Chapter 7
When I got home that night, I saw that Mark had moved all my furniture in my living room and created an open space in the middle of the floor. He must have been dancing.
"Sorry, I was working on some choreography. I'll move the furniture back. Mark said walking out of the bathroom to the living room.
"It's fine." I said placing my dance bag on the couch.
"I would have gone to the studio, but I figured you were there and needed some time alone." He said crossing his arms over his chest.
"Yea Derek was there. That guys fun." I said sitting on the couch. I saw Mark tense up a bit.
"Did you know he's nervous to meet his partner?" I asked Mark
"Yea, he's had a crush on her since American Pie." He responded with a bit of a laugh.
"I told him not to be nervous, he's a hot dude." I said waiting for Mark's reaction. All he did was look at the floor.
"You think D's hot?" He asked not looking up.
"I'd be blind if didn't notice how hot he is, but I'm attracted to him. That obvious kind of hot isn't my thing."I said to Mark.
"You're not attracted to Derek?" He asked finally looking up at me.
"Nope, not my thing," I smiled when I noticed Mark relax his body.
"So I'm going to stay at the hotel tonight." Mark said and I felt my heart drop in my chest.
"Um, ok." I said looking down at my feet.
"It's not because I don't want to, because I do. This is what I should go back to the hotel." He smiled at me.
"Makes sense." I said still looking at my feet. Then Mark was on my knees in front of me.
"I know I'm not supposed to do this, but I can't help it when you look this sad." He said then took my face in his hands and kissed me.
"Well you need to get your rest. You're going to need it for tomorrow." Mark smiled at me and left.
I was still in shock from the kiss. It was very simple. I felt more in that kiss then I had in any other kiss in my lifetime. This week will be very interesting,
The next day I walked into the studio at 10:00am on the dot. The lights in the studio were very low Trouble by Christina Aguilera was playing. Mark was dressed in black pants, white dress shirt and a black skinny tie. He looked very professional and sexy. I felt a little underdressed on my little spandex shorts and tank top. I noticed he had my red stiletto dance shoes in his hands.
"What are you doing with those?" I asked pointing to my shoes.
"Put them on." He smiled handing them to me. I sat down on the floor.
"What's with the lights?" I asked taking my flip flops off and putting the red shoes on. He helped me stand up.
"I'm sure you can assume that we will be working on the Rumba, First, I need you to close your eyes. Think about a time you've seen someone Rumba." He said taking my hands in his. My thoughts immediately to his parents. When I spent that summer in London I saw Shirley and Corky Ballas do the Rumba and since then, it was all I wanted to do.
"Who do you see?" Mark asked
"I see Mark Ballas Sr. and Shirley Ballas dancing." I smiled and I heard Mark let out a quiet laugh.
"What is your interpretation of what they're doing?" He asked
"Love." I said simply.
"Your close. The Rumba is and vertical expression of a horizontal desire." He laughed when I blushed.
"It's all about passion and desire. It's about vulnerability and need. You have to want me and I have to need you. You have to feel as though every time I grab you, it's like your lifeline and when I let go of you, you've lost a part of yourself you'll never get back." He said and pulled me close to him.
By the end of the day the first day I was completely exhausted. We spend the entire day going over fundamentals, which to my surprise was very hard. My hips were screaming in pain. Mark is a very professional teacher, which I found incredibly sexy. Although, I could tell he was distracted by my red shoes. Red was definitely his favorite color. That night after rehearsal we went to a quiet coffee shop to get something to drink.
"You look sharp today," I said to Mark.
"I always dress like this on the first day of class. It's how I establish authority. " Mark said sitting up in his chair. I giggled.
"You think you have authority over me?" I asked raising an eyebrow at him.
"Today I did." He said with a cocky smirk on his face. I nodded my head in agreement.
"How'd I do today?" I asked him.
"You did excellent. Tomorrow will be better since we got all the basic stuff out of the way." He said sipping his coffee.
"Why is that?" I asked
"Because I get to manhandle you." He smirked.
"Still going to be professional?" I asked.
"I'm going to try my damndest." He laughed.
"Mark, is us being just friends hard on you?" I asked
"Yes." He responded honestly.
"Why?" I asked simply.
"Elizabeth, you're beautiful. And when I'm around all you all I want to is hold you and kiss you and just be with you." He responded
"Mark, I do want to come to LA. I just want to be sure before I make a decision. I don't want it to be a decision I regret. As for the all the holding and kissing, do what feels natural. I'll let you know if it's too much for me." I said honestly.
"How do you feel around me?" He asked.
"Scared." It was my turn to have a quick response.
"Why?" he asked,
"I'm afraid to get hurt again. And the feelings you make me feel like I've never felt before." I replied.
