by Ruff, K. S.
My hand flitted to my chest. “Why? What…”
Cenia’s eyes widened. “Are those hickies?”
Heat flooded my cheeks. I’d been so busy admiring the dress, I had forgotten all about them. “Yes,” I confessed.
She spun me around. “My God! How many are there?”
I cringed when she lifted my hair. “Seventeen.”
She sucked in a breath. “Does that mean you…”
I tried not to smile as I turned back around. “Yes.”
Her eyes locked on mine. “And everything’s okay?”
I grinned. “Better than okay.”
She gave me a monstrous hug. “Thank God!” Cenia positioned me at arm’s length when she released me. Her head tilted as she examined the gown. “I think the dress might look better without the hickies.”
I laughed. “This dress is gorgeous. Do you think your other bridesmaids will like it?”
She pulled her cell phone out of her purse. “Let’s find out.” She snapped a couple of pictures and texted them to her bridesmaids, who lived out of state. “I have a feeling they’ll be asking more questions about the hickies than they will the dress.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m going to change while we wait for their replies.”
Her cell phone pinged before I could climb out of the dress. “Told you,” she said. “They want to know what’s up with all the hickies.”
I tugged my clothes back on and joined her in the hallway. “What’d they say about the dress?”
“They loved the dress.” She snatched the royal blue gown out of my hand as we walked toward the front of the store. “I’m going to get these dresses ordered and paid for. Then we’re going shopping… at Babies ‘R’ Us.”
My eyes shot to her stomach.
“Not for me! For Rafael!” she cried indignantly.
I was too dumbfounded to speak.
“I’m getting that man a pacifier. Next time he tries to latch onto your neck, you shove it in his mouth. There will be no hickies on my wedding day. Do you understand me?” she lectured sternly.
“He doesn’t normally do this,” I protested. “The only reason he did it was because Maxim was in town.”
“Maxim,” Cenia mumbled. She appeared to be flipping through some internal Rolodex.
“The guy from the Russian mafia,” I whispered.
Cenia’s head whipped around. She scrutinized the other patrons in the store before grabbing my arm. “Here? That guy was here?”
I couldn’t have stopped the eye roll if I’d tried. “Well, not here here. He was at my house.”
“You let him inside your house?” she screeched. “So what was Rafael doing? Marking his territory?”
I nodded. “Pretty much.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Why?”
I sighed. “Because Maxim kissed me.”
Cenia shook her head. “Forget Babies ‘R’ Us. We’re going out for drinks, and you’re going to spill every last little detail.”
I laughed. “That sure beats shopping for pacifiers.”
She handed the dress to the sales clerk, and turned to face me. “You know, one of these days, you’re going to write all this crap down, publish a book, and produce a best-selling novel.”
I nodded. It was, sadly, just the sort of book I’d want to read.
* * * * *
I strode into Shae’s office. “I was hoping you would tell me, but you haven’t… so I’m just going to ask.”
Shae set her pen down. “Ask what?”
I lowered into the chair across from her desk. “What’s wrong with Chance?”
She eyed me warily. “Why do you ask?”
“He’s not whistling anymore. His muscles are all bunched up, and his face is taut, sort of like this mountain lion I ran into in Montana,” I replied.
Her eyebrows shot up. “You ran into a mountain lion?”
“Don’t change the subject,” I growled.
She huffed out a breath. “He hasn’t been the same since Konstantin arrived. He’s camping out in the hallway again. He makes disgruntled sounds through the door whenever Konstantin comes over. He said I’m undermining his ability to do his job by hanging out with thugs.”
“I don’t think that’s the only thing you’re undermining,” I muttered under my breath.
She folded her arms across her chest. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
I studied my friend. “Chance likes you. If you’re renewing your relationship with Konstantin, then that undermines Chance’s ability to have a relationship with you. Are you and Konstantin…”
Shae shook her head. “No. I’m… It’s just… I’m not ready.”
“Totally understand,” I assured her. “So, what are you and Konstantin doing when he comes over?”
