Page 30 of To Catch a Latte Thick as Thieves

“Your parents are idiots,” he said and added, “But don’t worry so are mine.”

“Why are you so adamant about marriage?” she asked. “If your parents are happy then what’s wrong with never marrying?”

Fisher opened his mouth to speak, but the first waltz ended and the crowd broke into applause. Tony and Eve smiled at their guests and started to make their way around the room.

“Well?” Annie prodded, but the band broke into “In the Mood” by Benny Goodman.

“Come on. Let’s jitterbug,” Fisher said and grabbed her hand to lead her toward the floor.

“I don’t know how,” she protested.

“How can you have been in nine weddings and not know how to jitterbug?”

“I don’t dance much,” she said.

“Oh, no, just the macarena.” He rolled his eyes. “This isrealdancing, honey.”

She shrieked as he twirled her across the floor.

Several older couples were already cutting up, and Annie dodged one matron who was flashing her knee-high stockings as she kicked in time with her partner.

“Don’t look at your feet, just follow me,” Fisher ordered. “Step toe to heel, toe to heel, step back, step forward.”

Annie mirrored his steps and when they completed the routine a couple of times, she laughed.

“See? You’re getting it. Now keep those basics in mind and you’ll be fine.”

“Basics?” she asked.

“Oh yeah, ‘cause now we’re going to get fancy,” he said and reeled her in like a yo-yo until her back was pressed to his front. “Same steps,” he said, but Annie’s brain shut off. She couldn’t think with his warm body pressed against hers and she stumbled.

“I’ve got you,” he whispered. “Follow me.”

“All right,” she agreed, forcing herself to breathe.

“Good girl,” he said and spun her back out.

She shrieked again as he hauled her across the floor in a pattern of spins and dips that left her dizzy and breathless. Her hoops banged against his shins, but he didn’t seem to mind. It certainly didn’t slow him down any.

“Big finish now,” he said. “This is called the pretzel.”

In a flurry of twists and turns, Annie found herself spun into him, around him and under him. How they didn’t end up in a knot of limbs she would never know, but she was laughing with sheer exhilaration. And when he dipped her, it was all she could do not to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him within an inch of his life.

Applause erupted about them and Annie glanced up from her reclined position in his arms to see that the entire crowd of three hundred guests was cheering them on. As he helped her up, she felt her already warm skin burn hot with embarrassment.

“Curtsey,” Fisher coaxed her with a grin. Mortified past reason, Annie obeyed. Why performing the macarena in a church was less embarrassing than being seen lying in a man’s arms while thinking about kissing him, she didn’t know. But it was and it was all his fault!

Striving for nonchalance, she slunk off the floor, fanning herself with one hand. “It’s warm in here, isn’t it?”

“Want some champagne?” he asked.

“That’d be lovely.”

“Why don’t I meet you on the terrace?” he said. “It should be cooler out there now that the sun has set.”

“Good idea. I swear this dress is as heavy as an ape suit.”

Fisher blinked at her and burst into laughter. It rumbled up from his chest and burst forth in a contagious bark of sound. His mouth split into a wide grin and several heads, mostly female, spun to watch him. Annie felt ridiculously pleased to have made him laugh.

---