He didn't understand how she had managed to convince him to dance. It wasn't as if she had begged for pleaded, just asked him twice. Once as a suggestion, and the second time she just bounced on the balls of her feet - itching to join in. He sighed, and during a song that was upbeat enough for her young energy, but slow enough for his old body he joined in. The moves weren't complicated. Most of the dancers didn't seem to mind their mistakes. The aliens with their pink and yellow spotted skin seemed delighted that the off-worlders were dancing. She giggled and he huffed with impatience over their missteps. All of the sudden Susan's cool hands whisked from his and replaced by a pair of soft warm hands. He looked up in surprise and a young woman gave him a sheepish smile. "Apparently you switch partners in this dance."
He frowned. "What's a human doing here?"
"Traveling. Same as you, yeah?" She shifted into the proper position for the dance. Her left hand on his right shoulder while his right hand settled on her left shoulder. Their other hands held fast to each other at their waist. She seemed as new to the dance as he was, but she didn't step on his feet as often as Susan did.
"You're rather far from home, aren't you?" Her clothes were of that of a native. But the brown roots showing through her platinum blonde hair suggested an faded earth dye job.
"Yep." She popped the 'p', sparing a quick glance down at her feet.
"So what are you doing here?" He didn't know why he was curious. The dance would be over in a moment and they'd part ways and he'd forget about the blonde human on the alien world.
"Told my traveling companion, he's the designated driver you know, that I wanted to dance." She paused as he twirled her in a slow circle. "And he said he remembered a place he once took his granddaughter to, and we came here." She grinned, tongue-touched smile, as she did the final curtsy of the dance. He bowed and heard Susan call him.
"Grandfather!" She waved to him from across the crowd. He could vaguely make out a tall skinny man with wild hair skipping away from her.
"There goes my date." The woman beside him gave a fond sigh. "Oh." She laid her hand on his elbow lightly. "Thank you, he says thank you as well." She nodded in the direction her date had skipped off in. She bestowed upon him a teasing grin. And to his surprise, a peck to his cheek as well, before disappearing into the crowd.
"Did you make a friend, Grandfather?" Susan asked with a smile as she came to his side.
"I suppose so." He couldn't keep back a smile of his own. He flexed his hand, the memory of the woman's warm skin on his caused a strange flutter in his hearts.