“It’s beautiful….” I trailed off, eyeing it for a brief moment before taking it off. “Thank you. Have a nice day,” I said, nodding.
I wasn’t sure what expression was on my face, but Jared chuckled and shook his head. His arm hooked over my shoulder and he pulled me affectionately to him, kissing my cheek. He was remarkably different in this place than in Providence. The clouds in his eyes had been noticeably absent since we’d boarded the plane in Rhode Island, even while he dealt with organizing the crews and getting us and our things to each point in the journey. It was a nice change from the turmoil and angst he usually dealt with concerning our relationship. If it were even possible, I had fallen in love with him all over again.
We meandered to the end of the road, which consisted of four more brightly colored sheet-metal huts, two on each side. Some of the locals had congregated on one side playing their various instruments. The music was a lively blend of Latin and Caribbean, and it seemed to float in the air perfectly with the heat and humidity. Jared led me to where they were gathered and we watched them clap and play. They smiled at us as we approached, and then the man strumming the guitar gestured with a nod behind us. We turned to see an older couple from the other side of the street march to the beat until they were in the middle, and then they danced together.
Another couple joined them and then the guitar player cleared his throat to draw our attention. He nodded again to the street and spoke again, this time to Jared.
“You dance? Take your wife to dance!” he urged with a smile, gesturing again with a nod out to the other couples.
Jared smiled and looked down at me. “Would you like to dance?”
A sudden feeling of nervousness came over me, but the eager expression on Jared’s face made it impossible to say no. He pulled me to the center of the dirt street and twirled me around to the beat of the music. We danced for several songs, laughing as the people around us clapped and cheered. Jared effortlessly spun me around the improvised dance floor. My dress fanned out with every turn and my sandals kicked dirt against my legs. Soon I was breathless, but Jared didn’t seem to be remotely tired.
As the sun set the music slowed, and Jared pulled me close. My mind flashed back to the first time we danced at the pub, and I remembered what it felt like to be that close to him when he was all but a stranger to me. Just a couple of months later, we were in a foreign country, on a tiny island in the Caribbean Sea, dancing together in the middle of a dirt laden street among strangers, posing as husband and wife. Although both instances would be moments I would forever regard as precious, Corn Island was magical.
Once the song was over and the beat picked up again, Jared pulled away from me with an apologetic smile. “It’s going to be dark soon and you’ve had a long day. We should head back.”
I heaved a resigned sigh, pulling my mouth to the side in disappointment.
“We’ll come back,” he assured me, lacing his fingers in mine as we waved goodbye to our new friends.
“Yes! You come back! We’ll play more music for you!” the guitarist said.
Jared walked over to him, shook his hand and pressed a twenty in his palm.
“Thank you. We had a wonderful time.”
“No problem! You come back anytime!” The man smiled, even more animated than before.
We waved again before returning the way we came. Once we passed the fork in the road, Jared scooped me up in his arms.
“You don’t have to carry me,” I said.
“New shoes?” he asked.
“How did you know?”
“They’re rubbing against your toes. You don’t want to get blisters your first day here. We have a lot to see, yet.”
I shook my head. “You sense my feelings and you can pin point exactly where I’m uncomfortable?”
“I’ve told you that already. But it is getting stronger.”
“I know, but I still haven’t gotten used to the feelings-thing. It’s….” I wrinkled my nose trying to think of an adequate word.
“Weird,” he finished for me. “You’ve mentioned that.”
I kissed his cheek enthusiastically. “It’s already been an incredible vacation, and we’ve only been here a few hours.”
“I want this to be the best vacation you’ve had…so far.”
“Mission accomplished,” I whispered, running my nose along his cheek.
“I’m going to trip over something if you don’t stay away from my ear,” he chuckled.
“I doubt that,” I said, lightly biting his earlobe. I’d only meant to tease him, but a quiet moan escaped with his sigh.
“Nina, please don’t.”
“Does someone have an ear fetish?” I taunted, grazing the edge of his ear with the tip of my tongue.
He abruptly set me on my feet. I pressed my lips together and tried not to burst out in laughter.
“Well. That’s something you didn’t tell me on our first date,” I giggled.