“Talking mostly and playing Scrabble. We haven’t been spending a lot of time at the house. We go out to dinner and take long walks along the river,” she replied.
“Is he good at Scrabble?” I asked. Konstantin didn’t strike me as a Scrabble kinda guy.
Shae scowled. “He keeps complaining that my Scrabble set doesn’t have all the letters in the Russian alphabet. He cut little squares out of a note card and wrote down all the missing letters. He keeps insisting on playing those letters even though it locks up the board. I can’t play words off that! I can’t form English words off letters and symbols that aren’t even in our alphabet!”
My eyes widened. Shae seemed genuinely disgruntled. I started laughing. “That’s… unfortunate,” I finally replied.
Shae narrowed her eyes at me. Then she began laughing.
“Is Konstantin still planning to leave on Sunday?” I asked when the laughter subsided.
“Yes. He’s heading back to Ukraine on Sunday. I don’t know if he’s going to move here. He’s still exploring his options both in and outside the mafia,” she confessed.
I leaned forward in my seat. “Just promise me you’ll try to mend things with Chance when Konstantin leaves. I’m not telling you to end things with Konstantin, but I do think you should consider a relationship with Chance. He likes you, he’s super cute, and he’s a really nice guy.”
“I’ll think about it,” Shae said with a sigh. “How’s your research coming along?”
I perked up. “Good. There are definitely some environmental issues at play here. India is building sixty-seven hydroelectric dams in Kashmir's glacier fed rivers in direct violation of the Indus Water Treaty. India needs this electricity, but the resulting water shortage will compromise Pakistan's agricultural industry, reduce water for human consumption, and threaten the stability of Pakistan. The conflict over Kashmir is driven in large part by India and Pakistan’s efforts to control these water resources. I suspect the end goal is the same for the Kashmiri insurgents and Al-Qaeda. Both are wreaking havoc in this region.”
Shae made a couple of notations on her notepad. When she glanced up, she looked a million miles from surprised. She leaned back in her chair. “The Taliban and Al-Qaeda roam freely in the Northwest Frontier Province. There are over two million refugees living in that area. Most of these refugees lack clean water, food, and shelter. Violent crime is rampant. Women and children are being physically and sexually abused. Women are being forced into prostitution and some are being forced to sell their children. The border between Afghanistan and Pakistan is porous. That area is a breeding ground for terrorist recruits, especially for the Taliban.”
I shook my head sadly. “Two million refugees? Why aren’t we seeing this in the news?”
“The media could care less about the refugee crisis in Pakistan. They’re too busy riling everybody up over our missteps in Afghanistan,” Shae replied.
I took a deep breath and blew it out. “The media and our policy makers need to step back and look at the big picture. This entire region is on the verge of collapse.”
“Tunnel vision is never a good thing,” Shae agreed.
I studied my friend. “The war in Afghanistan will co
mplicate things for us. Our team is going to face some serious trust issues in Pakistan. Between our economic ties and all the foreign aid we pour into India and all these recent drone attacks, Sammi and Cory won’t be viewed as impartial. They’re going to have a hard time gaining their students’ trust.”
Shae nodded. “I think they’ll have a much easier time in India.”
I glanced at the time on my cell phone and leapt from the chair. “The team meeting’s in five minutes. I need to finish writing my report!” I glanced at Shae as I hustled toward the door. “Please consider what I said about Chance.”
“I will,” she replied. She chuckled at my hasty retreat. “I’ll see you at the team meeting,” she sang out as I bolted down the hall.
* * * * *
“What, no bodyguard tonight?” Kadyn ribbed when I traipsed through the door.
I grinned. “Nope. Rafael dropped me off outside the studio. He agreed you were perfectly capable of keeping me safe for the next sixty minutes.”
Kadyn smiled. “Finally, something we can agree on.” He pulled me in for a hug. “How was Montana?”
“Therapeutic,” I replied. “Everyone asked about you.”
“I can’t believe you beat us here!” Cenia exclaimed, bursting into the room. Roger followed in her wake.
