Trina
looked over the group of men standing close to her. Two male wolves,
three coyotes, and one snow leopard made up the group. None of them
particularly drew her attraction or thoughts. Yet, dancing with one or
two of them might get conversation flowing. After all, chaperoning a
high school dance didn’t require more than keeping the kids out of dark
corners. Making small talk with the other parents present and enjoying
the music. Miss Elly and Vernon were out on the dance floor cutting
their path across the gym. More fifties music blared out of the
speakers. Even Gill and Chloe tried their hand at some of the intricate
dance steps the music teacher had shown everyone before the music
started.
She wiped her hands down
her heavily starched poodle skirt. Missy Elly’s kindness included
loaning her clothes in theme with the music. Her teased and sprayed hair
bounced each time she nodded her head in time with the music. A few
feet away one of the teachers named Mick stood wearing a black leather
biker’s jacket, tight ass-incasing jeans, and a dark red t-shirt with
the outline of wolf on it. His slicked back hair refused to adhere to
the gel. Two lone curls close to the top of his forehead gave him an air
of mystique. An edge that caused her breath to catch and set off warmth
the reached deep into her. Sex for the sake of physical release stymied
her. Her chemistry required more. An attraction and mutual interest
revved her hormones. If she wanted to get off—she snickered at her use
of male thoughts and terms---her battery-operated boyfriend worked fine
thank you. No need for making small talk and acting nice when all she
wanted and needed was a hard fast orgasm. One that rocked her to sleep
or into a blissed out state that lasted more than someone poking her
saying ‘my turn now.’
Mick looked
up from the table, counted the number of couples on the dance floor,
and smiled. At least four of his students were out there trying the
steps he showed them earlier. Many were standing in segregated groups of
boys and girls. Their parents were doing much the same. When had kids
lost the art of mingling and mixing with the opposite sex? This was
Talbot’s Peak. Sex and what it entailed wasn’t shunned or stuffed in the
closet. No, every kid new the basics by age eight. After all short
gestations could manifest themselves quite easily. Ah, making sure his
students understood the birds and bees aspect of life wasn’t his
teaching area. Music and art took more than a few hour-long sessions per
week to understand and enjoy. Good thing Gill and the town council got
the need for after school activities like these.
He
glanced over his shoulder back to where the redhead stood. Her
petiteness intrigued him. She also ignited a protectiveness he was sure
she didn’t require. After all, she was part wolf and coyote, two animals
that could take care of themselves. Still making her acquaintance and
enjoying a few dances didn’t entail getting involved. Friendship added
to life. Why not add a new friend to his group? A female one too. Mick
tossed his empty cup in the trash receptacle near him and turned. The
next song was a slow hold your partner close one. Easy to dance too and
long enough to learn a few things about each other. Yes, a good choice.
He started toward Trina.
Mick walked
across the floor, keeping Trina in his sight. She ducked her head,
looking away. He’d watched her peruse all the males present. The teens
that danced past her, she smiled at and shook her head no. The older
ones made conversation and moved off to find their mates or spouses. The
few women who stopped to talk, pointed to males at various points
throughout the gymnasium. He reached Trina as the opening strains of the
melody began.
“May I have this dance, please?” he asked, holding
out his hand. He kept his gaze on her face. The costumes hid much of
their physique. Not that it mattered. Many here used scent and their
other senses along with their animal sixth sense to pick out their
chase. There were no victims here. Matting happened when all parties
agreed. Dancing didn’t resemble the sweaty pleasure enhance bed rumpling
stints most of the youth here tried to do. No, dancing was for
conversation, getting to know each other, and asking for another dance.
Even time to nibble finger foods and sip the sickening sweet punch the
cafeteria provided. He’d heard whispers Louie from Rattigan’s was due at
midnight; something about road kill stew and other more delightful
cuisine.
Mick smiled. Trina turned toward him. Her hands lay one
on top of the other, resting on her fanny pouch. Most of the women
carried purses or clutch bags. Not this one. Dare he ask what she
carried in it? Too personal a question too soon? He wet his lips ready
to change topics when Trina spoke.
