Chapter Ten
As we round the final cluster of bushes, shouts of ‘Surprise!’ and ‘Happy birthday!’ greet me, and I grind to a halt as I notice a huge banner floating in the wind. ‘Happy 30th birthday, Kat’ it reads.
I cover my mouth with a hand. Oh my goodness. This is a surprise birthday party. This is why there are so many people here.
I turn to Dexter, whose eyes crease.
‘Sorry. Nicolás told me to get you out of the way so they could finalise things.’
The ping on his phone. That was Nicolás recalling us.
‘Happy birthday, Kat.’ Oscar and Nicolás come over and hug me. Ed is close behind with Gloriana, who smiles. ‘They’re terrible, aren’t they? Welcome to the club.’ She hands me a glass of champagne. ‘You’ll need this.’
I thank her as Carlos calls everyone to order, and the forty or fifty people assembled, many of whom I now vaguely recognise from the sanctuary, fall silent. He has the magic touch.
‘Kat hasn’t been with us very long– in fact she doesn’t officially start until tomorrow– however, you know how I feel about my gut.’ He pauses and someone shouts. ‘We know you like to feed it doughnuts.’
‘Ha ha. Consider yourself on cage-cleaning duties for the rest of the week.’
Bursts of laughter and applause break out in response.
‘As I was saying–’ Carlos clears his throat ‘–my gut never fails me and I know Kat is going to fit right in with our little sanctuary family. Isn’t that right, Dexter?’
Dexter gives a start then coughs. ‘Absolutely.’
I grin at the flush that has crept up his face. Good. Not only I turn bright red when caught unawares.
Carlos beams at us all. ‘So, can you all raise your glasses in a double celebration? Happy thirtieth birthday, Kat, and welcome to the Costa Punta family.’
Everyone clinks glasses and repeats the toast as my face burns and I down my drink in one.
The music changes from calypso to salsa, and Luciana and Oscar take to the makeshift dance floor to the side of the swimming pool. You can tell Luciana’s the native and Oscar the learner, but wow, he would score highly on Strictly . I’m impressed. I’ve always thought salsa dancing was so sexy. I even watched Dirty Dancing with Becca a few times, as apparently it’s a cult classic. Patrick Swayze wasn’t half bad, and oh my God, did he have presence.
Even though Luciana and Oscar aren’t together and since I’ve recently found out Oscar’s with Nicolás, it doesn’t detract from my enjoyment of watching them dance, although my brain is quick to replace them with me and Dexter practising the fancy footwork.
Oscar spins Luciana and she branches off on her own to riotous applause, before she ends up back in his arms, then he dips her until I feel a twinge in my back at the degree she’s angled at. I don’t consider myself unfit, but I certainly won’t be attempting that manoeuvre anytime soon.
The track finishes and as a new one begins, Nicolás cuts in. ‘My turn.’ He grins at Luciana, who bows out gracefully only to immediately be accosted by Dexter, who whisks her back onto the floor as the music picks up its pace, the rhythm of their dancing increasing as the music builds to a crescendo.
Oh crap, I’m in trouble. He’s gorgeous, kind, funny, can dance salsa– he’s Irish, how can he dance salsa? Maybe it’s innate. Maybe he’s halfway related to Michael Flatley and his mentor was good at all types of dance not just Riverdance. He’s also my boss.
But as he twirls and dips Luciana, I can’t take my eyes off him. It’s completely mesmerising. I’ve always found men who can dance incredibly sexy, and I don’t mean those who can dance to dance music or hip hop, but to sexy, sensual salsa. I think it’s the build-up. It starts slow, with the tap-tapping of the feet, until it reaches a climax, and every time I see someone dance salsa, I want to learn how to do it. It’s the same with flamenco. A girl can dream, can’t she? It’s the brooding moodiness of the man then the passion coming out in the dance.
‘Kat, you OK?’ Javier asks.
I gasp and take a step back as if he has burned me.
He throws his hands up. ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.’
I shake my head. ‘No, you didn’t. I was just daydreaming.’
