CHAPTER 4

NO WAY OUT

When Nora woke up the next morning she was immediately dreading the day. It was Saturday, that would mean two whole days with Vee. She was sure Vee had wanted to talk last night after their dance lesson, but she'd pleaded a headache (not really a lie at that point) and made her escape to her room as soon as possible. Vee would undoubtedly have some questions that she wouldn't be comfortable answering.

For another thing, she felt positively exhausted, since it had taken her several hours of tossing and turning to fall asleep, asking herself if she shouldn't just give up on the salsa contest. She knew it was kind of strange that she was contemplating giving up so easily. She did love to dance after all, but this was different she told herself. If Patch hadn't been so infernally good at it...they would have been able to laugh and learn together, but now? Her obvious failure in dancing salsa with him made her feel very inadequate. He'd always been perfect at everything he did, infuriating perfect. For once she just wanted to feel on equal ground, that's hard to do when the person your trying to be equal with is so much older than you, more experienced and just plain good at everything he does. Nora decided it would never work, there really was no other reason for her somewhat uncharacteristic decision to give up after only one try. Okay, maybe that was a bit of a lie...

With that thought in mind, minus the lying part, she walked over to the Cipriano mansion in the late afternoon, having made up her mind to tell Patch she was giving up on the contest. She would withdraw and if he wanted to stay in, maybe he could find someone else to dance with.

Nora walked into the house, abruptly stopping on the threshold to the parlor. The room had undergone a transformation of sorts. Patch had apparently made his preparations for their 'lesson': all their couches and tables had been pushed up to the wall, leaving the middle of the room empty. Even the expensive Persian carpets his parents treasured had been rolled up and placed against the wall, exposing the intricately inlaid wooden floor underneath. He must have finished only recently, because fine dust motes still danced in the late afternoon sunshine that was bathing the room in a diffuse of golden light.

Even though she had expected Patch to be around, she still jumped about a foot in surprise when his velvet voice purred in her ear. "So, Nora, are you ready to get all hot and sweaty with me?" He really had no clue...

Nora shivered, unsure if it was because of his cool breath against the back of her neck or because of his insinuating words. She turned around, only to find him immediately behind her. Involuntarily she took a step back, forgetting she had stood on the top of the three steps leading down into the parlor. She lost her balance and started to tip backwards when his hand shot out and he grabbed her arm, pulling her forward again.

Her momentum cause her to fall against him and she grabbed his navy blue T-shirt to stay upright. He put an arm around her to steady her. "Well, you are certainly enthusiastic to get your hands on me again." He said in a teasing voice. "Mind you, I'm not complaining!" There he is again with the constant flirting she sighed to herself. For the second time since she had walked in the door less than five minutes ago she found herself thinking he really had no idea how close his words were hitting home with her.

Nora flushed at her own clumsiness, and maybe a little because of his words as well, and stepped away from him, descending the three little steps to get further away from him so she could think.

She turned around, took a deep breath and blurted, "Patch, I don't think I can go on with this, with the salsa dancing, I mean." She hesitated, glancing at him from underneath her lashes to gauge his reaction.

Patch wasn't exactly surprised at Nora's change of heart. He suspected that yesterday's dancing lesson had been a serious disappointment to her and he knew she had been taken by surprise by his skill. He was kind of proud of his ability, but then again, Nora should know by now that if he took something on, it was with the intention of mastering it as completely as possible. He didn't believe in doing things halfway. It wasn't as if he had hidden anything from her; she had just taken his boasting to be exactly that: boasting. Which it wasn't, not really.

While he was pondering this, he observed her silently. His searching gaze must have unnerved her, because she took a step back and bumped into the wall behind her.

Nora was indeed getting nervous with the way Patch kept looking at her; his scrutiny was making her feel as if he could see right into her soul, which had her wondering if he really couldn't read minds occasionally as well as her eyes and face.

"Why not?" He finally asked.

Nora burst out, "Didn't you see what happened yesterday? I simply can't do it! I thought I could, but I...you..." It had sounded so much more convincing in her head last night and early today, Nora thought, floundering. If she wasn't convinced he wouldn't be. He'd been at her side through too much to not know this was coming.

