She Fell In Love With a Dancer Read online

  Once she was home from work, she immediately headed to her closet and started pulling out clothes. She pulled out blouses and bottoms and paired them randomly. She held the combinations up in front of herself as she glared at her reflection in the mirror. Everything seemed wrong. In a fit of anger, she growled as she flopped backward onto the bed on top of the pile of discarded clothing.

  A knock sounded on her door. She yelled, “Go away!” hoping whoever it was would heed her instruction.

  Another round of rapping on the door confirmed that the person hadn’t listened and was insistent. Ashley hoped it wasn’t a salesperson, because she was not in the mood to deal with politely telling them she wasn’t interested.

  Ashley pushed herself off the bed and marched to the door, muttering to herself. “Who is it?” she yelled as she stepped up to peek through the door’s peephole.

  “Me!” came a familiar voice.

  Her sister was the last person she expected to see standing at her doorstep. Ashley pulled open the door to allow her sister to breeze past her. “I brought coffee,” she said as she entered Ashley’s apartment.

  Ashley’s eyes widened. Bringing coffee was her sister’s signal that she was in distress and needed a listening ear. “What’s wrong?”

  “My life is a wreck,” Bailey said simply, making a beeline for the bedroom. She stopped mid-stride as she took in the mountain of clothing strewn over the entire bed and around the room. She turned on her heel, an accusatory expression on her face. “You’ve got a date.”

  The pair were almost nose to nose. “Yes. I do.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” Bailey pouted.

  “Because it’s new!”

  “Who is he?” She jumped on the bed on top of the pile of clothing.. “Ashley’s got a boyfriend,” Bailey sang as she picked up a blouse from the top of the discard pile.

  “Nobody you know,” Ashley replied.

  “You don’t know if I know him,” her sister retorted, “because you don’t know everybody I know.”

  “Point,” Ashley said with an eyeroll. “His name is Sasha.”

  “A poetic name. Sasha. It just rolls off the tongue.” Bailey giggled. “So, tell me about Sasha.”

  “He’s ...” Ashley hesitated trying to find the exact words to describe the essence of the man who had invaded her thoughts and her dreams, “dreamy.”

  “Dreamy? What, have you been watching 70’s sitcoms again?” She laughed at her sister’s description.

  “No. If you met him, you would totally understand.”

  “How’d you meet him?” she asked.

  “Salsa dancing.”

  “You don’t dance,” Bailey said, raising a brow.

  “I do now,” Ashley laughed.

  “Well, you have to do something about what you are going to wear tonight,” her sister said, picking through clothes on the bed and creating new piles atop the old piles. “Sexy clothes aren’t exactly your thing - also, hey, this is my shirt!” Bailey held up a blue tank top, frowning.

  Ashley laughed. “I know. All I have are work clothes and grubbies. But you can take that shirt back... I got my use out of it.”

  Ashley smirked as Bailey made a disgusted face and threw the blue shirt as far away from her as possible. “Keep it,” she said.

  Bailey spent a few moments looking through the piles again, trying to create style from the myriad of choices. As she did so, she told Ashley about the mess her life was currently in: she was up for a new job with a boss she has a crush on, her roommate was getting married and moving across town, and on top of several small grievances, all of that added up to an extremely stressful time in her life.

  Ashley listened closely, offering sympathy and advice as needed, forcing herself to keep her mind off Sasha and focus on her sister’s struggles.

  “I just don’t know what to do, Ashley!” Bailey complained. “Everything conflicts with each other in my mind. I could get an awesome new job, but that means I could never have a relationship with Mason because he’s my boss. I could try and find a new roommate, but that means I still will never truly be living on my own. I can’t make a decision! Make it for me?”

  Her sister pouted, and Ashley laughed. “I can’t make the decisions for you, Bay,” she said. “And I wish there was more I could do to help. I know it feels like a lot of change happening all at once, but sometimes change can be a good thing!”

  Bailey sat up, frowning. “So if all of a sudden you had the chance to live in a different country and leave everything you know behind, would you go?”

