Page 23 of So I Married an Alien
I snort, then stand up and offer my hand to Roth’kar.
“You don’t need any experience to be able to dance.Dancing is just… how your body moves when you’re feeling it.”
He cocks his head, thinking over this.Then, reluctantly, he accepts and takes my hand in his.
I lead us out onto the floor, on the edge of the mass of bodies.Immediately, my feet and legs know what to do, driven by the beat.Roth’kar is standing stock-still, studying me as I dance.
“Try it,” I call out over the noise, wiggling my butt more than I usually do.“Just let the music in.Let it tell you what to do.”
Roth’kar closes his eyes, and the heavy bass rolls over us.His feet start to move in rhythm, which then leads to his legs.I put a hand on his hip, and his eyes fly open, but I don’t let go as I apply pressure in time with the beat.
Soon, his hips are swaying, and I nod encouragingly.“There we go!”
I let him go once he’s got some of the movements down, and we move near the dense group closer to the sound stage.Roth’kar doesn’t miss the couple next to us—a woman dancing with her back against a man’s front, their hips gyrating in perfect synchronicity.His mouth falls open, as if scandalized by it.
Okay, we won’t try that, then.
Experimentally, I take one of his hands in mine and try to rock back and forth in the same tempo.In response, he winds our fingers together and starts moving even more of his body in sync with mine.
“Good!”I call out over the music.It’s time to get down.
I shimmy and shake, using my hips and ass and knees.People are staring at us now, surprised by the alien in their midst.But Roth’kar ignores them, dancing along with me, still holding my hand.Those bright blue eyes of his are riveted on me, traveling from my face down to my feet, and then back again.
“You are beautiful tonight, Amara,” he says, just loud enough I can hear him over the music.
It takes me by surprise.I didn’t think he noticed.
“Thank you.”Using our linked hands, I pull myself closer to him.“I did it for you.”
Roth’kar’s lips part in surprise.Then, a cautious smile comes over his face, and he reaches with his lower left hand to take mine, his upper hands gently resting on my shoulders.He doesn’t say anything else, but he doesn’t need to as the music swirls over us.Soon, Marguerite and Fiona join, and Roth’kar and I release our hold on one another so we can all dance together.
This is when we let loose.Fiona goes wild, dragging over some woman she finds dancing alone in the mass around us so they can dance together.Marguerite is alone, as she always is, just enjoying the environment.Sometimes someone will ask her to dance, and she’ll humor them for a couple of minutes before moving on.
After a while I need a drink, so I ask Roth’kar to leave the dance floor with me, and he eagerly agrees.We stock up on water, then head to the bar for our next round of drinks.
“How many are allowed?”he asks as we find a different place to sit at the bar now that our old seats are gone.
“Allowed?”I laugh.“Until you can’t walk anymore, I guess.If you look too drunk or act belligerent, they’ll stop serving you.”
He nods thoughtfully.“That’s reasonable.”He looks down into his cup.“Does this cost you a lot?Taking me out like this?”
An odd question.“I suppose it adds up.But that’s why I have a job I go to every day—so I can have fun when I go out.That’s the point, baby!”
“But it will cost twice as much when you’re with me,” he points out.
“For twice the fun?Sounds like a good deal.”
Now, he’s actually, really smiling, and I feel like I’ve won a prize.
“You humans and yourdeals.”
We both throw back our drinks, then Roth’kar spots Fiona in the crowd, and we dive back into the foray of dancers.We’re holding hands as I push through the bodies in the way, and he follows along close behind me until we’ve reached Fiona and Marguerite again.
Now that we’ve reunited on the dance floor, Roth’kar is moving easier now, more naturally, so I slide my arm around his waist.He peers down at me, arching an eyebrow, but then his lower arm settles around my hip, too.His upper hand reaches up to lift a lock of my hair as we move in time with the beat, but he says nothing as he examines it.
He inhales, and he seems to like whatever it is that he smelled.
As the night goes on, people get more and more frisky, dancing dirty and making out.It warms me all over, wondering what it would be like to do that with Roth’kar.I don’t want to push him, though—but maybe the next time we go out, we could get closer.