He stands, hands loosely in his pockets, but as if he is gearing up to say something.
I glance at him and arch an eyebrow, hoping that will push him on to spit out what he’s trying to say, as he definitely has something on his mind.
He catches my eye then blows out a breath. ‘I’m not very good, embarrassingly, but would you like to dance?’
Now it’s my turn to throw my hands up. ‘Eh, no thanks. I have no idea what to do.’
He grins. ‘Well, that makes two of us, and since salsa is Costa Rica’s number one dance and I suck at it, it’s got to be more embarrassing for me than you.’ He leans forward slightly. ‘And I was kind of hoping that since you’re not local, you wouldn’t notice how terrible I am.’
His self-deprecation is endearing. I eye him suspiciously. ‘You’re sure you’re not good?’
He nods vigorously. ‘Positive.’
‘Fine then.’ I hold out my hand. ‘You’ve convinced me.’
His smile lights up his face as he takes my hand. ‘You won’t regret it.’
I think I already am, I want to say, as he whisks me onto the dance area. I may want to dance like a native, but I’m not even good at dancing to wedding reception music, and everyone knows nobody cares how you dance to Abba, Queen or The Weather Girls.
We spin past Luciana and Dexter; the latter does a double-take then his eyes glint their approval.
I try to hide my embarrassment with my hair, and hope the balmy night and the exertion account for my red face, and it’s not clear to anyone else that I’m mortified because I have no clue what I’m doing, or that I care that Dexter is witnessing me dance so badly when he’s virtually semi pro.
However, soon I dance like no one’s watching, and I’m no longer even thinking of Dexter, as Javier, minx that he is, was lying. He’s incredible at this and is making me feel so at ease, and as if I know what I’m doing, like I can dance, and it’s powerful, amazing and I don’t want it to stop. However, stop it does, and when the track finishes, he bows to me and thanks me, just as Dexter says, ‘May I have this dance?’
‘How very genteel.’ I laugh. ‘You’re really good.’ I nod towards Luciana, who is finally sitting down with Mariangeles, having a drink and slipping off her shoes.
He grins. ‘I was rubbish when I came out here. Years of persistence from various people has paid off.’
I wonder who persisted, but unfortunately I can’t ask.
The tempo of the music has slowed considerably. A ballad. Flamenco? No, simply a slow song. Oh no, and I’m dancing with Dexter. Or should that be oh yes? My heart flutters and I worry he’ll be able to hear it beating as he’s dancing so close to me now, not quite cheek to cheek, but our bodies are pressed close together, all in the spirit of the dance, you understand, but it’s unnerving. This may be totally normal for everyone here, but it isn’t for me, and I can’t help being ridiculously turned on. I could be doing with being hosed down like owners sometimes do when two dogs are fighting or… yeah, you don’t need to know that.
Not trusting myself to meet Dexter’s gaze, I focus on those around me. Sofia and Carlos are dancing together, their eyes locked on each other; Nicolás and Oscar; Gloriana and Ed. I don’t believe it. They’re all couples. My breathing hitches and my heartbeat ratchets up about ten notches. Dexter clears his throat and I have no choice but to look up at him. When I do, the intensity in his gaze catches me by surprise, and I’m sure I see the same desire burning in his eyes as is burning in my loins right now.
He smiles, a lazy, sexy, knowing smile, and I inhale sharply. Sometimes lust can just catch you and you have no way of escaping it. You can have the best intentions in the world, but seriously, salsa and flamenco dancing, after all the emotion of the day and then the fireflies? I’m not a saint, and I am newly thirty. I’m in my fourth decade now. Surely I’m allowed a bit of fun. And right now, right here, with this man, I’m going to enjoy my birthday.
A few hours later, as I duck my head into Ed’s car, I think what a truly incredible evening and memorable birthday it has been. The highlight, however, was definitely the trip to see the fireflies, and I can’t help wondering if it was all part of the ruse to get me out of the way, or if Dexter genuinely wanted us to have a moment. Did he experience the same feelings I did? Feel the same attraction I did? Was it real, or all in my head?