He was at her side in an instant, standing right in front of her, crowding her as usual when he sensed her being weak. There was nowhere left to go because she already had her back pressed to the wall. She swallowed but didn't say anything else.

At last he said quietly, "One setback and already you give up? I hadn't pegged you for a coward after all these years, Nora Grey. Not once have I known you to let something beat you."

She frowned at the accusation and retorted immediately. "I'm not a coward!"

Patch lifted one eyebrow, challenging her. "Then why are you ready to throw in the towel so soon?"

When she opened her mouth to repeat what she had said earlier, he went on. "Don't give me that nonsense again about not being able to get it right. I know you're a good dancer." His voice softened. "And I think you could be very good. You just need to give it a chance." He paused and finished meaningfully. "Give me a chance to teach you. That's what best friends are for right, to help each other through their struggles and hardships?"

He found he really did want to teach her: it wasn't about winning the contest, that would be a nice bonus of course, but he didn't want to see anything beat her or give her a reason to feel inadequate when their parents did a fine job of that on their own without her belittling herself as well. He was really starting to worry about how she was acting around him. She knew better than anyone that he was much more than what his 'bad boy' image revealed to other people, he strove to always be a better person for her, for his Angel, and he always would.

Patch's eyes stayed focused on hers, unblinking, and she couldn't look away from the intense midnight of his gaze that implored her to say yes. His intensity made her strangely uneasy, as if by agreeing she would be setting things in motion that could have unexpected results. She was a bit afraid of that, so she tried reasoning again. "But..."

Patch didn't allow her to continue. He couldn't let her think this over too much, or she would find a way to wriggle out of it somehow. Nora was a smart girl. He decided to taunt her a bit, always worked with her before. "Or is there another reason you want to back out of this? The real reason, the one I suspect you're not going to own up to?"

His teasing came dangerously close to what she herself didn't want to explore in too much detail at the moment, so she hastily demurred. "No! What other reason could there be?"

Patch had a way of either leaving her tongue-tied or infuriated quite often and now would prove to be another one of those times. Smiling lazily he replied to her question. "If you really want me to be explicit..." He knew he was crossing the line, but that didn't stop him. He was famous for pushing boundaries, gambling and going for broke, what he didn't realize at the time was what he might be breaking if he broke something...namely Nora's heart.

Nora's sense of unease intensified at that smile, it was a dangerous smile, hinting at things that were better left alone by her. He could not under any circumstances figure out how she was really feeling inside, especially since she hadn't fully figured it out for herself. The only one that ever seemed sure about where her and Patch were headed was her grandma, but could she really believe those things her grandma said about following your heart. It just seemed too easy, and totally cliché to think that her and Patch were somehow destined to be together. That was the stuff that fairy-tales were made of and her life was far from being a fairytale.

He put one arm on the wall over her head and leaned in closer to her, his body almost, but not quite touching hers. Nora felt the tiny hairs on her skin stand up in reaction to the electric current that crackled between them. She pushed her back further against the wall in a futile attempt to put some more distance between them.

His voice in her ear was very low and dark when he murmured, "Mmm... Let's see. If you were any other girl I'd say it was quite possible that you're scared of what might happen if I got real close to you." He demonstrated by moving closer. "Or if I touch you." His free hand came up and he slowly trailed his knuckle down the side of her throat, his eyes following its movement. For the third time Nora it crossed her mind that he had no idea what he was doing with her physically or emotionally.

Patch's eyes came up to her face again and he whispered. "How about if we do get all hot and sweaty? Does the thought make you tremble perhaps?" If he only knew the storm his words were setting off inside of her she thought bitterly. She was fast learning what becoming a woman was all about, hormones and all, this was a classic case of what not to do and how not to feel about one's best friend. Especially when so much of your life depended on them.

Even the bitterness couldn't suppress the slight frisson that accompanied the images his words conjured up in Nora's mind as she stared at him, mesmerized by his eyes and the sound of his voice as if it were the first time she'd seen or heard him.

