A Moment To Dance (7 page)

He glanced at Ella. Her spine was straight and her hands were clenched. She looked as uncomfortable as he felt. “This is Ella Morgan. She’s new to town.”

Josie smiled and extended her hand. “I hope you’re enjoying Whistle Stop.”

“Very much.” The women shook hands before Ella moved to the side to place her purse on one of the folding chairs lining the wall.

“Let’s get started.” Josie moved to the center of the dance floor. “You’ll need to master three dances for the competition, but we’ll start with some basic footwork first. Have either of you taken formal lessons?”

Tony shook his head. When he glance at Ella, he caught a gleam of confidence in his partner’s eyes.

“Nothing formal,” Ella said, “but I was president of our swing-dance club back in college.” She went on to explain about the dance instructor who’d sponsored the group.

As Ella talked about her experience, his lips lifted. Seemed he’d lucked out and landed himself a ringer. Maybe this arrangement wouldn’t be as bad as he’d originally imagined. His smile quickly faded upon realizing Ella would expect him to learn some intricate steps and learn them fast.

Josie walked over to the iPhone docked with a speaker and turned on some country music. “We’ll start with the two-step. Then the western swing, which is the two-step with turns. Are either of you familiar with these dances?”

They both shook their heads.

“Not a problem.” Josie twirled a wooden rod between her fingers. “Let’s get started. Face each other. Ella, place your right hand in Tony’s left.”

Her hand in yours…your other hand goes lower on her waist…
the words buzzed through Tony’s brain. He stared into the eyes of his dance partner, determination showing in the arch of Ella’s brow and the serious line of her mouth. When he didn’t move to take her hand, her expression became that of a question mark. “Tony?”

His chest tightened. Damn. He’d never taken part in any high school dances for a reason—lack of interest. As an adult, he’d made a point of avoiding the live bands on Friday nights at Cactus Mike’s Saloon. He certainly didn’t belong here in this dance studio. What kept him from turning and walking out the door was Johnny—his only reason for being here.

Ella shifted her weight while frustration knitted her brows. “Are we going to dance? Or stand here?”

Tony’s palms began to sweat. Not wanting Ella to notice, he quickly swiped them over his jeans. Ella placed her cold fingers in his grasp. He had to fight off the urge to rub them until they warmed. She might put on a calm and collected front, but obviously he wasn’t the only one experiencing a case of the jitters. Time to put his best foot forward, so to speak, and hope he didn’t trip her in the process.

“Place your other hand on his back,” their instructor called out.

Ella lightly touched him, sending a prickle of eagerness over his skin. He tamped down his fervor and fought back the urge to pull her closer.

“A little higher. That’s good. Tony, you’ll start by stepping forward with your left foot. Ella, you’ll step back with your right.”

A whiff of her citrus shampoo teased his senses. Yet, when Ella’s petite form brushed against him, his whole body tensed, forcing him to stifle a frustrated moan. How in the world was he supposed to concentrate on where his feet went when his mind remained centered on the lovely woman in his arms?

“Not quite right. Go back to your original positions.” As they attempted to repeat the steps, Josie said, “Slow, slow, quick, quick.”

Ella moved without hesitation, while he struggled to focus on his footwork. With her so close, his body grew alert and eager for more. When she repeatedly bumped against him, his calm exterior almost cracked, and he nearly came undone.

On edge and unsure of himself, he stepped forward instead of back and tripped her. Ella lost her balance. He yanked her body to his to keep her from falling. Chest to chest, he held on to her longer than necessary. When she looked up at him, her questioning gaze held his. An overwhelming desire to taste her lips pulsed through him. Under the spell of her luminous eyes, his head lowered as if on command.

Ella braced her hands against his chest and pushed. The sudden movement broke the spell. With his senses jolted back into control, he released her.

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled, shocked he’d almost kissed her, and in front of Josie, too. What had he been thinking? Obviously, he hadn’t been.

“It’s okay,” Ella said, but he couldn’t tell if she was talking about his dancing flub or his lapse in judgment when he’d almost sampled her berry-red lips.

He rubbed the back of his neck. “This isn’t working. I’m nothing but a total klutz.”

Ella’s mouth pressed into a firm line, giving her the look of a teacher who was about to lecture her student. “You aren’t thinking about giving up and breaking our deal, are you?”

