The Dance

I can't be sure what expression I had on my face, but Dan quickly went on to say that they perfectly understood that I was probably looking for some female companionship, so they would not be offended if I hooked up with someone else during the evening and we moved away from their table. I think they were quite shocked when I informed them that a companion of any type -- especially a female - was the last thing in hell I was looking for and that I would be more than delighted, to dance the night away with Louise, anytime.

"From what you said I thought you might be... well not into females?" Louise said the first time we hit the dance floor for a slow number.

"Er... yeah, sorry about that; I'm afraid that beautiful women always have that effect on me when they get up all close and personal. Anyway I've got nothing against women in general providing they belong to somebody else and they plan to stay in that relationship." I replied.

"What is that supposed to imply?" She asked with a grin.

"Louise, I'm a normal healthy male with all the urges that most men get. I appreciate the sight of a pretty woman, but I've been burnt three times. Never again will I get involved with any one in particular. I suppose you could call me a confirmed bachelor now."

"Are you telling me that a handsome young guy like you is celibate?"

"No, I'm not actually, it's just that nowadays I prefer one night stands and that kind of thing; preferably no names and definitely not leading to any long-term complications. Actually I'm perfectly happy to spend every evening for the next two weeks, dancing with a beautiful lady, whose husband will be taking her back to their own room every evening."

"What part of heaven did you fall from, Dan and I, often have to find dance partners for me. But all too often some folks mistake our approach for something completely different."

"Surely a dance is a dance, isn't it?" I said trying to understand what Louise was saying.

"Let me try to put it this way. Some guys think Dan like's to watch!" Louse said immediately turning a medium shade of pink. I have no idea what expression I had on my face but it led Louise to continue, "No he doesn't! Dan would strangle any guy who tried to lay a finger on me with his bare hands."

"Yeah I tried that once, with the last bloke who rogered my ex-wife! Damned sight harder than you'd ever imagine."

"What you tried to kill him? Tell me more?" Louise asked pushing me away a little so she could look into my eyes.

"Tried, being the appropriate word. Whilst I was still trying to strangle the bugger, my ex-wife decided she was going to smash his brains out. So I had to release him, so that I could restrain her."

That statement confused Louise even more so I eventually had to tell her that story, much as I've explained it to you.

I got on extremely well with Dan and Louise and over the next few days they very skilfully extracted my whole life story from me between them.

I learnt about Dan getting blown up (literally) in action and how he'd suffered since as result. He had managed to father three children by Louise though, so his injuries hadn't stopped him doing some things. Their children were back in the States with their grandparents while Dan and Louise took a break in the South Pacific.

After that first evening, the four of us spent most of the time together. Dan and Louise laughingly giving me cover on the beach whilst I perv'd all the acres of flesh on view. On that particular day, I'd been alone on the beach because they had gone on an all day boat trip.

"Shit is that the time? I haven't even started to get dressed." I called back to them, "you'd better come in, I won't be a minute." I shouted dashing into the bedroom to get dressed.

"I hope you're going all out this evening." Louise called out after they entered and poured themselves drinks.

"What's so special about this evening?" I called back. Louise's comment had brought me to a standstill. "Have I forgotten something?" I was thinking. I was racking my brains "had my new friends mentioned an anniversary or birthday that I'd forgotten about?"

"Tony it's Valentines Day," Louise called back, "All those pretty young ladies who've been giving you the eye all week, are going to be asking you to dance with them this evening."

"What are you on about Louise?" I called back. But it was Dan who replied.

"The tables are turned on us tonight my friend." He informed me, "It's the ladies who get to ask us guys to dance this evening."

"Then in that case, I hope that Louise can get you up for a really slow one." I really think she'd enjoy that." I chided him.

"I'll think about it, but only if you promise to be ready to step in when I hit the wall." He said

"You can count on me Danny boy." I replied laughing.

I had to change my shirt three times and my slacks once before Louise considered that I was up to muster. Then the three of us set out for the dinning room, at Dan's pace. Dan in front, Louise holding my arm behind.

As we walked, I told them about the weird dream I'd had on the beach. Louise chided me for falling asleep in the sun; warning me that I could have gotten seriously burned.