“Thank you. I’d love to dance.” Trina stepped closer to him. “Been a while since I slow danced.”
Mick chuckled. “Easy to remember. Like riding a bike. Of course, unless you like to lead.”
“Oh,
I’m not supposed to?” Trina grinned, raising her arms. “Maybe you
better show me how this is done. You know I might need a bit of private
tutorial here rather than out there.” She point to the open dance floor.
He
glanced over his shoulder. “Okay, one tutorial coming up. Then we make
our way across the gym and back. This is the slow long songs portion of
the evening.”
Trina nodded her understanding and moved closer
until he could easily see her in the darker portion where they stood. He
took a hold of her wrist, instructing her as he did. “You hand goes on
my shoulder. A light touch is fine.”
He
reached for her other hand; Trina held it out to him. “This one goes
with this one?” She touched his palm with two of her fingers. Heat burst
off her deep into him and jaggedly made its way up his arm. Mick
swallowed hard and nodded. Did she realize what affect she had on him?
Trina
pressed her lips together. Letting out a startled gasp might send him
moving away. Heat like this hadn’t happened since her late husband. The
one man---human not shapeshifter---who understood her and ignited a
sexual chemistry that kept its volcanic explosions going until illness
claimed him. Too bad, he turned out sterile. A child or two by him to
remind her of the passion and love they shared would’ve eased the pain
and sorrow. She blinked pushing the five year old past memories back to
where they belonged, deep in the memories of another time in her life.
She’d come here to start over and it appeared she’d chosen a good place
to do so.
Mick slid his hand along Trina’s waist. Her hand rested
lightly on his shoulder. He moved closer to her until they were
approximately three feet apart. She smiled, shaking her head.
“What’s
funny?” Mick asked, looking down. He placed his foot between Trina’s.
His size ten and half shoe stuck out between her smaller ones.
“Us.
This reminds me of the dancing lessons I took in junior high school.
Most of the guys could shake their bootie and move around the dance
floor like their pants were on fire.” Trina glanced down.
Mick snorted. “Seems that started the phase of trying to teach us etiquette and some form of courting.”
Trina’s
laughter warmed his cheek. He winked and moved tighter to her. “Now
shall we practice those steps and moves our parents spent money on?”
Trina
arched her neck, looking up into Mick’s eyes. They reminded her of the
blue sky over the lake during summer. The time of year, she could laugh
and run free all over the campgrounds her parents owned. Summer camp
allowed her and her siblings time to let their animal counterpart out.
No harried admonishments either about hiding or keeping her furry side
under tight control.
She licked her
lips and nodded. “Sure. I can waltz; do a mean two-step, the occasional
foxtrot, and a slow sultry dance that permits conversation. You have a
preference?”
“Slow dance and conversation. Sultry is a little much for the kids.” Nick winked, stepping back wards as the music began.
“Yes,
we chaperones need to keep an eye on the youngsters.” She chuckled
moving in sync with Mick as he guided her out across the dance floor
toward the middle of the gym.
“Ten questions each? A little getting acquainted info?” Mick swirled her in a circle creating more space between them.
“Okay. You pulling away?” Trina looked down and back up meeting Mick’s gaze.
“No, just allowing some room so we can talk easier. “ Mick grinned. “First question. Favorite color.”
“Mauve. Same for you.”
“Turquoise. Reminds me of the ocean.” Nick nodded. Vernon and Miss Ellie danced by them.
“Nice
song choice, Mick.” Vernon twirled Miss Ellie, pulled her back into his
arms and titled her back over one arm. “Allows a little swing and
sway.”
Before Mick could answer, Vernon and Miss Ellie danced
away. Mick glanced back at her. He stopped and started swaying back and
forth in place. “Vernon’s right.”
Trina burst out laughing. “What about the other songs?”
“Fifties
music and a few early sixties tunes. The rest are ones the kids
requested. I don’t know if there’s much to dance to in their choices.”
