I Pretend You're Mine

10. A Novel Concept

Andy and Sam lead Tim and Lucy through some stretches before starting their first dance lesson, but Tim was having trouble paying attention, because he just kept staring at Lucy. He had gotten so close to telling her his true feelings before Andy interrupted them to start their dance lesson, and as much as he loved the prospect of holding her in his arms while they danced, Tim wanted them to have a discussion before any more physical contact would just make him fall deeper in love with her.

When Sam showed Tim where to touch Lucy, she felt the warmth of his hands course throughout her entire body. It was a feeling she had grown accustomed to over the last few days and was grateful for the excuse to savor the contact for a few more days due to their extended stay.

"Keep eye contact with your partner. Silently talk to each other as you move," Andy instructed. "It'll take some practice, but you'll get there."

That was not a problem; Tim and Lucy found it really simple to speak with their eyes and adjust when one made a misstep or moved offbeat. It was their verbal communication that was failing. Even though they were supposed to be focusing on learning the steps, following the music, and coordinating with each other, Tim could see there was something in her eyes- pain mixed with longing that made him wonder for the first time in years what was going on in Lucy's head.

She was not necessarily surprised they danced so well together even with barely any training, but Lucy was still wistfully watching Sam and Andy. Their warm smiles, the genuine joy on their faces from dancing together, and the fact that they looked like they were having fun. They seemed like such an unattainably perfect, and Lucy wanted that kind of relationship with someone. Actually, not someone. Tim.

"Lucy," Tim murmured to get her attention. She looked up at him with something odd shining in her eyes. "Look at me," he requested in a low voice. Her palm remained resting on his shoulder while the other was firmly in his grasp with what felt like too much distance between their bodies.

When she looked over at the couple, Andy urged, "Stand a little closer together."

Tim moved towards Lucy while she moved towards him at the same time. Now, they might have been standing too close together, because with every exhale she felt her chest brush against him, and she was not sure if that was proper form for ballroom dancing, but Sam and Andy did not tell them to step away from each other, nor did she want to move. Lucy wanted to stay close to Tim for a few more minutes before they had their dreaded conversation where he would probably pull away physically and emotionally afterwards.

♡ ⋆˙⟡ ♡ ˙⋆ ⟡ ♡ ⋆˙⟡ ♡˙⋆ ⟡ ♡

As they drove back to the cottage after dance practice, neither of them spoke until Tim pulled the car onto the side of the road, parked, turned to look at her, and huffed, "We should talk."

"Yeah, Tim, I know," Lucy bit her lip. "So what you said earlier..."

"I meant it."

"I-I know," she looked down at her hands but then returned her gaze to him, "and, you're right, I'm not really pretending either." Lucy saw his eyes start to soften. She put a hand on his knee before speaking quietly, "That's why I'm scared."

"Of what?"

"I have feelings for you, Tim. Real feelings, and if I'm being honest, I want us to be more than friends, but...neither of us have the best track record when it comes to relationships. If...if we do this and it doesn't work, I'll have ruined the most important relationship in my life..." her eyes widened, surprised she had divulged that last part out loud.

Tim could tell she was about to apologize for unexpectedly admitting how much she values their relationship, so he put his hand over hers on his knee and said, "I feel the same way."