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CHAPTER 3

THE BEGINNING OF CHANGE

Nora burst through the Cipriano's door, almost shouting her excitement, "Rixon, have you heard that our school is going to organize a dance competition? Since Rixon attended school with her and Patch had graduated so it made sense to her that she ask Rixon to be her partner. She knew he was always looking to spend extra time with her and even though she knew she was fighting a losing battle, she'd never love him the way she did Patch, she felt she should give the younger brother a chance.

"Vee told me about it this afternoon. She's wants to do it together, she's going to ask Scott. I told her that of course I would enter!" She was positively sparkling with anticipation.

Rixon, however, was quick to burst her happy little bubble. "Nora, you know I loathe doing things like that. I don't want to show off for a bunch of people I could care less about. Plus, I'm not the dancing kind of guy, I'm tougher than that." His voice made it clear the idea disgust him.

Nora's face fell, she had known, but she had been so sure she would be able to overcome his objections since he would be spending one on one time with her separate from Patch.

"You've danced with me before at school dances and at the towns pageant." How could he be okay with that and not this? It didn't make sense. Couldn't he see how much she wanted to do this? He should be jumping at the chance.

"Yeah, but those were all slow dances. This I'd have to be drunk to take part in and I don't think you want me drinking before a dance competition." Rixon tried reasoning with her, the truth was he had only danced at the high-school dances to let the other guys know he'd staked claim and the same thing held true for the pageant. He was sending a clear and possessive message to everyone that she belonged to him even if she hadn't agreed to dating...Yet. He was also hoping she'd let go of the pipe-dream he knew she harbored for his big brother and that his brother would back off and give him a chance. When it came to Nora she was the wedge between them, she always had been. They were close until she was brought up or present.

Nora looked at the floor dejectedly, "You didn't even ask what kind of dance competition it's going to be..." She mumbled, "So how can you be so sure you wouldn't like it? It might be fun."

Patch was disgusted with his little brothers reaction. "Go on, Rixon, this is your chance! Why don't you do it? Can't you see she really wants you to?" What the hell was he being so unreasonable for? He'd been trying to get Nora since they were five!

Rixon whirled around. He'd totally forgotten that Patch was still there and listening to the conversation. He snarled at him, "Don't you dare meddle between Nora and me, Patch! It's none of your business anyway."

Patch rolled his eyes in annoyance. Was Rixon really so dense? He looked at Nora, standing there so forlorn, she was trying to hold back tears at his brothers' callous refusal. She'd been so elated when she'd practically taken the door off the hinges in her rush to ask him. It hurt Patch to see her like this, the radiance that had been in her eyes earlier almost dimmed into complete disappearance. It must really mean a lot to her to take part in this thing, couldn't Rixon see that and put her first?

Patch sighed, trying again. "Rixon, if it's that important to Nora, surely you can make an exception."

They were pushing him in a direction he didn't want to go thought Rixon. He didn't want to do something like this: a public performance where he would lose his man card was just not his thing. He hated being put on display and dancing was girly. Nora would understand if she gave it some thought. But then Patch had to interfere. He rounded on his brother, barking at him. "If you think it's that important to Nora, why don't you oblige her? All though I'm sure she's not going to want to take you since you're five years older than her!"

Patch didn't answer immediately, instead glancing over at Nora. When she looked at him, he lifted one eyebrow inquiringly, silently asking her what she wanted him to do. Their eyes held for an infinite moment, gray meeting black.

Finally she nodded and with a subdued voice answered her friends unspoken question. "Thank-you, Patch. I think I will take you up on your offer..."

Nora turned around, and quickly left, shutting the door firmly behind her. Rixon was stunned she'd actually take Patch, sure they were best friends, but he was so much older. Why would Patch even agree to this?

As they walked into the school gym, Nora spoke up. "Vee is very excited about this salsa teacher. Apparently she's from Cuba, she's the very best . They only got her to come here because she's judging another competition in the area and the Mayor and his wife offered her a place to stay. Apparently she's bored with hotels."

Patch followed behind her, wrinkling his nose at the penetration odor of sweaty socks that permeated the gym. It was only a lesson, it wouldn't last long and he'd put up with a lot worse for the sake of his best friend. Anytime spent with her would no doubt more than make up for that awful smell. He knew she enjoyed his company as much as he enjoyed hers. He'd been so busy with college and traveling since graduating that they hadn't had nearly enough time together.