"I wonder why you dreamt about Mary Beth, with all those sexy young things around." Louise commented.

"Oh leave the guy alone, Louise; you're just annoyed that he didn't dream about you!" Dan called back over his shoulder.

"Struck me as odd as well, I haven't seen Mary Beth in what... Five, maybe six years. I suppose it must have been telling you about her the other night." I replied.

"Do you ever dream about her at night?" She asked.

"Can't say that I do and I can't say that I don't. I rarely remember what I've dreamt about. I know that everyone dreams, but I'm not one for remembering them."

"That's a pity." Louise said.

"Take no notice boy, she's annoyed that you can't remember any sexy dreams that she features in." Dan giggled from in front of us.

Louise treated his remark with the distain it deserved and mumbled something about "burning the old sods walking sticks." Generally, our conversation was pretty light heart.

"Will you stop that Tony? it was a dream you said so yourself." Louise scolded me during our meal.

Apparently, I kept scanning the hotel dinning room, trying to convince myself that Mary Beth wasn't hiding in there somewhere.

"Sorry I can't help it, that damned dream was so real." I replied. "The more I think about it, the more real it becomes."

At that Dan got up on his sticks and slowly looked around the whole dinning room. Even moving off a few paces so that he could see the bar area.

"Nope, not one redhead in the whole place. You're safe lad, don't worry!" He said with a grin after settling back into his seat.

For the rest of the meal they talked about their sea cruise on -- as they put it -- a big sailboat. I sat and tried not to keep glancing over my shoulder.

The band was already at it, when we hit the open-air lounge where all the dancing happened. After taking a quick turn around the floor with Louise - to get her going - I asked the band to play a very slow number before the floor got crowded so that Louise could get Dan up on his feet. It must have looked quite funny to the uninitiated; what with myself and one of the waiters sticking quite close to them, just in case Dan took a tumble.

Louise was correct, several women who I couldn't even recall seeing before, asked me to dance. What with them and Louise, I hardly sat out a single number. But Dan always kept my glass full so I could grab a quick mouthful between sets.

It must have been about half ten and Louise and I were swaying around to a slow tune when she suddenly whispered in my ear.

"Mary Beth, is she about five six?"

"Yeah, in her bare feet." I replied.

Nice legs when she's wearing heels though?"

"Definitely!"

"Fair old pair of bazoomers she's got on her as well!"

"Hold on?" I thought to myself, "Just a bleeding minute? That was a statement Louise just made not a question!"

"Yeah, but what are you going on about Mary Beth for, Louise?" I asked.

"Well I don't like to worry you handsome, but I think Mary Beth just walked in off the beach. No don't look now, she hasn't spotted you yet, but she's looking."

"Oh shit, so it wasn't a dream. I wonder what she doing here?"

"Well, it's only my female intuition but at the moment I'd say she's looking for you, young man. How do you want to play it?"

"I have no idea, perhaps I'd better run for it."

"Why! She's only a woman, and if you ask me, a very beautiful one. What could be the harm in you dancing with her, even if it's just once?" Louise suggested, and then she went on, "Whoops, too late to run now Tony, she's spotted you. I should imagine she'll be at the table the moment we get back there."

"Are we going back there now, the tune isn't over?"

"Yeah, I feel suddenly very fatigued. And besides, I'm as curious as you are about why she's here. Dance with her and then bring her back to the table. I'll get Dan to pump while you dance with me again."

Louise was correct; I hadn't even sat down when Mary Beth appeared at my side.

"May I have the honour of this dance, fine sir?" Mary Beth said with a slightly sarcastic tone to her voice.

"Okay Mary Beth, what are you doing here?" I asked, no sooner than we'd hit the floor.

"I'm on holiday. What else would I be doing?"

"But why here at this particular hotel on this island? It's not what you'd call on the beaten track."

"Well I ran into an old friend of mine, Amanda Mitchell, you remember her from college don't you? Anyway, I told her that I was thinking of going on holiday somewhere really exotic, and she told me that a relative of hers was having a really great time of it here. So well... here I am!"

