;D I'm sure here aren't a lot of women who wouldn't want to dance with him....I definitely wouldn't mind, that's for sure.
Thanks a lot for your reviews ladies. I loved them.
Please enjoy the next part.
Jess
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Chapter 11.4Several songs and a couple of dances later, Horatio was standing at the bar, waiting for his order. It was his turn to buy a round and he didn’t mind that at all. He was feeling fantastic right now. The dancing with Calleigh had been great fun and he hadn’t had felt so alive in months.
“You’re quite a good dancer. It’s rare to see someone dance like this without any Latin blood in him.”
Stunned, and not really sure if he was meant, Horatio turned his head to see a woman standing right next to him. She wore a very short dress as far as he could see and he didn’t even want to mention her chocolate eyes and flowing dark hair. “I’m pretty sure, that you’re not talking about me,” he chuckled softly.
“Oh why’s that? You definitely are a good dancer, I’ve watched you…and so have a lot of others..,” she smiled at him. “I’m Sophia by the way,” she introduced herself.
“Horatio,” he answered and shyly ducked his head, since he hadn’t noticed that people had been watching him and Calleigh dancing. He had been pretty oblivious to their surroundings if he was honest with himself.
“Horatio…,” she repeated slowly. “What a unique name. It’s definitely fitting you.” A redhead was pretty rare and in Miami…unique, so she wasn’t even lying.
Horatio just ducked his head and suddenly felt a bit uncomfortable. It wasn’t the fact that she was aggressive in any way, but he had gathered enough experience to know that she didn’t want to chit chat. “Thanks,” he mumbled and hoped that his order would be ready as soon as possible.
“So…do you think that you have an open space in your dance card for me?” she asked bluntly, since she felt that it would work better with him.
“Uh...,” he started and felt even more uneasy. His gaze fell onto his team, which was watching him, especially Calleigh and Alexx.
Sophia followed his look and sighed. “I guess your girlfriend doesn’t like it when you dance with other women, huh?” she asked, when she saw the blonde’s face. This was a shame. Why were all good looking men already taken?
At first Horatio wanted to correct her, because he and Calleigh were definitely no couple, but when he thought about it for a moment, he realized that this was the best and easiest way out for him. “Yes, you could say so...,” he smiled lightly and waved at Eric to help him with the drinks, the barkeeper had put down in front of him. “Sorry,” he said softly.
“No need to be sorry. I don’t want you to have an argument with your lady,” she put him off. “It was nice meeting you, nevertheless,” she smiled even when it seemed to be forced and grabbed her drink to leave.
“Same goes for you,” he nodded and was relieved when she walked away. He was neither in the mood for a flirt, nor to anything that went beyond that. This was much too early for him and he was definitely not interested. Especially not in a woman that reminded him of his late wife.
“I really want to know how he does that,” Ryan shook his head. “I mean…Eric and I…we’re trying to get a girl for hours and he’s just standing there for a minute not doing anything and gets approached by one hell of a woman.” This was so not fair! When both Alexx and Calleigh turned to him and gave him their version of a death glare he shrugged. “What did I say now??”
Alexx just snorted and stayed seated on Horatio’s chair, next to Calleigh. She had taken it when Horatio had gone to the bar, to have a small girl talk with Cal. She was a very curious woman after all who wanted to know everything about their dances. Now it was also an advantage because she could talk to Cal without the men eavesdropping. “You okay?” she asked her friend, since she had seen her crestfallen look.
“Yes, definitely. Thank you, Alexx,” Cal nodded in response and watched the other woman walk away. She had a weird feeling in her stomach and she didn’t know what it was. Jealousy? Or happiness that he hadn’t been interested in this Latin Beauty? She wasn’t sure. It wasn’t her place to be jealous of other women. And she definitely wasn’t in the place to feel good because Horatio wasn’t in the mood for a flirt. He was a single man after all who deserved some good time. “I’m just happy that he didn’t fall for her flirting.”
Alexx raised her brows. “Uh-huh,” she said knowingly and found this extremely interesting. “So what does that-“
“Here are your drinks, ladies and gentlemen,” Horatio announced and did his best to not a let a glass drop onto the floor, or even worse, on the ladies.
“d**n..,” Alexx grumbled in her thought. Why do men always have the worst timing?
Relieved Calleigh leaned back and looked up to Horatio. He thankfully had the best timing, because she wasn’t sure if she could share her turmoil of feelings with anyone yet. “Thank you, Horatio,” she smiled at him and reached for her colorful thingytail.
“You’re welcome,” he replied smoothly and took his seat again, after Alexx scurried back to her own. Taking a big sip, due to all this dancing he was thirsty, he closed his eyes and just relished the closeness of his friends and the good time they had together.
“Everything okay, Horatio?” Calleigh asked concerned, since they all knew about his current mood swings.
“More than that actually,” he opened his eyes again and looked at her with sparkling blue eyes.
It was like the temperature rose for several degrees when he looked at her like that and Calleigh couldn’t help but blush a bit, which didn’t get unnoticed by Horatio.
“Maybe I should ask you the same?” he said amused.
“Oh, I’m feeling fine,” she said quickly. “It’s just the alcohol.”
Laughing, Horatio shook his head and poked her arm playfully. “And here I thought you could take more than a few drinks,” he teased her playfully and chuckled when she poked out her tongue at him. “Never mind, Cal.”
“Like I would listen to some Yankee’s comment,” she shook her head and grinned at him. She knew that he had too much respect for her situation concerning her dad that he would try to get her sloshed. Horatio was too much of a gentleman to act like that.
“Touché my dear, touché.”
tbc