by Laura Conway
Chapter 19
Even though Spencer wasn’t working tonight, she went to Club Pink early to chat to Carlos and Julia to see what they had planned for next week, and if there was anything she could do to help. She slid into the booth across from them.
“Don’t worry about it,” Carlos said, giving her a warm smile. “It’s all organized. We’ve got a good band coming. Just be here and enjoy yourself. And as for the competition, I doubt that there’s anyone who’s going to even come close to the level you and your partner are at.”
“Thanks,” Spencer said, heat flushing her cheeks.
Julia had her arm around Carlos’s shoulder. “How long have you two been together?” she asked. “You can always tell couples who are more than dance partners,” Julia added. “There’s this extra spark.”
“Not very long,” Spencer said as she ran a hand through her hair. “We met here actually.”
“Really?” Julia asked, her smile infectious. She turned to Carlos. “We need to start charging extra,” she said with a laugh. “How many is that now?”
“I don’t know. Dozens. I couldn’t keep track.”
“So many people have met at our classes,” Julia said. “By the end of the six or twelve week class, there’s always at least one couple who’ve met there. It’s amazing. I don’t know why I’m still surprised by it though.”
“Wow,” Spencer said. “I had no idea, and I definitely didn’t expect it to happen to me. Anyway,” she said glancing down at her watch. “I’ll let you get ready.”
Spencer went back to her seat at the bar and asked Karen for another glass of wine. She felt confident enough with her dancing skills to have that extra drink. She wouldn’t have in week one or two, but even though she knew she was improving, she was more nervous tonight than any other night.
She sighed thinking about what had happened since the last class. That walk on the High Line had been magical, watching the sun set with Delaney and ending up back at her place. Seeing the way Delaney wanted her, the desire in her eyes... It had Spencer on such a high.
But tonight was the first time she’d see Delaney since all that happened, and a small part of her worried that something might have changed, that Delaney might think the age gap was too big of a deal, that she’d regret sleeping together.
Karen stood on the other side of the bar pouring her a glass of Shiraz, waving her off when she reached into her pocket. “It’s on the house, Spence. I still can’t believe this,” she said, looking around the bar. “Five weeks in a row. I gotta hand it to ya. I really did not think this was going to work.”
Spencer took a sip of wine. “I’m surprised to. I thought it had a chance, but I didn’t think it would be this popular. Next week could be even bigger, you know, with the band and everything.”
“Is that your actress?” Karen asked, her eyes on the door behind Spencer.
Spencer turned to see Delaney coming in, followed by Matt and Jay. Matt caught her eye and gave her a wave. Delaney didn’t see her. She was busy talking to Jay, both of them laughing as they found one of the last free booths.
Delaney looked amazing in gray jeans that hugged her curves and a black v neck top that revealed a hint of cleavage, her blond hair flowing across her shoulders.
Spencer’s stomach churned. Every time she saw Matt, it reminded her that she needed to talk to Delaney. She didn’t want to screw this up, and Spencer knew that meant being honest with Delaney. It was easier said than done though.
“So, how’s that going?” Karen asked, wiping down the bar as she spoke.
Spencer couldn’t keep the smile off her face. “It’s going well. It’s new,” she added as Karen met her eyes. “But, I’m crazy about her.”
Karen was about to say something, but a group came over to the bar to order cocktails. Spencer brought her glass to her lips. She should probably go over to their table, but she couldn’t help but feel uneasy around Matt. They’d known each other for years, and Delaney had no clue how or why they’d met. She wondered how much Matt knew, if Delaney had told her friends about them.
Spencer felt a warm hand on the small of her back, sliding over her hip, but it was gone again in a second.
“Hey,” Delaney said with a smile as she pulled up a bar stool and sat down beside her.
“Hi.” Spencer still felt like all of this had to be a dream, but Delaney was here, sitting next to her, one hand on Spencer’s knee as she leaned in to lightly brush her lips across Spencer’s.
