Authors: Marianna Roberg
Her green eyes widened. "Oh? Why?"
"Your birthday's the day after tomorrow. And... I thought maybe we could go look at home furnishings?"
"Sounds like fun."
She took his hand, and they went into the kitchen
.
♥♥♥
Jaina wanted to change into something dressier than what she'd worn shopping, so they dashed home and made it to the class just before it began. To Jaina's immense relief, they had two empty spaces in the class.
Colin admired Jaina as they walked into the classroom. She was dressed in a black top shot with gold threads, and a black and gold satin skirt in a spiral design. With it, she was wearing black high heels and bare legs. The skirt was knee-length. He liked the display of leg, and she knew it.
Other men in the room obviously did, too, judging from the eyes that followed her as they walked across the dance floor to place their coats on a couple chairs in the corner.
"I feel so out of place," Colin whispered.
Jaina eyed his slate-blue ribbed turtleneck and black pleat-front slacks. "You look fine. Wonderful, actually."
He smiled, ego placated.
Their instructor was apparently the slim, dark-haired man--long hair pulled back in a ponytail--that was fiddling with the sound system. He was dressed in black from head to toe. When he turned around, Jaina blinked.
The man was stunning. His face was almost feminine, dominated by large, lushly lashed black eyes. His skin was pale, his lips full. It was just wrong that a guy could look that amazing.
She judged his age in the late twenties, and if he hadn't obviously been male--face might have been effeminate, but the rest of him was
not
--she would have thought him female. But when he spoke... his voice was surprisingly deep and smooth. She knew that many, many women would succumb to that voice.
"Welcome to the introduction ballroom course. Are you all in the right place?"
All heads bobbed in unison.
"Good." He smiled and it was dazzling. His teeth were white, straight, shiny.
Colin ran his tongue over his own teeth, feeling the gap in the front. Beside him, Jaina placed her hand on his arm and said, "Quit worrying. I like you better."
"I am your instructor, Gregory Wilder. I have studied ballroom here in Auckland, in London, and in New York. For the last four years, I have competed on the international level, once winning silver, once winning bronze."
Jaina yawned.
Colin nudged her. She smacked him lightly in the side with the back of her hand.
"I am assuming everyone here has a dance partner?" Gregory inquired. Every head nodded. "Good. Now, has anyone here had previous ballroom experience?"
Jaina was the only one who raised her hand. She felt self-conscious when everyone looked at her.
Pointing to her, Gregory asked, "How much experience?"
She had to think. "Eight years?"
"Would you be so kind as to assist me?"
With a mental sigh, Jaina walked over to Gregory.
When she got there, he asked, "What is your dance experience?"
"Well, eight years of ballroom, but I also do bellydancing."
The smug expression that flickered on his face made her want to gouge his eyes out with a pencil. Why was it that all the ballroom people did that when they heard she bellydanced?
He led her through a few steps, without telling her what they were other than the dance itself, and was clearly surprised when she followed without a misstep. He
gave her an ironic smile, acknowledging his error in judgment
.
♥♥♥
Halfway through the class, he split them into two groups, one of men and one of women. Jaina was given the task of teaching the women. Eventually, Gregory let her go back to Colin.
Despi
te his proclaimed deficiency at dancing, Colin was a quick learner. Near the end of the class, he had the first three steps of the cha-cha down.
"You're doing great," Jaina murmured.
Colin was looking over her shoulder, a scowl on his face.
"What's the matter?" she asked.
"The instructor has been staring at you all night."
Feeling pleased that he was jealous, she glanced over her shoulder at Gregory. As Colin had said, he was looking in their direction. But when he saw her looking at him, he turned away, his expression darkening.
Jaina looked back at Colin, smiling to herself.
"What?" he asked.
"Oh, nothing."
Gregory stopped the music. "All right! Split up! Men left, women right! We're going to learn the next step."
She sighed. Reluctantly, she parted with Colin, knowing Gregory would want her to help instruct. She didn't mind the instruction. She minded Gregory's attitude towards her.
She managed to not let her irritation show until she got back to Colin, with time enough to run through the step once before class was over.
"Prissy git," she muttered as she shrugged into her coat.
Colin snickered. He was slipping into his own coat when Gregory came up to Jaina.
"I really appreciated your help tonight. Would it be all right if I asked you to help again?"
She was surprised, and his words managed to smooth her ruffled feathers. "Yeah, sure," she said, with a smile.
"Good." Then he turned to Colin. "You're doing well. Good form."
Then the dark eyes swept over him and Gregory said, "Let me know if you're interested in," and the slightest of pauses, "any private lessons."
He walked over to talk to a different couple. Colin was standing frozen, with his coat half on, a blank look on his face. Jaina's lips twitched.
"Looks like it wasn't
me
," she said, and burst into a fit of giggles.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
"Would you
please
stop cackling?" Colin asked as they walked into the house.
The indignation in Colin's voice made Jaina laugh harder. Fortunately, she'd waited until they got to the car to succumb to the majority of her amusement. She'd laughed the whole way home.
Colin tried to glare at her, but had to admit he could see how it was funny. He allowed himself a half-smile.
Wandering over to the answering machine, he saw it was blinking. The message was from his agent.
"I still don't like her," Jaina remarked as he picked up the phone.
He shrugged. "Not many options around here."