"Mary Beth, you know full well that Amanda Mitchell is now Amanda Smart, she married my brother. Damn-it... you were at the bleeding wedding."

"Yeah well Amanda told me that her brother-in-law was having a really great time swanning around this very lovely south sea island. Oh and, I saw the pictures you've been taking, so I brought a very small bikini so that I wouldn't look out of place."

"But I don't understand why?"

"I came?"

"Yes!"

"Because you are here stupid! I messed up once, and I've been trying to attract your damned attention ever since. When you weren't married to one of your... No, I'd better not say that, it wouldn't be fair of me. I let you get away and what you did... and who with afterwards shouldn't really be any of my concern. But unfortunately, whether you like it or not, it always has been. Anyway eventually I figured, that I'd have to take the bull by the horns like I did the first time." She said, then just as suddenly as she'd done it in that college refectory all those years ago, her arms were around my neck and her mouth clamped over mine.

"Mary Beth!" I said when she finally let me come up for air.

"What, I know you like kissing me. You like to feel my tits pressing into your chest like that as well, don't you? My little friend down there told me."

"Look, Mary; you walked away from us!" I ranted, but not too loudly, there were other people on the dance floor.

"Yeah I know, it was a mistake that I've regretted ever since."

"A mistake, is that what you call it? I got the idea, that you got to wondering what other guys were like in bed. After all, I was your only boyfriend and I'm not quite as thick as I look."

"Partly true I'll admit, but way off the mark. Up to a point, I panicked, and as you said, you were not only the only man I had been to bed with. You were the only man I'd ever let kiss me at the time!"

"That's a lie; you kissed all of my brothers under the mistletoe."

"Be serious Tony, they are all too shit scared of you, to actually snog me. But we did try to make it look good."

"Well, you could have fooled me!"

"You don't have to believe me, ask your brothers', or their wives! Anyway whatever you believe, I can tell you that up until you graduated, I'd never even so much as held another man's hand, let alone let one kiss me romantically.

"And after you walked out on me?"

"Actually you told me to get out. You might not remember correctly, but I believe you said something like, if you want to try some other guy, then get out of my life and find one!"

"I said that?"

"Near enough, exams or not you were hitting the bottle a bit back then, possibly it was only the bloody scotch that kept you going."

"Shit, no wonder my scores were so poor, I only just scrapped through you know."

"I tried to warn you, but you wouldn't listen."

"But you went, even though you say I was intoxicated when I told you to go?"

"Well up to a point you were right, you were the only man, except for my father, that I ever let get close to me, so I'll admit I was just a little curious."

"So you did want to compare me with others in bed!" I said, rather loudly and that resulted in several other dancers turning to look our way.

"Tony, can we take this conversation somewhere a little more private, please?" Mary Beth asked.

"Yeah all right, come and meet my friends and then we'll find somewhere to talk."

Dan and Louise greeted Mary Beth like old friends and they fell into conversation almost immediately. Louise fending off my protestations that Mary Beth and I were going to find somewhere private to talk and insisted on relaying to Mary Beth almost everything I had told her about our relationship.

When I looked at Dan; he just shrugged his shoulders, grinned and then ordered another round of drinks.

"Where are you staying?" I suddenly heard Louise ask Mary Beth.

"Some little dump along the beach, I couldn't afford these prices." Mary Beth replied.

"Oh Tony's got another room in his lodge, you should move in there." I was amazed to hear Louise say.

"Now hold on!" I said.

Louise threw me a withering look. "Oh well, if he's going to be silly about it. You can move into the spare room in our lodge. You can't stay in that place! Dan and I saw it this morning; it might even be dangerous there."

"I'm sure they have the same security as they have here." I said, more to make it appear that I was part of the conversation than anything else.

"No, some of these places aren't that security conscious, my friend. It would probably be safer if Mary Beth moves into one of our lodges. They'll only be her meals to pay for." Dan threw in for good measure.

"Louise shall we dance now?" I said with touch of anger in my voice.

"Yes thank you, Tony, that would be lovely."

"What are you playing at, Louise?" I asked when we got out on the floor.

"Nothing Tony, I'm thinking of the girl's safety."

"But Mary Beth and I were going outside to talk; you purposely prevented that from happening."

