Page 28 of Easy Rumba

Chapter 12

Leo

If I hadn’t already developed feelings for Elise, after watching her in that film, there’s no doubt I’d have immediately fallen for her. It was strange—I knew it was her because it looked like her, but in every other respect, the woman on the screen was a different person from Elise altogether. It showed what a wonderful actress she is. I can see why she was Oscar nominated for that role.

I’m sad she had to walk away from acting because of her ex-husband, but I can understand what she meant when she said she didn’t miss the fame side of it. The celebrity was one of the reasons I was reluctant to do the dance show in the first place. I didn’t want to have that added pressure on me. I’d seen what it had done to some of the other participants in previous years. One season, a dancer on the show married his professional partner, but they split the following year when he fell for the celebrity he’d been paired with. The pressure on him was unreal. Having an affair wasn’t good, but he didn’t deserve the intrusion into his private life that he experienced—none of the parties involved did. I was especially nervous about being the new boy on the show, but so far, it’s been all right. Long may it stay that way.

Settling Elise down into her bed, I climb under the sheets in just my workout pants and pull her against my body. I’ve been hard for most of the evening. I can’t help it when Elise is around. She’s sexy as hell, and I’m a hot blooded man. However, I’ll respect what she said to me. I would never push her any further than she wants to go. I’ll just have to jack off tomorrow before we start training. Maybe I could nip to the bathroom now and rub one out?

“What are you thinking about?” Elise inquires as she lays her head on my chest.

“Man things.”

She chuckles softly.

“I’ll never understand a man’s brain. It really does work differently from a woman’s. I was once asked if I could take on the role of a transsexual. I said no because I didn’t think I’d do it justice. I was glad I didn’t in the end because the person who did do it was awful in the part, and they haven’t acted in Hollywood since. It’s far too judgmental there to survive bad reviews.”

“I think you would have been great in the part. Men are simple creatures really. Give us food, drink, and sex—we’re happy.”

Elise falls silent and doesn’t reply to me at first.

“Am I being unfair asking you to stay here without giving you anything in return.”

“No, not at all. I’m enjoying just being here with you, Elise. Yes, you can probably feel my dick has other ideas, but that’s because he really likes you. I don’t have to listen to him, though. All I want to do is hold you and show you how much I adore you.”

“Why did you never come back to America?” Elise blurts out.

I’m surprised she’s not asked before.

“I don’t know. That’s the honest answer. Between my time training in London and helping mamá out in Spain, it just never happened. I intended to—I really did. I never wanted to lose contact with you. I’ve always loved you, Elise, but my mamá needed me. My father broke her when he left.”

“There wasn’t a day that went by I didn’t think about you. When things were at their worst with Simon, I imagined you coming to rescue me. I could curse fate sometimes. Why did we have to be apart for so long?”

“Maybe we needed to learn first. We had to grow up and find a life without each other before we could have a life together.”

“I pray that’s true.”

Elise lets out a long sigh. It’s filled with regret but also hope. I only wish the lessons she’d learned didn’t have to involve painful beatings from the man she chose to give her heart to while I wasn’t around. Simon was her husband—he should have worshipped her completely not degraded her. I grind my jaw together to dispel the anger growing within me.

“What’s wrong?” Elise strokes her hand over my chest.

“Nothing,” I reply curtly.

“You forget, Leo, I grew up with you. I know most of your tells. Grinding your teeth means whatever you’re thinking about is angering you.”

“It’s honestly nothing to worry about. I guess I feel a little guilty that I couldn’t stop what happened to you. Maybe if I’d tried harder to stay in contact, it wouldn’t have happened.”

“No, you stop thinking that now. For a long time I loved Simon, and when he started beating me, I chose to stay. Ever since I left him, I’ve tried not to look back with any regret or sadness. It was a traumatic part of my life, but I survived it. Now I’m looking forward to the future with Izzy, and whatever else comes my way.”

“My positive girl.” I tilt my head to kiss the top of her head.

“Always.”

“Elise, I know you said you didn’t want to do anything with me, full sex wise, but can I taste you?”

I’m possibly pushing my luck, but I remember a time when Elise and I were allowed to sleep in the same bed together by our parents. Our first sexual encounter had me going down on her. It was the single most exhilarating moment of my life…well, until we gave each other our virginities. That was much cooler.

Elise doesn’t answer at first, but eventually she reaches out and takes my hand and places it between her thighs. I can feel the heat already pooling there through the fabric of her plaid pajamas. They were always her favorite.

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