You know, quite frankly, I went because Doug bought me the guest passes and he was so into it himself. But I was surprised. I did enjoy it, Quinn said, his eyes on his brother and Mina.
His brother, he noted, was good. Bobby and Giselle, both beginners, werent as smooth but obviously enjoyed themselves.
Those two only came in to take some classes before their wedding. They keep coming back, Gordon told him. Then he leaned against the table. So, what do you do, Mr. OCasey?
Quinn didnt have a chance to answer him. A man approached the table, calling out cheerfully, Gordon! Ill be damned. They actually got you in here?
The man was tall, dark, good-looking, casually dressed in an open-neck black silk shirt, tan trousers and a dark jacket. His eyes were dark, too, his face deeply bronzed.
Yeah, they dragged me down, Gordon said, half rising to shake the newcomers hand.
Gabe, this is Quinn OCasey, Dougs brother, a new student. Quinn, meet Gabriel Lopez, entrepreneur extraordinaire! Suede is his club.
How do you do? Quinn said, shaking hands with Lopez.
Great, thanks. And welcome. You ever been in here before?
Quinn shook his head. Never. Im a total novice.
Youll like it. I get the best musicians, even during the week. We keep up the floor, and our kitchen turns out amazing food.
So far, so good, Quinn said.
You havent been on the dance floor yet?
Quinn grinned. No. And you wont see me on it for a very long time, I assure you.
Lopez had slid into the booth next to him. My friend, youll be surprised, dont you think, Gordon?
Gordon nodded. Dancing gets in your blood. You hear the music, you have to move. He shrugged, staring at the floor. Maybe you dont get to be a Shannon Mackay right away, but look at Doug. Six months, and hes quite impressive. Most importantly, hes having fun.
Yeah, he really enjoys it. And hey, what a setup you two have here, Quinn said, including Lopez. You learn upstairs, you dance downstairs. Couldnt have been planned better.
True, Gordon agreed. And it wasnt even planned.
This wasnt a club before?
Its always been a restaurantwith an excuse for a dance floor, Lopez said. He shrugged. When I came down, a year or so ago now, I saw the potential in the place. The other owners werent making use of the gold mine they had.
We have a great relationship, Gordon explained. We have the same people come in to take care of the floors, and we both get a deal that way.
They send me their students all the time, Lopez said.
And we have a place to send our students, so that they have a good time and want to take more lessons, Gordon said, then pointed toward the ceiling. The other tenant in the building is a designer and costumer. Shes great, too. Katarina. When someone is looking for a dressfor a night out on the town, or for a competitionthey just go right across the hall. You couldnt get a better setup.
Lopez nodded and stood. Well, back to business. Welcome, Mr. OCasey. He cocked his head, smiling. Are you a cop, too? With your brother and his friends around now, we feel safe all the time.
Quinn shook his head. No, sorry, Im not a cop. Im into boats. Charters, diving, fishing, Quinn said. Absolutely true, just not the whole story.
Ah, I see. Well, then, youre a lucky man, too. Theres nothing in the world like the sea.
Nothing like it, Quinn agreed.
Enjoy your night, Lopez said.
See you, Gabe, Gordon said.
Lopez walked away, toward the kitchen.
Hes a great guy, Gordon said.
Seems to be, Quinn agreed.
Hey, you want to see your brother really look good? Gordon asked. There was a note of pride in his voice.
Quinn looked back to the floor. The couples had all switched around. Doug was dancing with Shannon Mackay, and there were only a few people on the floor now. The music had changed, as had the dance. It was sweeping and incredibly graceful.
Bolero, Gordon told him briefly.
The dance was beautiful. And Doug was good, made all the better by the elegance of his partner.
I dont think Ive ever seen anyone move so
You mean your brother? Gordon teased.
Quinn shook his head, grinning. Ms. Mackay.
Shes the best, Gordon said.
Hey, Quinn, can we slip back in?
His head jerked up. Bobby and Giselle had returned. Panting. Quinn hadnt realized he had been almost transfixed, watching the dancers.
Youre not doing the bolero? he asked the pair.
Bobby snorted. Every time we try it together, we trip each other. Im actually kind of hopeless.
Youre not! Giselle protested.
Bobby made a face at Quinn. You should see her in group class. She subtlylovinglytries to make sure shes in front of some other guy all the time.
I do not. I would never. She shrugged sheepishly at Quinn. We change partners every few minutes anyway. What good would it do?
Doug came up to the table, drawing Shannon by the hand. Well? he asked Quinn. It was strange. Doug had been totally serious about his suspicions regarding Lara Trudeaus death, but right now, he was like the anxious little kid brother Quinn had known all his life, wanting his approval.
You two blew me away, he said.
Doug was pleased. Now its your turn.
Youre out of your mind, Quinn said, laughing.
No, no, youll be fine, Bobby encouraged. Its a merengue. You cant mess it up.
Trust me, I can.
Come on, Mr. OCasey, Shannon said to him. Its step, step, step. March, march, march. I know you can do it.
She was extending her elegant hand to him, those eyes of hers directly on his, challenging. It was as if she didnt believe for a second that he had really come for dance lessons.
He shrugged. All right. If youre all absolutely determined to make me look like a fool
Youll never look like a foolnot with Shannon, Gordon said.
Doesnt look like theyre just doing march, march, march to me, he told her ruefully as they stepped onto the dance floor.
They aretheyre just adding turns.
She was in his arms, showing him the hold. Just follow my movements. Men alwaysalwayslead in dance, she told him, but since you havent done this yetleft, right, left, rightfeel the beat?
He did feel the beat. And more. The searing touch of her eyes, probing his. The subtle movement of her body, erotic along with the music.
