I took a step, and of course it was the wrong direction and my foot landed on his. I waited for the teasing to come. That was just who we were, but Elijah didn’t joke around with me. He simply said, “It’s okay. Side with the left, back with the right, replace on the left, then a triple step. Here, let me lead.”
There was a tingling feeling at the base of my spine that I didn’t like, didn’t like at all, but I told myself it wasn’t there and concentrated on what he was telling me as we worked together on the first moves of the dance. Susanne walked around the room and gave everyone pointers, before she took Elijah and demonstrated with him for everyone to see.
It was like he’d done it before, his body moving naturally, his hips shaking sensually, and fuck, did I want him. I mean, yeah, I knew I’d sleep with him, and I knew I was attracted to him, but that was different. I wanted him in my bed, and that was not how this was supposed to go.
When he and Susanne finished, he looked up at me and smiled, his teeth showing, and it was dazzling. He had this electric, contagious smile that I was sure weaker men were helpless against.
“Here, let’s do it again,” he told me, and I just…went. And I sucked, but he didn’t, and it was fun to see him let loose, to see him enjoy it.
Before I knew it, the hour was over, and Susanne was with us, talking again. “Are you going to come back? Remember, I just put your card on file, but I don’t charge until after the introductory lesson.”
He hadn’t told me that. He’d said he paid.
“Yeah, it was great. I can’t wait to learn the rest of it. It feels good to move my body like this again, and you know that one spot where…” As they talked, I watched him soak it all in. This was a different Elijah than I had ever seen before, and I liked him.
“Listen, I don’t know if you would be interested, but I do a fundraiser gala for Atlanta Homeless. I take the top dancers from each class to perform, and I think you would be great.”
She said you, not you guys, I noticed.
“Oh my God, really?” Elijah asked.
“Yeah, let me know what you think. I’ll email you the details,” she replied, and Elijah nodded enthusiastically. “I should go talk to a few other people. You guys are cute together, by the way.” She put a hand on my arm. “And don’t worry, you’ll get it.”
“Oh no. We’re not… We’re just…” Elijah started.
“We’re sworn enemies who have come together with the goal of learning the cha-cha,” I teased. I didn’t comment on how she’d basically pointed out I sucked compared to him.
“We’re just friends,” Elijah added.
I cocked a brow at his calling me that publicly, which made Elijah roll his eyes.
“Oh. I’m sorry. Well, never mind. I should keep my nose out of other people’s business. I’ll see you guys next week!” With that, Susanne fluttered away to another group.
He pushed his hands into his pockets, and the way he held himself, slightly vulnerable, was so cute. And, I was using words like that entirely too much about him. “Are you ready?” I asked.
“Yeah,” he replied, and we headed out.
We were at a corner, and there was an ice-cream place across the street. The last thing I expected him to say was, “I don’t know about you, but I like ice cream after dancing, and I guess I owe you one for taking the class with me.”
“Well, I’m definitely not the guy who turns down ice cream.”
“Crazy, right? Danny doesn’t like it. Can you believe that?”
The foreign tightness in my chest at the mention of his best friend felt similar to the jealousy from the night we had dinner. “I don’t even know how you’re friends with him,” I said, trying not to acknowledge that this whole thing was fucking with my head.
We walked over to the small building with the pink awning. I opened the door and signaled for Elijah to go inside. There was only one person ahead of us, and they ordered. A second employee came to us. “What do you want?” Elijah asked.
“Hmm…I think I’ll take two scoops of mint chocolate chip.”
“Oh my God. That’s my favorite too!”
“Obvi. That’s because it’s the best,” I answered animatedly.
Elijah ordered the same, and I let him pay, because I thought he maybe needed to, before I asked, “Do you want to sit outside?”
“Sure.”
We went to one of the tables and then…nothing. We were quiet as we ate, and the longer we were quiet, the more I noticed how silent we were being, and it was awkward as fuck.