Her eyes fluttered open to meet Delaney’s. No. This wasn’t a dream. This was happening right now, and by the looks of it, Delaney hadn’t changed her mind. She was practically glowing as she smiled at Spencer.
Karen came over to her, breaking the spell.
“Hi,” Delaney said, turning her attention to Karen. “Can I get a Shiraz, please?”
“Sure.”
When Karen came back with her glass, Spencer introduced them before she had to go serve more customers.
“So, you get along with your boss?” Delaney asked as she took a sip.
“Yes. She’s like family, really. I started working here more than ten years ago, and she’s just been amazing. I didn’t know anyone when I moved here... She helped me find a place to live, gave me a job even though I had no experience, and I wasn’t even old enough to get behind the bar.”
Delaney nodded as she listened, but Julia’s voice on the microphone cut their conversation short.
“Do you want me to leave you glass over at our table?” Delaney asked as she stood.
“Please. I’ll get a spot.”
Their fingers touched as Spencer handed Delaney her glass, and somehow that simple touch sent her pulse racing. She didn’t know what was going to happen later, if they were going to leave the class together, but Spencer was going to struggle to make it to the weekend, although she did have the promise of a midweek practice before the competition next week.
Spencer got their usual place at the back corner of the dance floor, and Carlos put on some music straight away, telling them to freestyle to prepare them for next week. Delaney joined her, as Spencer started moving to the music on her own. Delaney fell into rhythm with her, dancing forward as Spencer moved backwards, until Delaney swept her arm around her waist and pulled her into the first turn.
Spencer caught Delaney’s eye before she led them into the next turn, and they shared a smile as Delaney turned Spencer first, then herself, before her arm returned to Spencer’s waist.
She didn’t know when it happened, but both of them danced more freely, their hips and their arms naturally moving to the music, like they’d been doing this for years.
Spencer ended up in Delaney’s arms as Carlos lowered the music and talked to them about the next move they were going to demonstrate. Spencer’s breath was ragged as she took a step back, her hands still on Delaney’s shoulders. She met Delaney’s eyes as they caught their breath and reluctantly pulled away, turning to focus on Carlos and Julia.
Spencer swallowed as she tried to concentrate. She’d told the two people she was closest to that she was crazy about Delaney, but that didn’t even begin to cover it. She was falling, hard and fast, and even though this was the most fun she’d had in years, that anxiety was still there. She still had to tell Delaney that she was a fan of hers, that she’d known her name before Delaney had introduced herself. She couldn’t put it off any longer. She had to tell her tonight.
Chapter 20
Delaney followed Spencer into her apartment. A tiny living area was to their right with just a love seat and a TV in the corner. To the left was a basic kitchen with white cabinets. A few bottles of wine lined the counter underneath them along with a bowl of fresh fruit.
“So,” Spencer said, closing the door behind them. “Zoey’s away for a few days. She’s gone to Maryland to visit her family, but I’d love if you met two could meet when she gets back.”
“Absolutely,” Delaney said, leaving her bag beside the couch.
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br /> “Drink?”
“Wine would be great. Whatever you have is fine.”
“Shiraz?” Spencer asked, turning one of the bottles on the counter to read the label.
“Perfect.”
“Have a seat,” Spencer said as she uncorked the bottle and poured them each a generous glass.
Delaney sat down, crossing one leg over the other. The salsa class had been something out of a dream. They danced so well together already, but all of sudden it felt like they knew what they were doing. They were able to move seamlessly from one move to the next without calling out the name of the turn or making a mistake.
If she thought they had chemistry before... Tonight, it was off the charts. Delaney couldn’t stop smiling as they danced, and she loved having her arm around Spencer’s waist, leading them as they moved to the music.
After the class, Spencer sat with them at their booth, having another drink with Matt and Jay before she suggested getting a taxi here. Matt was right about her. She was mature, and there wasn’t really any reason to worry about their age difference. Delaney knew Matt was right about telling Spencer what was going on with her too. That had to happen tonight.
