Flirting with Danger Bk 1

“What? I was just being a gentleman. That’s what you’re supposed to do.” he said, like he was innocent or something.
“Yeah, sure.” I said, keeping my smirk in place.
“Really!” Louis said, though he was smiling and let out a few laughs. I laughed too and then we joined our table.
“Cheers!” said Jack.
“Cheers!” everyone echoed.
“To Kota, for showing these Italians how to really dance!” Jack said and everyone whooped, clinking their glasses with each other’s around my huge dance trophy that acted as the centerpiece. Everyone took a drink of Champaign and cheered again.
“So, if Connelly’s gone, does that mean you get all five thousand dollars?” Johanna asked, looking at me and taking another sip of Champaign.
“I guess so.” I said. “But I’m going to share.”
“What? I can’t do that.” said Jason. “That’s your money.”
“Yeah, I don’t want any of it.” agreed Louis, who was beside me.
“Well, it’s my money and I’ll do with it what I want.” I said, looking around at them. “Besides, I’ll feel horrible if I hog all this money and none of you have any. It won’t make me feel good when I go shopping tomorrow.”
“But since you won, you should get more money than us.” said Johanna. “That’s only fair.”
“I agree.” said Jack. “Now, there’s enough for each of us to get five hundred dollars with an extra five hundred left over, giving Kota a thousand dollars.” Everyone looked around at everybody else, nodding slowly.
“That’s fair.” said Jason.
“I still don’t want any of it.” said Louis. I looked over at him and he was looking at me.
“Why not?” I asked.
“Because I don’t need it.” he said.
“Okay then, but you’re just missing out on all the buying fun.” I said, giving him a “too bad” look. He smiled then and put an arm around me.
“I think I’ll live.” he said, his face close to mine. I smiled and looked away, happy that at least some of this day wasn’t all bad after Connelly left.
We talked and laughed, and then made room when Sergei and Varushka showed back up. I really liked them a lot, and invited them to go shopping with us the next day, and they accepted happily. We danced too, to ballroom music of course, everyone taking turns dancing with me and the other girls. Everyone except Sue that is, who when left alone would start crying and when someone didn’t talk. Louis and I danced more than once together that night and when it was time to go, we all got into the limos, me not looking at Amelia at all. It wasn’t really that I was mad at her, but whether I was or not, we both knew it would be weird now that I wasn’t with Connelly.
Then when we got to the hotel, we went straight to the club and danced to real music, celebrating in the American, non-ballroom way. And then hours later, when everyone was so tired they could barely keep their eyes open, we all piled into the elevator, using each other to lean on, and drug our feet to our rooms.
“Kota, where’s the key?” Louis asked as we stood at my door. He was holding me up because I could barely keep myself awake. I pulled it out of my clutch and put it in the door. He helped me to the bed, sitting me down, and then taking my shoes off.
“What are you doing?” I asked during a yawn.
“I’m putting you to bed.” he said, standing up with my heels in his hand.
“Louis, put them down.” I said, knowing he was trying to help me. He smiled and put them down.
“Do you need any help? With anything?” he asked, looking at me with concern pouring out of him.
“Louis, I’m fine.” I said, standing up. “I think I can manage getting into bed by myself.” I smiled at him softly.
“Are you sure you don’t need any help?” he asked.
“Good night Louis.” I said, walking him to the door. He hugged me tightly.
“Sweet dreams Kota.” he said, his voice soft in my ear. He let go and looked me in the eyes for a minute before leaving.
I shut the door behind him and then sighed, closing my eyes as the tears began to run. I slid down to the floor against the door and cried for a few minutes.
This was not at all what I thought it would be. This was supposed to be a great trip to Italy. Connelly and I were supposed to be together and happy, not apart and sad. This was all his fault. If he’d stepped up and told his dad and uncle what he wanted, he’d still be here. But he didn’t.
“Come on Kota. Don’t be a baby. Get over it.” I said to myself. I took a few deep breaths and then stood up. I changed into my pj’s and climbed into bed, facing the window and closing my eyes.
That night my mind was ravished by the replaying of Connelly leaving. The dream repeated itself over and over, making me wake up several times with tear blurred vision. I looked at the green chair Connelly had sat in the night before, having previously felt like he was there again, watching over me, but he wasn’t there. I rolled over and closed my eyes again, quickly falling asleep again.
This time though when I dreamt, I saw Louis and I Waltzing. It was a crystal clear memory, but there was something different about it than I remembered. I was feeling all these feelings as we danced that I hadn’t remembered. Well, I was pretty numb that night. I reminded myself, but I was still amazed by how much I felt when dancing with Louis. It was more than I’d ever felt dancing with Connelly.
***
The next morning I was sitting on my bed looking out the window at Italy. I’d just woken up a few minutes before, not bothering to wipe away the smeared mascara from my eyes and cheeks.
There was a knock at my door and Louis’s voice was muffled as he said, “Kota? Kota, can I come in?”
I looked over at the door for a second and then back at the window. “The door is unlocked.” I said and heard the knob turn as he opened the door and came over to me.
“Nice morning isn’t it?” he said, sitting in the green chair by the window.
“Italy is very beautiful this time of year.” I said, standing up and going to the window. We were silent for a few minutes, me staring out the window and Louis staring at me and my puffy eyes, my mascara down to my chin.
“Do you know what day it is, Kota?” he asked softly, breaking the silence.
“It’s Sunday.” I said, not looking away from the window. I was watching a bird couple on the side of the building. They were so sweet, with the male giving a worm to the female and the female sharing it with him. That was love, they were a couple, together forever, and I was alone.
“No.” he said and I looked at him, taking my eyes unwillingly from the love birds.
“It’s Festa della Donne.” he said and I waited for more. “It means the festival of women. And on this day, men bring flowers to the women in their lives.” Then he pulled a small branch with a cluster of yellow flowers out of his jacket. They were small flowers that reminded me of tiny little pom-poms, and there were a large number of them on this branch, making it look like one whole flower.