  “It depends on the situation.”

  “So that proves you’re not so great with change, either.”

  “That’s not fair, that’s a hypothetical!” Ashley laughed, taking a sip of her lukewarm coffee. Her thoughts strayed to Sasha again, the feel of his lips as he sent her off in the cab. “Plus, everything I will ever need is in New York. In your case, maybe you’ll be dodging a bullet by not being about to be with Mason, or maybe your next roommate will turn into your best friend. You never know.”

  Bailey sighed. “Decisions are hard.”

  Ashley gestured to the pile of clothes on her bed. “Tell me about it.”

  Her sister giggled. “I blame Mom for our indecisiveness.”

  Ashley thought for a moment. “Bailey, you should try picking up a hobby. Maybe that will help you take your mind off things, and give you an outlet for your feelings.”

  “I am not coming salsa dancing with you,” she replied, rummaging through Ashley’s mound of clothes. “I would make a fool out of myself.”

  “I meant painting or something, but it’s good to know that you’re a scaredy cat when it comes to new things.”

  Bailey lobbed a wadded up skirt at her sister’s head. Ashley dodged, laughing.

  Her sister suddenly made a sound of triumph as she held up a one-shouldered blouse. She dug out a bright scarf to accentuate the waist, and matched it all with a pair of jeans. “Try this.”

  Ashley caught the ensemble that was tossed at the foot of the bed. She tried it on and stared at herself in the floor length mirror hanging on the back of the bathroom door.

  She twirled to face Bailey, who was grinning from ear to ear.

  “Am I good or what?” Bailey laughed.

  Ashley had to agree. She had pulled together an outfit that was exactly right for going to the movies with Sasha. She hugged her sister tightly as she got ready to leave.

  “Sasha won’t be able to keep his hands off of you,” Bailey said with a smirk.

  “I hope not, he’s moving a bit too slow for my taste anyway!”

  The girls laughed together before Ashley gave her sister a long hug.

  “Things are going to work out, Bailey,” she said. “You’ll know the right path to take when it comes to you. Embrace the change, and find something you’re passionate about.”

  “Thanks, sis. Maybe I will stop by the craft store on the way home and pick up some fresh canvases or something.”

  As soon as Ashley shut the door after waving Bailey goodbye, thoughts of Sasha returned and butterflies erupted in her stomach. Now, all she had to do was wait.

  Chapter Five

  Movie Magic

  Ashley was so eager to see Sasha that she left her apartment early. She hoped that being early wouldn’t label her as desperate, but she also didn’t want to appear to be that girl who was late to everything. She stared up at the balcony of the original Empire Theatre. The architecture never ceased to amaze her. She stepped onto the escalator and rode to the top and waited.

  She tried to walk out her jitters as she looked down at the lobby below. The smell of popcorn wafted to her nose as she browsed the posters. She always loved the tub of popcorn and didn’t mind that she didn’t finish it because she could bag it up in a sandwich bag and take it with her as a snack. She imagined her fingers touching Sasha’s as they shared a tub of popcorn. Instead of just seeing the simple act of sharing a snack, an image of her
choking on popcorn and embarrassing herself crossed her mind.

  Nope. No popcorn today.

  Ashley shook off the image and caught a glimpse of Sasha as he stepped onto the escalator.

  “Ah, my lovely Ashley,” he said in his foreign voice as he reached and pulled her to his side.

  “Hello, Sasha,” she replied, her heart pounding. Suddenly, her throat was dry and closing up. It was now definitely a no on the popcorn.

  “Would you like popcorn or a snack?” he asked as he led her toward the concessions.

  “No, no thank you,” she said. She really did wish for popcorn, but she couldn’t risk it today. Spilling popcorn all over the place or, heaven forbid, choking on it!

  “Are you sure?” he asked.

  “Yes, I’m positive.” She smiled.

  He put his hand on the small of her back as he guided her toward their chosen seats. He grabbed her hand. The comedy was lost on both of them because Ashley was only aware of the man seated beside her.

