell’s—that’s a big independent bookstore in Portland—used to be my favorite place to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon.”

“You read? For pleasure?”

He laughed. “Absolutely. Why do you look so shocked?”

Mercury opened her mouth—thought better of what she was about to say—closed it, and reconsidered her response. As Ford held her close, she finally said, “I’ve been trying to figure out how to answer that without sounding like a man-hater and I’m not being very successful.”