The four of us exchanged hugs. “Rafael asked me to invite all three of you to join us at Cosi when the dance lesson is over. We’re going to make s’mores,” I announced. “They have these table top burners that allow you to roast marshmallows right inside the restaurant.”
Cenia glanced at Roger. “What do you think?”
He shrugged. “Sure. You know me. I’m always up for chocolate.”
“Sounds fun,” Kadyn agreed.
I smiled gratefully. Kadyn’s feelings toward Rafael had come a long way since Ukraine.
A petite blond woman stepped out of the back office. “Is this everyone?” she inquired as she strode haughtily across the dance floor. She was wearing a black strappy leotard, black leggings, and a long black and gray wrap skirt that billowed behind her like a giant puff of smoke.
The four of us gaped at her. “Yes,” Cenia responded, filling the awkward silence. “I’m Cenia. This is my fiancé, Roger, and our friends Kadyn and Kri.”
“My name is Katia,” she announced. Her tone suggested she might be in love with her name. She slipped her delicate hand in ours before eying our feet with disdain. “Dance shoes. You, all of you, must be fitted for dance shoes. Come, Come! Anton will be here any minute.”
“There are special shoes?” I repeated a bit dazedly.
“Yes, of course,” Katia replied. She turned on her heel and strode toward the office. We trailed a few feet behind so we wouldn’t get caught in her skirt. She waved toward a mountain of boxes that were piled behind the desk in her office. “These shoes will give you the flexibility and the support that you need. Our women’s shoes are available in black, white, silver, or nude. Our men’s shoes are available in black or brown.”
“I need a size ten in black,” Roger replied.
Katia arched a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at Kadyn.
Kadyn met her inquisitive gaze with the stoic look he had perfected at some point in his childhood. “Black. Size eleven,” he replied.
She pulled two boxes from the center of a stack and handed them to Kadyn and Roger. Her movements were so fluid the stack didn’t even wobble when the other shoes slid into place.
I looked at Cenia. I was debating between silver and nude.
“I think you should go with the nude,” Cenia suggested.
“Size eight in nude,” I confirmed for Katia.
“Size seven in white,” Cenia added hastily.
Katia handed us the shoes. “I want you to bring these to every practice so we can break them in before the wedding.”
Cenia and I sank onto the floor so we could strap the delicate but sturdy sandals onto our feet. Kadyn and Roger laced up their shoes and helped us back onto our feet.
“Did you bring the music?” Katia asked after we paid for the shoes.
Cenia pulled a CD out of her purse. “Yes. Roger and I will be dancing to ‘When You Say Nothing at All’ by Alison Krauss. Our entire wedding party will be dancing to ‘What a Wonderful World’ by Louis Armstrong.”
Katia accepted the CD with a regal nod. “A waltz should work beautifully for both songs. Ah. Here’s Anton.” She gave Anton an air kiss beside each cheek when he joined us.
Cenia and I exchanged glances. Neither of us understood the motivations behind air kissing. I’d always speculated that people kissed the air because they couldn’t bring themselves to touch one another. Anton was causing me to question this theory, because he was now caressing Katia’s arm.
We introduced ourselves to Anton while Katia slid the CD into the stereo. Anton had a slender build. He was impeccably dressed and a bit too elegant for my blood. He seemed perfect for Katia, though. She stood a little taller than Anton with her high heels on. She was very pretty, and she had the kind of posture you’d expect from a professional dancer. Still, there was something about her that rubbed me the wrong way. I suspected it was the air of self-appointed nobility.
“Let’s begin,” Katia said with a little clap. “Ladies, please approach your partners.”
I tried not to giggle as I stepped up to Kadyn.
He grinned.
“Gentlemen, place your right hand on your partner’s shoulder blade. Ladies, rest your arm on his so that your hand is resting just below his shoulder. Now, gentlemen, hold her right hand in your left, extending both of your arms out in an elegant line. Arms should be even with your shoulders,” Anton directed. He demonstrated the position with Katia.
