“It doesn’t matter if you were a dance school dropout. There’s no plies or leaps involved with the waltz, so I think we’re safe.”

“Famous last words,” I grumbled.

AJ walked over to the stereo system and grabbed a remote. After flicking through a few choices, he decided on one. Taking the remote with him, he made his way back over to me. Grabbing my hand, he dragged me closer to the wall of mirrors. “First, I’ll show you how to do the steps on your own, and then we’ll put it together, okay?”

“Whatever you say, Master.”

“Ooh, I kinda like you calling me that. Very kinky.”

I rolled my eyes. “Get on with it.”

“Okay, so here’s what you’re going to do. First, go back with your left foot.” Once I stepped back, AJ commanded, “Now bring your right foot to the side.” “Now bring the left one together.” He motioned to my image in the mirror. “Okay, try it, and let me see.”

Trying not to break a sweat with my concentration, I repeated the steps AJ had taught me. “Good. You’re a fast learner.”

“Thank you.”

“Ready to try it together?”

“Sure.”

AJ clasped one of my hands in his, bringing our arms out straight out. Then he brought his other hand to rest to the side of my shoulder blade. When my gaze locked with his, he winked. “As much as I’d like to get extra close and personal with you right now, you’re just going to put your other arm on my shoulder.”

“Oh, you mean we’re not going to be doing the Down and Dirty Waltz?”

“That’s for later.”

I grinned. “Whatever.”

“All right. Let’s do this.”

The moment AJ brought his foot forward, I forgot about stepping back, and instead, I brought the heel of my pump down on his toes. “Fuck!” he cried, breaking our embrace.

“Oh God, I’m sorry.”

With a grimace, he shook his head. “It’s okay.”

“You sure?”

“Mia, I’d be a real pussy if a little high heel to toe action took me out, don’t you think?”

I laughed. “I guess.”

“Let’s go again.” His arms came around me, and I clasped my palm in his. “Remember, step back.”

“Got it.”

The next time I managed to execute the entire step perfectly. “Nice job, cariño,” he complimented.

“Thanks.”

“Think we can try it with music now?” When I bobbed my head, AJ took the remote out of his pocket and reset the song. “Ready. Five, six, seven, eight…Slow, quick, quick slow.” I managed to keep up with him, even when he turned us side to side as we waltzed around the room.

“See, you’ve got it in the bag.”

“Miraculously,” I replied, still concentrating on steps that seemed so effortless to AJ.

“I am a good teacher.” When I glanced up at him, he wagged his eyebrows.

“Do you ever stop?”

“Nope.” He leaned in closer to me. “And trust me, once I get started, you’ll be begging me not to.”

A burning fire rippled through my lower-half, but I quickly played it off. “We’ll see about that.”

“Okay, now, I want to teach you the rumba.”

I grimaced. “You mean the whole waltzing shit wasn’t painful enough?”

AJ shook his head with a smile. “The waltz is the stepping stone—a traditional and formal dance, but the rumba is more a dance of passion and desire.” At my hesitation, AJ added, “I’m just going to show you the American style for tonight. I don’t want to make it too complicated for you.”

“I think we passed complicated the minute you suggested it,” I groaned.

Grasping my chin in his fingers, he replied, “Quit whining and let me teach you.”

“Fine.”

“Like before, I’m going to show you the steps first.” AJ stepped closer to the mirror. “So you step out on one foot, and then when you bring the other together, you’re going to kinda pump around on your feet and then slide the other foot away again to repeat the process.”

As he moved, my eyes honed in on the flourishing movements of his hips. With his blazer off, I could see his back muscles flexing through his shirt. Moist heat burned between my legs from watching the way the rhythm moved so effortlessly through every inch of him. My mind couldn’t help wandering from the dance steps to what those hips and shoulders might feel like moving above me, my hands running up and down his corded back muscles as he thrust in and out of me…

AJ’s voice brought me out of my fantasy. “Got it?”

“Huh?”

He laughed. “Come on, Mia. This is the easiest part I could show you without blowing your mind with the complications.”

“It wouldn’t take much.”

“Let’s try it together.” Once again, he took the remote out of his pocket. He flipped through several songs. When a sultry, Latin beat came from the speakers, he shoved the remote back inside his pocket. He then slid his arm around my back while the other went to clasp my hand. He waited for the music to pick up at the right place. “Slow. Quick, quick, slow,” he instructed, his breath fanning across my cheek.

