by Laura Conway
Dancing The Night Away
Laura Conway
All Rights Reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, including scanning, photocopying, or otherwise without prior written permission of the copyright holder.
Copyright © 2019
Chapter 1
Spencer Sandoval wiped down the black marble bar as two more people came in and ordered a drink. Club Pink was by no means New York’s hottest gay bar, but even though it was a Tuesday night, they were already as busy as they would be on a typical Friday or Saturday night. She opened two bottles of ice-cold beer for the two guys at the bar, giving them a friendly smile as they told her to keep the change.
Spencer tucked a lock of her black hair behind her ear as she surveyed the room, a hum of chatter in the air mixed with the thumping beats of the Latina playlist she’d put on. There was no DJ tonight, but that was because they were trying something new, salsa classes. It had been Spencer’s idea, so she wasn’t surprised when her stomach did flip-flops all evening while she worked her normal shift.
The class wasn’t starting for another forty minutes, but the bar was comfortably full, and she hoped there would be enough room on the dance floor for everyone. Rainbow colored fairy lights covered the ceiling, strung from one end of the room to the other, and almost every booth was occupied. This could actually work.
When Spencer brought the idea to Karen, her manager, she knew she was taking a risk, but Tuesday nights were normally so quiet, she argued that they didn’t have much to lose. That was easy for Spencer to say though. She was just one of the four bartenders Karen employed. She didn’t have to worry about the bottom line, although she’d been here the longest of all the staff.
Has it really been twelve years?
She’d started working here just a few days after her eighteenth birthday, desperate for a job, and Karen had been so welcoming to her, so much more than a boss. She’d almost been that mother figure she never had.
Speaking of Karen. She was on the small stage that was just a foot above the dance floor, talking with the instructors that Spencer had found, Carlos and Julia. Spencer glanced down at her black watch, willing for her shift to be over. Thirty minutes to go. She was looking forward to joining in, but she needed to find someone to dance with.
Spencer served another customer, handing her a glass of red wine along with her change when her eyes locked onto the blond-haired woman who just came in. Her straight hair flowed over her shoulders in layers, and she was wearing a white sleeveless blouse with skinny black pants. Spencer knew she was staring, but how could she not?
As the woman got closer to the bar, Spencer drew in a shaky breath. She was not hallucinating. Delaney Meyers was only a few feet away, and Spencer needed to pull it together because she’d probably have to serve her. Spencer gripped the edge of the bar, needing something to hold on to as her teenage crush sauntered towards her.
Was crush even the right word? What do you call the person that made realizing you were gay so much easier because you became so infatuated with them that you forgot all about the fear of being different from everyone else? Spencer didn’t know, but Delaney Meyers was that person for her.
When she was fourteen, she came across a legal drama while flipping through the channels one Saturday afternoon during the summer. She’d already moved onto the next channel, but the image of the woman on the screen made her go back, the woman’s piercing blue eyes drawing her in, and Spencer never missed an episode after that. She knew they were re-runs of a show that had been canceled years before, but she didn’t care.
It probably sounded a bit dramatic, but that show had saved her. It took her another year to realize that she was attracted to this woman, and other women of course, but for some reason, her infatuation with Delaney Meyers made it easy to accept that she was gay. She’d never fallen for a friend or anyone from school. She’d been too busy crushing on Delaney.
As she got closer, Spencer swallowed the lump in her throat. This was actually happening. Sixteen years after Spencer first discovered Delaney Meyers, here she was, just a few feet away, in New York City, her eyes on Spencer. She did some quick math in her head. Delaney would be forty-six now. She’d been in her early twenties when she was on that show, and although she’d definitely aged, she was more beautiful than ever.
“Hi,” Delaney said as she rested her arm on the bar. “Can I get a glass of Shiraz, please?”
“Sure,” Spencer said, feeling like she was having an out-of-body experience, but she managed to find the right bottle of wine and poured her a glass. “Are you here for the salsa class?” she asked, her heart hammering in her chest.
“Thanks. Yeah, I’m not sure if I’ll get to join in though. I came solo,” she said, giving her that half-smile that brought Spencer right back to that summer. “So, I’m hoping to find someone to dance with, but we’ll see.”
“I’m sure you’re not the only one here without a partner.” Spencer grabbed a nearby cloth and polished the already sparking bar. She glanced down at her watch. Twenty-five minutes left on her shift. Surely, Karen would let her finish early.
She took a quick glance around the bar and calculated that she had enough time to make a dash for Karen’s office. She knocked on the open door, and Karen looked up from her laptop.
“Hey. Is it okay if I finish a few minutes early?” Spencer asked.
Karen sat back in her chair. “It’s packed out there.”
“I realize that... But that’s only because of my genius marketing campaign.”
“And you want to be rewarded by finished twenty minutes early?” Karen guessed after she checked the clock on the wall.
“Okay. Well... Imagine that Rachel Weisz just walked into this bar.” That got Karen’s attention, her eyebrow quirked. “And she’s interested in partaking in the salsa class, but she doesn’t have a partner. That is happening to me right now, out there,” Spencer said, pointing down the hall towards the bar. “I need to get out there and ask her to dance.”
