Page 41 of Finding My Bodyguard

“Follow me. I’ll show you to your section.” She took off down a long hallway and then started descending a flight of stairs. I followed her, scared of what I had gotten myself into but not enough to turn back. The music I’d heard before got louder with each step as the destination came into view. There was a huge open floorplan with a bar wrapped around it and a DJ in the corner. An underground club? A thousand thoughts clouded my mind. Why had he sent me on a self-care date to a club?

We walked past a few people dancing and into a secluded area.The club wasn’t crowded. There were only a few women and men present, and the sound of Daddy Yankee filled the air.

“This is your section, Mrs. London.”

I looked around the area. There were a few bottles of champagne on the table. Was I expected to drink all of those? I’d never been to a club alone before. It was weird. My hands fidgeted down my body nervously.

“Don’t worry; Fridays are for beginners.”

“Beginners?” I questioned. What had London gotten me into?

“Yes, salsa lessons. They start shortly. The champagne is yours; enjoy. If you want anything stronger, the server will be out shortly.”

I nodded as I took a seat on the small sofa allowing the music to soothe me. My foot tapped along with the rhythm of the music. I had never taken salsa or any dance lessons for that matter, so this was new to me. I was confused about how this qualified as a self-care date but intrigued at the same time.

London had gone through all this trouble to set up another nice evening for me, and that was all that mattered. The music dimmed and a short petite lady I assumed to be the salsa instructor took the stage. She was talking, but I could only make out small portions of what she was saying because I wasn’t fluent in Spanish. I heard her introduce herself as Francesca before the music started and she began swinging her hips and body across the stage. She moved effortlessly as if nobody else was in the room. I couldn’t take my eyes off her as she danced. It was beautiful and fun. The crowd cheered as she performed, and I found myself dancing in my seat. When it was over, she turned to the crowd, and everyone moved close to the stage forming rows. I thought briefly about joining them, but my nerves got the best of me.

“Are you here for the salsa lessons?" a woman approached my section and asked. I contemplated how to answer that before settling on a simple head nod.

“First day?”

I nodded again.

“Mine too. My name is Selena. I was wondering if you wanted to tackle this thing together.”

I stared at the stranger for a minute before I threw caution out the window and stood to my feet.

“Let’s do it,” I agreed. We walked over to the crowd and found a space in the back row. I watched as the instructor broke down the dance moves. It was a bit awkward dancing with strangers at first, but as time moved on, I found myself getting lost in the music.

“This is fun!” I called out to Selina. She had also relaxed and seemed to be enjoying the experience.

“It is. You’re a natural. Can I get you something to drink?” she shouted over the music. She brought her body to a halt, and I smiled as the realization of what she had just said hit me. She wasn’t a newbie. She was the server. Wow!

“You played me?” I was yelling over the music, but the whole thing had me amused.

“It got you up out of your seat, didn’t it?” I couldn’t do nothing but smile. She had gotten me up and moving, and I was grateful. Had she not come over, I would of probably never joined in.

“It did; thank you,” I told her.

“Don’t thank me; thank Mr. London. It was his idea.” She started walking off toward the bar. The mention of his name had me smiling from ear to ear. This man thought of everything. He knew I would be too afraid to try it on my own.

“Still… thank you.”

“No problem. About that drink, what can I bring you?” she questioned, but I wasn’t in the mood to drink. Selena returned to the bar and placed a black apron around her waist.

“No, thank you,” I replied, returning my attention to the instructor, this time making my way to the middle of the crowd. I allowed the music to control my body as my hips swung back and forth, and my feet carried me across the floor—one dance and another. I was wrapped up in the moment, enjoying my time with the other participants of the class. It felt like I was a part of a small community. Everyone was so welcoming and encouraging of one another. By the end of the lesson, I was beaming with joy and sweat. I had never felt so alive and confident in my entire life, and I had London to thank for it all.

As the crowd began to dissipate, I stayed on the floor dancing, even after the class was over. I was truly at peace. As I swayed my hips, I could feel every ounce of me letting go in a way I never had before. I’d spent my entire life preparing for the future. It felt good to live in the moment.

“Your car is outside,” Selena informed me, causing me to stop moving. I was exhausted, but I didn’t want to stop.

“Thank you.” My feet moved to the exit, but not before getting the information on the weekly dance classes they offered. As I slid into the back seat of the taxi, I smiled. London had given me the best gift today. The gift of trying something new and stepping out of my comfort zone. The urge to hear his voice took over, and I dialed his number.

“Yes, Chocolate?” his deep voice sailed into my ears and straight to my vagina.

“Thank you,” was the first thing I said.

“You enjoyed your night out dancing?”

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