Free Oceans Between Us (A Cinderella Romance) by Helen Scott Taylor Page B

partner, we will show them how it is done." She laughed, all tingly from his breath on her skin, and fell into the now familiar steps of the salsa. As she twirled for the first time, Chris and Tina clapped and hooted. "You are a success, I think," Dino shouted over the music.
    After a few songs, Chris shimmied across to them and tried to copy the dance steps. By now, she had obviously had a few too many spiked lemonades. She grabbed one of Dino's hands away from Maria. "Teach me, delicious Dino," she shouted over the music in a bad Italian accent.
    Dino cast a questioning glance at Maria. She smiled her assent and released his hand. "Good luck," she mouthed. He led Chris and she stumbled through the steps, giggling.
    Eric came up behind Maria and put his hands on her shoulders. "Sorry about this," he said. Maria just smiled and danced with Eric for a while beside Chris and Dino, hoping her sister wasn't going to do anything too embarrassing.
    A slow song started. Dino passed Chris back to her husband, turned to Maria, and drew her into his arms. She flattened her palms on his chest, feeling his muscles move beneath his shirt, and pressed her face into the hollow of his neck. The spicy fragrance of his shower gel reminded her of the first few times she had cleaned his room, before she had gotten to know him, before she had fallen for him. She would never be able to enter room twelve again without remembering Dino. Her chest tightened, and she squeezed her eyes closed.
    "Maria, tesoro ," he whispered in her ear. Then he continued whispering in Italian, his voice low, soft, seductive. She melted inside. Being with him was equal parts bliss and torture when she knew he was about to leave.
    The slow song ended and the tempo increased again. She eased away from him. "I need a break, Dino. Let's sit this one out." The combination of the alcohol and the other bodies on the dance floor had made her hot. She needed to get outside, get some fresh air. She headed for the door, Dino behind her. The cool sea breeze hit her like a wakeup slap on the cheeks. Her senses sharpened, her ears ringing from the loud music.
    "Are you all right?"
    She fanned her face. "I'm too hot. Let's stay outside for a few minutes." The noise and the crush of people were suddenly too much. She wanted Dino to herself for a while.
    Hand in hand, they wandered across the car park and down the lane to a wooden bench on the edge of the road. She sat and Dino followed suit. From this high up the hill, the view stretched over the cottage roofs. The full moon hung above the sea, painting a golden streak across the rippling water like a living watercolor. "So beautiful," Dino said softly.
    "Yes, it is." Maria turned to smile at him, but he wasn't looking at the view. He was staring at her.
    His hand lifted to stroke her cheek. "Maria," he whispered her name in his sexy accent, the sound rolling through her like a caress. "I will miss you so much, tesoro . I cannot bear to think of it."
    A little burst of hope filled her. "Come back and see me again, Dino. You must have some free time."
    He dredged up a sigh from the depths of his chest and stared out to sea. "I do not know when I'll have the chance. My manager keeps my schedule full. I didn't even make it home at Christmas."
    Dino pressed a hand to his forehead and closed his eyes as if his thoughts hurt. "After New York, I will be on tour," he said, his voice barely more than a whisper. "A few days in each city, then I move on. It is not much of a life, tesoro . Not for me, and not for you, I think."
    The hope trickled away and left Maria empty and aching inside. Even if she enjoyed traveling, she couldn't live out of a suitcase. She wanted Dino to stay here. But when she tried to visualize him running the Crow's Nest with her, she couldn't. He might have helped her decorate and move furniture, but she had known right from the start that this life was not for him.
    They sat silently staring out to sea for what felt like