“So, Rachel Weisz is here or...?”
“No. But her equivalent for me is. Delaney Meyers. She’s at the bar, or at least she was five minutes ago.”
“Who?” Karen asked.
“She’s a not so famous former TV star. Karen, I’m begging you. Please.”
“Go ahead,” she said with a wave of her hand and a smirk as she got up. “I’ll cover the last few minutes of your shift.”
“Thank you! You have no idea.”
Spencer almost jogged back out there, wishing she was wearing something more attractive than her all black work attire. She rolled the sleeves of her button-down shirt up to her elbows and ran a hand through her hair as she searched the busy bar for Delaney. She wasn’t at the bar anymore. Spencer’s eyes darted around the room, praying to whoever might help her that she hadn’t already found a partner.
Spencer spotted her in one of the booths, sitting across from two men who looked about her age. The muscular of the two men had his arm around the other.
Wait, why was Delaney Meyers in a gay bar?
Spencer froze for a second but shook it off. It didn’t matter what she was doing here or what her sexuality was. Spencer was not going to miss the opportunity to ask her favorite actress to dance. As she was debating what to say, Carlos was on the microphone, asking everyone who was going to participate in the class to come out onto the dance floor.
Karen turned off the music from behind the bar, and Spencer weaved her way through the crowd, going in the opposite direction as almost everyone in the bar made their way towards the dance floor. The lights came up as Spencer squeezed through, and there was Delaney, sitting on her own in the bo
oth.
Spencer swallowed the lump in her throat, her hand shaking as she brought it up to her hair, tousling it and taking a deep breath as she crossed the room. Delaney’s eyes were on her, and Spencer managed a nervous smile.
“Still looking for a partner?” Spencer asked, and Delaney returned her smile.
“You’re not working?”
“I’m just finished.”
“Okay,” she said, bringing her wine glass to her lips and finishing it. “Let’s go.”
Delaney slid out of the booth, and Spencer remembered to breathe. They found a spot at the back of the dance floor that didn’t leave them much room, but from the little research she’d done, Spencer knew that you were supposed to take small steps and be able to dance in a tiny space. It also meant Delaney would only ever be a few inches away from her.
“I’m Delaney by the way,” she said, extending her hand.
“Spencer. Nice to meet you.” She shook Delaney’s hand, maintaining eye contact as their hands slid away, and Carlos got everyone’s attention.
“Welcome,” Carlos said as the crowd hushed. “My name is Carlos, and this is Julia. I hope everyone can learn a few things about salsa tonight and that you’ll come back for the next five weeks. We’re going to start working on your rhythm right away and get the step down, but before we begin, can everyone find a partner? This is a mixed class. Men, feel free to dance with another man. Same for you ladies.”
Spencer felt a smile tugging at her lips. When she’d suggested it to Carlos over the phone, she could hear in his voice that he was a bit taken aback by the suggestion, but he’d agreed. This was a salsa class in a gay bar. There was no way she wanted anyone here tonight to feel like they couldn’t dance with whoever they wanted to.
“So, you’re happy to dance with me?” Delaney asked.
“Absolutely. I’m a complete beginner, by the way. Do you still want to dance with me?”
Delaney smiled. “I have no idea what I’m doing either. I did take a class before, but I had to dance with a guy, and I just didn’t feel comfortable being led. Is it okay if I lead? You know, when we get to that part.”
“Sure. I don’t mind,” Spencer said, her mind already drifting off, wondering how it would feel to have Delaney’s arm wrapped around her waist. She took another deep breath. She had no idea how she was going to get through this.
The funny thing was, this was so out of character for her. She never got nervous around women. When she was working, she charmed women from behind the bar, and on her nights off, she wouldn’t hesitate to introduce herself. She wasn’t used to this. Her fingers tingled, and her stomach kept churning. Maybe once they got started, she’d calm down.
Carlos turned on some music and stood alongside Julia as they demonstrated the basic step. “Alright, let’s get started. Keep your steps small and don’t be afraid to count in your head.”
Spencer glanced around the dance floor. Everyone was standing on their own, some looking down at their feet as they tried to follow along with the music. Carlos’s voice kept a steady count.
“Step, step, step, pause. That’s it,” Julia said. “Keep your feet under your body. Step, step...”
It wasn’t long before Spencer felt comfortable enough to see how Delaney was doing. They shared a smile as they moved to the music, keeping their steps small as Carlos had recommended, and it actually made it easier to stay in time with the music.
The first half of the class flew by as they focused on the step and following the music.
Carlos walked around the room, stopping to help anyone who was unsure. “Excellent. I know this is probably boring but getting the basic step down is essential. In the second half of the class, we’ll try some moves with your partner. Let’s take a quick break,” he said, turning down the music so everyone could chat for a few minutes or get a drink.
Spencer ran a hand through her hair. She needed a drink, but one look at the bar told her that she had to get behind it. Karen wouldn’t be able to handle the crowd.
