Page 12 of Until You Came Along

“You dance very well,” I said.

“I do everything well, and there’s something I do super well that you decided to miss out on,” he said, looking at me with a smile.

“Don’t start,” I scolded him, and he laughed again.

At that moment we turned and I found myself face to face with green eyes that were looking at me seriously. Hermes was talking with a group of men and while drinking his champagne, he couldn’t take his eyes off me.

Why is he looking at me like that? Is he upset because I came to his house?I wondered, but preferred not to mention it to Baco.

“What a sweet voice the girl singing has, don’t you think?” I commented.

“She’s singing Norah Jones songs because she’s one of my mother’s favorite singers. I suppose Hermes requested a whole repertoire of her songs to please Mom. He’s always thoughtful about those details,” Baco commented.

“Do you think he’s bothered that I came? Because he looked at me very seriously.”

“Oh, gorgeous, as my best friend… actually, you’re my only friend, you’re going to be around my family and you’ll have to get used to Hermes’ seriousness. I told you I’ve rarely seen him smile.”

“If you say so.”

“Still, let me tell you that I don’t think he’s looking at you like you’re an insect. I think he’s looking at you for what you are, a beautiful woman.”

I didn’t say anything and we continued dancing in silence for a few minutes while I felt Hermes’ gaze upon us.

“Your mother is very nice,” I commented.

“She is, and also a wonderful hostess. Even though this is Hermes’ house, I assure you that every guest will feel grateful to her for her hospitality and friendliness.”

“I don’t doubt it. She made me feel welcome even though I was terrified of your brother.”

“Why are you so worried about Hermes?” he asked, looking at me curiously.

“Not worried, but I am in his house, and let me remind you that the other day I kicked him out of mine.”

Baco looked at me in surprise and burst out laughing.

“I didn’t know you kicked him out. I missed that part and would have loved to see his face,” he said, still laughing.

At that moment I looked back to where the host was and spotted him talking with a woman who was seductively caressing the lapels of his tuxedo. The woman was around 35 years old, tall, slim, and pretty. Her skin was tanned, though it seemed like an artificial tan, and she was wearing a very tight, short gold dress. Her hair, dyed a very light blonde, contrasted with her skin color. I tried to forget about them and forced myself to lookaway from the couple. The singer began to sing “Come Away With Me,” also by Norah Jones.

“This song is very beautiful,” I said.

“Look at my mother,” he said, nodding toward her. “She’s dancing alone because she loves this song.”

“Go ask her to dance,” I suggested. “Don’t let her dance alone.”

“You don’t mind?”

“Not at all, go to her.”

Baco walked away toward his mother, and I began to walk off the dance floor with a smile as I watched mother and son dancing happily. Someone stopped me by taking my hand.

“May I have this dance?”

That question left me paralyzed. That was Hermes’ sensual voice, I had no doubt. I raised my face to him and found his serious gaze, but for the first time I noticed that it wasn’t a seriousness caused by anger, but rather by uncertainty about my response. He was looking at me with such intensity that I had lost my voice and felt myself weakening.

“Shall we dance, Delfina?” he asked again, and when I heard my name from his lips, my stomach did a flip. Besides, it was the first time he had addressed me informally.

I could only nod. He took me by the elbow and led me back to the dance floor. He looked at me and put his arm around my waist, drawing me toward him, and with his other hand he brought one of my hands to his chest. I raised my free hand to his shoulder and we began to move slowly. His closeness was too disturbing, but the sensation I felt being in this man’s arms wassomething I had never felt before, and I must admit that it made me tremble from head to toe.