The Bridge/CH 10

Betty closed her eyes the first several times Daniel threw the ball at her. He shook his head, laughing, "Betty! You're never going to hit the ball with your eyes shut!"

He thought for a minute, throwing the ball up in the air and catching it, then an idea came to him, "Okay, I know. Pretend this ball is a... doughnut. A chocolate one."

She gave him a dirty look, "Very funny, Daniel! No cracks."

"Hey, I just know you like them. So, pretend it's a nice chocolate doughnut and it's coming right at you, but as it gets closer, you see it has a big fat cockroach on it! So, what do you do?"

Betty had actually been watching the ball as it got closer to her this time. When Daniel told her about the 'cockroach' scenario, however, she made a face, "Ooh! Gross! That's disgusting!" She hit the ball hard and it flew past Daniel on the mound, causing him to duck.

He turned quickly and saw the ball she had hit go sailing by, far into the outfield. At first, he stood, in shock that she had actually hit it so well. Then he smiled, and motioned for her to run, "GO! You hit the ball, Betty! Now just drop the bat and run!"

He went to retrieve the ball, while Betty followed his instructions and started running. It didn't take Daniel that long to go pick up the ball, but he stopped and watched her run from second to third base for a moment, then noticed her hesitate before heading for home plate. He ran after her and just as she stepped across the plate, he tackled her to the ground. "Got you!"

"I'm safe and you know it, Daniel!"

He laughed, "Yeah, okay. Only because I was watching you run, though. No fair, you hypnotized me. You see, this is why it would never work to have sports teams with both sexes. It's a little distracting to watch a sexy girl like you run, you know?"

She had turned around to face him, while he sat on top of her, "Why is that?"

He leaned down, "Uh, because you looked really cute, duh! I honestly was thinking about doing...this." He got closer and kissed her.

After a few moments, Jeff cleared his throat, "Hey! Are you two done yet? Haven't you heard, there's no kissing in baseball?"

Daniel laughed, and brushed himself off, as he helped Betty up and handed Jeff back the glove and bat. He tossed the ball up in the air, then caught it and looked it over, "I thought that was no crying."

"Yeah, but would you really want to see them kissing?"

"I don't know. I know several guys who would, actually. You got this signed by Jeter, right?"

"Of course, Mr. Meade. And...please keep the caps and shirts. Hope you had a good time. That was a decent hit, Miss. You're a natural!"

Betty shook her head, smiling as she took Daniel's arm and leaned against him, "Not really. Daniel's just a really good teacher. He's great at visualization!" As they climbed back into the waiting car, Betty looked at him, "Thank you, Daniel. That was really fun!"

He smiled, "You did great! So now you can say you scored a home run off me, huh?"

She rolled her eyes, "I'm probably the only girl in New York who can say that yet who doesn't have a pair of your silk boxers as a souvenir, huh, Daniel?"

He raised his eyebrows, "Well, all you've gotta do is ask, Betty. I'd be happy to oblige, you know. Just say the word, and we can go back to that suite at the stadium...or wherever you like. I'm always up for it."

She rolled her eyes, and hit his chest lightly, "I was only joking, Daniel. You know I'm not...like that."

He nodded, and held her chin with his finger then leaned in to kiss her cheek, lightly, "I know. I was just kidding."

Betty decided she'd better change the subject, "So, what's next on the agenda for tonight?"

He took her hand and intertwined it with his, smiling at her, and brushing her hair back with his other hand, "Well, how about finishing that Salsa lesson you started? Only this time...I'm going to actually have you here, with me to show me how to do it right."

She smiled, "No white guy overbiting this time, huh?"

He rolled his eyes, "I didn't do that."

"Yes, you did. Don't lie, Daniel!"

He made a face, putting his thumb and index finger together, "Okay, okay, maybe I did. Just a little bit!"

She laughed, pointing at him, "I knew it!"

He grabbed her finger and kissed it, "Yes, but this time, you're going to help me. You get to grab me and make sure I'm moving to 'seduce the woman'. Isn't that what you said Salsa was essentially? Sounds like my kind of dance, actually."

They arrived at the Carl Schurz Park and the driver let them out. Betty looked around. "There's no one here."

He smiled, "Well, that's because you're the teacher, remember? They do actually have dance lessons at Riverside Park in the summer. But, I figured you could finish that lesson you started to give me over the phone, Betty."

She laughed, "Um, it might be a little hard to do without music."

