Just for a moment

Dancing and dating

*Amelia*

He starts to sing, and for a moment, I almost forget when I’m supposed to join in. Cory said he could sing somewhat okay, but yeah, that’s the understatement of the year… at least.

It feels easy to sing with him. He seems so comfortable with duets, seamlessly adapting his voice to mine as we harmonize. There’s something about the way he catches my eyes that makes it feel like we’re the only two people in the room. It’s as if he means every word he sings, and I can feel myself getting a bit flushed.

When we finish, the applause is thunderous. Cory puts his arm around my shoulders, pulling me along as he heads back to the table.

Joel looks up at me as I slip into my seat. “I’m really impressed, Ami. You have a beautiful voice.”

“Yeah, wow, Ami! You really can sing. You should seriously think about going after your dream,” Cory adds.

I smile shyly. It’s always nice to receive praise, and then I glance at Cory. “You’re one to talk. Somewhat okay? My ass! You have an amazing voice. Have you ever thought about singing as a profession?”

“Uhh, not really. I’ve been in a couple of musicals, mostly for fun,” he replies, glaring at Joel, who chokes on his beer.

I take a sip of my drink, curious. “Well, when you’re not doing musicals for fun, what do you do for not fun?”

“I run an internet site with articles, reviews, and so on about movies, computer games, cartoons, and everything nerdy.” His face lights up as he talks about it. “And I have a company that makes workout supplements.”

Surprised, I hadn’t expected that. I had imagined something fancier, like a realtor to the stars or a producer. “Weird combination… also, you don’t look like a nerd.”

“Oh, believe me, they don’t come much more nerdy than Cory here,” Joel quips, grinning.

Cory shrugs. “It’s not something I hide. I’m a nerd in many areas. To me, being a nerd is essentially being passionate about something, and that’s not a bad thing.”

“You’re absolutely right, and no, it’s not bad to be passionate.” I smile at him, my mind, on it’s own, wandering to whether he is passionate in other areas of life.

He winks at me. “But if you’d seen me as a teenager, you would’ve thought ‘nerd.’ I was that kid who had the ‘kick me’ sign pinned to his back in high school.”

“I have a really hard time imagining that, so I guess I just have to trust you on it,” I reply, smiling as I take another sip from my drink.

Cory takes a swig from his glass and then says very seriously, “Thank you. That’s one of the greatest compliments… to trust someone, especially when you don’t really know them.”

“Oh God, now he’s getting philosophical, or maybe he’s just getting drunk. Come on, Ami, let’s dance before he starts crying,” Joel says, getting up and offering me his hand. The karaoke is done, and the disco is playing.

I get up smiling; I love to dance. Cory moves his legs to let me pass, and as I slide by him, my body grazes his arm and shoulder. He looks up at me, the smoldering flames in his eyes sending a tingling feeling through me.

It’s fun to dance with Joel, and it’s kind of funny to think about him being an actual movie star, even though no one seems to recognize him.

I notice Joel signaling something to Cory a couple of times, but he might just want him to grab a new round of drinks at the bar or something like that.

Suddenly, I feel him right behind me. I know he’s there before he says anything, and I realize I’ve recognized his scent. "Now it has to be my turn."

"Of course! Thank you, Ami, it was a pleasure dancing with you," Joel says, bowing to me and clapping Cory on the shoulder before heading back to the table.

I look up at Cory and ask, "Why do I get a sudden feeling that you also just happen to be an amazing dancer?"

He shrugs, looking very innocent. "Well, I don’t know why on earth you would think that."

"Maybe because of that very sly smirk you happen to be wearing on your face," I say, giggling as he grabs my hand and spins me around.

Half an hour later, I put a hand on his arm. "How does the professional dancer feel about a break?"

"Now I know you’re flattering me. Let’s sit down then, even though you look exquisite when you get all flushed and hot." His hand rests on my lower back, guiding me back to our table.

But I’m being completely honest… he can not only sing, but he’s also a great dancer. I wonder if he has other talents. "And you are talking! Did you just call me exquisite?"

"Hey, that was not flattering, just my humble opinion," he says, making me blush as I hurry to sit down.

Before I know it, the bartender is calling out for the last drinks before closing time, and me who had wanted to go home early.

"It was very nice meeting you, Ami." Joel gives me a friendly hug as we stand outside, and I’m waiting for a taxi.

I hug him back, feeling a friendly fondness for him… he’s funny and sweet. "You too, Joel. I had a good time."

"I guess I will start walking. I think someone wants a word with you," Joel whispers, winking at me.

Suddenly, I feel butterflies springing to life in my stomach. I turn around to find Cory standing behind me, and he grabs my hand. "Ami, I was wondering if I could ask you out tomorrow evening?"

"Oh, I’m so sorry, but I can’t." I’m working the next evening. Do I want to go out with him?

He looks disappointed, clearly thinking it’s a rejection. "Oh, okay then. Maybe some other time?"

"What about lunch tomorrow? I don’t have to be at work before 4 PM." Yes, I do want to go out with him, for once, this is actually a man I want to get to know better.

His face lights up with a smile that could make flowers bloom. "I would love to."

"What about under the big clock at the central station at 11 AM?" I can’t help but smile back.

He pulls me into a warm hug, whispering in my ear, "Perfect! See you tomorrow at 11. I can’t wait."

I get into my taxi and wave at him, sinking down in my seat. My heart races, and butterflies are doing some kind of line dance in my stomach. Did I just agree to a date?