Page 14 of Paradise Pride

“No chance. I’m a terrible dancer,” Meghan said, even though she secretly loved dancing and the alcohol had put her in the right mood for it. “Are you dancing?”

“I will if you do.” Florence started shimmying her shoulders when ‘Lambada’ blasted through the speakers. “I’m not a bad dancer.” To Meghan’s surprise, she came out from behind the bar and yelled at her colleague. “Hey, Manuel. Watch that for me for five minutes, okay?”

Meghan blushed profusely when Florence ran up to her and pulled her along the poolside. “Leave the drinks, we’re going to dance.” Heading for the podium in front of the DJ booth, she shouted, “We’re first!”

“Okay, we’ve got two contestants here already. That’s a great start. What’s your name?” the DJ asked Meghan, whose heart was racing now. So many women were staring at her, and suddenly she couldn’t feel her feet anymore.

“Meghan,” she said, shuffling on the spot. She was tipsy, and she hardly dared look in the direction of Laura and Sammy. She was pretty sure they already had their phones out, ready to snap pictures for Kim to see tomorrow.

“Okay. Our cute bartender Florence and the beautiful Meghan will have the first dance. Please give it up for Meghan and Florence!”

“I’m sorry,” Florence whispered as cheering broke out again. “I was always going to start the first dance. Someone had to, and I tend to volunteer for events. And then you were standing there, and I couldn’t resist.”

“You’re evil,” Meghan said with a chuckle. “I told you I can’t dance.”

“But, you lied,” Florence said matter-of-factly. “I’ve seen you today, and you danced several times when you thought no one was watching.”

So you’ve been watching me.Meghan couldn’t help but smirk as Florence took her hand. Her hips started leading a life of their own when the DJ turned the volume up, blasting salsa beats over the premises. She was barefoot, which limited the risk of tripping, and with a sarong wrapped around her waist, she didn’t feel too self-conscious, so she figured she could handle it.

“See? I was right.” Florence pulled Meghan closer and wrapped an arm around her waist. “You can dance.”

“Only because you’re leading.” Meghan met Florence’s intense stare and gave her a small smile. “And you’re still evil for dragging me into this.” Florence’s grip was firm; she was much stronger than she looked. Her thumb on Meghan’s back moved slow enough for people not to notice, but Meghan could feel the caress against her skin, and it made her shiver.

“Don’t fool yourself. You look like you’re enjoying this.” Florence spun her around and laced her fingers with Meghan’s. Their feet moved fast, and their hips shook and rolled in a push and pull. “Have you had lessons?”

“No,” Meghan lied again with a smug smile. “I’m a natural.” In truth, she’d had many lessons in the past, but it had been years since she’d danced with someone, and she’d certainly never danced with a woman. Apparently, they were doing something right because the audience was cheering them on so loud, she could barely hear the music. Just before the music stopped, Florence dipped Meghan back and pulled her up again. She was breathing fast as she cupped her neck and pressed their foreheads together.

Meghan stood there for longer than necessary, partly to catch her breath, and partly because Florence’s nearness startled her. Their lips were only inches apart, and it would be so easy to kiss her. She hadn’t expected this reaction, especially not the flashes of arousal she felt each time her chest heaved against Florence’s.

“Thank you for the dance.” Florence stepped back and smiled as if nothing had happened, but her mischievous smirk did not go unnoticed.

“No. Thankyou.” Meghan’s legs were trembling as she stepped off the podium. “That was fun.”

14

Florence

When the music stopped and the night came to an end, Meghan was still sitting there, talking to a few women she’d met. Florence watched her as the women got up and lingered at her table, finishing their conversation before they left.

It had been a fun day with great music and a happy vibe all around, but Florence was tired, and her muscles ached as she headed for the littered tables.

“Go,” Stella, her manager said, tapping her on the shoulder. She took the bag from Florence and started piling up the cups. “You had a late one yesterday. I’ll clear the tables and ask Manuel to close up.”

“Thank you.” Florence hesitated as she shuffled on the spot. “Do you have a moment? There’s something I need to tell you.”

“Of course.” Stella frowned. “What is it?”

“I stayed in a guest’s room last night. That woman over there.” Florence pointed to Meghan. “Nothing happened,” she quickly added. “But she was scared because her friend was away, and she was the only one in the hotel apart from Robert.”

“Okay. That’s very kind of you, but you know that’s not part of your job,” Stella said. “You have no responsibility for the guests after your shift ends.”

“I know, but I wanted to. She’s really nice and…well, I wanted her to be comfortable.” Florence paused for a moment as she glanced at Meghan. She was looking up at the hotel as if dreading going in. “I think she has a trauma of some sort, and her friend is away again. I want to walk her up to her room and check it, so she feels safe. I just thought I should tell you first, so you don’t think I’m…”

“That you’re fraternising with guests.” Stella nodded. “Thank you for telling me, and of course that’s fine. I can ask security, though.”

“No need. I’ll gladly do it.” Florence shot Stella a grateful smile. It wasn’t like Stella was a saint herself; she’d gotten personal with one of the guests over summer, and now she and the woman in question were dating, which was why she often turned a blind eye to holiday romances as long as nothing happened on the hotel grounds. “Thanks, Stella. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Butterflies fluttered as she headed over to Meghan’s table, and she wondered if her hair looked okay. She hadn’t looked in a mirror all day, only using her short breaks for a coffee and a quick bite to eat.

“Hi, there.” Meghan smiled, but Florence saw a hint of distress in her expression.

---