Spencer sat down beside her, handing Delaney her drink. “Cheers,” she said, lightly clinking their glasses together.
“Cheers,” Delaney echoed. “We were pretty good tonight.”
Spencer laughed. “Pretty good? I thought we were fucking amazing.”
Delaney chuckled. “Okay. We were.”
“I was chatting to Carlos and Julia before the class. They thought we were a couple.”
Delaney’s eyebrows arched.
“I mean, they thought we were together for years. I told them we’d just met, at the class, and apparently, that’s not unusual. They’re practically matchmakers.”
Delaney took a sip of wine. “So, we look like a couple.”
“Yeah... Are we not?”
“Well, I’d like to think so, but we’ve been on one date, so I didn’t want to jump to conclusions.”
Spencer smiled, her dark hair falling across her eye as she glanced down. “Okay, maybe it is too early to start naming this,” she said, motioning between them. “Forget I said anything,” she said as she took another drink.
Delaney leaned forward to put her glass on the coffee table. She reached for Spencer’s hand as she got comfortable again. “I like you, Spencer. A lot. Probably more than I should considering we’re only just starting to get to know each other.”
“You don’t regret the other night?”
“No.” Delaney moved closer, her hand on Spencer’s cheek as she gently caressed her soft skin with her thumb. “Not for a second. I’m not backtracking. I’m just saying that this is new, and honestly... I’m scared,” she said with a sigh. If tonight was going to be a night of confessions, she might as well spill them all.
“Why?” Spencer asked in just above a whisper.
“Because I’m falling for you, Spencer. Because I don’t think I’ve ever felt as alive as I have when we’re dancing together, when you’re in my arms. It just feels... Right.”
“Yet scary.”
Delaney nodded. “But I’m not going anywhere,” she said as she leaned in, tilting her head as she pressed her lips against Spencer’s.
Spencer’s lips fit so perfectly against hers, and Delaney didn’t know why that continued to amaze her. Of course, they would. They seemed so compatible on almost every level.
Delaney’s body hummed with desire as Spencer’s lips parted, and their tongues met in a slow, sensual kiss. Her hand left Spencer’s cheek, gliding into her silky hair, her fingers raking against her scalp as she deepened the kiss.
Spencer’s hand was on her thigh, her fingers just inches away from the heat between her legs, but Delaney pulled away, breaking their kiss. She knew if she didn’t slow this down now, she wouldn’t be able to, and she needed to talk to Spencer before they ended up in her bedroom.
Delaney’s hand fell to her shoulder, sliding down to her arm and taking Spencer’s hand in her own. “I need to tell you something.”
Spencer took a deep breath. “I have something that I want to talk to you about, too.”
“If I don’t say it now, I might lose my nerve,” Delaney said as she sat back, her arm draped across the back of the couch.
“Okay. What is it?”
Delaney couldn’t miss the tremor in Spencer’s voice. She better start talking before Spencer thought that this had something to do with them. She cleared her throat. “Okay... This is hard for me to talk about, but I don’t want to keep anything from you,” Delaney started. “I have some anxiety issues,” she said in a rush.
Spencer’s hand covered hers as she took another drink.
“Right,” Delaney said with a sigh. “I should start at the beginning. I used to live in L.A. I was an actress. I did a few TV shows, nothing too serious, but we had loyal fans. One of them was a guy who often turned up at media events or sometimes even on set. He was charming, funny. He didn’t do that typical, you know, fan thing. He spoke to me like I was a normal person.”
Spencer sipped her wine as she waited for Delaney to continue.
Delaney took a deep breath. “So, I started getting packages towards the end of my career. They were romantic in nature. Letters, gifts, phone calls, the works... The police investigated, and it turned out to be that guy. I couldn’t believe it. I thought he was harmless, genuine.”
Spencer had paled as Delaney recounted the worst years of her life.
“Anyway, I’m a writer now, but sometimes, people still recognize me. It happens less and less, the older I get, but I had a fan approach me the other night when I was out with Matt, and I almost spiraled. It just brought it all back.”
