Neela stood, watching him. She wasn't sure what she was feeling, but she only knew that she had to be as close to Ray as humanly possible. She turned around and looked out the window again. As the sun continued to descend and the snow continued to fall, she knew what she had to do. She smiled and walked back to her room. She took out the red dress she had been saving for Gallant's return home and slipped it on. As she buckled the straps on the heels, she smiled to herself. She looked herself over in the mirror. If Ray doesn't make a move tonight, there's something wrong with him. She turned and looked at herself from the side. As she did, she realised that she really did love Ray. And his kiss only served to tell me he loves me too. She walked out.
"Neela, do you mind…" Ray turned around and dropped the bowl he was holding, sending its contents all over the kitchen floor. He couldn't believe what Neela was wearing. The halter dress barely covered her chest and he couldn't help but follow the lines of the dress to the heels. He had never really noticed her legs.
"Ray?"
He shook his head. "Sorry, Neela. I…I…uh," He looked around. "I need to pick the salad off the floor." He knelt down and began to pick the lettuce off the floor.
Neela knelt in front of him and started helping. "I take it you like the dress." She smiled at him.
He looked at her. With every lean to pick up the lettuce, the dress revealed what Ray had only imagined. He cleared his throat. "You could say that. Why did you change? I mean you look nice, but you always do." Suddenly Ray looked up at her. She was smiling at him. "It's nice." He smiled back.
"Thank you." She mirrored his movements as he stood up. "I thought that you're teaching me to dance and cooking a good meal and you've got Dean Martin playing that maybe I should change." She moved over to the cupboard and took down some candles and placed them on the table. She noticed Ray was trying to gather his thoughts. "Why not?"
Ray only smiled. He threw the salad in the garbage. "Well, with that, I suppose dinner's ready then." He poured some more wine in Neela's glass. Through dinner, Ray couldn't take his eyes off of Neela. Occasionally, she would look up at him and smile. For the first time since meeting Neela Rasgotra, Ray found himself speechless.
"You're quiet, Ray." She remarked.
"I'm listening to the song." He lied.
"What song is playing?" She sipped her wine.
"'Fools Rush In' by Sinatra." He grinned.
"Sing it?" Neela pleaded.
Ray's grin grew. "Dance with me." He stood up and held a hand out. Neela took it and he led her into the living room. As he led her in the dance, he softly sang in her ear.
Fools rush
in
Where angels fear to tread
And so I come to you my love
My
heart above my head
Though I see
The danger there
If there's
a chance for me
Then I don't care
Fools rush in
Where wise
men never go
But wise never fall in love
So how are they to
know
When we met
I felt my life begin
So open up your
heart
And let this fool rush in.
Neela sighed. I could get used to this. Dancing. Singing. Ray. "You never told me where you learned to dance this way."
"I try not to talk about where I learned anything, Neela."
"Ashamed of your past?"
Ray smiled. "On the contrary. I'm very proud of my family."
"You never talk about them."
Ray stopped dancing and made his way back to the table. He sat down and silently took a bite of the chicken.
Neela sat across from him. "If you're proud of them…"
"By not talking about them, I know who my friends are and who aren't." He sighed.
"Ray."
Though she only said his name, Ray knew what she meant. "You know how rich Carter and his family are, right?"
Neela smiled. "Don't tell me. Your family is as rich as Carter's."
"Actually, no. Compared to my family, Carter's family's poor." He stood up and put his dishes in the sink. He turned around and leaned against the counter. "I started ballroom dancing when I was about 4 years old. Even in the rebellious teen years, I continued to dance. It was sort of a way to relax."
Neela sat there, not knowing what to say. "But, Ray…"
"Exactly." He read her thoughts. "Everyone wondered why I would live in this place rather than somewhere else. I want to save my trust fund for when I really need it."
"But, Ray…"
"When I was 17 years old, I was caught up in the whole 'trust fund baby' subject and I got in trouble. I thought that my dad would get me out of it. Instead, I spent a weekend in jail. It was then that I realised that I had to rely on myself and I learned responsibility for myself, which is what my dad and mom wanted to instill. It was hard for my mom, considering I am the only child." Ray smiled.
"What did you do?"
"Enough of my past. Let's just focus on the present." He scooped her back up in his arms. "What do you say to one more dance?"
He spun her around the room. Neela found herself falling victim to the black magic Frank Sinatra was singing about and one look at Ray's eyes told her he was too as he sang the words to her.
That old black magic has me
in its spell,
That old black magic that you weave so well.
Those
icy fingers up and down my spine,
That same old witchcraft when
your eyes meet mine.
The same old tingle that I feel inside,
And
then that elevator starts its ride,
And down and down I go,
Round
and round I go,
Like a leaf that's caught in the tide.
I should
stay away,
But what can I do?
I hear your name and I'm
aflame,
Aflame with such a burning desire that only your kiss can
put out the fire.
For you're the lover I have waited for,
The
mate that fate had me created for.
And every time your lips meet
mine, darling,
Down and down I go, round and round I go,
In a
spin, loving the spin I'm in,
Under that old black magic called
love.
I realise that may be A/U for Ray...but I did miss the first season he was introduced to us and have no idea what the show has already told us about him. I just figured it would explain where he learned to dance. And besides, that's where the story wanted to go. Don't fight the story:)