His jaw tightened. That’s exactly what he wanted to do. How could this virtual stranger read him so clearly? He sure wasn’t comfortable with her reading his thoughts. Up until now, quitting was never part of his vocabulary, but he didn’t know if he was strong enough to resist his mounting attraction to her. Still, he had to try to do his best.

“Of course not,” he said, wanting to prove he wasn’t so predictable. “Let’s try this again.”

Josie paused the music. “You’d be surprised how many people watch dancing on TV and think it’s so easy. They don’t have a clue how much work goes into the choreography and the rehearsals. Now, are you two ready to try again?”

They gave the dance steps another whirl. When he stepped on Ella’s toes once more, she didn’t complain. He didn’t know if he’d have as much patience as she had.

Josie shook her head. “Where’s the chemistry? The excitement? You two should glide together and enjoy yourselves.”

Tony wanted to groan, but instead he maintained his silence. There was lots of chemistry going on—any more and they’d combust and light up the evening sky. But he had no intention of pursuing this reaction between them—yeah, right. He wasn’t a good liar, even to himself. He was all too eager to pursue Miss Morgan, on and off the dance floor.

“Okay, let’s start from the beginning,” Josie said.

Tony’s arms fell to his sides as he put a safe distance between Ella and himself. What had gotten into him? His life was complicated enough with the pending adoption. So why did he find himself drawn to her?

Until this fleeting physical desire faded, he’d have to be very careful around her. He didn’t want to give her the wrong impression—that he was interested in her. Even if his circumstances were different, attempting anything serious would be a waste of time. Nothing lasted forever.

Romantic love amounted to a bunch of sentimental words found on the inside of a greeting card. He wasn’t about to get caught up in that delusion ever again.

CHAPTER SEVEN

T
he sun slowly melted into the horizon, splashing the sky with a brilliant array of pinks and purples as Ella stepped onto the sidewalk. Her mind reeled with the ramifications of enjoying herself a little too much during the dance lesson.

Remembering the way Tony had gazed into her eyes and then at her lips made her heart race. Her palms grew moist as she recalled the intense moment. If she hadn’t pushed away, would this confirmed bachelor have laid a soul-stirring kiss on her?

She chanced a glance at him as they strolled across the street. His head was lowered as he escorted her to her car. What was going through his mind? Was he recalling what had almost happened between them? Did he want to finish what they’d started earlier?

She gave herself a mental jerk. She was letting her imagination get the best of her. He wasn’t interested in her. And that was fine. In fact, it was for the best. They’d already worked past their awkwardness on the dance floor. She needed to make sure it stayed that way.

“We weren’t so bad near the end,” Tony said, interrupting her thoughts. “Now if I could just stay off your toes.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll figure it out.”

They stopped next to her car, and at last his gaze met hers. “Thank you for putting up with my screw-ups and for convincing me not to give up when I got frustrated.”

She’d encouraged him to push through the mistakes for his sake as much as her own. They both had a lot riding on this contest. In the future, she’d have to watch herself around him and not get distracted by the way his presence made her heart tap-dance in her chest.

“How’d it go with Johnny?” Tony opened her car door for her. “You know, after you got past the issue with the puppy?”

She considered her reply carefully, not wanting to get his hopes too high and yet not wanting him to think she wasn’t the right person for the job, because she truly believed she could help Johnny. “For today being only our first session, I’d say things went pretty well. It’s a step-by-step process that can’t be rushed. He did show me some of what you went over with him. He seemed to have retained most of it.”

“That’s a good start.” He hesitated. “Isn’t it?”

“Yes. But we still have a lot of material to cover. Don’t expect miracles right away.”

“I won’t. Thank you for agreeing to help.” He sent her a smile.

Ella forced herself to remain casual, even though his smile made her insides quiver like gelatin. She wasn’t sure what he was most pleased about, the fact Johnny grudgingly worked with her or that Johnny remembered some of what Tony had taught him.

“How’s Patch?” she asked, trying to keep things light.

“Ornery. I’m still hoping to find him a good home, but time’s running out. Johnny is getting more attached to him every day. And I can’t afford to have the boy’s heart broken again. I’ll give it a couple more days to see if I get any local inquiries. By the end of the week, I’ll have no choice but to advertise in the surrounding cities.”

The thought saddened her. “But then Johnny will never see him again.”

