Salvia
🍂 Caelum 🍂
Smoke and bourbon consumes me as I enter the bustling jazz club. Swarms of people gather near the dancefloor as excitement buzzes through the air. I peek at my phone and sigh at the empty lock screen. I tuck the device into my pocket and head to the bar for drinks.
I capture the bartender's attention and order a martini and beer. While I wait, my phone buzzes with a message from Evolet to say she's at the club. I pay for the drinks and scan the room for her.
Arms waving in the air captures my attention, then I see her sparkling green eyes and her smile. I inhale a deep breath as I wander to the small table she's leaning against. I place the martini in front of her and smile.
"Hey." I nod.
She's stunning, but that thought isn't defined by the way her outfit shows the smooth arch of her tanned back, but the pure joy and excitement swirling within her green eyes. Nobody's looked at me like that before.
"Thanks for the drink, and I can't believe you remembered it." There's nothing I've forgotten about that night.
"You're welcome."
The lights dim and the crowd roars with excitement.
People wander onto the stage and pick up their instruments. The lead singer introduces the band and they begin their first song with is upbeat and boppy.
Evolet watches the band while I watch how she glows with excitement and anticipation. She bops her head in time to the beat between sips on the martini.
Once she reaches the end of the drink, her gaze turns to me and my stomach churns.
"Dance with me."
"I don't dance." I shake my head.
"You'll dance with me, though." She smirks.
"I can't dance."
"I'll teach you."
I adore her confidence and the way I blindly follow her orders. I finish my drink and allow her to lead me onto the edge of the dancefloor.
She takes one hand and wraps it around her waist, then holds my other hand up. I look around at the others and shake my head. I wish I didn't have two left feet right now.
"Watching me."
Now there's something I can do.
"Step forward when I step back, okay?"
Of course, I step on her foot, but she doesn't grumble or wince in pain. She swivels her hips and smiles as I pick up speed on the three-step dance routine. Forward, back together, back, and somehow don't step on her toes.
We almost move in time to the beat which is more than I could have hoped for. Evolet grins with excitement and swivels her hips.
The song ends and the band quickly moves to their next one. This tune is slower than the previous song and somewhat familiar.
"For this song, we take one step to the left, back to the middle, then to the right. On the second round, you spin me around like this."
She grips onto my fingers and twirls herself around, then moves back to her position in front of me. It's not a complicated dance and thankfully I won't have to worry about stepping on her toes.
Evolet takes the lead on this dance as well, she tries to twirl while I'm sidestepping away. I shuffle closer and scoop her back to me. I step back into the dance and on the second round, I remember to spin her.
She smiles and curls into my chest; her perfume is sweet and her breath warm against my skin.
When this song ends and another upbeat one comes on, I remove myself from the dancefloor she frowns. I hold my hands up and shake my head.
"It's enough dancing for me."
I don't want to be the reason she wakes up with bruised toes from all my clumsy dancing. Evolet pouts and it captures another man's attention. He offers his hand and I shoot him a glare. She looks at me while accepting his offer to dance.
She's a tease.
He says something and she giggles. The pair dance the first routine she taught me except they move faster than me and with less toe stepping. I can't help the glare or the daggers I want to shoot this man with. I hate how he watches me and the stupid giddy look on his smug face.
When the song comes to an end, I interrupt their dance and the other guy walks away laughing.
"You don't have to be jealous, it was just a dance."
"Do you want another drink?"
"Sure." She chuckles.
I order another round of drinks and tap my fingers against the wooden bench top. She leans against the bar and brushes a strand of curly black hair behind her ear. When they've made her martini, she takes a long sip and glances at the staircase.
"Would you like to go upstairs?"
"Don't you want to watch the band?" I raise an eyebrow.
"I've had enough dancing for the moment." She smiles.
"Okay." I nod.
The upstairs area is intimate and less crowded than the downstairs. There's a small bar with a few people gathered around it. The bar opens to an alfresco area that overlooks the busy street. We take a seat and Evolet smiles.
"So what's your favourite colour?"
I tilt my head to the side and laugh.
"Don't give me that look! I just want to know more about you, and besides, your favourite colour says a lot about a person."
"Sunset oranges and leafy greens."
"Oh." She nods.
"Is there something wrong with those colours?"
"No, I half expected you to say black."
I glance at my button-up t-shirt and sigh.
"Black clothes are just easy, everything matches and you can't stain it."
"Fair enough."
"What's the most dangerous thing you've done?"
"I've never done anything reckless before, unless you count ending a two-year relationship? So perhaps the most reckless thing I've done is fall in love with myself."
"It's important to love yourself."
"Are you the bad boy type?"
"I'm possessive and controlling." I might as well be upfront about something in my life. "I thrive on having a plan and it going my way, but with you, I have no idea what I'm doing and I like that you challenge me."
"You bring another side of me out and I like that." She smiles.
Evolet finishes her drink and I scramble to keep up with her.
"Have you been in a relationship before?"
"No."
Her smile makes my stomach churn.
"What makes me so different from all the girls you've met before? I bet a few of them have passed through the blossom shop."
"I don't know what makes you so different, but the second I saw you in the shop, I was a goner."
She giddily smiles and her happiness brings me joy.
"I hope you always look at me like that." She smiles.
"Don't break my heart then."
"Oh, Caelum." She sighs. "You'll be the one to break my heart."
I take her hand and softly rub my fingers over hers.
"There's no way I could ever do that, Evolet."
She bites her lip.
"I thought I told you to call me Eve?"
"I'm not everyone," I smirk.
She laces her fingers through mine and smiles. I wish she could feel as I do, so she would know that I would never break her heart.
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