“No looking at your feet,” Katia instructed. “Ladies, you need to trust that your partner will steer you where you need to be. Chins up, heads held high.” She held her chin up and out at some ridiculous angle I was not willing to duplicate.
Anton stood a little taller. “Gentlemen, you will begin with your feet together. On three counts, you will step forward with your left foot, step to the right with your right foot, and then close by bringing your left foot to the right. You will then step forward with your right, step to the left, and close. Those are the basic waltz steps for the men.” He and Katia walked through the steps three times.
“Now for the ladies,” Katia announced melodically. “Backwards with the right foot for one, to the left side for two, then close with the right on three. We’ll repeat that pattern… step, side, close, step, side, close… throughout the duration of the music.” Again, they demonstrated the steps.
Anton smiled. “You need to ensure you are bending and straightening your legs on the right counts as well. You will bend your knees on one, straighten on two and three.” Their bodies rose and fell across the floor like a gentle wave. “Down, up, up. Down, up, up,” Anton chanted as he whisked her around the floor.
“Okay, let’s begin.” Katia pushed a button on a remote control device, which she had tucked inside her left hand. The room filled with the gentle strains of an acoustic guitar.
Kadyn smiled. He tightened his hold on my back, squeezed my hand, and stepped forward as Allison Krauss began to sing in a pure, sweet tone.
I tried to anticipate Kadyn’s moves, but I was having a hard time following his lead. I wanted to step forward. I could barely walk, let alone dance, backwards.
“You need to bend more in the knees, Kri. Relax. Feel the music,” Katia called from across the room.
My cheeks heated. “Sorry, Kadyn.”
He offered me an encouraging smile. “You’re doing great, Kri. Try not to worry about where we’re going. I’m not going to let anyone run into you. Focus on my hands. I’ll push and pull you where you need to be.”
I nodded as I recommitted myself to the process. Once I started paying attention to Kadyn’s hand signals, I didn’t have to worry about where to place my feet. I gradually began to relax.
&
nbsp; Kadyn’s eyes met mine when the CD rolled into “What a Wonderful World.” “Now this brings back memories,” he murmured softly.
“New Year’s Eve with Freddy Cole and Dizzy Gillespie,” I recalled with a knowing smile. Kadyn and I had danced to this song amidst silver, gold, and white balloons in the main foyer of the Kennedy Center shortly after their concert.
Kadyn skillfully maneuvered me around Cenia and Roger. “Everything was so much simpler then.”
I gazed up at him. His warm brown eyes looked unspeakably sad. I quickly glanced away. “Yes, it was.”
“You smiled more,” he noted.
“So did you,” I remarked.
Kadyn sighed. “What I wouldn’t give to roll back time.”
My feet rooted to the floor. How many times had I wished for the very same thing?
Kadyn’s eyes softened as he took a step closer to me. Had I released my breath, our chests would be touching.
Katia and Anton broke the spell cast by Kadyn’s words. I glanced at Kadyn, confused, when Anton suddenly whisked me away. I knew why I longed to roll back time… to undo everything that had happened in Ukraine. It sounded as if Kadyn wanted to erase a larger portion of my life, the portion that included Paris, Michael, and Rafael. I thought Kadyn had accepted my relationship with Rafael, albeit grudgingly. Now I wasn’t so sure.
By the time Anton settled me back inside Kadyn’s arms, I was thoroughly perplexed. Kadyn’s face was unreadable. In fact, he was wearing that trademark look he was famous for. I tried to ignore the questions swirling around inside my head. I focused on my friends instead. Anton was dancing with Cenia now, and Katia was dancing with Roger.
By the end of the evening, we were all dancing more fluidly. Katia and Anton promised to teach us some twists and turns at our next lesson. We took a few minutes to tug our street shoes on before exiting the dance studio.
Rafael was leaning against the side of the building, with one foot propped casually against the brick wall. He pushed off the building and wrapped me in his arms. “How’d it go?”
“Kadyn survived the lesson without suffering any serious injuries,” I noted jokingly. I planted a chaste kiss on Rafael’s lips before freeing him up to greet my friends.