Page 18 of Swept Away

“Yes,” Sarah grinned. “The funny thing is that I broke it off because dancing had become an issue, but I haven't gone out dancing. I didn't want to run into my ex at any of our usual haunts. I lost touch with a lot of my friends during the relationship in order to avoid friction. I didn't really have anyone to go with.”

Sarah looked hopefully at Liz. Her huge brown eyes fairly begged Liz to offer to go out dancing. Even though she had two left feet and no rhythm, she heard herself suggesting that they go out dancing this weekend. Sarah squealed and gave Liz a quick hug.

“There's a place I've been dying to try out. It'll be so much fun, just you wait and see!”

“You can decide that after you've seen me dance.”

* * *

Liz could feel the base of the music vibrating in her chest as they walked through the club. The multicolored lights flashed in time to the beat. Behind the bar were bartenders of both sexes, wearing tight clothing and cowboy hats. Amid the roars of his friends, an obviously inebriated male climbed onto the barber chair installed on the long counter. A busty, bleach-blond bartender yelled “giddyup” and straddled him, pouring a shot into his mouth.

Liz hadn't been in a bar like this since her college days, and she wouldn't have chosen to been here now. Except for the stunning woman walking in front of her, hips swaying perfectly in time with the music. Sarah turned around and said something. Liz put her hands to her ears to indicate she hadn't heard her.

“I was just making sure you didn't get lost,” Sarah shouted. “Here, take my hand. I hear the second floor is less noisy.”

“Second floor?” Liz said, her question swallowed by the noise of the music and the crowd. Liz slid her hand into Sarah's who proceeded to work her way through the crowd. They reached the carpeted stairwell. Liz reluctantly let go of Sarah's hand, who then started up the stairs.

Liz admired the swish of the short blue dress Sarah wore. Coupled with the black stilettos she wore, it displayed her long dancer's legs to perfection.

Liz couldn't imagine wearing those and dancing; she, herself, chose to wear flats. Better to look less fashionable than fall on her face and break something. She hadn't been kidding about how uncoordinated she was.

When they came to the second floor, the music wasn't nearly so loud. It appeared to be geared towards established couples. In the low light, Liz could see pairs sitting on the couches while others danced on the wooden dance floor in the middle.

“Let's get a drink,” Sarah suggested, leaning in close so Liz could hear her. Liz inhaled the intoxicating scent of Sarah's signature perfume. That was almost enough of a buzz in and of itself.

“If you're expecting me to dance, I'm going to need one.”

Again, Sarah took Liz's hand as though she was worried Liz might get lost. Or more likely, run off from the dancing. Not that Liz was complaining. She just hoped her palms weren't too sweaty.

Sarah handed Liz a brightly colored cocktail in which cherries floated. Liz drank a bit of the sweet concoction, nearly choking when Sarah held her head back and hung the red cherry above her mouth for a moment before drawing it in with her tongue.

Liz noticed she was not the only one watching Sarah. A man standing at the bar gaped at her and swallowed hard when the cherry disappeared.

A different young man with dark hair and eyes asked Sarah to dance. She shook her head and said that her friend needed her right now.

Liz did her best to look lost, not too difficult really, since Sarah had taken her hand again to navigate the crowd. They sat down on a couch right on the edge of the dance floor.

Liz took another sip of her drink and looked around. She watched the couples dance with one another. Most of the men just shifted from side to side while their respective partner shimmied and danced around them.

A few of the men had clearly been taught to dance, as they led their dance partners in complicated moves that were just this side of obscene.

Sarah rocked back and forth beside her on the cushion. Draining her glass in order to steel her nerves, Liz suggested they get up and dance. This was not going to go well.

Back in elementary school when they still had square dancing, Sarah was eventually told to sit on the bleachers. She was that bad.

Practically leaping off of the couch, Sarah led the charge onto the dance floor with a reluctant Liz behind her. Not sure of what to do, Liz swayed back and forth as best she could. She hoped she was in time with the music, but she was pretty sure she had a tin ear.

“You're so stiff!” Sarah said, her own body moving like liquid. “Here let me help you.”

She moved in close to Liz, putting her hands on her waist. Sandwiching Liz's leg between her own, Sarah started to move.

She applied pressure to Liz's hips, forcing her to move in time to the music. Liz felt herself give into the rhythm of the movement. Though she had never been able to before, here she was dancing.

“I knew you could do it!” Sarah yelled into her ear, her torso pressing against Liz's. Her small breast pressed up against Liz's, whose nipples tightened in response. “Just lose yourself to the music.”

By some small miracle, Liz did not lose her rhythm even as the pace of the music changed. It slowed dramatically. Sarah began making larger, more erotic circles with her hips. She ground her sex on Liz's leg, her skirt riding high on her thighs.

Sarah placed Liz's hand in the small of her back and dipped herself backwards, all the while moving her hips. When she flipped herself upright, her hair flung in all directions.

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