She felt herself start to lean in towards him unbidden when he suddenly pulled back and said in a mock businesslike tone. "No. No, surely that can't be the reason. You're not like any other girls and that's why you, my Angel, are my best friend."

Nora blushed and swallowed, not trusting her voice enough to speak at the moment, she wordlessly shook her head.

Patch smirked and said blithely. "No, of course not. That's what I thought so then you won't mind going ahead with this and letting me teach you to salsa." He pressed his advantage ruthlessly. He had her cornered without even knowing to what extreme.

For a moment Nora felt like a mouse that sees the trap irrevocably closing on her. Well, that would teach her to argue with Patch! Still, she was so relieved he wasn't pursuing this touchy matter any further that she was quick to jump on the change of subject. "If you're really sure you can teach me..."

Patch snorted. "I'm so sure I'll even make a bet, Nora. Give me two weeks and I'll have you salsa dancing in a grand way. Trust me on that."

It gave her a thrill to imagine herself really dancing salsa with him instead of stumbling over her own two feet like some awkward teenager. Nora gave in, saying slowly. "If you really think I can do it, okay then."

Patch smiled triumphantly. "If I succeed, I get to choose your dress for the contest." His eyes taking her in and giving nothing away.

Nora's eyes widened and she protested. "No, Patch. I can just imagine what that dress will look like!" She could see flashing yellow lights straight ahead warning her of just how dangerous he could be.

Patch opened his eyes wide, feigning innocence. "And how would that be?"

Nora laughed at what appeared an incongruous look for his face, (Patch, innocent?) and quipped. "Knowing you, entirely inappropriate."

"Nora, Nora! Get your thoughts out of the gutter please." Patch said mock-severely and wagged his finger at her. "I do have a sense of propriety, you know. And although you can feel free to model the kinds of dress your imagining now, I do know what would be proper for a dance contest. Give me some credit!" He lifted his eyebrows and she colored. "Plus, your my Angel and I will always guard and protect you, wouldn't want you exposing too much and giving boys the wrong idea, Rixon couldn't handle the competition now could he? Agreed?" He added with a wink and another smirk to top it off.

"Hey, wait a minute, who's going to judge that?" Nora protested. "Don't think I'm letting you decide if you won the bet or not! Especially not if my choice of dress is contingent upon that decision!"

Patch put his hand over his heart dramatically and drawled. "You wound me with your distrust, fair Nora." Then he smiled roguishly and added. "But you are right of course. At least in this instance. So...how about if we let Grumpy be the judge of my skills as a salsa teacher?"

"Bella? Yes, I suppose I could live with that." Nora felt safe knowing that Bella would surely take her side in this. "Okay Patch, you're on!"

Patch smiled victoriously, later Nora would realize that they hadn't even discussed the possibility that he might lose his bet...

Patch didn't dare give Nora any more time to reconsider, so he held out his hand to her and said. "How about we get started then?"

Nora looked slightly taken aback. "What? Now?"

Patch nonchalantly lifted one shoulder. "Why not now? You do know that the best thing to do if you fall off of a horse is to get back on immediately." He frowned, considering. "Or was that falling off a bicycle? Nah, I don't think so. Not that I am necessarily comparing myself to a horse or a bicycle, but... well, you catch my drift, I suppose." Pointedly, he held out his hand again.

There really was no way out.

Nora looked at his extended hand as if wondering what to do with it. Finally she took it, hesitantly, but she balked when he gently tugged at it to get her to move away from the wall.

Patch was starting to get impatient with her stalling. "It's not as if you have any pressing engagements and we're not going won't be interrupted, no ones home or even expected home any time soon."

That was exactly what she was afraid of, Nora thought distractedly. She couldn't afford to admit that his nearness alone caused her to feel all kinds of funny, (the word is 'unwelcome', Nora, she corrected herself instantly) sensations. She replied rather sharply. "I know because there's nothing to interrupt, it's just dancing lessons, but people already talk gossip about us, Patch!" A slight blush stained her cheeks when she remembered yesterday's dancing class and her own unexpected (and unwelcome!) reaction to Patch's proximity. For Patch's part he couldn't care less what people thought or talked about the appropriateness of his friendship with her, he cared even less what people thought of him. She was right, this was only a dancing lesson between lifelong friends, so why was she suddenly making this so difficult he wondered?