He was startle out of his contemplation when a sultry voice exclaimed. "Dios mio, if it's not Patch Cipriano!"

Patch looked up, greeting her with a devilish grin. "Karlotta! I should have known it would be you when I was told they had found the very best salsa dancer..."

Nora had stopped walking when she saw the woman the voice belonged to: she was a petite woman with luscious curves and a wealth of glossy dark ringlets that cascaded down her back. She had to be the salsa teacher. Nora remembered Vee telling her she was Cuban, but this woman had nearly translucent porcelain, contrasting sharply with her auburn hair, bottomless black eyes and sensuous red lips. In short, she was absolutely stunning.

The woman walked up to Patch (no, Nora thought with a pang of jealousy, she didn't just walk, she swayed! Was it any wonder that every male eye in the room was glued to her sensuous undulating backside? Especially since she was dressed in a skirt so short it could hardly be called decent!)

She snaked her arms around Patch's neck, murmuring in her accented English. "It's so good to see you! I have missed you since your visit! I would never have thought to find you here of all places, in this little speck of a town on the devil's backside."

Patch was tall and he had to lean down when she pulled him into a kiss. Well, Nora thought sourly, that made it clear what kind of relationship there had been between them on his vacation. As if she had any doubts, especially if this was the 'sizzling hot teacher with a tasty sex drive' Patch had bragged about. His Angel or not she hadn't gotten used to his sex drive with other women since puberty had finally hit her. She knew he'd always told her she would come first and as his best friend she'd always believed him, but still...

Nora turned her head away from where little miss Karlotta proceeded to prove just how much she had missed 'her Patch', and saw Vee standing at the back of the room next to Scott. Vee lifted her eyebrow, silently asking whether Nora had known that Patch was well acquainted with the salsa teacher. Nora simply shrugged, answering without words that she hadn't known, nor did she care. Not in the least she told herself.

Patch finally succeeded in untangling himself from her the very enthusiastic Karlotta. She didn't release him though; she just hooked her arm through his, looking up at him from under her lashes. "Now, it's very fortunate for me that you are here, Juan has broken his leg. The silly man fell off a horse, he had no business getting on one in the first place!"

Patch frowned. "Who is Juan, and is there a particular reason I should care what happened to him?"

Karlotta tapped his wrist with her fan, and said flirtatiously, "Of course you should not care about Juan! It is just that he was my dance partner to show some of the steps. I almost had to resort to picking one of these boys." She stood on her tiptoes so she could whisper in his ear, but loud enough for everyone to hear her stage whisper. "That makes you an angel and the answer to my prayers."

Nora had enough. She approached them and with her voice laced in belligerence let them know what she thought. "Now wait just one second! You can't just walk in here and steal my dance partner!" Her insecurity suddenly shocking her. Since when had she ever had been so insecure with Patch? She was his Angel and it had and always would be that way. Right?

The dance instructor raked her eyes over Nora, and by the look on her face, apparently found her wanting. "And who are you?" She asked disdainfully.

Nora opened her mouth charged with a heated retort, but Patch intervened. With a meaningful look at Nora, he said. "Karlotta, this is my dance partner, Nora Grey. She's one of your students, so you can't just deprive her of her dance partner. How would she learn about the most fantastic dance in the world, now that she has such a wonderful salsa dancer like you for a teacher? Besides, I'm sure the other boys here would like to dance with you as well. It wouldn't be fair to them if I took all of your time and attention for myself." He lifted his eyebrows expectantly.

The irony in Patch's voice wasn't lost on Nora, but Karlotta obviously didn't pick up on it. She seemed mollified by what seem to Nora too obvious flattery. "You are right of course. I shall just have to show the steps with you, and then make use of the left-footed oafs for the rest of the time."

The dance teacher turned on her heels, (how did she do that without breaking her ankles, Nora thought, they were at least five inches high) and walked over to the open space that was their dance floor. Then she gave Patch a come-hither look. He looked at Nora apologetically and shrugged.

"You won't needing that." The dance instructor purred, stripping him of his black leather jacket. She took full advantage of every opportunity she could to get her hands on him, Nora thought with a frown.