While the rhythm rippled easily through AJ’s body, I wasn’t quite getting the upper body flow or the swishing of the hips.

“Keep your frame locked, don’t slouch.”

I rolled my eyes. “Jesus, I feel like I stepped into Dirty Dancing.”

AJ laughed. “I don’t think I’ve ever been likened to Patrick Swayze, but hey, I’ll take it. The man had some serious moves.”

As I looked at AJ’s body, so built and muscular with its fluid movements, my stomach rolled with nervous energy. I glanced at my reflection in the mirror and shuddered. I couldn’t do this. My head was starting to swim with old insecurities rapidly taking over my pretense of sexy and strong. There was no way in hell I looked graceful. Beads of perspiration had started to pop out on my face and chest from both my exertions and anxiety. Dancing, or attempting to dance, was so not me. This was a huge fucking mistake to even attempt it with someone like AJ.

“AJ, I can’t do this. I’m completely robotic compared to you!”

“No, you’re not.”

“I tried to tell you before that I just don’t have it in me.” I dropped my arm from his shoulder and started to stalk off, but AJ tightened his grip on my hand before whirling me back against him.

“Yes, you do have it in you, Mia. And I’m going to show you.” He turned me to face the mirror before sliding behind me. His hands came to rest on my shoulders. “First of all, you’re way too tense. You need to loosen up. You have to let the music flow through you.” His deft fingers began massaging my neck and shoulders. His dark eyes locked on mine. “That’s it. Let the tension go. It’s only you and me here. No one is judging you.”

“But you—”

He shook his head. “You’re the one doubting yourself, not me.”

AJ’s fingers slid down, teasing along my clavicle. I felt the muscles in my neck and shoulders go limp. My eyelids started fluttering closed as he continued massaging me. “Mia, when will you get it through your thick, stubborn, Sicilian skull that your body is made for dancing…and for fucking?”

I popped my eyes open to stare open-mouthed at his reflection. He winked at me before leaning down to kiss my cheek. “Turn your head, and give me your mouth, Mia.”

Although I wasn’t one for commands of the non-dancing kind, I obliged. AJ’s warm lips crushed against mine. As he deepened the kiss, I felt my tension releasing as I melted into him.

He pulled away, and I had to fight not to whine in protest. “Now for the lower half.” His hands slid down the side of my body, slightly catching the sides of my breasts, before coming to grip my hips. His hands rose up and down on my flesh, causing my hips to roll forward and backward. “That’s right.”

When he eased up on his grip, I kept up the same pace of undulating my hips. “Very nice.” He met my gaze in the mirror and grinned. “See, you don’t suck.” Keeping his eyes locked on mine, he slid his hands slowly back up my torso. My breath hitched when they paused above my ribcage to tease the underside of my boobs. Surveying my reaction, he then splayed out his fingers to fully cup my breasts.

I raised my brows at him. “And when did groping second base get added to the rumba?” I questioned breathlessly.

His head dipped to nuzzle my neck. “It’s all part of my rumba.”

“I see.”

“Do you like it?” he asked, as his thumb and forefinger pebbled my nipple over the dress’s fabric.

“It’s not bad,” I managed to croak out, despite my rapidly fluttering heart, not to mention my jittery, rubbery legs. I had reached a new level of Heaven. AJ’s fingers were divine.

“Hmm, ‘not bad’? That’s not exactly good, is it? Guess I better work on my moves.” His right hand released my breast and trailed down my side before coming to rest between my legs. “Think I might be able to sell you on third base better?”

A shudder rippled over me as he cupped and stroked me over my dress. Even through the fabric, I could feel the heat of his fingers. “Pretty good.”

“That’s what I like to hear.” When his hand left me, I moaned at the loss of sensation. In a flash, AJ was tugging at my hemline. My eyes widened when I watched his hand trail up my bare thigh.

Trying to steady my erratic heartbeat, I sucked in a breath when his hand delved into my panties. “AJ—”

“Don’t fight it. Just feel.” His fingers stroked my clit, causing me to whimper. My gaze darted over to the door, fearing that at any moment the instructor was going to walk in on us. As if he could read my mind, AJ said, “Don’t think about her. Just think about what my fingers feel like against your warm, wet pussy.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but AJ silenced me by sliding two fingers deep inside me. “Oh God,” I murmured. A little whimper escaped my lips at the delicious way he felt pumping his fingers while thumbing my clit. My eyes locked on AJ’s hooded gaze in the mirror. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t tear myself away from looking at what he was doing to me.