Whoa, Baby!

12.

Chapter Twelve
Tango Together

I always believed that the key to a successful relationship was keeping things interesting, keeping that spark alive. So when Tatiana came back from her surprise girls' trip with Tanya and Kyra to Palm Springs—something I had put together for her as a surprise—I knew I had to do something special to keep the momentum going. We had both been so busy lately with work and life, and I wanted to make sure we still made time for each other.

Tatiana was always the type to give everything she had to the people she loved, and she deserved to have some fun, too. I could tell by the way she lit up when she told me about her trip—spontaneous and carefree—that she was feeling a little more energized, a little lighter.

She'd needed that break, and I was glad she took it. But I had planned something for us. Something that would keep us connected, bring us back to that playful place we'd always been, and remind us why we fell in love in the first place.

Tatiana loved to dance, and I wasn't the world's greatest dancer but I knew she'd always been the one to take the lead. She was a professional, after all. I didn't have the same level of expertise she did, but I knew enough to enjoy it. And I always had the rhythm, even if I didn't have the formal training she'd spent years cultivating.

She had been a dancer since she was a little girl. Ballet, hip hop, jazz, modern—she could do it all. And her career had taken off when she was only 17, dancing for The Pussycat Dolls. From there, she went on to world tours, appeared in music videos, and danced for some of the biggest names in the music industry: Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Pitbull, Britney Spears, Pharrell—just to name a few.

The woman was a legend in her own right, and yet, she always made me feel like we were equals. She never put me on a pedestal, and that's one of the things I loved about her.

So, I thought, why not surprise her with something that combined her love for dancing and a chance for us to just enjoy each other's company?

That's how we ended up at the tango studio.

"Please tell me you don't have two left feet, Joe?" Tatiana teased as we entered the studio.

Her eyebrows arched, a playful smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. I could see the way she sized me up—probably trying to figure out how bad I was really going to be at this.

I had to admit, the tango was something I hadn't attempted before. But it was all about having fun, right? And I could definitely hold my own when it came to rhythm.

"I have rhythm," I replied, sounding more confident than I felt.

Tatiana let out a soft chuckle, clearly entertained by the idea of me taking on the tango. I couldn't blame her. I mean, who was I to think I could just stroll into a dance studio and pick up something as intricate as tango? Still, I wasn't going to back down. This was my moment to show her that I could be just as fun and spontaneous as she was, and I wasn't about to let a little thing like not knowing all the steps stop me.

The instructor, a tall, graceful woman with a warm smile, greeted us and showed us to a corner of the studio. The floor was smooth, polished wood, and the space smelled faintly of fresh sweat and dance shoes—reminding me of how much energy it took to really get into the groove of dancing. I could feel my palms sweating already, but I wasn't going to let that show.

Tatiana slipped off her jacket, revealing the form-fitting tank top and leggings she'd worn for the session. The woman was glowing, and I couldn't help but feel a rush of admiration for her. Even in casual clothes, she moved like she was born to dance. I tried to get my nerves under control and focus. I wasn't here to make a fool of myself. I was here to have a good time with the woman I loved.

"You ready, Joe?" Tatiana asked, her voice light and teasing as she slid into position, waiting for me to take the lead.

I swallowed, trying to ignore the flutter of nerves in my stomach. "Let's do this."

Tatiana stepped forward, and I did my best to mirror her movements, though I could tell from the way she raised an eyebrow that I was already a step behind. The instructor had us start with the basics—slow, deliberate movements to get us used to the rhythm of the dance. Tango was all about precision, passion, and connection. I wasn't sure if I had all three of those things, but I was going to give it my best shot.

Tatiana's body moved effortlessly through the steps, her arms flowing like liquid, her feet gliding over the floor as though she had done this in her sleep. I was the one who looked like a deer caught in the headlights, my feet unsure, my posture stiff, trying to remember where my arms were supposed to go. The instructor smiled encouragingly, her eyes shifting between Tatiana and me as we stumbled through the first few steps.

"You've got this, Joe," Tatiana said, her voice soft but reassuring. "Just follow my lead. Don't think too much about it."

"Easier said than done," I muttered, feeling my foot step on hers.

"Oops," I said quickly, my face flushing a little with embarrassment.

Tatiana laughed, a low, melodic sound that only made me more determined to get it right. She wasn't laughing at me; she was laughing with me. She always knew how to keep things light. I appreciated that more than she probably realized.

We took a break while the instructor explained a few of the more advanced moves. I grabbed a bottle of water and wiped my forehead with the back of my hand. The room was hot, and I could feel the sweat starting to bead up. Tatiana came over and leaned against the wall, stretching her legs and giving me a look that said she was both impressed and entertained.

"You're doing better than I thought you would," she said, her voice teasing.

I smirked. "I'm full of surprises."

"Clearly," she said, winking.

The instructor resumed, guiding us through a series of intricate turns and spins. I could feel my confidence growing with each step. It was hard to deny the energy and excitement that filled the air when you were dancing, especially with Tatiana.

We moved together, finding a rhythm that wasn't perfect but was undeniably fun. There was something about the tango that was so intimate, so charged with emotion. The closeness of our bodies, the eye contact, the way we had to communicate without words—it all made the connection between us feel more intense.

Even when we stumbled, even when I messed up a move, I could feel the connection between us, and that was what mattered most.

By the time we finished our session, I was exhausted—but it was a good kind of tired. My legs felt like jelly, but I couldn't stop smiling. We hadn't nailed every move, but it didn't matter.

The night had been about more than just learning a new dance; it had been about spending time together, pushing ourselves out of our comfort zones, and remembering why we fell in love in the first place.

Tatiana was still smiling as we left the studio, her hand in mine. She didn't seem to mind that I had two left feet or that I wasn't the smoothest tango dancer. She just seemed happy that we'd done something different, something that made us both step outside of our usual routine.

"I had a great time tonight, Joe," she said as we walked to the car. "You were a lot better than I expected."

I raised an eyebrow. "What? You didn't think I could dance?"

She laughed, her head tilting back as she looked up at the sky. "I knew you had rhythm. But tango? You surprised me."

I smiled, pulling her close as we walked. "Glad I could surprise you. Maybe next time, we'll try salsa."

"Maybe," she said, grinning. "But next time, you're definitely letting me lead."

"I think I can handle that," I said, squeezing her hand.

I didn't need to be the best dancer in the room to make her happy. I just needed to be there, to show her that I was always thinking of ways to keep us moving forward, to keep us having fun, to keep us connected.

Because at the end of the day, that's what made our relationship special—no matter what steps we were taking, we were always in sync.