March, march, he said.
Youre doing fine.
Thanks. And how about you?
Her brows hiked. Im impressed. You really do have a sense of rhythm. We can try some of those arm movements if you want. Just lift themand Ill turn, then you turn. Merengue is a favorite, because no matter what, its march, march.
Im not wiggling like those guys.
Because you dont have your Cuban motion yet. Youll get it.
Cuban motion, huh? She certainly had it. The way her hips moved was unbelievable.
He lifted his arms as she had instructed. He was a little too jerky, but she could deal with it.
He lifted his arms as she had instructed. He was a little too jerky, but she could deal with it.
Now you, she told him, and he repeated her motion.
Step, step, march, march. Okay
Was something wrong earlier tonight? he asked her.
What? She frowned.
I saw you coming down the steps. You lookeduneasy, he said.
You saw me? You were watching me? Her tone was level, but he heard a note of outrage. Are you following me or something, Mr. OCasey?
He laughed, keeping the sound light. No, sorry, and I didnt mean to imply such a thing. I went over to the place across the street for a hamburger before coming here, he said. Okay, so the hamburger was a lie.
Oh. She flushed. Sorry. I justIts an uncomfortable feeling, to think youre being watched.
No, nosorry. Its just thatyou looked scared.
Maybe women werent supposed to lead, but she pressed his arms up and moved herself into a turn, shielding her eyes from his for a moment. Facing him again, she said, Gordon was already down here. I was locking up alone. One of the books fell or something right before I walked out. It startled me.
His hamburger story was a lie, and her falling book story was a lie, as well. Something much bigger had definitely frightened her.
Unfortunately, Miami deserves its reputation for crime. You do need to be careful if youre locking up alone, he told her.
The club is open every night. Theres a doorman on Thursday through Sunday. We park in the lot in the back, but its right across from a convenience store. There probably couldnt be a safer place. And there are only three of us in the buildingthe club, the studio and the design shop. I know everyone.
But you cant know everyone who comes into the club, he said.
No, of course not. But still Ive always felt safe. Not only that, but Im tougher than I look.
Really? He had to smile.
Dont doubt it, she told him, and there was definitely a warning in her voice. Trust me. I can be tough.
A tough dancer, he mused.
Thats right. I love the studioand I hate lies.
Do you, now? he demanded. He thought that he saw the slightest hint of a flush touch her cheeks before she drew away from him.
The music has changed. Youre not ready for a mambo, she told him.
And turning, she walked away, leaving him on the floor.
CHAPTER 6
Shannon made a point of getting to the studio by nine the following morning. She had agreed to coach Sam and Jane at ten, and at eleven, Gordon wanted to go over more of the Gator Gala figures and plans.
Reaching the studio wasnt difficultshe walked fifty percent of the time. Her house was just a few blocks awaythanks to Gordon.
Years ago, he had found the old place for sale. At that time, the block had been very run-down, and her house had come with horrible plumbing, no central air and the ugliest wallpaper known to man. The carpet could actually cause one to gag.
But the house had been the deal of the century. Smallthere were only two bedrooms, and the yard was the size of a postage stampbut she lived three blocks from the beach, and in the years since she had owned the house, the value had quadrupled. And it was hers. There werent that many private homes in the area, and she knew she was very lucky to have the space. And she wouldnt have it, if it werent for Gordon. Hed loaned her the down payment.
Sometimes, when she realized that shed been in the studio for probably eighty hours in one week, she liked to tell him that hed gotten his investment back from her in blood and sweat. He told her that of course he had, he wasnt a stupid man.
This morning, though, she was anxious to be in the studioby the light of day. She was determined to convince herself that she was either overwrought or a little bit crazyor both.
She climbed the stairs to the front door and waited, then inserted the key in the lock. Hesitantly she pushed the door open, then paused, listening.
Not a thing.
She entered the studio slowly, scoping out the polished wood floor and gazing around the room. Two sides were composed of floor-to-ceiling mirrors. Facing the street, giant picture windows looked out on the day. The conference room was to the front, while the reception area and offices lined part of the wall nearest the door. Toward the rear were four doors, the first opening to the instructors room, the next opening to the mens room, the third to the ladies, and the fourthwith a counter section next to itleading to the mini-kitchen. A small hallway between the bathrooms led to the rear door, where, just outside, there was a little patio shared by both upstairs establishments. To the left of the rear door was an expanse of wall with a door that led to the storage space. There was also access from the outside, since originally the storage space hadnt come with the studio. Now, all of them had keys to it. Katarina kept a few costume dummies and supplies there, the dance studio kept records and various other items at different times, and while the club actually had much greater space downstairs, they sometimes needed a little extra now and then. There had never been any problems over sharing.
Across the patio were stairs leading up to a newly revamped third floor. Previously, it had pretty much been wasted space, but Gabriel Lopez had gotten permission from the corporate owners of the property to finish it and create an apartment. He and Gordon joked about it all the timethe apartment was terrific, and Gordon was jealous. He wished hed come up with the idea. He had a great condo farther up on the beachhe just hated driving.
Shannon knew the studio and the building like the back of her hand. And that was why she had been so unnerved the night before.
With everyone else gone and the stereo silent, she had been in her own office, glancing over the student records. They all did their best to keep their students coming. The students were their livelihood. She had an excellent staffdedicated professionals who were determined to really teach dance and give the clients their moneys worth for every minute on the floorand everyone took responsibility for keeping the students happy. Still, when a student with a regular schedule suddenly became a no-show, something was wrong, and as manager, it was her responsibility to call that person, chat with them and make sure they hadnt been offended in some way.