Daniel grinned and clapped his hands, and called out, "Musica, por favor!" and as he did, a small band of musicians walked out and set up their instruments to play.

Betty laughed, "You're too much, Daniel! This is...really sweet. You think of everything. How on earth did you manage all this with everything you have going on right now? Thank you! This was so…above and beyond for a first date!"

He took her hand, and pulled her closer by the waist, "I'm glad you like it! Trust me, I just made a few calls. Besides, you're so worth it, Betty. You still have to teach me not to step on your feet. I mean, I can dance, but...I'm afraid I wasn't very natural at this. You've got to show me how to move with a little more...soul. I kind of looked like an idiot when I did this before."

Betty shrugged, "Maybe you just didn't have the right partner?"

He nodded, "I think you might be right. Senorita? Care to dance?"

She pulled him closer, "Okay, but let me lead you at first, until you start to get it, then once I see you're catching on, we can switch. Can you handle being the girl firstl?"

He raised his eyebrows, "You're kidding, right? You boss me around all the time at Mode, Betty. I'm used to it. Sure, I can follow you first. But then, once I get it, you have to actually let me lead you. Can YOU handle that, Miss Suarez?"

She smiled, "I thnk so." She took a deep breath and once the band started playing, she counted off then showed him again how to hold himself and do the steps. She corrected him many times, holding his head, "Keep your head up, don't look at your feet."

He rolled his eyes, "Sorry! I was trying not to."

She put her hands on his hips, "Try to keep your hips looser and sway them from time to time with the music. You're too tense."

He laughed, "Sorry, I'm...concentrating too hard. You're making me nervous! When do we get to the 'seducing' part?"

She shook her head as they continued and he improved slightly. "You're getting it, Daniel. Remember, together, then hold, forward with your left, then rock back with your right, back with your left, hold, forward with your left. keep repeating that, over and over...there you go, you've got it, great job!" Once he seemed more comfortable, she looked at him, "Okay, ready to be the man, now?"

He nodded, "More than ready. Let's go!" He grabbed her waist, turning her around and surprised her with his skill. He suddenly seemed to know what he was doing a lot more than he had previously and even twirled and dipped her at the end of the song.

She laughed, "What was that? You suddenly became a Salsa Savante? How did you pick this up so fast? Am I that much of an amazing teacher or were you just pretending not to know how to do this? Were you 'hustling' me, Mister?"

He smiled, boyishly, "Not really. But, okay, I uh...have to admit, I've been watching videos a bit and practicing so I wouldn't feel quite so stupid."

"Oh, Daniel...that's so sweet!"

He grabbed her as the band started playing another song, "I'm not done with you, yet. We're just getting started."

They danced for several more songs, before she put up her hand, laughing, "I've created a monster! Can we stop? I'm getting tired! My feet hurt!"

He nodded, "Sure. No problem. Come on, let's go sit somewhere for a while. Oh, thanks, guys!" The musicians left.

Betty shook her head as they sat on a bench, catching their breath. "You were really good."

He grabbed her hand, "Good enough to actually take to a Salsa club sometime? Or would you be too embarrassed to go with a Gringo who bites his lip?"

She laughed, shaking her head, "No, you were really good. I think you've got it, now, Daniel. Honestly. You just needed a little more practice."

He nodded, putting his arm around her and looking at her, "Well, and like you said, the right partner. I think...on some level I always figured it was you, Betty. You're the only woman I've ever known who really...gets me. Who can put up with me."

"Oh, I think lots of women can put up with you, Daniel. LOTS of women."

He shook his head, "No, that's just...that's not me, Betty. You know the real me. The one I hide from the rest of the world. And you still...well, you're still here, you know?"

She squeezed his hand, "Of course I'm still here, Daniel. You're a great guy. The REAL Daniel is way better than the 'public image' anyway, if you ask me.

That guy is, I don't know, posey, and phony. This Daniel; the one you're becoming now is much more interesting and fun. Sweet and vulnerable, and flawed, but with a really good heart. And uh...still very handsome, and sexy, and...completely takes my breath away."

He grinned, "That's not me. It's just the dancing. I wore you out."

She shook her head, looking up at him, and placing her hands on his chest, "No, it's you, Daniel."

"Yeah?" He got closer.

"Yeah, definitely!"

He leaned forward more and whispered, against her lips, "I'd definitely like to try and take your breath away, Betty."