Tony’s cell phone buzzed, followed by the loud shrill of the fire whistle. He cursed under his breath. “I’m sorry. I’ve got to go.”

“Something wrong?”

“I’m a volunteer firefighter, and I need to respond to this call, but I’m supposed to pick up Johnny from rehearsal at the community center. His class is doing a special presentation before the dance contest. Normally, his grandmother would fill in, but she’s conducting a meeting with one of the contest sponsors.”

Ella felt for his predicament. Being a single parent could be a tough balancing act. “Can I help?”

He glanced at her. Anxiety creased his handsome face. “I don’t want to bother you with this.”

“I wouldn’t have offered if it was a problem. I can pick Johnny up and wait with him until your mother returns.”

“Okay. I’ll call and let them know you’re coming.” He ran his finger over his phone and then, as though he’d just remembered that she was standing there, he glanced up. “Thank you. I’ll pay you back.”

So much for her decision to keep from getting more involved with this cowboy, but how could she turn and walk away, leaving him in the lurch when she had absolutely nothing waiting at home for her, other than more work?

“Be careful,” she warned.

“I’ll be fine.” The alarm sounded again, spurring him into action. “Thanks. You’re the best.”

Minutes later, as she made her way toward the community center, the wail of sirens could be heard over her car engine. She glanced in her rearview mirror, catching sight of flashing red lights. A shiver of anxiety raced down her scarred arms as she pulled over, allowing the fire trucks to race past.

For the next hour, she distracted herself by listening to Johnny talk about his day while they fussed over the puppy, which grew cuter every time she saw him. When Carlota arrived home, Ella made a quick exit. As much as she wanted to stay, she couldn’t let herself get too comfortable with them. This wasn’t just any family—it was Tony’s mother and nephew.

Ella headed straight home to a dark, quiet cabin. She ate a solitary meal of mac and cheese with a side of tuna. Nothing fancy, but it was a much-needed change from her recent diet of ramen noodles.

Tonight, the silence was deafening.

She turned on the radio. Usually that helped. But not tonight. She shouldn’t have agreed to look after Johnny—it’d reminded her of what it was like to be part of a family. A sadness welled up in her at the thought of never having one of her own. But she didn’t deserve one, not after causing the deaths of her mother and brother.

With a sigh and a shake of her head, she forced her attention on the unfinished class work. Hopefully, that would settle her uneasiness. If only she could concentrate…

A few hours later, she stretched her sore muscles. Perhaps sitting hunched over the kitchen counter to work hadn’t been her wisest decision, but it could be added to the long list of other iffy decisions she’d made lately. Satisfied that she’d completed enough work for the night, she headed for bed. The morning would arrive much too soon.

The crisp mountain air sent her scrambling beneath the comforter. Exhaustion coursed through her muscles. Still, her mind wouldn’t rest. She contemplated how the various sides of Tony’s personality surprised her.

His stiffness and hesitation at the beginning of their dance lesson had eventually given way to him loosening up and laughing at his own mistakes. She liked a man who could laugh at himself. The more she got to know him, the more she liked him, which threatened to erode her resolve to keep him at arm’s length.

What made her think Tony would be any different from the last man she’d let herself get close to?

Her ex, Randy, had been a gym teacher at the school where she’d been student teaching. Maybe she should have expected it, with him being into a healthy body image and weight lifting, but she’d been drawn in by his charm and their common love for educating children. Still, when he’d spied her imperfections, he’d withdrawn. The recollection of revulsion mingled with pity in his eyes still stung. She didn’t want to ever go through that again.

Tugging her sleeves over her hands, she wrapped her arms around her extra pillow. A chilly breeze around the old windows sent her snuggling deeper beneath the comforter. She closed her eyes and forced them to stay closed. Finally, a restless sleep claimed her.

Wearing a sleeveless red and white evening gown, she smiled up at Tony. He held her securely in his arms as he guided her around the dance floor.

“You’re so gorgeous,” he said, his breath tickling the side of her neck.

They stopped dancing. Her gaze met his. Tony’s line of vision drifted down to her mouth. Her heart thumped with excitement. Desire rushed through her veins. With his hands on her shoulders, he drew her closer. Her eyelids lowered as she leaned into him. His lips grazed hers.

His hands slid down her arms, stopping when they reached the uneven scar tissue. He pulled back. His gaze lingered on her disfigurement. Disgust filled his eyes. Tears clogged her throat and blurred her vision.

