-CHAPTER II-

Betty couldn’t manage to take her eyes out of them as they danced to the pop rock music out of the speakers, one song after the other —Where they going to dance all night? She moved uncomfortably in her chair, bending the neck to get a better view of the dance floor, restless, for what she thought was an awfully long time.

“Of course Gio would have brought the first woman he found in the streets. Look at that dress. I’m surprised they let her into the club… Oh my God!” she disapproved as the woman cling her left leg to Gio’s side and drop the weight of her body to him as they kept dancing hip to hip encouraged by the crowd cheered loudly around them. She saw, to her dismay, that Gio started caressing the naked leg that hugged his side right before he untied from her embrace and executed a couple of complicated steps.

“Show-off…” she muttered under her breath.

Then the disco lights exploded in rainbow colors against the metallic dress of the woman as Gio spun her around. Her loud pleasing laugh resounded, molesting Betty’s ears, surpassing every sound in the room.

Betty rolled her eyes. “What a b—”

“You do realize I’m sitting right here, Betty?” Daniel interrupted her. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you act like that before. Something wrong?”

“Nope. Nothing. Nothing…” She turned her back to the dance floor and grabbed the glass she had right in front of her. Without even asking, she took a large sip from the drink. The taste alcohol eased the bitter taste in her mouth. “Wow! This is really good!”

“I finally find you” a voice startled her, making her spill a bit of the drink in her extremely colorful clothes.

“Hey, sports guy, I’m glad you came”. Daniel welcomed the young tall guy that was standing in front of him. He got a very casual air about him and his clothes reflected his personality. There was something charming about him: his boyish shy features, the thick dark hair, carelessly forming smooth curves surrounding his head, an absent introspective expression only spiced by his playful eyes that seemed to look everything with interest and the eternal shy smile on his ivory face.

“Hello. Um…” he said, taking a handkerchief from his pocket helping Betty clean her face. “I’m sorry… really sorry, Betty. I didn’t mean to startle you. Are you alright?”

“Oh, Matt! You came so fast!”

“I was on my way. I was coming anyway. So, are you having fun?” he gave her a quick peck on her lips. “Nice music. What are you drinking?”

Betty took the handkerchief he was offering her and cleaned a bit of the drink from her blouse. A déjà vu. It suddenly seemed to her she lived the situation once before... on her birthday, but instead of that soft piece of cloth between her fingers, all she had was a crumpled paper napkin with a funny pickle grinning at her. She found herself also smiling unconsciously at the memories.

Matt took a moment to taste the drink in front of Betty. “I can’t tell what’s on the mix, but it’s quite good. You don’t cease to amaze me, Betty, I didn’t know you like strong and bold drinks”.

“Triple sec, aftershock and two types of rums: one Cuban, one Puerto Rican” said a voice from behind. “Who are you and why are you drinking from my glass?”

Betty jumped at her seat. “Would you both just stop doing that?!”

Gio chuckled looking at her. “Did I startle you? I thought you were still paying attention.”

Betty blushed as she was discovered on her previous stalking endeavor.

“Oh!” Matt said putting the glass back on the table. “I wouldn’t have guessed that there was Rum in it. I would have thought I was becoming an expert in cocktails by now”.

Gio lead Janice to her place on the table. She was visibly exhausted of all that dancing.

“People usually misunderstand Rum” Gio said. “They think it’s cheap and rough to make a decent drink. But good Rum, well aged... experienced... has such a spicy taste and versatility that can produce the most surprising of flavors”.

“Wow! Impressive!” Janice said taking a large sip from her drink.

Daniel laughed. “Quite an expert in tropical drinking, aren’t you Gio?”

“Nah! Coincidence. My mom is Puerto Rican, that’s all” Gio was now standing by Betty side, looking down on her.

“I didn’t know that!” Betty said surprised, looking up meeting his eyes and suddenly feeling related to her friend —or was it ex-friend?

Gio’s eyes spoke to her before his husky voice could even utter the words: “You never gave yourself the chance to know much about me, did you?”