"Yes because you were getting angry. I thought that you might say something that you'll later regret."

"Don't I have a right to be angry, she all but told me that she left me so that she could find out what other men were like in bed?"

"She did nothing of the kind, Tony; I know, I was standing right behind you dancing with that Australian guy. Poor man didn't know what he was letting himself in for when I asked him to dance.

"Now I'm of the opinion that you two should talk in the morning, when you are both calmer and completely sober. It's imperative that your discussion goes... smoothly." Louise explained calmly.

"Imperative... why?" I asked.

"Because my handsome friend, you are in love with that woman and she's in love with you!"

"You think?"

"Oh I know. I saw it in your eyes when you first told me about her. And I can see it in her eyes when she looks at you."

"Oh you can, can you?"

"So can Dan. It's not just my opinion it's Dan's as well. Remember we watched when you started dancing together and when she kissed you. Didn't you say she took the lead the first time the pair of you kissed?"

"Yeah she did, but that was then, and this is now. A lot of things have happened since Mary Beth and I were at college."

"I know that, but tell me honestly, what was the happiest time of your life?"

"When Mary Beth and I were together, I suppose. Those first few years were great, until I asked her to marry me that is; and then... well, everything went pear shaped."

"Tony when you get back to the table, I want you to tell Mary Beth that all discussions are off until tomorrow, this evening I want you two to behave as if you've just met. Oh and if you feel like taking her back to your lodge, and she feels inclined to come with you, please take her."

"Why should I do that?"

"Tony, see that man over there, the one who can only stand with the aid of two pieces of wood. I love him. I've always loved him! I nearly lost him but the good Lord decided to let me keep him. Mary Beth wants to get you back and I know how she feels inside. Look, she's prepared to do almost anything to get you back and I know that you certainly need her. Don't ask why and don't try to come up with excuses to justify the unhappy way you've been existing. Take the love Mary's offering you and cherish it. Don't stop to ask irrelevant questions, does what happened ten years ago really mean anything now? Now it's about time you danced with her again and please no talk about the past this time. You can talk about that tomorrow, if you feel that's it's still relevant."

I noted that Dan - who was in apparently deep conversation with Mary Beth as we approached the table - give a little nod of his head. At first I thought it was a greeting to his wife, but then Mary Beth was on her feet, she took my hand and pulled me back out onto the dance floor.

"Have you ever met Dan and Louise before?" I asked.

"No never, but they seem to have us pretty well tapped." Mary Beth replied.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Dan says that we are made for each other. Something I agree with him on by the way. Dan told me that you're head over heels in love with me, even if you don't realise it; and that I should screw your eyes out tonight!" She said with a grin on her face.

"Oh yeah, just like that!"

Yeah and Dan said that as this is Valentine's night and we ladies are supposed to, or rather are allowed to take the lead. Me said that I should drag you to bed right away, because tradition says that you have to bow to my wishes!"

"He does, does he?"

"Well I think he might be stretching things a little, but it sure sounds like a good idea to me. What did Louise say to you?"

"That we shouldn't talk about the past until we've slept on it..." I was saying when Mary Beth cut in.

"Together?"

"Well, she kind-a hinted that way!" I replied.

"I like Louise, she's my kind of woman!"

"Mary Beth, I feel like I'm being rail-roaded here."

"You are, but I'll make you a deal. Tonight, well what's left of it, we behave to each other just like we did when we first moved into that disgusting flat! Then tomorrow we'll talk about all the bad decisions we made... Oh sorry we'll leave Sally and Jane out of it, they really had nothing to do with us except get in the way. Then, after we've talked everything out calmly tomorrow, if you want me to get on a plane and go home, I will. And what's more I'll never darken your door again. I know you can treat me like one of your famous one night stands." She added with a grin.

"How do you know about them?"

"There's not much that I don't know about your life, Tony!"

Something unexpected happened as we were returning to the table, an Ozzy woman - good looker too - asked me to dance, and then her friend collared me for the next. I gathered the two of them were working their way through every guy in the place. I was feeling quite fatigued when I finally sat down, those Australian girls were pretty energetic on the dance floor.