Janet by Peggy Webb

shades. Dan’s idea of home decoration took on an entirely
new meaning to Janet. Some tightly controlled part of herself give
in to the music and the simple graciousness of his house.
    “The music,” she said. “It’s Gershwin, isn’t
it?”
    “Yes.
Someone to Watch over Me
. It’s
the song my sister selected for my dance lessons. I think she was
trying to tell me something.”
    “You don’t enjoy dancing?”
    “I’ve never had the patience. I like
activities with a little more excitement.”
    “Sports?”
    “Yes. All of them. Give me a ball of any
kind, and I’m content.”
    “Then why did you consent to the dance
lesson?”
    His grin was sheepish. “I did it to impress
you.”
    Something warm and pleasurable bloomed inside
her.
    “Since you’ve gone to all that trouble, I see
no reason to waste your efforts. I’m sure I lack some of the more
sterling qualities of your mop, but do you think I would be a good
substitute?”
    “Do you like to live dangerously?”
    “Sometimes.”
    “In that case...” He left the fireplace and
held his arms out toward her. “May I have this dance?”
    He looked so stiff and uncomfortable standing
there anticipating the dance that she wanted to smile. But there
was something sweet and gentle and humble about him, too. He was a
much more complex man than she had first imagined.
    She slid smoothly into his embrace. He took
one awkward step, still moving stiffly as if he had never held a
woman in his arms before.
    “I’m not fragile, Dan. I won’t break.”
    “It’s not you I’m worried about; it’s your
toes.”
    “They’ll survive, too.”
    It was lover’s music playing, just right for
cheek-to-cheek dancing and heart-to-heart cuddling. But it wasn’t
cuddling on Dan Albany’s mind; it was that tight little outfit the
good doctor was wearing. How could he count his steps when he kept
getting distracted by the way she filled out her sweater?
    With any other woman, Dan would have done
what came naturally, but Janet was not
any other woman.
He’d already made a fool of himself more than once with her, and he
had no intention of blowing this perfect chance to show her that he
was more than a brainless jock.
    Holding Janet at a distance, barely touching
her, he began silently counting the steps in the dance. He was born
to win, and conquering the complicated art of the fox trot was just
one more way to show Janet he was a winner.
    “Dan.”
    He missed a step and almost squashed her toe.
“Oops. Sorry.”
    “Dancing is not a nine-inning game.”
    “It has rules, though. I know if I get the
moves right I can do this.”
    “Think of it as a contact sport.”
    Janet made one deft move that put her in
contact with his chest. His arms automatically closed about
her.
    “There,” she said. “Isn’t that better?”
    “Yes.” He smiled down at her. “But is it
dancing?”
    “The best kind.” She swayed to the beat of
the music. “Feel the rhythm, Dan. Move with it.”
    “Sideways or backwards?”
    “It doesn’t matter. Just forget your feet and
move with the music.”
    The stiffness went out of him as he gave
himself up to the pleasure of catching Janet’s rhythm. It felt so
good to him that he exuberantly danced her all the way around the
room. She didn’t have the heart to tell him that if they had been
on a small, crowded dance floor he’d have mowed down six
couples.
    “Hey, this isn’t so bad.” He pulled her
closer and began another enthusiastic dancing tour of the room.
    “Coach, the object is not necessarily to
cover as much ground as possible.”
    “What is the object, Doc?”
    “To enjoy the pleasure of the music and the
pleasure of the one in your arms. Like so.”
    Suddenly dancing fell into place for Dan. It
was as if his body had always known what to do if it could get past
the stubborn block in his mind. His hands began to caress her back,
and his head lowered itself until his face was quite naturally in
her fragrant hair.
    “Ahh,