"To give you an idea of the wonderful dance that is salsa, I shall first show how it should look when done properly." She said to no one in particular and glided into Patch's arms, moving to stand very close to him. Everybody slowly gathered around in a big circle.

When the music with its heady salsa rhythm started up, the couple in the middle of the floor seemed to still, before suddenly whirling into action. Nora surprised herself by thinking that Patch looked like a sleek black panther, moving through the figures dancing with a predator's grace. The way he confidently steered Karlotta's curvy body through the complicated twists and turns made it seem so effortless, but Nora was sure she would never meet that level of perfection no mater that she had taken dance classes from the time she could walk.

He had once teased her about having moves she'd never seen, he hadn't been exaggerating when he'd bragged she realized. Just looking at them made her feel kind of hot and tingly inside...

Up until this point she hadn't really thought seriously about being more than friends with Patch. She hadn't liked the sexual relationships he had once her hormones had kicked in, she just assumed that was natural and didn't put much weight into it. Watching him now though, she was just starting to discover feelings buried inside of her, that her love for Patch was far more than that of a best friend or big brother...and that had the potential for causing some big problems. Something Clista had long been aware of.

Nora's eyes stayed glued to Patch's powerful body throughout the dance, she found herself inadvertently admiring the way his biceps flexed, the way the muscles in his back moved under his form-fitting maroon Henley, and the way his tight black jeans molded to his fantastic butt.

You're being a bad girl, Nora Grey, she reprimanded herself, you aren't allowed to ogle a guy that way when he's your best friend you've known since you were five. He obviously doesn't feel the same way for you and besides, Patch was just naturally a flirt she reminded herself. It's not the first time you've saw it and it won't be the last. She had to admit he was good at it, no, that was an understatement of the century, he was a master at flirting and getting what he wanted with the women.

When the music finally came to a glorious finale Patch twirled Karlotta out in a dazzling spin that sent her curls flying and had her laughing delightfully as Nora took note of everybody staring, equally entranced.

When her eyes alighted on Vee, Vee looked slightly dazed. Then the crowd started clapping and whistling their appreciation. Vee made her way over to where Nora was standing.

"Nora, you sly little thing, pretending you asked Patch because Rixon wouldn't do it. You almost had me feeling sorry for you. Well that's ancient history now, babe!"

Nora blushed slightly. "Hey, I really did ask Rixon first. He didn't want to...lower himself like this." She wisely refrained from mentioning that he was probably going to change his mind once he realized it would be another perfect opportunity for him pressure her into the marriage their parents were so eager for them to have. Vee couldn't understand the dynamics of the relationship she had with the Cipriano brothers, she was friends with both, Rixon and her were very close but she wasn't a huge fan of Patch. She didn't like the way he was constantly flirting and his ego was so huge. She couldn't help but be protective of her little sister, she had long suspected like their grandma that Nora's feeling ran deeper than just friends and with all the time they'd spent together over the years of growing up all she saw was heartbreak ahead for her sister. "Besides, when I asked Patch, I really had no idea that he knew how to do this..." Nora finished.

Vee looked at her skeptically. "He doesn't just know how to do this. The way he moved just now..." She glanced over at Scott who was standing a few feet away talking to a classmate, and whispered to Nora. "...that was just plain sinful, like sex on the vertical, right? I'm warning you now so don't say I didn't later when this comes back to bite you in the ass."

Nora opened her mouth to protest, but Vee forestalled her. "Nora, don't go denying things that can't be denied! I know you agree with me, I saw the look on your face. You looked at him as if he was an ice cream sundae and you'd been on one of my crash diet's for months!"

Nora felt her face flood with heat, but she was spared from composing a believable reply but Karlotta of all people, clapping her hands and asking all the students to stand next to their partner. She would now walk around and show everybody the correct position to start.

As she began winding her way through the couples, Nora felt Patch come up behind her without even having to turn around. How was it possible that she felt him move through the room without actually having to see him? That was downright creepy. She temporarily forgot that she had always been able to do that, now it had her so flustered by this 'new discovery' that she froze when he came to stand before her and she stared at him like a frightened animal. Honestly, things had always been this way, them being able to almost read each others minds, but when had the electricity in the air started, and was that sexual tension she was feeling? Like they were on the verge of doing something forbidden and exciting? Good God she was in trouble! Vee was right and knowing Patch's relentless flirting he would use every chance he could to embarrass her and throw her off not realizing the extent of the feelings she herself was just starting to discover.

