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“Ok, follow my lead. First, you’ll step your right foot back.” He inched his left foot forward, guiding my foot backwards. “Now, step out with your left and then follow with your right.” We did so in unison. “Next, step forward with your left.” I felt his hand on my back, pulling me gently forward in his direction. I stumbled slightly and had to grip his shoulder tighter, and I dropped my head, laughing in disgrace. “It’s alright, it’s alright,” he cooed, squeezing my hand again. When I regained my composure, I looked up at him. His eyes were kind as he let me find my footing again. But there was also amusement there as he watched me. “Ok, now step out with your left, and follow with your right…that’s it.” He paused and smiled at me. “And that’s the step. That’s all there is. Shall we try a few in a row?” I took a deep breath, hardly remembering any of what we’d just rehearsed. But I decided to go all in. “Sure, why not?” He nodded. “Ok, remember to start with bringing your right foot back. One…two…three… One…two…three.” We completed the full series of steps two more times. His body was rigid and controlled as he led me. His movements were clean and smooth, and even as I stumbled and made mistakes, he swept me back into the rhythm effortlessly each time, as if he didn’t mind my errors at all. “I’m sure I’m the most uncoordinated partner you’ve ever had the pleasure of dancing with,” I laughed, looking at his chest as he gripped my hand tightly. “You’re actually doing really well, Cora.” He beamed. “Do you want to keep going?” I was giddy at the feel of his hands on me and couldn’t imagine saying no, so I nodded happily. I’d watched his films how many times? Too many times to count. And now, here I was dancing with Liam Montgomery myself. Alone on a deserted island. I wasn’t sure which part was more outlandish. We continued the box step as Liam recited the numbers, and eventually the movements formed in my muscle memory and he was able to stop counting. I bravely looked up into his eyes—they were deep brown in the dark of the evening—and he smiled down at me. “Want to try a spin?” He looked purely joyful to be in his element. “Do I?” I asked, unsure if I trusted myself not to fall flat on my face. He grinned and grasped my right hand tighter. “Just follow my lead.” He released my back and swung me away from him, twisting me under his arm as he went. When his arm fully extended, he pulled me back and my body rotated easily into place in front of him again. It was as if I’d done it a million times with perfect precision. He led me so flawlessly and effortlessly, I felt my heart skip a beat again. I could tell my face was flushed when I looked up at him once more. “Whew…” It was all I could say in my flustered state. He grinned proudly at me, stepping away. “You did wonderful. A true natural.” I snorted quietly. “Yeah…I think you pretty much made all of that happen.” He laughed. “You actually caught on really quickly.” “That’s only because you’re a great teacher.” I smiled. He crinkled his nose and smirked again. “Maybe I’ll teach you some more, another day. It would be a good way to pass the time.” Um, yes please. I could still feel his hands at my waist and on my back, even when they were no longer there. My answer came without pause. “I’d like that.” Liam beamed at me. “It’s a plan then. By the time we leave this island, you’ll be a pro.” He squeezed my hand gently. I was beginning to really love that little reassurance. “We’ll have to be here for quite a long time for me to go pro,” I laughed. But the humor faded quickly as I realized the underlying reality of what I’d said. Neither of us knew just how long we’d remain. Liam dropped my hand and I looked up past his shoulder into the dark night sky, searching for the blinking red light of a passing plane. But the light of a thousand stars was all I saw. The silence of our little island was deafening, as if every sound we made was that much more piercing and vibrant. We were giving this quiet place a life it had probably never known. Letting my gaze turn back to Liam again, I found him watching me, and I smiled. “Thank you for the dance.” His lips pulled up into a warm grin. “It was my pleasure, Miss Cora.”