Page 28 of How Sweet It Is

I look around, amazed. Hundreds of twinkle lights are strung above us, casting a warm glow over the large room. The wooden flooring is polished, and couples are scattered around the room in a typical dance pose, frozen as if waiting for instructions.

An older woman approaches us. Her silver hair is swept up in a low chignon, and she’s wearing two large hoop earrings. “Levi, how are you? And who is this lovely young woman?”

Levi grins. “Hi, Rita. This is my friend Amelia.”

I warm at the way he calls me a friend. I hadn’t thought about it, but I suppose we have grown into a friendship. Besides Zoey, I haven’t had many friends in my life. It feels good that Levi thinks of me as a friend.

“Are you two here for the waltz lesson?” Rita asks.

“Yes, we are,” Levi says. “Where would you like us?”

Rita points at a spot on the dance floor. “You can go right over there.”

I slip out of my business jacket and hang it and my purse on a hook by the door. Levi leads me to the empty space. He lifts my arm, placing my hand high on his arm near his shoulder. He grips the space on my back right under my shoulder blade. He takes my other hand, lifting it into the dance pose all the other couples are stuck in.

Rita grabs her dance partner, and together, they instruct us, showing us the box step, explaining how to count to three as you do the steps. Then she turns on some music so we can practice. Levi’s grip on me tightens a fraction as he leads me in the steps.

At first, my moves are clumsy, and I stumble around. I’ve never done anything like this, especially with someone who makes me feel like adrenaline is coursing through my veins. My body is awkward, and I don’t know how tight to grip his hand, but Levi is very patient with me, and he gently guides me into the right moves. As I get into the rhythm of the dance, I become aware of the feel of Levi’s hand splayed on my back, firm and anchoring.

Every time he moves, I feel it first in the subtle shift in his shoulder and arm, then his feet move. It’s like he’s speaking in a silent language that I’m starting to understand, and I begin to relax. He smells like something clean and faintly spicy, and it makes my pulse jump.

His thumb grazes the edge of my shoulder blade, just a slight touch, but it’s enough to short-circuit my brain. Levi gives me a smile, but it’s not cocky. It’s vulnerable. He’s silently asking me if I’m enjoying this dance.

The music swells, and I give myself over to it, letting everything go. I stop counting in my head. I stop calculating each move. I let the music and Levi guide me, and something inside of me opens, freeing a part of me I didn’t realize was caged. I let myself flow with Levi, the two of us becoming one entity, the rest of the class melting away, leaving us alone in the universe.

I look into Levi’s crystal-blue eyes, and the bottom drops out from under my feet. A wild attraction surges in me. I try to shove it down, because I shouldn’t be feeling this, not with him. But I can’t ignore it.

This isn’t just dancing. It’s trust. It’s surrender. No secrets. No past. Just us, our steps and rhythm, and a longing I didn’t know I had in me.

The music suddenly stops, and Rita begins teaching another lesson, but I can’t concentrate. My heart is racing too fast. I can’t breathe. If this is what it feels like to dance with Levi Barrett, I’m in deep trouble.

CHAPTER 14

LEVI BARRETT — TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1

Istand next to Amelia as Rita starts teaching the rotating box step. My fingers tingle where her soft skin touched mine, and my heart is racing. I had no idea dancing with Amelia was going to feel so exhilarating.

I’ve been taking dance lessons with Rita for two years. Lisa made fun of me for enjoying what she called “old-time dancing,” but I didn’t care. I love the classical music, and I quickly picked up the steps. It allows me to forget all my failures and lose myself in the movement.

Rita turns the music back on, and Amelia’s eyes grow wide. “I can’t do those steps,” she whispers. “I was just getting used to the other way.”

“You’re doing great,” I say, reassuring her and taking her hand in mine again. “Just follow my lead.”

Amelia stumbles a little, but I give her signals, and she quickly adjusts to the small turn in the middle of the steps. “You’ve got it,” I say quietly.

We dance for another minute or two before I feel her relaxing and getting into it.

She grins at me. “I’m shocked to say this, but this is fun.”

I’m relieved to hear her say that. “Really? Because my ex thought this kind of dancing was lame.”

Amelia raises an eyebrow. “Your ex?”

I could kick myself for bringing up Lisa. Why in the world would I tell Amelia about her? But I can’t sidestep it now. “Yeah, the last girl I dated. She made fun of me for liking this.”

“Wow.” Amelia’s gaze softens. “Sounds like she wasn’t the right person for you.”

I swallow, not wanting to admit that. I really liked Lisa. She laughed at my jokes and was the kind of person who embraced the joys of life. She didn’t take things too seriously. I loved that about her.

---