"What's the matter, Nora?" He bent his head and brought his mouth closer to her ear so nobody would here what he was saying. "Don't tell me you've suddenly became afraid of dancing with the devil." He gave her smile that dripped of sex, promises and evil deeds, and then he growled mock-aggressively low in his throat. Nora laughed in spite of herself, instantly feeling better, even if his growl had made her shiver, it most certainly had not been in fear.

She lifted her arms and tentatively put her left hand on his upper arm, the way she had seen Karlotta do. Patch took her right hand in his left and his right arm slid around her small waist, his hand coming to rest low on her back, almost on the curve of her derriere. His hand felt like it was burning through her clothes. What was wrong with her? It was just Patch after all!

It was no use. She stood there feeling awkward next to him, not daring to look up yet, instead she stared fixedly at his shirt with quite a bit of distance between their bodies. Every time he tried to pull her closer to him she stubbornly refused.

Patch lifted one eyebrow, looking down at Nora he gave a slight smile. "You don't like my aftershave? I could always change it next time." He said dryly.

When Nora automatically looked up, surprise clearly written on her features, he said with some exasperation. "We're supposed to be dancing Nora. You know, that thing where I get to come real close to you, and it's allowed since it's all part of the dance?" While he was talking, he had been steadily pulling her closer, and closer, and still closer to his body, until their bodies were almost touch and the electricity felt like lightning striking her.

When Nora realized how close they were she gasped. "Patch! You can't do this here!"

Patch smirked down at her and in a laconic voice asked, "Do what here? If you want to leave and do this in a more private setting, I'm all for it, but we are only going to be dancing, Nora. Or did you have something else in mind perhaps?" Always, always the flirt she thought to herself and embarrassing her was only going to make it worse. How was she ever going to get through this without tipping him off that her feelings were changing, that suddenly her body felt like she was melting beneath his touch when he could practically read her mind!

Patch was a bit surprised at Nora's loss of composure. She acted as if she had never danced before, he knew firsthand that wasn't true. What made this so special then? He observed the high color on her cheeks and her shallow breathing with a frown. He really hoped she was wasn't regretting him agreeing to be her partner. He was used to being the one she asked first, for all the love his brother supposedly had for her he hadn't even asked her on a proper date.

Karlotta had reached them by now and slowly walked in a circle around them, placing Nora's left hand just so on Patch's upper arm and closing the fingers of her right hand firmly over his. Patch allowed her little adjustments with an indulgent smile and Nora stood up straighter.

Finally the instructor seemed satisfied: she looked up at Patch teasingly and whispered, "If you get bored with this little one, just let me know and I will be more than happy to take her place!"

Nora bristled at her words. She didn't say anything; she just glared at the brazen woman and blatantly pushed her own body a fraction of an inch closer to Patch's, forgetting for the moment her earlier resistance.

When she felt Patch's eyes on her, she looked up at him. He quirked an eyebrow and his eyes held an amused glint. He looked as if he knew exactly what she was doing. She felt a flush of embarrassment stain her cheeks, but she didn't back off. If she was in for a penny, she might as well be in for a pound.

Karlotta had moved into the middle of the group and started instructing her students on the basic steps for salsa. Nora had to grudgingly admit that she did seem to be a very good instructor. She even had the clumsiest of the boys trying their best. Maybe that wasn't so surprising after all come to think of it, Nora almost rolled her eyes at her thought.

Surprisingly, it turned out to be Nora who had the most trouble getting a feel for the dance. She just couldn't relax into it. She was too conscious of Patch's body almost pressed to hers to be able to concentrate fully on the steps, she found herself continuously stumbling over Patch's feet, and over her own feet, losing the rhythm of the music each time.

As soon as she let herself get into the salsa rhythm, she lost it again when she felt his leg sliding in between hers, or his arm brushing her breast when he spun her out. She was sensuously aware of every place on her body that came into contact with his, feeling a tingling sensation wherever they touch, that was definitely in too many places!

Soon enough she was so rattled by her own inability to concentrate that she felt herself getting angry. What the was wrong with her? Why couldn't she make this work? It's not like she'd never danced before, she had even danced with Patch. She had always prided herself on being good at it so why couldn't she pull it together?

