Eliza gestured to Ben. “Let’s hear it for my wonderful volunteer, Ben. Take a bow.”
Ben bowed and laughed, then made his way back to my side.
Grandma Joyce squeezed Ben’s arm. “You were wonderful out there! You’re a natural.”
“I never knew my grandson had those moves,” added Grandpa Wayne.
He gave them both a humble smile. “Thanks.”
I smiled and nodded. “They’re right. Not bad at all, Dr. Tough Stuff. And the instructor really seemed to like you.”
He grimaced. “She gave me the creeps.”
That was a very good answer.
“Why?” I asked, although the answer didn’t really matter.
Ben shrugged. “She doesn’t seem genuine. I prefer women who are down-to-earth, humble, salt of the earth, you know? Someone like you.”
That took me by surprise.
I felt my face heat up and my heart started to slowly melt, but then the moment was over when Eliza clapped her hands twice again.
Startled, I jumped, and then turned back toward the front of the class.
“Okay!” Eliza said. “Your turn. Everyone partner up!”
Ben grabbed me by the hand. “Come on, partner.”
“Were you a cowboy in another life?”
He grinned. “I reckon I was.”
I laughed and placed my left hand on Ben’s shoulder.
We were closer now.
A little too close for comfort.
Ben glanced down into my eyes.
“Really, how could I be friends with someone like you?” I said.
Oops.
“I said that out loud?”
He chuckled. “You’re so damn cute. And the answer is, I don’t think you can be just friends.” He winked and held me tighter.
Eliza clapped her hands again. “Okay, dancers! Have fun! Feel the rhythm and move those hips!” She clapped her hands twice. “Music, please!”
The song started and I did my best to remember that Ben was leading.
Forward, back, forward, back.
“Oooh, I kind of like this.” I looked around the room at the other dancers as we continued with the repetitive beginners’ steps.
Grandpa Wayne and Grandma Joyce really danced well together.
“Eye contact,” Ben said. “You heard her.”
I glanced back up to his eyes and I swear they were on fire.
How could I not love when a man looked at me that way?
“Ouch!” Ben winced after I mutilated his foot with mine.
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered. “You distracted me.”
I wasn’t supposed to say that either because now he was going to ask me—
“How did I distract you?”
It would’ve been better to just say sorry and leave it at that.
Now, how was I going to respond?
You distracted me by just being you. Your touch. Your kindness. The way you look at me. Every little thing you do, Ben. Kiss me! Take me, I’m yours! I want to be more than friends!
Okay, this was getting out of control, and someone needed to lock me up.
My thoughts needed a deep cleaning.
“Lori? How did I distract you?”
Forward, back, forward, back.
I hesitated. “You distracted me by . . . yelling ouch?”
That had to be the dumbest excuse.
I couldn’t even say it with conviction.
I was such a horrible liar.
“But I only yelled ouch because you stepped on my foot. You said you stepped on my foot because you were distracted. That’s impossible for one to come before the other.”
I patted him on the chest. “Remember when you told me I tend to analyze everything that comes out of your mouth?”
Ben nodded. “Yeah.”
“Well, you’re doing it to me.” I smiled. “Let it go.”
The confused look on his face was so adorable I could’ve kissed him.
After we finished the basic salsa moves, we moved on to the starter moves for the cha cha, which was also very repetitive to start, but also a lot of fun.
And of course, Ben was a natural with that dance as well.
Eliza announced that the class was almost over, but that we had a little time for one more quickie lesson. She had mentioned the possibility of doing a country two-step or the hustle, and I was excited to try either of them.
Too bad she didn’t stick with the plan.
“All right, couples! I want to switch it up and try something completely different, something so sexy.”
That got everyone’s attention, including Grandma Joyce’s. “Now, she’s talking my language!”
I couldn’t believe she was my eighty-year-old grandmother.
“I’m sure you will all love this next dance,” Eliza said. “Get ready to do the rumba, or what I like to call the dance of love! Make sure you move those hips smooth and slow, smooth and slow, back and forth! This dance is sultry, sumptuous, sexy, seductive, and bootylicious.”
I snorted.
I definitely wasn’t expecting that last one.
Ben chuckled. “Don’t tell me, was it the booty part that got you?”
I laughed. “I guess I’m a juvenile at heart.”
“Between your fascination with booty and poop deck, I don’t think you have the right to ever give me crap about my vocabulary again.”
“Aye aye, captain.” I saluted Ben, but then immediately thought of the captain’s quarters and that kiss on the ship. I glanced at his lips.
What a kiss.
“I know what you’re thinking.” Ben grinned, most likely able to see my face heating up. “The kiss.”
He needed to take that PhD and shove it, because he was too smart for his own good.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” I lied.
Eliza clapped her hands twice. “The rumba requires some serious chemistry! Who’s got it?”
“They do!” Grandma Joyce pointed to me and Ben.
Every head in the dance studio turned in our direction.
If I’d had a tail, it would have been between my legs.
Eliza raised an eyebrow. “I guess we shall see then.”
Grandma Joyce leaned in from the other side. “This dance is for you. Nobody has more chemistry than the two of you. One of these days you’ll admit it.”
“The truth shall set you free.” Grandpa Wayne smiled at my grandma.
“And it is for couples who want to add some serious fire to their love lives!” Eliza added.
I held up my finger toward my grandma. “Don’t say it.”
Eliza glanced in our direction. “Ben! Please come and be my wonderful volunteer again.”
Seriously?
Ben walked to the front of the room to volunteer again.
His earlier words about Eliza calmed my jealous thoughts.
She gave me the creeps.
When Eliza began to dance with Ben, I couldn’t help but notice his hips.
Wow.
Grandma Joyce leaned in. “Look at the way he’s moving those hips. It’s hypnotizing.”
It was hypnotizing and that’s why I wasn’t able to form words to give my grandma a verbal answer. Hopefully, she wouldn’t notice.
She placed her hand on my shoulder and studied my face. “Are you drooling, dear?”
I laughed and played it off. “No!” Maybe.