Mick started moving them around the dance floor again. “Why mauve?”
“The
color of my grandma’s kitchen. She loved to cook and bake. That was the
one place all ten grandkids could gather and all have grandma at once.”
Trina shook her head as Mick opened his mouth again. “You’ve asked two
questions. My turn.”
Mick nodded. “Go ahead.”
“Where’d you grow up?” Trina closed some of the space between them as another song started.
“All
over. My dad joined the military right out of high school. He wanted to
see how the other half lived. Human half.” Mick paused near the
bleachers as the music picked up beat. “Continue dancing?”
“Please. Makes our conversation less conspicuous.” Trina glanced over her shoulder. “Second question. Why turquoise?”
“San
Diego, California. The one place we stayed more than two years. Mom
decided that moving wasn’t a good idea with changing schools
constantly.”
“A place you call home?” Trina started nodding her head in time to the music. “Almost a latin rhythm to it.”
“Yes.
Maybe we can two-step our way across the gym. And that was your third
question.” Mick picked up pace and changed steps to match the beat of
the music.
“So answer it. Then your turn.”
“It’s a
place where I found me. My parents bought a house and Mom put down
roots. All five of us graduated from high school and college there.”
Mick leaned closer to her. “My third question is why Talbot’s Peak?’”
She’d kept so much of her past hidden. The pain and
hurt dulled after a while. Could she talk about leaving home and knowing
she couldn’t go back? The unofficial ‘get out’ her father ordered when
he found out she wasn’t his daughter stung for a long time. Many didn’t
take her mixed heritage well. Would Mick?
Trina
swallowed hard. She inhaled, counted to three, and slowly exhaled.
Her palpitating heart slowed some. No one asked her why about anything
she’d done up to now. Even Phil’s wife took what she said at face value
and checked her references on prior nanny positions. They offered a
place to stay and a bond with a group that accepted her. Let her be her
and embraced what she brought to the table, a person who gave from her
heart and took what she needed, a roof over her head and acceptance.
Maybe that made more sense than trying to explain it all. Acceptance
meant comfort, approval, and belonging. That topped her needs list. A
place where her mixed heritage didn’t end up another label to wear or a
taunt that got repeated over and over. She turned and faced Mick. She
wet her lips and spoke. “Why Talbot’s Peak?”
Mick nodded.
“Because
here everyone knows your name, doesn’t care where you’ve been or come
from unless it pertains to your work, and they care about me as a living
being. “ She paused, ready to say more.
“I understand,” Mick said, smiling at her. “Finding a place where you fit in can make or break you.”
Trina
shrugged trying to ignore the tears threatening to run down her
cheeks. A lot of the places
she’d been to scoffed at her. Treated her
like a second-class thing. She didn’t ask why she threatened people.
She packed up and moved on like her family had for many years until her
parents bought the farm close to the Wyoming Montana border. Find her
place on her own counted. After all, she wasn’t a young inexperienced
woman. She’d hit her thirtieth birthday last year.
Mick reached
up, knuckled a tear off Trina’s cheek. He could see trust wasn’t easy
for her. Gaining hers would take time and effort. The soothsayer
predicted his mate, his heart mate, would affect him like no other.
Holding Trina as they danced set off a warmth and a desire he hadn’t
felt in a long time. Maybe she was the one. Was he ready to take
another chance at love? He and his heart hadn’t fared well the last
time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Happy Weekend Gang!
Sorry
I missed a few weeks. Edits and rewrites took more time than
expected. Weather bouncing all over hit the Spice Homestead and laid
DP, me and Gal Pal low for a bit. Mage and his family got a few
sniffles too. We're back on our feet and ready to enjoy warmer
weather.
First chapter of Trina and
Mick's story is done. Pris finally got them to agree tell us more of
their love story. I hope to bring you chapter two next week. We'll
have to see what Mick and Trina reveal next. No one ever said the path
of love and joy was a smooth one.
Until next week, keep positive, a song in your heart, and joy pouring forth!
Smiles,
Solara