“I have to go.” He turned and strode off into the murky darkness.

She choked down her anguish. “Tony, wait! Come back!”

The sound of her own voice crying out in the night startled her. She shot up in bed. Her eyes blinked open, and she searched the shadows of the still-dark room. He was not here. She blinked. Through the fogginess of her mind, clarity descended upon her. She realized it had all been a horrible, dreadful nightmare. She took a calming breath and collapsed back against the pillows.

She glanced at her alarm clock, finding it was almost time for her to get up. She swung her legs out of bed. Her bare feet pressed to the wooden floor. The cold jarred her fully awake. At the bedroom doorway, the aroma of a fresh pot of coffee reached her. She didn’t know how she’d ever survive without a programmable coffee maker.

She filled a mug full of the steamy brew. While she doctored it with milk and sweetener, her thoughts returned to Tony. Why was it impossible for her to keep her distance from him even in her sleep?

What she needed was a little company to keep her distracted. Instantly, the image of Patch came to mind. With an excited puppy to keep up with, she wouldn’t have the time or energy to waste on dreaming about that sexy cowboy.

She slouched back on the couch and pulled the crazy quilt over her lap. She lifted the mug to her lips to savor her first sip of coffee. The dark-roast blend swirled through her mouth. Her eyes drifted closed as she moaned. There was nothing that could compare with the first sip.

When she opened them, her gaze landed on the mantel where a shabby, blue teddy bear sat next to her brother’s baby picture. Bittersweet memories of her little brother dragging the bear through the yard filled her mind. Timmy would perch the stuffed animal on the back of his toy dump truck and drive it over the little dirt hills behind their trailer.

The recollection caused a knot of emotion to form in her throat. Timmy had always wanted a dog. He’d definitely approve of Patch. If only he would have lived…

♥♥♥

Life fast-forwarded far too quickly.

Ella strode quickly through the small parking lot to the library Wednesday afternoon. Her feet barely touched the ground. A smile tugged at her lips. She’d just been notified that the next day she had an interview for a permanent teaching position at Whistle Stop Elementary.

She couldn’t help but wonder if Carlota had put in a good word for her. Any help at this point would be so appreciated. Because every day that passed, she fell a little more in love—with the town. Though in her mind she saw Tony’s handsome face. She gave herself a mental jerk. She really needed to focus on the possible and not the impossible.

And right now she had a very important task to focus on—Johnny’s tutoring session. This would be their second meeting, and she hoped to make more progress in not only his studies but also in gaining his trust.

Afterward, it’d be time for her second dance lesson with his uncle. Her stomach filled with the sensation of a hundred fluttering butterflies. No. She wasn’t going to worry about that now. She needed to give Johnny her full attention.

It didn’t help that she was more nervous about this tutoring session with Johnny than she’d been for the first one. The more she got to know the boy, the more she wanted to help him. He’d already faced enough challenges in his young life. But another part of her wanted to ease the stress lines that marred Tony’s face. If she could give Johnny the right guidance to turn his grades around, it’d certainly help all of the Grangers.

She’d just finished jotting a note in her day planner when Johnny walked in the door with his arms straining under a load of schoolbooks and his black backpack hanging from one shoulder.

“Wow. That’s a huge stack of books.” She jumped to her feet and moved to help him.

“Uncle Tony said to bring everything.” Before she could reach for the books, the boy dropped his burden onto the wooden tabletop with a loud thump.

She glanced around, hoping to see Tony, but the doorway was empty. “Did you come by yourself?”

“Uncle Tony brought me.”

“Where is he?”

“Gone. He had stuff to do.”

Disappointment rained down on her, surprising her at how much she’d been anticipating their meeting. Definitely not a good sign.

“Why do you wanna help me? Is it ’cause Uncle Tony dumped me on you?”

Ella strained to keep the shock from her face. “He
didn’t
dump you on me. He thought I could help you with your schoolwork.” She pulled out a chair. “Come sit down.”

Sadness pulled at the child’s face as he sat down. “I don’t think he likes having me around. He’s always too busy or too tired to do much. Now he doesn’t even want to study with me.”

“Oh, Johnny, I can promise your uncle loves you very much. He asked me to help only because I’m a teacher and I might know of other ways to aid your education.”

“My mom used to help me with my homework. Especially my math. She was really good.”

“You must miss your parents a lot.”