It had to be Patch's fault. At the pageant, which was the last place they had danced together, it had felt completely natural to dance with him, it always had. They had kept a proper distance from each other though. Suddenly dancing with Patch up close and personal like this felt entirely too intimate for friends.

That kept her losing her focus and she knew that Patch was puzzled by her behavior. When the lesson was about to end, Nora had to suppress a sigh of relief. It was enough to make her wonder how on earth she was going to go on with the contest if Patch's nearness alone affected her like this. She was berating herself for acting like a foolish teenager when Karlotta popped up again and tapped Patch's arm. He released Nora and she quickly took a step backwards, thankful for a little space.

Karlotta put her hand on Patch's chest, leaned in closer and whispered in his ear, unfortunately loud enough for Nora to overhear, "I'm staying at the Mayors estate, I will be here just for one night." She smiled languidly at him and added with a suggestive wink, "You are very welcome to stop by and have a night...cap with me."

The shameless hussy, Nora thought, marveling at the audacity of the Cuban's unabashed invitation for an assignation, right under her nose! It wasn't as if Karlotta knew for sure that Nora wasn't Patch's girlfriend, did she? Nora shook her head at the direction her thoughts were taking her.

Suddenly she had enough: she was angry at herself for overreacting and very irritated that she was apparently so excruciatingly bad at salsa. She turned her back on Patch and Karlotta and hightailed it out of the gym. She closed the door behind her and sagged against the wall of lockers around the corner with a moan. Hot tears of frustration welled in her eyes.

A few minutes later she heard the door of the gym opening again and she knew it would be Patch coming after her. It would be useless for her to run he had always been faster. She closed her eyes, feeling him approaching and she knew the exact moment he was standing in front of her.

"Nora?" He inquired softly. "Are you alright?"

She opened her eyes. The concern she saw in his eyes was nearly her undoing. Under the overhead fluorescent lights of the hallway his eyes seemed to be almost bottomless pits to his soul pulling her in.

To keep herself from breaking down, she burst out. "No, I am not alright! Don't you see that? I'm obviously not cut out to be a salsa dancer! I'll never be able to get it right, I can't even master the basic steps that everyone else did!"

Her words heralded the tears to start running down her cheeks. She leaned her head back to hold them in, that only caused them to follow a different path and drip into her ears. It was a distinctly unpleasant feeling. She sniffed loudly.

Patch magically produced a black satin handkerchief and presented it to her. Gratefully, she accepted it and dabbed her eyes. The she said the first thing that popped in her head. "Why on earth do you carry a handkerchief? It's not like you ever catch a cold."

One corner of his mouth quirked up in that sexy smirk of his, he answered in a teasing tone, "No, indeed I don't, Nora dear! Have I neglected to mention that I'm taking an advanced course in the ancient art of chivalry? First rule is to never leave the house without a handkerchief to rescue teary-eyed damsels-in-distress!"

Once again she laughed in spite of herself. Patch's expression turned serious. "Really, Nora, what makes you think you can't dance salsa?"

When she immediately opened her mouth to answer him, he gently put one finger to her lips, effectively silencing her. She swallowed her words, gazing at him with big watery eyes, uncomfortably aware of the feel of his finger against her lips. She had the absurd impulse to open her mouth and...No, Nora! What is wrong with you tonight? She scolded herself.

The door of the gym opened again and the other contestants spilled out, laughing and talking, breaking the spell between them. Patch hastily withdrew his hand and took a step back, Nora blew her nose. Only then did she realize she had just used Patch's handkerchief and she looked up at him, embarrassed.

Patch had already regained his usual aplomb and quipped with a waggle of his eyebrows, "Don't even think you're giving it back to me like that! You can keep it now."

Nora suppressed a laugh, just like that, the strange atmosphere between the friends dissipated as if it had never been. Nora wondered afterward if her mind hadn't been playing tricks on her, that she hadn't dreamed the episode.

Patch felt Nora still needed some reassurance after bungling the lesson, so he said, "Don't worry about dancing, Nora. You just need to get used to it and practice. It'll all work out just fine. You'll see. Come by the house tomorrow and we'll start all over again."

Nora nodded uncertainly.