“Hey,” Spencer said, her hand on Delaney’s arm. “I have to give Karen a hand behind the bar. I don’t think she was expecting a crowd this big. Do you want anything? I’ll be back in time for the second half.”
“I’m okay. I think I need to have my wits about me for the partner stuff,” she said with a half-smile. “I’m a little bit clumsy.”
“I doubt that. You’ll be fine... I’ll be back in a few minutes,” Spencer said, reluctantly leaving Delaney at the edge of the dance floor.
Chapter 2
Delaney smiled as Spencer came back just as Carlos and Julia started demonstrating as a couple. Tonight was a pleasant surprise. When Matt and Jay had asked her to come with them tonight, she had extremely low expectations. She didn’t think she’d get to dance at all, and even if she did, she didn’t think she’d enjoy herself. The last time she’d tried salsa, it had been a complete disaster. That was probably ten years ago, but she didn’t think tonight would be any different.
How wrong she’d been. They hadn’t started dancing properly yet, but even going through the basic steps had gone a lot smoother than it had last time, and now she was going to be leading Spencer, the bartender with an amazing smile.
When Delaney had first walked in and ordered a drink, she thought that maybe Spencer recognized her. There was a glint in her caramel eyes, but Delaney knew Spencer was too young to have seen her on TV. She was probably in her late twenties. She would’ve only been a kid when it was on.
Not many people recognized her, and Delaney wouldn’t have it any other way. She got to spend a few years acting, fulfilling a childhood dream, but she could go about her life now without being stopped on the street or being asked for her autograph. She’d auditioned for one of the leading roles on that show, and she’d been disappointed to get one of the supporting parts, but it had been a blessing in disguise.
Carlos’s voice brought her back to the moment. Spencer was looking at her, and Delaney wondered if she was as nervous as she was. She’d just met this woman an hour ago, and now she’d be sliding her arm around her waist.
“Let’s give this a try,” Carlos said, helping everyone get into position. “Remember your posture and eyes up. No looking at your feet.”
Spencer took a step closer, giving her a warm smile. “Ready?”
Delaney nodded. “I hope I’m not awful.”
“You won’t be,” Spencer said, lightly resting her left hand on Delaney’s shoulder and holding out her right, waiting for Delaney to hold it.
Delaney swallowed down her nerves. Her right hand glided over Spencer’s black button-down shirt, resting in the middle of her back. Her left hand held Spencer’s, and they both stood like that, gazing into each other’s eyes as they waited for further instruction.
Delaney couldn’t remember the last time she felt like this, that tingling sensation running through her body, that anticipation of what might happen next. She’d spent so many years in the closet, worrying about her career, and auditioning for roles, always looking for her big break, but it never came. She’d hid her sexuality for nothing, and now, at forty-six, she was wondering if she’d let her life pass her by.
Surely, it was too late to find someone she could be serious with, and it definitely wasn’t going to be with someone like Spencer. As beautiful as she was with her silky black hair flowing across her shoulders and that confident smile that gave Delaney heart palpitations, she was too young, and Delaney imagined that she enjoyed her job as a bartender here. She probably flirted with the customers and used that charming smile to her advantage.
Delaney didn’t want to be with someone new each night. That was one of the reasons she’d been reluctant to come tonight. The few times she’d found herself in a gay bar, she’d been invited back to someone’s hotel room or apartment after one or two drinks. That just wasn’t her style, although her body was telling her otherwise. Right now, the appeal of that sort of arrangement was evident, but that was proba
bly because she had an attractive woman in her arms, literally.
Delaney didn’t know how long it had been since she was with someone, but it was easily years. That was all this was, a reminder of what it was like to have someone so close to you, practically breathing the same air.
They spent a few minutes practicing the basic step but as a couple now, with Delaney taking the first step forward and Spencer moving backward. They fell into an easy rhythm, and Delaney realized she wasn’t counting in her head, her mind on Spencer, the scent of her perfume drifting into her space as they continued to move to the upbeat music.
“Sorry,” Delaney said when she mixed up her feet, dropping her head as she smiled to herself. She definitely needed to keep counting.
“It’s okay. Sorry, I can’t talk while we’re dancing,” Spencer said, her hand brushing Delaney’s hair away from her neck, sending a shiver through her body, as they got ready to start again. “I have to count.”
“Me too.”
Carlos and Julia stopped the group to give another demonstration, showing everyone how to perform a turn, walking them through what the lead had to do and what their partner should be looking out for.
Delaney instantly missed having Spencer in her arms, but she quickly pushed those thoughts away. Tonight was proving to her that Matt and Jay were right. She needed to get back out there. She was clearly desperate for attention.
Spencer turned to face her, running her hand through her black hair, and Delaney found the movement surprisingly sexy. Spencer’s hair had that mussed, sexy look now as she took a step closer and rested her hand on Delaney’s shoulder.
“They make it look so easy,” Spencer said, giving her a lopsided smile as she put her hand into Delaney’s.
Delaney gave the turn a go as the music started again, but for some reason, once she started moving her arm, she couldn’t keep her feet under control. It was one or the other, and it took them almost ten tries to get it right, but Spencer was laughing along with her as they both made mistakes.