Patch lifted his eyebrow, not wanting to let it go. "Why are you so worried if it isn't about my love-sick little brother? You and I both know he wants more than you are ready or willing to give him." Nora wisely refrained from answering...

Why was he like a dog with a bone, Nora asked herself. She would let him believe it was out of concern for Rixon's feelings if he wanted to, it was so much safer than the alternative.

Patch surprised her then. He scooted up closer to her and tilted her face up so he could look into her inquisitive gray eyes. She stared at him, wide-eyed, when he told her in a strangely sincere voice. "Let me tell you, Nora, there's not a man in his right mind that would chase after another girl if he stood any chance at all of having you." He paused then added matter-of-factually. "Well, I know I wouldn't, so I'm sure my brother won't either, but since neither of us stand a chance we don't have to worry about that now, do we?"

Nora blushed, his soft words had caused a violent fluttering in her stomach, as if butterflies had suddenly taken up residence there. She didn't know where to look: his serious gaze seemed to pierce her soul.

Patch had only told her what he felt was true, but he read her unease and released her. He took a step back and tried to lighten the mood by teasing her. "Then again, I'm not Rixon. I sure wouldn't have left you all alone with my depraved, but incredibly hot older brother on a Saturday night, even if he pinky promised that he'd behave and they were 'just friends'..." He made air quotations around the "Just friends" dramatically, poking fun at the way people always assumed the worst, it made for better gossip.

Nora took in the furniture pushed up against the walls and the carpets again before commenting. "You sure are taking this seriously for a small town dance competition, especially when it's high-schoolers mainly."

"If I'm going to enter, I'm going to win."

Nora laughed. "What happened to participating is more important than winning?"

Patch rolled his eyes. "Oh, cut it out, Nora! Bad losers undoubtedly invented that particular profundity. Winning is the only thing that matters, since no one ever remembers who came in second. Hasn't our childhoods taught you that by now?" The look on his face let her know that he had their parents in mind who accepted nothing but first place and winning from all of them at all times.

Nora looked at him then said impish. "Well then, if you have your sights set on winning this contest, we better get started instead of just standing around talking about it. We're wasting precious time!"

Patch let out a disbelieving snort and shook his head. Trust a woman to turn everything on its head: he hadn't been the one turning every stone looking for excuses! But he didn't say anything; he just motioned for her to go ahead of him to the space in the middle of the room.

Patch walked over to the stereo so that he could start the music. He looked at her over his shoulder and remarked. "Today you just need to rehearse the basic steps so you have them firmly in your head before we start on the more complicated moves. Next time we'll get to the real salsa dancing, I promise. Now take off your shoes."

Nora felt disappointed for reasons she again did not want to explore, that they wouldn't be actually dancing together today. She missed his cue on taking off her shoes.

"Daydreaming about me already, Nora?" He smirked at her before repeating. "I asked you to take off your shoes. You can't possible dance wearing those tennis shoes, you will have to do it barefoot until we can find you something suitable."

Nora bent over to undo her shoelaces. "What do you call suitable?"

When he didn't answer her, Nora looked up to find he had turned from the stereo to openly check out her backside when she bent over to take off her shoes. She blushed furiously and lost her balance, landing on her butt.

Patch grinned. "You should definitely wear heels. Maybe they'd better not be too high though, we don't want you falling over after all. Your balance seems a bit off."

He chuckled when she scowled at him from her spot on the floor. Damn him, Nora thought, he knew very well that her falling over just now hadn't had anything to do with her balance or lack there of. She knew she should keep quiet, but she couldn't resist. "I don't believe you! Were you just checking me out?!"

He cocked one eyebrow and nodded. Nora glared at him. "What? Turnabout is only fair after all, and I distinctly recall you checking me out yesterday..."

Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn, Nora thought. She didn't think he'd noticed since he was wrapped in that brazen slut then, but apparently he had been aware of her scrutiny. She was still sitting on the floor with one shoe in her hand so she threw it at him. He ducked in time, of course, and laughed out loud. The shoe hit the wall and thumped to the wooden floor.

