Read Online Dance With Me by Heidi Cullinan - Free Book Online

strange. The music ended, but Ed didn't let Laurie go. And Laurie didn't pull away. Catching a glimpse of the clock on the wall behind him, Laurie realized he'd just spent more than an hour and a half between the class and the extra lesson dancing with Ed. Ballroom dancing. No flashbacks, no ridiculous overblown reactions. No aching memories of Paul. Just dancing. And Ed.
    “I want to come back,” Ed said. “I'll pay to take the class and bring my mom as partner.”
    Laurie said nothing and looked away. Say no. Say no. Say no . But he couldn't think of a reason to give as to why, and he knew Ed would want one.
    “Please.” Ed took a step closer, his expression pleading. “I swear I won't tease you anymore, ever.”
    Laurie lifted an eyebrow.
    Ed grinned. “Okay. I won't tease you much . But seriously, what do you say, boss? Can I come back?” He sobered a little. “ Laurie . Can I come back, Laurie?”
    Laurie gave up.
    “You can come back,” he said, “but you're not paying for anything. And in exchange for helping me with the class, I'll give you any other lessons you want gratis. Your mother can stay at home.”
    He regretted the last because it felt wrong after he said it, like he was coming on to Ed, and then he worried because he realized part of him was, if not to the man, then to the idea of dancing with someone again, which he knew was dangerous and very, very stupid. But Ed, privy to none of this, beamed.
    “For real? You'll teach me more stuff"—he did a quick rumba box in place, hips moving in rather decent Cuban motion—"like this?”
    “Yes.” Despite his own internal turmoil, Laurie couldn't help a smile. “But not tonight. I have to get home.”
    “Sure, sure. You got things to do.” Ed backed away, still beaming as he tucked his hands into his pockets.
    Laurie needed to get away from Ed and his silly grin. “So. I'll see you next week.”
    “Sounds great.” Ed winked.
    He's very handsome, Laurie thought, and then he swallowed. Hard. He needed to go home and soak his head. “Have a good evening, Ed.”
    “You too, boss,” Ed called, and saluted as he headed back for the door.
    “Laurie,” Laurie corrected him softly, and Ed didn't hear him, just sashayed out the door, Laurie watching until it closed behind him and he was gone.
    Later that night, Ed lay awake in his bed, pressing an ice pack to the side of his neck as he stared up at the ceiling.
    He'd gone to bed two hours ago, and he'd slept for a little while, but he'd lain on his neck funny, and now he couldn't sleep because it hurt. Once again, a full dose of ibuprofen had at best taken the edge off, so he was trying ice. Except there wasn't anything quite like ice to wake you way the fuck up. And since to ice his neck he had to lie flat on his back, he had nothing to do but think. Which meant he was thinking about the dance class, and he was thinking about Laurie.
    Ed did enjoy dancing. He always had, and he had taken ballroom as therapy, and he did like it. But Laurie's class had been different, and he didn't know why. Maybe because Laurie was so bristly? But that didn't explain why it was different. That just explained that Laurie was a head case. And he really was a head case. Goddamn, but twice Ed had thought Laurie was going to pass out. What the hell was he so worked up about?
    And why had he seemed so much better when he was dancing with Ed?
    The cold was starting to hurt, so Ed shifted the pack and laid his head back down again, but after a few minutes of not sleeping, he gave up. Sitting up, he turned on the light beside his bed, fumbled into some boxers, and padded out into the living room to watch some TV.
    He tripped over a laundry basket full of clothes, swore, and stubbed his toe on a hand weight that had fallen off the pile of junk on top of an overflowing dresser. Limping, he navigated his way more carefully the rest of the way through the darkness to his living-room area, where he fumbled with the lamp,