Page 66 of The Persistence of Thornes
“My shoulders aren’t up to my ears?”
His laughter deepens. “Your shoulders are fine.”
“Okay.” I swallow. “Just checking.”
When Frederica makes it over to us, she taps our arms. “Elbows up, darlings.”
We obey, lifting our joined hands slightly.
“More. There you go. And dear, fingers like this.” She adjusts the way Caleb is holding my hand. “Perfect. Hold that and scoot a little closer.” She urges us to close the awkward distance we’ve left between our bodies. “Act like you know each other. You do know each other, correct?”
“Yes, we’re just nervous,” Caleb replies as he takes a step closer, eyes locked on mine.
“No time for nerves,” Matteo scolds from where he’s helping the couple beside us. “Only fun.”
Frederica nods succinctly. “Dance should first and foremost be enjoyable. It can be intimate, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s the expression of our bodies. They’re designed to move, you know?” With a wink, she spins gracefully and moves on to another couple.
The class runs for just over an hour. By the time it’s finished, I feel like I’ve done an entire workout. The waltz is slow, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Not for me, anyway.
Before we leave, Caleb guides me to the refreshments table and pours water into two small cups. “What did you think?”
Honestly?
“I loved it.”
His smile is radiant and instantaneous. “Does this mean you’ll do it with me again?”
I sip at the water and nod. “Sure. Why not?”
If the twinkle in his eye is anything to go by, he’s pleased at the prospect. “Good. I’ll sign up for the next class before we leave. They’re every two weeks.”
Without my permission, that insecure part of my brain rears its ugly head, whisperingwhat if he’s already sick of you by the time the next class rolls around?
“Sounds great,” I say, shoving those thoughts down deep.
Frederica breezes over just as I’m tossing the empty cup in the trash. “It was a pleasure to have you in class today. I hope to see you for the next one. I see some talent here, and the chemistry you share is strong.”
She probably says that to everyone, but the comment does bolster my confidence.
Once our thirst is sated, we say our goodbyes, sign up for the next class, and head out to the car. Caleb holds my door before rounding the hood and climbing in. He cranks the engine immediately but doesn’t put the vehicle in reverse. “I planned to take you to a nice dinner after this, and we can absolutely do that if you’d like, but I’m starving after all that dancing. What do you think about grabbing dinner somewhere close instead?”
I sigh in relief. “I’m ravenous.”
His lips kick up on one side. “I know just the place.”
CHAPTER 17
HALLE
Inever could have imagined Caleb choosing a bar with white and red checkered tablecloths and a whole room filled with pool tables, but this restaurant is surprisingly perfect.
It’s loud, but the booth we’ve settled into in the back corner, away from the main bar and pool tables, is surprisingly private and cozy.
“How do you know about this place?” Straightening, I take in the dark paneled walls and the random memorabilia tacked to them. “It doesn’t seem like your kind of place, Mr.Fancy-Pants.”
It’s hard to picture Caleb in all his clean-cut glory ever stumbling across a restaurant like this.
I swear he blushes. “The owner was a client. I’d meet him here sometimes so he didn’t have to come to Boston. The food is great, so I come back when I’m nearby.”