So she pulled off the other shoe and threw that one as well. He simply sidestepped and it flew right past him. "You missed, and now you're all out of ammunition!" He said in a sing-song voice, extending his hand to haul her up off the floor with no effort at all.

"To start I'm going to teach you some warm-up exercises. I'd say that I don't want you to hurt yourself, if you pull a muscle I'll have to massage it, not that I'd mind getting the kinks out for you." He teased. "But I'm afraid your male suitors wouldn't take kindly to that."

Nora's eyes cold gray eyes shot daggers at him. He knew she didn't have any male suitors outside of his brother because he had chased them all away when they showed any interest in his 'little sister'. Plus, Nora had never really shown interest in any of the boys so he didn't think she'd hit that hormonal teenage stage yet, even if she did have the killer body of a full-grown woman. She had never shown any physical reactions to him at least, aside from their mutual admiration for each others bodies which they'd kept at a once over with their eyes on a rare occasion. He had those reactions from every female he met so he felt safe teasing her mercilessly and flirting, it was harmless and he was sure she was used to it by now, she was even starting to hold her own against him occasionally.

Patch came to stand in front of her and turned his back to her, so he could show her the steps. It was quite a simple sidestepping routine. The hardest thing to grasp was the rhythm.

She got the hang of it fairly quickly, but as soon as she wasn't concentrating on Patch's feet anymore, she noticed he wasn't just making the moves with his feet. His whole body was moving: his arms were raised at an angle and his hips sort of tilted with his steps. She focused on his hips and copied his moves as well as she could. She suddenly found herself wondering why she had never noticed before yesterday that he had a very nice ass? Because you have absolutely no business looking at his ass, Nora! She scolded herself. You're just looking at it now to learn salsa. That's right! Damn but it was getting warm in here!

Patch suddenly turned around as if he had felt her eyes on him, making her lose the rhythm. Her eyes flew up to his, because she didn't want to get caught checking him out again.

"Keep going, Nora." He said, taking a few steps backward, observing the way she moved. Just like he'd thought, she seemed to keep to the rhythm easily, but she needed to loosen up a little. "You've got to shake those hips. Come on, let loose!"

She made an effort to "shake her hips" as ordered. As she'd suspected, having his eyes on her made her feel awfully self-conscious. She felt a slight blush creeping over her cheeks: it felt so strange to dance like this just for Patch!

For over an hour he made her practice all the basic steps and turns that were yesterday, but unlike yesterday, she found that she could actually do them quite well. She even forgot about being self-conscious around Patch because he refrained from making any insinuating remarks he just corrected her and explained the steps like any other good teacher.

When he stopped the music, saying they had done enough for today, she was genuinely disappointed and surprised to notice that dusk had indeed fallen. She had been having fun, it was going just fine and she had the idea that she could go on forever, so she protested, "Oh, come on, Patch, I don't want to stop just yet!"

"Can't get enough of it, can you?" She perked up when he said that, but he continued, "You've practiced enough for today, Nora. We can always continue tomorrow if you want."

She padded over to him, still barefoot, and looked up at him with beseeching eyes, "Can't we just have one dance?"

He looked down at her with an indulgent smile, and she thought he was surely going to relent, so she wheedled, "One teeny tiny little dance together for your best friend? Please, Patch?"

Patch didn't answer her. Instead he looked over her shoulder and drawled, "Well, hello, brother!"

And that was the end of the dance lesson. No sense in them rubbing it in Rixon's face what he could never have. Nora, in her defense, had asked him first and he had chosen to say no. Patch knew Nora well enough to know she was feeling guilt she shouldn't or he would have loved to have taunted his little brother the rest of the night but his Angel's feelings came first.

When she got home she tried calling Rixon, she hated leaving feeling bad because she didn't return his affection, but he wasn't answering his phone. So much for friendship she grumbled to herself. At least Patch always picked up on her first ring or immediately text her back when she tried reaching him. Apparently Rixon didn't have the same respect.

Rixon finally returned her call later and Nora asked him what was wrong, why he didn't answer her.