"What feelings?" He asked
"I don't even know how to put them into words." I sighed.
"Don't' worry. You'll figure out the words someday." He said taking my hand into his on the table.
"It's ok to be scared, Elizabeth. I know I am. You terrify me." He said looking me in the eyes.
"Umm ok?" I said a little confused.
"You are beautiful. I tell you that every time I see you. You dance extremely well and fin to be around. You intimidate me and that thought of us actually being together terrifies me. I'm afraid I'll mess something up and I don't want to do that. I wanna be a good person for you." He said completely seriously looking into my eyes. We were quiet for a few minutes just looking at each other. The feelings going through me were intense and exciting. He already was a good man and he didn't need to change anything or be something more.
"Hey! Derek told me you're a musician?" I said breaking the trance we were in.
"Yes, I am." He smiled at me.
"Can you come to my place and play for me tonight?" I asked
"Okay." He agreed.
A couple hours later we were sitting in my living room, me on the floor in front of my fire place and Mark on the couch with his guitar.
"So what do you want me to play?" He asked
"I don't know. Something upbeat." I smiled at him
"Here is something Derek and I wrote before we came here." And he began to play his guitar. I listened.
Girl I can't be you got me hanging by a thread
Every time you need me your just messing with my head.
Well if you need me then you love me baby let me know
And if you don't you ought to leave me baby let me go
You've twist me inside out
But girl you know I feel like I've been waiting for a lifetime
For you tome come around.
Do you love me baby
Cause I'm going crazy
Let me know girl if you feel me breaking me down
If you want me tonight
I'll be right by your side
If you don't then I'll be leaving
Right now
When he finished he looked up at me and I started clapping.
"Mark!" I said getting up and sitting on the floor next to him.
"Yes?" He asked
"You're talented." I said hitting him in the leg.
"Thanks Love." He said laughing at me.
"Really though Mark," I said looking up at him
"Can I play you something I wrote yesterday?" He asked
"Of course you can." I smiled at him
"Like I said, I wrote it yesterday. If it sucks, please let me know." He said and began the song
Hey
Put the pain that you have in the back of your mind
Wait
I wanna wipe away all the tears in your eyes
Cause I got that rhythm and moves that'll make you hot
I'm the only one that gets your heart to stop
Please believe me, that you're the only one, I want
But every time I get closer, you push me away
I don't get it
You said you want me closer to you
And every line I step over
You tell me to wait a minute
You sure don't make it easy to do
Maybe you need to get a little bit closer
To me
"And that's all I got so far." Mark said looking up at me.
I did the only thing I thought I could do. I kissed him with everything I had in me. Mark set his guitar down and cupped my face in his hands. Next this I knew, we were laying on the floor, him on top of me in a full force make out session. I wrapped m legs around his waist when his kisses started to trail down my neck. When he started to suck on my collar bone my hips involuntarily moved against his. I heard Mark let out a soft moan. I felt his fingers at the hem of my shirt and looked in his eyes and nodded my head and he pulled my shirt off of me. His shirt followed right behind mine, Mark kissed me fiercely and pressed his chest against mine. I moaned and moved my hips against his again.
The next morning I woke up on Marks arms on the floor. Mark must of got up in the middle of the night because there was a blanket covering us, I was in nothing but my bra and underwear and I looked down to see Mark in just his boxers. We didn't have sex, but we almost did. I wanted to, but Mark being the good guy he is, stopped us, He said we might regret it in the morning. He felt so warm next to me. I couldn't help but curl up next to him. I felt his arms grow tighter around me.
"What time is it, love?" Mark asked nudging his nose on my neck.
"11:43" I said looking up at the clock.
"We're late." He said not moving
"Can we just not go in today?" I asked rubbing my hand on his back
"Damnit. Derek and I are going to have to trade students." Mark said. He kissed my neck and got up.
"Why?" I said wrapping myself in the blanket. Mark grabbed his phone out of his pocket and dialed.
"Hey D…I stayed at Elizabeth's…Look, we need to switch students…No we didn't fight…We didn't do that either…It would be unprofessional for out sessions to continue…Yea, I'll tell her…Thanks D" he said and hung up the phone.
"You'll meet Derek at 1:00 at Studio B. You two will be doing the Tango." He said pulling on his pants. I stood up and wrapped the blanket around me.
"But I want to rumba with you." I said shuffling over to him and wrapping my arms around him.
"We wouldn't get anything done." He said kissing my forehead.
"I don't want you to go." I said holding tighter onto him.
"Baby girl, I have to. Now you have to go get ready." He said letting me go and smacking me on the butt.
"And I don't want you to wear the red shoes. Those are only for me." He winked and put his shirt on and left. I smiled to myself and went to my room to get ready for the day.
