Eva’s eyes widen and a hint of panic settles in her glance. “What do you mean?”
I let myself enjoy the flustered look on her face, which makes her already large eyes even wider, before I add, “I meant that we can chat a little. With these softer tunes, we’ll hear each other better.”
Her frown softens. “Ah, that. Sure. Yes, you’re right. Okay, then let’s dance a little longer.”
She puts her hands behind my nape, and I lower both of my palms to her waistline, just above her hipbones. Having her arms slung around my neck makes me fantasize about how it would be like if she hugged me like this before a kiss.
Dum, dum, dum.
My heart is all too excited by this image, like the rest of my body, for that matter. So I force my mind to abandon the enigma of how deliciously Eva’s mouth could taste and ask, “Aren’t you glad Murphy and I came along?”
“Yes, I am. It’s a nice double date,” Eva answers, then she winces as if she isn’t happy about her own words.
Finally! The word must have slipped through her control, but I’m so glad it did. “Ah, a date, huh? I love this definition. I’d much rather you call me your date than Judy.”
“Well, yes. A date, dinner, meeting…whatever,” Eva tries to cover up her gaff, but I’ve heard what I’ve heard. And now I am sure I’m not the only one dazzled by this magical moment of closeness.
This discovery invigorates me enough that I tighten my grip on Eva and start to lead her. It feels good to be the one in control, because Eva clearly enjoys handing me the baton. She relaxes in my arms so that her chin rests on my chest as she looks up at me.
A perplexing thought occurs to me: Is it possible that not always being the dominant one can make the moment when I’m in charge feel even more precious? Perhaps it’s like with the salsa beats. The pause enhances the movement. Without one, the other is weak—or even nonexistent.
Eva blinks up at me. “You’re a fast learner, Nathan.”
“No. It’s you who is a very good teacher. Why don’t you turn this into your profession for real?”
Teaching would be a less demanding occupation for a young, attractive woman like Eva. I’d much rather see her explaining to others how to move in the daytime than to perform for countless men at night. Even if her bar has good rules to protect their dancers as Eva explained to me, I worry that she could get approached by someone.
Someone like you? The cynical voice in my head is right. I’m not supposed to intervene in her life, as I won’t be staying in it for long, but I can’t help it. I’m feeling very protective of Eva.
She shrugs. “It’s not like this idea didn’t cross my mind. In Silver Hills, I worked for a dancing school. But here in San Sebastian, I couldn’t find anyplace that was looking for my skills. That’s why I—” She stops and bites her lower lip.
I’ve seen this gesture enough times in the past few days to know that she’s feeling embarrassed. I lower my head so that my forehead is almost touching hers. “Please don’t be shy with me.”
“It’s nothing grandiose. I’d like to transform our old garage into a tiny studio where I could teach part-time, but for now it’s not going to happen.”
“Why?”
“It would cost too much. Maybe later.” She holds my gaze.
My first inclination is to inquire how much is too much. I could hire a team of workers and get them to Eva’s place by Monday. I could even rent or buy her a place in the city center. Something more appropriate than a dark, crummy garage.
But something in the way Eva is looking at me makes me bite back the words before they reach my lips. I get the distinct sensation that I’m being tested. And I don’t have any intention of failing. “I’m sure you’ll make that happen, Eva. With your grit and talent, I don’t doubt you will,” I murmur.
Instead of offering my financial means to her, I tuck away the idea of helping her into a safe place in my mind where I’m collecting details about her that puzzle and thrill me. Perhaps, someday I will be able to make treasure of them…
A bright smile spreads on Eva’s face.
My heart leaps.
Yes! Whatever Eva was afraid I would say or do, I did not. I’ve passed.
Eva reaches up and gives me a kiss on my left cheek. “That’s for being just you. I think this dancing is doing you tremendous good. Maybe we should repeat it more often in the future.”
The spot where her lips touched my skin burns.
A wave of guilt washes over me as I realize that the “someday” I’ve been contemplating will probably never happen. Nor will the “more often in the future.” I only have a few days left with Eva, and I have to spend them deceiving her. And—if I’m to trust my uneven breathing—possibly myself too.
To suppress the sensation, I lower my head and nestle my cheek against Eva’s. She closes her eyes and so do I. With my eyelids shut, the external world disappears. As I let my cells soak up the glow emanating from her body and revel in this blissful sensation, I almost forget that I’m here with these sweaty couples that keep bumping into us now and then.
There’s just something about Eva. I can’t pinpoint yet what it is, but she is so…different. And she makes me feel different, too. It’s as if her aura rubs off on everyone and everything around her, including me, turning Mamacita into the most exquisite location in the whole wide world and me into a better, happier man. One who wishes nothing other than to be with