"When I came in and found you there with Patch, I just…" He hesitated and looked at his hands not willing to admit the jealousy that had shot through him."Why were you begging him to dance with you?"

The way he asked the question, almost as if it was an accusation, made her feel she had to justify herself, "I had practiced my steps alone for over an hour, Rixon. I wanted to try what I had learned for real, just once. That was why I was asking Patch for one dance! What's it to you anyways, it's not like we're dating or anything, we are just friends, you and I Rixon." She added softly not wanting to hurt his feelings anymore than she seemed to have done already. Vee was the one who made her feelings, thoughts and opinions known. Nora was the quieter, more introverted type. She could never say the things that her sister did.

"It sounded like more than that, Nora."

"It's just the way we talk to each other sometimes," Elena attempted to smooth his ruffled feathers once again.

Rixon was quiet a few moments, lost in thought. Then he said, "Yes, I know." There was a hint of bitterness in his tone. What Rixon knew was that Nora and his brother seemed to have developed a frequency of their own to communicate, leaving others out, even him, by default. He wasn't the only one to have noticed.

"I told you before that there is nothing going on between me and Patch. Well, there is friendship of course, but that's all there is, all there has ever been between us it's just how we are together and you of all people should know that by now!. Honestly! Why don't you want to believe that?" Nora asked, feeling oddly as if she was trying to convince herself just as much as Rixon.

"Because it's getting increasingly difficult, Nora. There might be nothing more than friendship on his side, but there certainly is more than that on yours," Rixon warned, trying to not to sound more jealous than he was already coming off as. She was after all right, she didn't belong to him or anyone else for that matter, which only added to him questioning her feelings for Patch, which was looking like more than just simply a life long best friend to him. Why didn't she date he wondered again for the millionth time, here she was the top of her class, easily the most gorgeous girl in the high school and head track star with a body to die for and a personality that made everyone love her instantly, putting them at ease, yet he could count on his one hand how many dates she had been on, adding to his uneasiness over her and Patch's friendship. He thought that she hadn't given a second thought about her true feelings for his brother, he couldn't have been further from the truth. Hell, it was practically all she thought about these days no matter how much she had going on. Rixon just didn't know that and that was a very good thing. He would just rub it in her face that it was nothing more than Patch doing what Patch does best. Flirt. He would point out how foolish she was if she thought she stood a chance with his philandering older brother when she was still so far from the caliber of women that he dated. She already felt that way.

"I hate to point out to you that is your own fault, Rixon. You had your chance." Nora sounded irritated that he was trying to make her feel bad. Even though she had always been so much closer to Patch she had given Rixon the chance to dance with her first thinking he would say yes and she'd make him happy, but he had turned her down. How was that her fault? Plus, he was best friends with Vee, if he wanted to dance so bad he should ask her! She never question their affection, why was he calling hers into question?

"I suppose I just didn't figure you would go through with it without me. I didn't think you would choose Patch knowing what a flirt and womanizer he is, his reputation could ruin you, but again, I underestimated the draw you guys have always had to each other."

"That's not fair, Rixon. He offered and I accepted, but only after I had asked you. So you really have no right to ask me to stop now, or to ask me to change partners. Patch's reputation has never affected our friendship and it never will. You need to stop trying to convince me that you know what's best for me just like our parents do, stop trying to drive a wedge between Patch and me. I know him better than anyone, there's nothing you can tell me or warn me of that I don't already know."

"Why the sudden distrust? Patch and I have spent everyday of the last fourteen years together, Rixon. We've slept next to each other more nights than not and nothing inappropriate has ever happened between us."

"I do trust you, it's my brother I don't trust. When this thing is over I'm not even sure you will trust yourself." Was he ever going to realize that she would never be more than a friend to him, that even if Patch wasn't in the picture, that was never going to be the case, but even if he wasn't she was never going to be his.

"After all these years of growing up together, being friends with you, you would think you'd have a little more respect for me and my morals!" Nora was miffed by his vacillating answer. She was also well aware that her growing annoyance was also due to her insecurity about her own reaction to Patch lately; and it put her firmly on the defensive, "Why are you making such a fuss about this? It's only dancing, Rixon!"