“I’m so sorry that happened to you,” Spencer said, her thumb caressing the back of Delaney’s hand.
“I wasn’t prepared for it. I wasn’t a movie star. I was on a legal drama, and I wasn’t even one of the leads. But it happened, and I’m still feeling the effects of it. I thought I was over it, but clearly, I’m not, and I just thought you should know... You know, if it happens again, at least you’ll understand.”
Spencer nodded as she took a deep breath.
“What was it that you wanted to tell me?” Delaney asked, picking up her wine glass and taking a gulp. It did feel good to have it out there, for it not to be a secret.
“I um...” Spencer ran her hand over her face. “Sorry. I just can’t believe that that happened to you... So, I wanted to tell you,” Spencer said, her voice trailing off. “I wanted to tell you about my past. About why I didn’t want to talk about my family before.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah,” Spencer said, although her voice quivered. “So, I think I mentioned that I wanted to learn how to salsa, because my grandfather was Cuban. That was my father’s father. He died before I was born, and my dad died when I was fourteen.”
Delaney bit down on her bottom lip. “I’m so sorry, Spencer.”
“I have one younger sister. She was four at the time, so she doesn’t remember him at all, but he was a great father. I have a lot of good memories.”
“How did he die?”
“Heart attack.”
Delaney sucked in a breath.
“We were in shock for weeks after,” Spencer continued. “My mother barely got through the days, so I grew up fast. I got a job when I was sixteen and started helping out. I knew I was gay, and I should have been more careful...”
“How do you mean?”
“She was a friend. One night we were watching TV on the sofa, and two women had just kissed, and she turned to me and asked me what it was like to kiss another girl. She knew I was gay. She was the only person I’d told. Anyway, I said I didn’t know. I’d never kissed anyone... And she just leaned in. It could have been a really nice moment, but my mother picked that exact time to come into the living room, and well, she freaked out.”
“Shit.�
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“Yeah. She’s always been religious, so that wasn’t a great night. My friend was practically thrown out. We got into a huge fight after she was gone.”
Delaney blinked back tears as she watched Spencer wipe away her own. Her stomach was in knots as she waited for the rest of her story. Did her mother throw her out? Had she been homeless?
“So,” Spencer said, her voice shaky. “The next thing I knew, two days later, I was being shipped off to gay conversion therapy.”
Delaney swallowed the lump in her throat as she squeezed Spencer’s hand. That was the last thing she’d been expecting to hear. How could someone do that to their own child?
“Sorry,” Spencer said as she wiped away her tears with the back of her hand. “I uh... I don’t talk about this. Well, I used to. I went to a group... Anyway, that’s another story. So, I somehow managed to get through it, and when I got back home, I kept my head down, finished high school, and just left. I hated leaving my sister behind, but I couldn’t stay. I couldn’t even look at my mother. I went through absolute hell because of her,” Spencer said, her jaw clenched as she shook her head. “It was so unnecessary,” she said with a sigh. “Anyway, I got to New York.”
“Oh my God,” Delaney whispered, wiping away the tear that trickled down her cheek.
“I stayed in a hostel for a few days, but I needed a job, and I don’t know, I guess I just wanted to be around people that were like me, so I wandered into Club Pink and convinced Karen to give me a chance. She said no at first. I was too young. No experience. But I came back three days later. I was down to my last few dollars, and I all but begged her for anything, mopping floors or standing out on the street with a sign. Anything...”
“I’d hate to think about what would have happened if you hadn’t found her.”
“I don’t know, but Karen saved me, on so many levels. She gave me the job that got me through my first few months in the city. I found a decent enough place to live, but it was her friendship that really helped me. So yeah,” Spencer said with a sigh. “That’s why I didn’t want to talk about my family, and maybe that’s why I’m trying to learn how to dance and speak Spanish. I guess, I’d always hoped that if my father were alive, he never would have let that happen to me, but who really knows...”