Chapter 19 #2
“I did. I do. But books have always been my safe place and it was hard to choose being out in the world over being home with a book. I knew if I worked hard enough, I could ace a test. But there are so many variables outside in the real world. It’s a lot.
” Hayes is a rule follower. He has a tremendous amount of integrity, but that quality also made him rigid and unyielding.
Being with him here, breaking the rules, makes me understand him on an even deeper level than I thought I already had.
“So, what made you change your mind and come to the party?” I ask.
He doesn’t say anything for a few seconds. His face turns serious and he bites his lower lip as if he’s replaying the memory, and then his teeth release his lip and he grins.
“Your jeans,” he says, sitting up and leaning in toward me.
I pick up my wine glass and take a small sip but let the rim linger on my mouth a few seconds beyond what is necessary. “My jeans?” My voice full of playful na?veté.
“Brady, don’t play innocent.” He wags his finger at me and then presses my nose.
“You know the exact pair I’m talking about.
The ones you got at that vintage store with the waist so low you could see your ass crack in the back and even more skin in the front.
They’re a deep blue indigo with pale yellow stitching on the pockets and at the bottom and about two sizes too small for you. ”
A man who does not know the difference between khaki and brown describes them perfectly. “Oh, those jeans.” I nod my head, but we keep our eyes connected. “You mean the ones I called my ‘Come-Fuck-Me, Hayes-Jeans.’”
“Is that what you called them?” A deep throaty laugh escapes. Now his eyes are glued to mine. I never told him the name of those jeans but that’s what I called them. The same way you call a winning racehorse Champion.
“You left my room and I couldn’t think about anything else.
And it’s not just that you looked hot in them.
You did, but it was so much more than that.
You wore them like… I don’t know… like you were made for them.
You had this incredible energy. Totally uninhibited.
I thought if I could be a part of that for even a few seconds…
if I could spin in your orbit. That was such a turn-on.
” His eyes drop down to look at my ass so I sit up and push it out, at first just a little, but then I let the wine do its job and push it out even further, so it’s very obvious.
“You didn’t care who saw you in them. In fact, you wanted people to look. That blew my mind, and I when I got to that frat house there you were in the middle of the party, shirt open, jeans so tight I though the buttons would pop off. Gyrating and jumping to that Kylie song.”
“That was the first night we…”
“Yeah, it was. But not just because you looked so hot. It was more your attitude and how you felt about yourself and how you carried yourself in the world. That’s what I found so irresistible.
” He’s talking to me about feelings I’ve never heard before, and it’s exciting but also scary.
He must realize he’s letting his guard down since he looks away, sits up and adjusts his shirt.
Isabella appears. I was aware she was snapping pictures at the beginning of the evening but I totally forgot she was here once the music took over.
“Isabella,” Hayes says, and gets up to kiss her on both cheeks. “The music is wild.”
“Flamenco is very powerful,” Isabella says. She has her bag over her shoulder.
“Come join us for some of the Manchego,” I say, gesturing to the plate of small triangles on the table.
“Gracias. But Aisha wants these uploaded tonight. Plenty for me to go back and upload. Have a nice night,” she says, and leaves.
The music stops and Manu returns to the center of the dance floor, this time with his arm around Esmereldo.
“Now. I would like to introduce you to the bolero.” The music begins again, this time soft yet intense.
Manu says, “Esmereldo and I will demonstrate. The flamenco is fire. Sharp. Bursts of passion. A solo dance. But the bolero is after the sparks have been set. Smoldering.” The word comes out of his mouth slowly, his accent in full force.
“Gentle, graceful and smooth. It’s a partner dance of seduction. ”
Manu opens his arms and Esmeraldo joins him with their hand on Manu’s shoulders.
I look over at one of the guitarists beginning to play a gentle rhythm on castanets and when I look back it’s as if Manu and Esmereldo have melted into each other.
Their movements are so elegant and graceful and they move as one.
Esmereldo sweeps the floor in a circle with their foot as their head rests on Manu’s shoulder.
They circle the dance floor as a combined force, gracefully embodying the melody of the musicians.
The music stops; the couple takes a few seconds to return to the moment.
We all politely applaud. “Now this is a partner dance, but queer Spanish dance is about expanding definition. You can choose one person or two or more if you want and we can find a way to make all combinations work. Or you can enjoy watching from where you are.”
Manu knows how to make everyone feel comfortable.
I don’t know what I thought a queer dance class would be but it’s nice to see how it’s based on old traditions with a greater emphasis on belonging.
I take a sip of wine and settle into the banquet to watch the couples experiment with this new dance style.
But Hayes gets up from the table and faces the door. Has he had enough of the dance class? I was surprised by how much he let go, but I guess he has reached a limit. With Isabella gone, there isn’t any other reason to stay. We are here for work.
“Do you want me to call a car, or do you want to walk back to the hotel?” I ask. He turns around, lowers his chin so his eyes pierce the shadowy light and says something I am not prepared for.