Rixon was silent on the other end of the phone for a few moments. Then he said two damning words. "Is it?"

Nora wanted to throw her hands up in the air, but since he couldn't see her she settled for a retort. "Fine! Be that way!" Friends or not he didn't have the right.

The next day in the Cipriano parlor found Nora stomping her foot in frustration.

"Knock it off Patch, I mean it!" She wasn't going to let him keep baiting her. "I told Rixon he could trust me and that we were only dancing together, nothing more!" Her eyes widened a fraction: she hadn't intended on letting him know about that.

"Why would you need to tell Rixon that?" Patch narrowed his eyes, "Did he say something to you?"

He thought that sounded suspiciously as though Rixon and Nora had been at odds about her dancing with him already. Rixon should know how stubborn Nora could be: telling her she couldn't do something would only have the effect of pushing her right into it. If Rixon was smart, Patch thought, he would just keep his mouth shut. Taking her up on it would only serve to drive Nora into the defensive and away from Rixon. Wait, why was that a bad thing? Rixon needed to learn that she didn't belong to him and get over her so he could move on to some girl who actually wanted his affection.

Nora was backpedaling quickly. "No! Did he say something to you?"

Great, Nora thought, all she needed now was Rixon trying to talk to Patch about this. If Rixon was smart, Nora thought, he would just keep his mouth shut. Trying to warn Patch off would only serve to make him even more insufferable, for if he smelled discord between them… Infuriating Cipriano's! They were both out to drive her completely crazy!

She really didn't want to think about it any further: she was here to dance! That's why she didn't wait for Patch's answer, but snapped instead, "Just forget about it already! Are we gonna dance or what?"

Patch looked at Elena's high color and at her eyes shooting fire and sketched her an exaggerated bow, thinking that she really was magnificent when she was angry, "Your every wish is my command, malady." Making her relax and laugh as he had intended.

He walked to the stereo, and Nora noticed he wasn't wearing any shoes, so she deduced they were going to practice barefoot again. She looked rebelliously at his back and kicked off her flip-flops. She hadn't wanted a repeat performance from last time and had chosen her footwear accordingly (besides, it was too warm to wear anything else). He didn't give her any sign that he'd noticed; he just pressed play and the song they had used for the warm-up routine sounded from the speakers.

The warming up was short, and very soon Patch turned to Nora and said matter-of-factually, "I see you're still angry."

Her eyes flashed up to his face and she answered tersely, "Who says I'm angry?"

Patch shrugged and said, "It's kind of rolling off you in waves, sweetheart." She narrowed her eyes at the endearment, but decided to let it lie when Patch went on, "But that's good, you know. Just use it, pour it all into the dance!"

Nora grumbled to herself that he needn't think he was going to succeed in unbalance her this time, whatever he said!

She was so busy silently fuming about Patch's impertinence and Rixon being a busybody that she hardly noticed Patch approaching her and putting his arms around her, taking care not to come too close. Such was her distraction that she was dancing the steps she had learned yesterday without giving it too much thought. Patch wisely remained silent; he just guided her through the basic steps and turns with a sure hand. He could tell Nora was gradually calming down, her anger dissipating when she started to relax into the dance. She had been practicing the basic steps so thoroughly yesterday that her feet seemed to somehow know the steps better than she did.

At first she was just following his lead, mechanically stepping and turning. But as one song seamlessly melted into another, she started to really listen to the music and feel the sensuous pull of the rhythm. As her feet stepped more securely, she attempted to give her body more of a sway. She wasn't really looking at Patch; her eyes fixed somewhere below his face, unseeing, as she listened and learned, totally absorbed.

He was content to just let her find her dancing legs for a while, and then decided to try something new. Instead of just leading her into a turn she knew, he expertly guided her into a slightly different figure. She looked up in surprise, her concentration broken. But she did try to follow him and if she fumbled it a bit at the end, it wasn't badly done at all. He smiled encouragingly.

It was just as he'd known: she had a natural talent for dancing, and she made a good partner. Her body was soft and supple in his arms and she had no trouble after the up-tempo salsa rhythm.

