They kept walking and found a bar that had a live band playing. Enjoying the music, Jaye grabbed Flint's hand and dragged him over to the area where some of the other couples were dancing to the slow song. He protested at first. She leaned over and whispered in his ear, "Come on, all you have to do is sway back and forth, switching your weight from one foot to the next. How hard can that be?"
He wasn't sure what it was, but he found himself holding her, dancing slowly to the ballad the band was playing. How did I get here? he wondered. He was not a dancer and had no rhythm, he knew, but with her, it didn't seem so awkward, so hard.
The band switched to a faster paced song and he tried to pull away. Jaye laughed. She wouldn't have any of that and encouraged him to move with her. "Nobody's watching," she chuckled in his ear, "they're either too drunk or too involved. Just relax and enjoy! Let the beat move your hips," she encouraged, placing her hands on his waist and moving him back and forth with her. She was amused at his awkwardness and was enjoying teaching him to relax and let go. While he seemed so arrogant and sure of himself on base, he was out of his element here and she enjoyed having the upper hand. Actually, she reasoned to herself, it's more than that. He's letting himself relax. The attitude he usually had with the women, especially her, on base was gone. She hoped she'd see this side of Dash "Flint" Faireborn more often!
They left the bar a little later, laughing and talking about dancing and the band. She realized they were holding hands as they walked back to her hotel. He had insisted on dropping her off first before he headed back to his hotel. Ok, so he can be a gentleman, her slightly fuzzy mind reasoned.
"Why don't you come on in and I'll call you a cab or something?" asked Jaye when they reached the lobby. "It's too late for you to be walking by yourself…even if you are a big, bad military man," she teased, squeezing his arm.
Flint gave a lopsided smile. "I'd say no, but to tell you the truth, I am feeling a bit tired, so maybe I'll take you up on that offer."
While the concierge called him a cab, they sat in the lobby and talked. She wasn't sure what she was feeling for the warrant officer, but she liked him like this – relaxed, sociable, and not watching her every move like she was going to screw up. She leaned against him and sighed, content. This is what she had been missing – male companionship. Not like she didn't have it in spades on the base, but just being able to hang out, to have an intelligent conversation that didn't center around work, made for a great time.
She rubbed his arm and sighed again, happy. "Thanks for tonight. I'm really glad we ran into each other. It was fun," she smiled.
He smiled back at her. He had learned a lot about her in a short amount of time, and had really enjoyed the evening. He didn't want it to end, but not sure he wanted to take the next step. For right now, being friends was enough.
She looked up at him. "So, does this mean we'll actually be able to talk to each other without growling on base, or is this just a one-night kind of thing?" she teased.
Flint studied her. "Well, it's all in what you make it, I suppose," he said slowly. "I'd like to think we're at least friends now."
His cab arrived and he reluctantly got up from the comfortable couch where they had been sitting. "I'll see you back at the base?"
She smiled, getting up as well. On impulse, she leaned up and brushed her lips to his. The spark that passed between them made them both take a step back. Her face flushed pink, but she gave him an awkward smile and squeezed his hand. "I'll see you then," she managed.