Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 95019 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95019 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
“Now your other hand goes on my shoulder,” he says.
As I follow the instruction, he gulps, not making eye contact as he begins counting. I try to follow the movement, and he steps on my toe.
“You have to actually follow,” he says.
“Whoa, whoa, I’m the student. You can be patient with me.”
“You’re right, sorry. I’ll go slower. The way I learned it, don’t try to pay attention to my feet, but feel when I’m shifting my weight, and that’s how you’ll know which leg to step back with.”
“Okay…”
We start again, and Marty counts out loud. We fumble a bit to start, but gradually, as I start to realize what he’s doing, he gets a little less self-conscious, and we manage to make a complete circle.
As we continue, I can’t help but notice the way he’s counting, his gaze shifting around as he clearly stresses about his movements. It’s kind of adorable.
The thought catches me by surprise and throws me off-balance, and he steps on my foot again. As I halt, he practically slams up against me, face into my chest. After he recovers, he glances up at me.
“You good, man?” I ask.
As I study his face, I notice the pink in his cheeks. But my gaze settles on his mouth—those smooth, thin lips.
“Those are pretty lips.” I figured I was thinking that in my head, but it comes out of my mouth, and his eyebrows shift quickly, his forehead creasing.
“What did you just say?”
“I was only making an observation. I mean, you have some qualities girls would be attracted to, and that’s one of them.”
Yeah…that’s a good excuse. Not really sure why I was thinking it, let alone saying it.
“Oh…” he says, nodding. “Maybe we should call it a night on the tango lesson. That’s a good start, and we can practice some more until you get the hang of it.”
“Sounds good.” As he pulls his hand away, my thumb lingers against his flesh, caressing. He’s got nice, smooth skin too.
“So now you gonna give me a tip or a pointer or something?” he presses.
“Patience, young Jedi.”
His head tilts slightly. “You like Star Wars?”
“You kidding? I used to watch them all the time as a kid.”
“Like…The Phantom Menace?” he asks, like that wouldn’t have counted.
“No, like A New Hope, Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi.”
“Hmmm…interesting.”
“What? Did you think a dumb jock couldn’t be a fan of Star Wars?”
“You never bring it up.”
“There’s a lot of things we haven’t brought up since we’ve gotten to know each other.”
And it seems a stretch to even suggest we know each other.
“That’s a fair point,” he says, “but I just showed you some moves. What happened to the whole I show you something, you show me something? Is this the part where you say you duped me and piss me the hell off?”
“Relax. There’s a party on Friday, and there’ll be lots of girls around. I’ll show you then. In the meantime, maybe a couple of nights this week, you show me more of this.”
“Wait, a party? You’re gonna throw me into it like that? I’m not making you compete in a tango championship to start with.”
“I got you.” I rest my hand on his shoulder. “Where do you think Keegan got his moves from? Not to brag, but I know what I’m doing.”
“Yeah, I guess,” he says, as though still waiting to find out this has all been a prank.
“Come on, you gotta shower off, and I’ve gotta get to bed. We have a long, painful journey ahead of us if we’re gonna make you fuckable.”
“Shut the fuck up. At least I know you’re not gonna be any less of a pain in the ass.”
“A pain in the ass? Excuse you. I’m the pain in the ass.”
This earns a smile from Marty, and I’m kind of proud I managed that much from a guy who’s usually barking away at me. It makes me think that despite our differences, he might not be as unbearable as he sometimes acts.
10
Marty
“Mart! Over here!” Ryan shouts from across the yard.
I’m on edge, and not only because the TaskFrat Challenge earlier involved wrestling with a bunch of guys in a pool full of Jell-O.
I’m suspicious as hell about my agreement with Ryan.
This must be a trick to get me back for having his ass placed on probation, which was one of the reasons I shut his idea down at first, but as he pushed, I realized this could work in my favor. If it is a trick, then I won’t have my documentation for his nuisance behavior, but bullying, if that’s what he’s planning, for that he deserves to have his ass kicked out. Still, I hoped Ryan was sincere about his offer, and not only because I spent two nights this week showing him what I’d learned in class (three if you count the first night when we made the agreement).