  Sasha waited until the movie began. He put his arm around her and drew her into their first kiss of the night. His lips were soft and sure, and his hands were wrapped up in her hair, brushing fingers down her cheek. They were wrapped in a passionate world of their own making. They were oblivious to the laughter around them and the movie soundtrack. Their kisses melded from one to another, but Sasha kept the kisses chaste, never allowing them to get too deep or intense. Though Ashley was a little disappointed, she knew better than to climb into his lap in a movie theatre.

  Sasha and Ashley weren’t ready for the movie to end. The credits rolled. The lights came up, and he pulled her to her feet. In the light, his normally immaculate hair was tousled and his lips were swollen. Ashley smiled to herself, giddy that she was the one who did that to him. He winked at her, just like he did that first night they met, and they stode hand-in-hand out of the theatre.

  Chapter Six

  Ice Cream Twist

  As they stepped out into the lobby, Ashley could feel the cool breath of the frigid winter air invading the warmth of the theatre. Ashley wasn’t ready for the evening to end, and she was pleased to see that Sasha seemed reluctant to part ways as well.

  Even with the frigid winter chill, Times Square was bustling with people. Sasha took advantage and pulled Ashley closer to him. The lights around them beckoned them to continue their outing.

  “Are you willing to brave eating some ice cream on this chilly evening?” Sasha asked, smirking. A popular ice cream shop was just ahead of them across 42nd Street. It wasn’t as busy as normal because it was cold, but Ashley was hungry and ice cream was her weakness.

  “Sasha, it could be five degrees out here and I would still say yes to ice cream,” Ashley replied, giggling at the goofy grin on his face after she said his name. He did that every time; it was like he couldn’t get enough of hearing his name on her lips.

  They crossed the street hand in hand, led by the bright lights of Times Square. Sasha opened the door for her, and they wandered up to the counter.

  “What’s your favorite flavor?” Sasha asked, eyes on Ashley as she studied the menu.

  “You might think it’s plain like me, but I love the vanilla with the cool toppings.”

  Sasha’s stare was intense. “I don’t think you’re plain at all,” he said, voice low. He pulled Ashley close. “I think you’re the most interesting flavor on the menu.”

  Ashley blushed. “Keep saying things like that and maybe you’ll get a taste.”

  She couldn’t believe she was brave enough to say that, but she was rewarded when Sasha’s eyes darkened, his hungry gaze having nothing to do with ice cream and everything to do with Ashley and the extremely flattering pair of jeans she was wearing.

  Sasha couldn’t keep his eyes off of her even as he ordered his chocolate ice cream and added his own toppings, making suggestive little comments here and there that made Ashley’s face turn pink and turned her core molten.

  They ate the ice cream and kissed between bites. Ashley giggled when their chocolate and vanilla blended on their lips.

  “Twist is the best ice cream,” she declared.

  They finished off their ice cream, and they left the creamery behind. The wind was brisk, and the cool ice cream did make Ashley feel colder, but Sasha wrapped his arm around her and suddenly she felt like she was sweating.

  Sasha walked with Ashley to the train station, lingering outside its entrance.

  “I have to catch the E train to Queens,” Ashley said, hesitating.

  Sasha shook his head. “I don’t think I’m ready for that yet,” he said, and with a sexy growl, he pushed her against a brick wall in a darkened corner and kissed her, his lips desperate and hungry. He trailed his hands down her back, running them over her backside and lifting her leg up to hook around his waist. He pressed against her, crushing her against the wall and leaving trails of fire everywhere he touched. “Mmm, I just can’t get enough of your taste,” he said in between eager, open-mouthed kisses to her neck.

  Ashley kissed him back just as fervently, fisting handfuls of hair and tilting her head to the side to give him more access. She was breathless, dizzy and completely overwhelmed in the best way.

  That is, until a couple rounded the corner and stopped in their tracks, spotting Ashley and Sasha, and immediately turned around and went back the other way. Ashley and Sasha broke apart, laughing hysterically.

  Sasha kissed her on the nose. “Come on,” he said, “I should get you home.”

