Chapter 22 #2
Scarlet laughed, chewing on a sprig of parsley. “Good to know.”
Alex liked listening to her laugh. He made her chuckle a lot during dinner, and she told him she was surprised to find him funny, laid back, and even charming. He tried not to take offense since he kept his interior locked tight, but it felt good to make her smile.
Scarlet got to her feet, lifted her wine glass, and beckoned to Alex.
“I want to show you something.”
Alex blinked and nodded before his brain could respond. “Sure.”
He followed Scarlet down the porch steps to where the backyard opened to a lush lawn. He spied the cottage in the back corner of the property.
He stopped and looked around the wide landscape lit with tiny round lights. The backyard was expansive, with various fruit trees and foliage to hide the outside world.
Scarlet opened a sliding glass door. The inside of the cottage was softly illuminated with more strands of twinkling lights. She turned to him and smiled. “In here.”
Alex entered the cottage and scanned the area.
It was a picturesque open living area separated by a makeshift partition.
The large windows on the far wall and the openness reminded him of beach houses in Malibu, only it wasn’t quite as modern.
There was a small kitchen, living room, and a bed with a fluffy down comforter.
The room was feminine, with rose-colored walls adorned with black and white photos of family and a dancing child in a tutu.
Alex closed the door and stepped into the room. “Cozy,” he commented. “Who lives here?”
“No one, right now.” Scarlet took a drink of her wine and ran a hand over the kitchen counter. “This was my grandmother’s house, but she passed a long time ago. My cousin, A.J., was living here, but he had too many women marching the walk of shame, and it made my mother uncomfortable.”
Alex reached into a basket on a table near the bed and pulled out a box of condoms. “I see he left a few calling cards behind.”
Scarlet blushed. “College kid,” she shrugged, setting the glass down.
Alex placed the box back where he found it and shook his head.
“Here.” She waved a hand to a makeshift wall. “This is what I wanted you to see.”
Scarlet slid the partition aside, revealing a far more spacious room beyond.
It was a pristine ballet studio, lined with mirrors and anchored by a wooden barre worn smooth to a soft caramel sheen.
The walls were painted a gentle cream, edged with a pale pink border that echoed the ballet slippers hanging delicately from a repurposed hat rack nearby.
Warm string lights were permanently strung across the high ceiling, scattered like stars to mimic a night sky. The floor was darker and scuffed with use. The entire space felt like an extension of Scarlet herself: timeless, graceful, and quietly enchanting.
“This is where my grandmother taught me to dance,” Scarlet twirled into the room with her arms above her head. “I was about three years old when she started. She always encouraged me to follow my dreams.”
Alex followed her onto the dance floor. “She sounds nice. What was her name?”
“Shani Iskra … which is also my name. Shani means ‘scarlet’ and Iskra means ‘spark.’ She was from Israel but married a Bulgarian.” She hesitated. “Sorry, I’m talking too much.”
Alex walked to the middle of the room with her. “It’s okay. I like when you talk … and I like when you dance. I’m glad your grandmother taught you.”
He wanted to reach out and touch her, but she turned and lifted her arms elegantly into the air before stepping farther onto the floor.
“Développé,” she drew one leg up to her supporting knee and then slowly extended it outward into the air, holding control and balance before lowering it. “One, effacé, two, three and four, plié, relevé.”
She moved smoothly, enticing him.
“I wish I spoke your language.” He chuckled.
Scarlet reached for him, running her fingers down his arms to the palms of his hands. His body shuddered with anticipation at her touch.
“You shared who you are with me,” Scarlet said. “So, I want to share who I am with you.”
Alex took a deep breath, inhaling Scarlet’s familiar scent of apple blossom and cinnamon. He became slightly dizzy as he realized what she was really telling him.
She continued to dance, coaxing him to move with her. This time, he found it easier to follow and simply lead her around as she twirled. With each turn, he felt his yearning grow.
On one of her turns, Alex’s foot got in the way, and Scarlet tripped. She began to fall forward, but Alex caught her hand before she hit the ground and pulled her back up into his arms.
“Good reflexes,” she said.
“Anytime you fall, I’ll catch you,” Alex told her.
She inhaled sharply and searched his face, nodding in understanding. Alex wanted her so badly. He didn’t want to wait any longer.
He turned her around so her back was to him and moved his hands up, making her raise her arms out to the sides. He traced under her arms and guided them up to wrap around his head.
Now he was the one she was dancing with, and no one else was around.
Her shuddering breath was a mixture of shyness and excitement, driving him forward.
“That first night,” he whispered. “I watched you dance.”
She nodded, leaning into him. “I remember.”
“It was like watching pure magic.” He moved her hair aside and kissed her neck. She tilted her head, giving him easier access. His kisses trailed her neck until he reached her ear. “Since that night … I’m under your spell. I can’t stop thinking about you.”