Chapter 2: A Perfect Fit

Monk paled at Sharona's words. He hadn't danced danced since his wedding. Even then, he didn't really want to. Dancing was far too intimate of an act to be doing in front of other people. If you were going to dance in public with someone else, you may as well be naked, too.

Nevertheless, Sharona was forcing him to dance. They took the traditional stance for waltzing, with their right hands clasped, his left hand at her waist (barely), and her left hand on his shoulder.

The orchestra began playing a flowing melody and Sharona leaned in and told him, "You lead."

"Lead?" he asked her. It had been so long since he danced with a woman, he had forgotten how.

"Yeah, usually the guy sta- forget it. I'll lead," Sharona sighed. She took a step backwards while Monk just stood there. She stopped and looked at him, and though she was losing patience, tried to be calm while telling him, "You have to take a step forward when I take a step back. With the opposite foot that I used."

"Sharona, I-I don't think this is such a good idea," he muttered, turning red.

"Adrian, it's just a dance," she said softly. "Nobody is paying any attention to us, and if they are, they're probably drunk and won't remember any of this in the morning." That solicited a small smile from Monk, and Sharona continued. "Besides, most of the people here aren't great dancers. Look at Disher."

They looked over to where Randy was, to see him trying to impress a group of ladies with a horrible rendition of The Robot.

"Oh, God, that should be outlawed," Monk announced, turning back to face Sharona. "Do you think it's possible for him to arrest himself?"

Sharona chuckled. "Sometimes I wish he would." She looked at Monk with a smile on her face. "Are you willing to give this a try?"

Monk rolled his shoulder thougtfully. "I-I guess I could try, I guess," he trailed off.

"Great!" Sharona beamed. The orchestra began playing another piece, this time Claude Debussy's 'Claire De Lune.' As the pianist's fingers walked across the keys, Sharona looked up into Monk's chocolate eyes. He returned the gaze, and staring into pools of aqua, found himself transferred to a completely different realm, one where he was a "normal" man.

He unconsciously gathered Sharona closer to him, and she shivered in delight as his hand trailed down her spine. She met his eyes again, as they flowed across the dance floor as one. Their steps were flawless. If he wouldn't have been so lost in the moment, Monk would've been proud of the symmetry of their dancing.

As it was, he was taken back to a time, a time when he was actually happy. A time when he was in love. Maybe he was in love now. The only one who knew for sure was Monk himself.

He attempted to bring himself back to reality, but then he made the mistake of looking into Sharona's eyes again. That timeworn expression about the eyes being the windows to the soul…Monk knew it was true when he looked into Sharona's oceans. They acted as a mirror – reflecting his raw emotions, ones he usually kept catalogued and filed away under 'PRIVATE.'

He felt Sharona press her face against his tuxedo and flinched at first, but then relaxed as she settled there. His hand was getting a little clammy, but that was the farthest thing from his mind at that moment.

He was dancing with Sharona, and…and when she leaned into him…they fit. They fit like the perfect pair of shoes, they fit the way those Russian dolls fit together. It was…perfect.

This time, when he looked down at her and she up at him, he didn't resist.

He leaned towards her, taking in the scent of the strawberry-scented shampoo she always used, which mingled with a soft rose perfume she must have put on especially for the ball. She usually smells like strawberries and wipes, Monk was thinking, but then he realized what he had originally set out to do. Sharona was giving him a cute little baffled look, and he smiled slightly at it, bringing his hand up to her cheek.

The look on her face now said, "What the hell are you doing?" but then it turned into a look of realization and want.

"Adrian?" she questioned softly, startling him, even though he was looking right at her when she said it.

"What? What do you want?" he asked nervously.

"I-I thought," she stumbled, turning red, "I thought you were going to, you know…"

"No, I don't know," he replied honestly. He had never seen her act this way around him before. She was usually the fearless one. If she started being scared of things…he would have to find a new nurse. Either that or marry her. He had to find out why she was acting bashful. "You thought I was going to…"

She rolled her eyes and shrugged. They were still holding on to each other. "I thought you were going to kiss me." She laughed nervously, trying to cover up her disappointment.

She was having a hard time believing how she was feeling. She wanted him to kiss her. She knew it was completely pointless to be thinking that – it was a miracle she got him to dance with her in the first place. Expecting a kiss would be way too much to ask.

"Sharona," Monk said, capturing her attention. She looked up into his eyes again – oh, her eyes – and gave him a questioning look. "May-maybe I was."