Nora was marveling at how well it seemed to go today. Now that she had forgotten she had been intimidated by Patch's proximity, salsa seemed to agree with her very well indeed! Of course that thought was all it took to set her thinking about him again, and about all the reasons that it hadn't worked so well two days ago. Suddenly she became aware of the rock hard muscles rippling under her hands and of her body moving in sync with his. Her eyes flickered up to his face, only to drop the instant she felt him looking down at her.

Patch put a damper on his salacious thoughts of her when he felt Nora tensing up slightly in his arms and wondered at the cause of it. She had done extremely well, and now she had lost her focus from one instant to the next. He would almost think she was a mind reader, the way she avoided his eyes!

Nora forcibly reined in her errant thoughts and concentrated on the steps and the new figures Patch was inserting in between. They were just slight variations on the steps she already knew, so she kept up, if not effortlessly, then at least without too much trouble. She found that focusing on dancing kept her wayward thoughts in line, well, more or less in line. The end of the song approached, and she suddenly felt his hand on her hip and his other hand bringing up her arm and spinning her, spinning her, on and on, until she dizzily fell over her own feet, stumbling into his chest.

Automatically his arms came around her to steady her and she looked up at the same moment he looked down, their lips only inches apart. Their eyes locked, her wide-open eyes the color of dark chocolate fixing on his intense, cobalt blue gaze.

The song came to an abrupt end, but neither Patch nor Nora noticed the sudden silence. Nora was too busy drowning in the deep, obsidian depths of his eyes, and Patch drew in the heady, intoxicating scent of Nora so close to him making him weak with wanting her. When looking back this may have been what later led to their physical relationship, despite the deep love and friendship someone has like theirs, you'd have be blind to not see the beginning of the sexual tension they were feeding each other unknowingly already. With this kind of connection how could they keep things innocent for long?

The sound of her own harsh breathing pulled Nora back to reality a moment later and she jumped away from Patch with a gasp. His hands followed her as she took a step back, as if entreating her to come back; then he let them drop to his sides.

Patch had to clear his throat before he could say quietly, "I think we've done enough for today, Nora. How about we continue Wednesday afternoon?" With that he left the room leaving behind an even more confused Nora. Once again she found herself still standing there wondering what the hell she hadn't gotten herself into then quickly chanted what would become her new mantra for a very long time, 'he's your best friend, Nora, he's always been sexy you just haven't noticed until now. Nothing has changed, you're still friends so don't blow it by letting the constant jolts of electricity he keeps zapping you with short-circuit your brain so you screw up what you have for something that won't ever happen.'

Thank god for school tomorrow! She'd never thought she'd ever say that, but she needed to put some distance between herself and Patch stat or she wasn't going to be able to withstand the heat…

The following weekend Vee, who had watched Nora and Patch practicing unaware of her presence, pulled Nora aside with a warning about how things were heating up between them.

"I think I can handle myself, Vee." Nora was adamant.

"But are you sure you can handle Patch?" Vee thought to herself, but she didn't say anything. If Nora wanted to delude herself into thinking it was still only friendship and maybe attraction to Patch (who wouldn't be attracted the man was sex on a stick!) then who was she to burst her bubble. As much as Vee for the most part didn't like Patch and his playboy ways, but she knew when it came right down to it he would always love and protect Nora, even from himself. Vee was almost as good as Patch at reading her little sister, well as close as anyone could get without having the bond those two shared, she knew without a shadow of a doubt Nora was head over heels for Patch and her sister knew it too. What Vee didn't understand was why she was torturing herself this way by dancing this dance with him as her partner instead of Rixon the safer and more proper choice. What Nora was thinking was this was probably the closest to being with Patch as she would ever get so she might as well enjoy it for as long as she could, which wouldn't be for very long at all. Vee knew that if Patch had truly known how deeply and madly in love with him Nora was and the future her sister was fantasizing about with him he wouldn't be challenging or playing the flirting game with Nora or her heart. As much as she hated to admit it, even with his 'bad boy who doesn't give a fuck' image, when it came to matters of Nora he would never knowingly toy with her heart. Ever. Problem was, he didn't have a clue.