  Ashley’s face was frozen into a permanent smile, she was sure of it. Sasha waited with her for the train to arrive. He gave her one last long goodbye kiss, sweet with just a hint of the hunger he had displayed in the alley, and let their fingers slowly drift apart as she stepped away to get on the train.

  Ashley knew from that moment on that her heart had been stolen by Sasha. She couldn’t wait to see him again.

  Chapter 7

  To Dance or Not to Dance?

  A few days later, Ashley made a quick stop into her favorite vintage dress shop to find something new to wear to the Salsa Social, an event that Sasha had sworn she was ready for. After finding the perfect dress to wear in her favorite shade of vibrant pink, she completed the purchase and dashed out of the store. She had just enough time to get home, change, and do her hair and makeup before having to race to catch the train.

  She waited for Sasha to text her, half expecting him to call and confirm that she’d be at the Salsa Social. That call never came. She turned her phone off and back on to make sure that her phone was functioning properly. She even texted Megan, both to check on her friend and to check that her phone was working. If Megan’s immediate desire for all the details of Ashley and Sasha’s relationship was any indication, the phone was working just fine.

  Ashley tried to talk herself out of going to the Salsa Social since Sasha had made no effort to communicate with her after that blissful night out.

  She was sure that Sasha had felt the same fiery feelings that she had felt that night at the theatre. It couldn’t have been all one-sided emotion - in fact, Ashley knew it wasn’t. After all, he’d been the one to initiate that kiss against the brick wall. Ashley blushed just thinking about it.

  But, since he hadn’t texted, she decided she would go anyway. No need to not have fun just because the man had been silent for less than 24 hours.

  Ashley arrived at the Salsa Social to find Sasha already on the dance floor. Ashley ground her teeth in annoyance. He seemed to be deliberately avoiding her gaze, the same way he had deliberately ignored her texts. Worse, he was dancing with some other woman, someone confident in her steps and beautiful in her flowing green dress.

  Sasha was clearly the darling of the Social: everyone wanted to dance with him, and he never lacked a partner. If he’d been living in the Victorian era, his dance card would have been full before the Social began. He twirled his green-dressed partner until another in black appeared in his arms, and continued to dance with all
the women lining up around the edge of the dance floor.

  Ashley mentally kicked herself for wanting to cut in and claim him for her own. She debated leaving the Social entirely, forcing Sasha to wonder just where she had gone and who she had gone with. But she sat on the sidelines, dutifully waiting her turn.

  A gentleman in a blue shirt with dark wavy hair saw Ashley sitting all alone. He made a beeline for her. “May I have this dance?” he asked.

  Ashley smiled and agreed. He wasn’t as dreamy as Sasha, but he was adorable with dimples in his cheeks.

  Ashley introduced herself to her new dance partner.

  “My name is Andrew. Drew for short,” he said.

  “Nice to meet you,” she replied.

  The pair twirled across the dance floor. Drew was no slouch; he was almost as good a dancer as Sasha.

  They took their turn in the center of the dance floor, and Sasha’s wolfish wink at Ashley as she glided by spoke volumes. She fought back an eye roll. Of course, now that she was having fun with another man, Sasha would finally come running.

  After the music faded and that particular dance was over, Sasha was at her side, “I’ll have this next dance,” he said, leaving no room for Drew to argue. Once his hand was finally in hers, her chest pressed flush against his, all feelings of annoyance disappeared and all that mattered was him and the music.

  After the dance was over, Sasha led Ashley to the refreshments. He handed her a drink, gulped his own and then immediately left her standing as he spotted another dancer without a partner.

  Chapter Eight

  A True Friend

  Ashley watched him go, fighting back the jealousy she felt as he swept another woman up into his arms. She wished he could’ve at least kissed her on the cheek or told her to save him a dance before he dashed off. She wished he had made some kind of move that claimed her as his, so all the other women in the club knew to whom he belonged. But instead, Ashley was left looking at Sasha’s empty glass and wondering why she only got one dance with him.