Colin took the phone upstairs, where his computer was, so he could call Karen back. Jaina looked through the fridge, contemplating a snack. Frowning at the choices, she sighed and closed the door.
She couldn't explain it, but she felt restless, and kind of tense. After several moments, she realized it was because of Gregory and his pass at Colin.
Only two things she could think of to help with her tension. Unfortunately, Option Number One was upstairs and currently occupied. Jaina moved to the CD player and selected a disc from the stack next to it. She found herself swaying with the music and let herself relax.
Colin wandered into the kitchen to put down the phone, having been unsuccessful in reaching Karen, which wasn't much of a surprise. He stopped at the sight of Jaina. One corner of his mouth lifted.
Setting the phone on the counter, he went to her. Sliding an arm around her, his hand on her stomach, Colin pulled her against him, her back to his chest.
Jaina reached behind her and ran her hands over his hips and down his thighs. Sweeping them up her own body, she brought her hands up to cup the back of his neck as he nipped at her earlobe, sending a shiver through her.
Colin gripped her hips, rocking with her. Jaina turned her face to his and he captured her lips.
He leaned her back against the table. Her leg lifted, muscular calf and pump-clad foot hooking around his hip.
Sighing, Jaina let her head fall back as he kissed her throat. He'd picked up the beat of the music, rolling his pelvis against hers.
He reached past her and hit the "stop" on the player. Jaina's eyes opened as he pulled away, the CD in his hand.
She made as if to question, but it died on her lips. He raised an eyebrow, shot her a smile, and extended a hand.
She put her hand in his and followed
.
♥♥♥
Upstairs, he'd barely put the CD on to play when Jaina pounced on him. Dragging Colin to the bed, she shoved him over and climbed over him, straddling his hips. Pressing him down on the covers, she kissed him hungrily.
His hands slid up the backs of her thighs and under her skirt. He paused only momentarily when he encountered only skin. His fingers played over her buttocks. Jaina made a small noise and squirmed against him.
If she wanted to be in charge, that was fine with Colin. He already couldn't think straight, the blood having rushed from his brain as quickly as it had.
Jaina made swift work of the buttons on his shirt. There was no need for words; the strangled noise he made as she ran her tongue over his chest was enough.
He opened his azure eyes as the mattress dipped under her weight. Jaina moved over him, knees to either sides of his hips. Then she enveloped him in a slick warmth.
Jaina paused, adjusting to this new position. She exhaled softly.
Colin sat up and she pushed his shirt off his shoulders. Her fingers gripped his upper arms. She hadn't said anything, but the message her body conveyed was clear: Mine!
She moved, hesitantly at first, then with increasing confidence. Her hips rose and fell a few leisurely times. His hands settled at her waist to steady her. Finding her balance, Jaina moved faster, her breath coming in little gasps. His blood was like thunder in his ears, but he was still aware as her breathing quickened. Colin reached between them. He was nearing the brink and didn't want to leave her incomplete. For one thing, she'd probably hurt him. She threw her head back and screamed, body arcing in one fierce spasm. His own release pulsed within her.
All of the tension leaked out of her. Colin suspected she would have fallen over if he hadn't been holding her.
He studied her face. Her full, swollen lips were parted softly, her green eyes closed. He could see the pulse in her throat; it reminded him somehow of a hummingbird's wings.
After a while, Jaina straightened. She smiled beatifically, tucking a stray lock of brown hair behind her ear. She looked dazed.
Colin smiled back.
"Maybe," he said, "if this is your response, I should let people hit on me more often."
She laughed weakly. "Yeah. Right."
He pulled her down on the bed, holding her lightly. It was as he was reaching for the covers that they realized she still had her shoes on.
Chuckling, he threw them across the room and reached for the light
.
♥♥♥
When the alarm went off at six in the morning, Jaina groaned and burrowed deeper under the covers. Morning had come way too early for her taste. And it was cold outside, even if the snow had gone away. She was warm, the bed was soft, and it smelled of Colin. Smiling, eyes still closed, she hugged his pillow.
She knew there was a reason why she should be entitled to sleep in, but couldn't think of it. It was Monday, and she knew she had work in an hour, but there was a reason...
The sound and scent of breakfast downstairs finally roused her. She lay for a moment, without moving, musing that this was the second or third time in a row that Colin had got up before her to make breakfast.
She lifted her hand to rub at her nose, which itched, and felt something cold against her skin.
With a startled yelp, Jaina sat up, blinking stupidly at the silver bracelet on her arm, made up of small circles with Celtic knots in them. They looked like four little hearts linked together.
Jaina was still staring at it, knowing she hadn't been wearing it when she'd gone to bed and wondering where it had come from when Colin came in with a tray and food.
He saw her confused look. Grinning, he said, "I put that on while you were asleep. And now you get breakfast in bed. Oh... Happy birthday!"
Still not feeling quite conscious, Jaina smiled back, scooting so she was leaning against the wall. "Hi. Uh."
Colin kissed her forehead as he set the tray on the bed. "I know, I know, you're not a morning person."
"Thank you," she murmured.
Breakfast was sausage, French toast, orange juice, and a mug of hot chocolate. Jaina felt self-conscious about eating it, until he brought up a tray of his own.
They ate in companionable silence, and then, as Colin was clearing up, she took her shower. She was braiding her wet hair when the phone rang. It was her mother, calling to say happy birthday.