Suddenly, he heard the flurry of footsteps up the steps to the studio. The door opened to reveal a breathless Ria. "Sorry...I was running a little late..."
"It's ok." He said with a grin.
"Thanks." She said, feeling that weak-kneed feeling she'd started becoming accustomed to when he gave her a full-strength grin.
"You ready to dance?"
She laughed before nodding. "Yeah...I think so."
"Okay. First thing to do is the hold."
"In other words, you just want me in your arms..." She teased.
"Of course!" Tony replied, his eyes twinkling merrily at her.
She giggled as he pulled her into the correct ballroom hold.
"Hand on my muscle, my hand on your shoulder."
"I know." She chuckled. "We've already had this conversation. You just want me to think you have big muscles..."
He raised an eyebrow and rolled up one sleeve of his shirt to reveal his extremely well built arms. "I DO have muscles!" He protested.
"I'm impressed." She said, a teasing grin still firmly in place.
"As you should be." He sniffed loftily.
She couldn't help but allow a tiny giggle to burst forth.
"What?!? You DARE to mock me?" Tony said, gasping.
She tried to bite back a laugh, but it was to no avail, and it came out more like a guffaw.
"I can't believe the things I put up with." He sighed theatrically.
She looked at him, her eyes twinkling. "Well, I, for one, know why you put up with them..."
Just then, she placed her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly.
"Because I get paid?"
She playfully slugged him in the arm.
"Owww!" He howled. "I felt that all the way in my tibia!"
"You did not, you big baby!" She said, laughing.
"Did you just call me a baby?" Tony asked, his voice suddenly husky as he rumba walked up to her.
She instantly sobered as she tried to catch her breath. WHOA! That man could walk...
Circling her slowly, he smirked.
"Oh you are VERY much a man." She said, as he placed his arms around her and pulled her into a close hold.
"Waltz with me, then." He said, moving his feet slowly in the 1-2-3 pattern so she could get used to his leading.
She followed perfectly, having learned the basic steps before, but was gracefully surprised by the turns he began adding.
"As long as you keep the pattern in your mind, you can fudge a lot ot things if you goof up." Tony told her, smiling.
She laughed before tripping over his feet and falling down.
"I'm sorry!' She said, quickly getting up.
"Hey, it's okay." He said, trying to make sure she was all right. "Even the best fall down sometimes..." He quoted softly.
She flushed. "I still feel kinda silly though..."
"Hey, trust me...it happens ALL the time." He said, taking her hand. "We just have to start again."
She smiled. "Okay. Let's start again, then."
"And 1-2-3, 1-2-3." He said, gently tapping the rhythm on her shoulder with a couple of fingers.
After a few rotations around the room, she was able to stop looking at her feet and start looking up.
"There you go." He said, sounding pleased.
She blushed, somewhat embarrassed by the praise.
"What?" He asked.
"I had a good teacher, that's all."
It was Tony's turn to have a red face.
She laughed. "You don't need to blush, Tony..."
He shrugged.
Suddenly, her cell phone alarm went off. "Oh my gosh! I forgot!"
"Forgot what?"
"My landlord was going to have someone come and look at the leaky ceiling in my apartment. The appointment was for right now..."
"Uh oh..."
"Yeah." She groaned. "I guess I have to go...but...I...we still need to finish rehearsing...we could do that at my place..."
"Sure!" He agreed.
She grinned before reaching for her jacket and changing her shoes. "Okay."
"Race you!"
She laughed as she sped to finish readying herself and hurrying out the door before Tony who was only a second or two behind her.
"Wait for me!"
"Okay..." She said, grinning as she turned to find him only inches behind her. "Oh...you're...right there..."
He quickly kissed her before hurrying off to the car.
"Driton Antonius Dovolani, you get back here!" she sputtered.
"Oh really?" He teased.
"Yes, really." She said, sauntering over to where he stood.
"And what if I don't?"
"Then I'll have to find some way to punish you." She said, swaying her hips as she walked to her car.
"Oy..."
She laughed as she reached for her car door handle and felt Tony's hand enclose hers. "Allow me." He whispered, his breath on her ear.
Gulping, Ria nodded.
He opened the door, allowing his arm to rest on hers. She smiled as he helped her into the car. "I'll meet you at your place."
"Yeah...I'll see you there."