Matt noticed the tension in the air. He raised a hand to Gio.

“I’m sorry. I don’t think I introduced myself properly. I’m Matt Hartley. I’m—”

“He’s my boyfriend” Betty quickly blurted without breaking eye-contact with Gio.

Matt laughed, a bit embarrassed and surprised at Betty’s forwardness. “Well… that too... it seems. Actually, I’m a journalist” He handled him a card. Gio decided to lose this time to Betty, and give a polite look at his professional business card before putting it inside his pocket.

“Let’s get you a chair, Gio” Daniel was quick to say. He made a gesture to the nearest waiter.

“No need” Gio answered turning to Daniel. “I think you got pretty good company. I better take off”.

Janice cried aloud. “But you promised to take us to that salsa-reggaeton place!”

“You did Gio. And, a promise is a promise” said Daniel, resolved. “You know what? You are right. This place is a bore. Let’s leave now. The car is waiting outside. Everything is taken care of.”

Gio glared at Daniel who quickly avoided him and guided his guest to the exit.

The lobby was an almost deserted little room with mirrored walls; the music and the noise started to fade gradually as they approached the front door. Betty was hesitant to leave with the party but Matt had never been at a latin club and he wanted to live the experience. She felt cornered and she had no choice but to accept the offer. After claiming their coats, she walked out of the club accompanied by Matt and Janice.

Finally alone, Gio pulled Daniel apart, roughly, grabbing his shirt with force and dragging him into the small lobby corner.

Daniel tried to pull free from his grasp. “Okay! Okay! I’ll let you pay the bill of the next club. Promise!”

Gio’s voice was enraged. “Who gave you right to play with us like that?”.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Gio let him free.

“I know you can be a real dumbass sometimes, Daniel. But I know you better. This is you playing with me. What do you want from me?”

Daniel smiled at his friend’s reaction. He wasn’t really expecting his friend to lose his cool that easily. He fixed some of the creases that had formed on his expensive iridescent shirt from the pressure of Gio’s fists. “You can’t hide those feelings forever.”

“What fucking feelings you are talking about?”

Daniel pointed at the mirror at his back. “Those feelings.”

Gio stared at his twin looking back at him with red eyes filled with anger. He couldn’t believe he had become so mad to meet her again, to allow her break the indifference he thought he had mastered all that time he had spent away from her.

Daniel continued going to the door. “Now, come on. You can’t hide forever. You’ll have to face them eventually. I’ll wait for you in the car” Daniel motioned to the door.

“Who are you to think you have any right to decide over anything? Doctor Love?”

“I’d like to think I’m more like your friend and, more importantly, her friend. But, you know? You don’t have to come with us. You can back off anytime you want if you feel so intimidated.”

“Asshole.”

“Coward.”

Betty saw Daniel enter the limousine, take his place near Janice, and close the door behind him. She released the air she had been holding in her lungs but, her eyes, against her will, kept searching around as if looking for something she had lost.

The vehicle started moving. Matt was really at ease as if he had lived inside a limousine all his life. The same could not be said of the bimbo in front of her who, overexcited, moved here and there demanding Daniel to show the function of the controls and the minibar inside the car. She looked at her with scorn. She might be from Queens but she had her pride and education... at least in public.

A latin rhythm started sounding in the speakers and then Betty heard a few knocks from behind her and turned to the chauffeur. She looked through the crystal divide between them and noticed the one that was sitting in the passenger seat. Gio spoke through the microphone: “Be getting used to the music, that’s what you’ll be hearing all night”.

Betty couldn’t figure out the feelings inside of her. She was mad at him but, she admitted, also relieved. And how she hated feeling so ambivalent! She quickly snuggled into Matt’s embrace looking for relief for the unrest slowly nesting in her chest.

Just a few minutes passed and they were in front of a small place located in the outskirts of Manhattan. Gio was reluctant to get out of the limousine right in front of the dance club. But Janice was equally reluctant to walk with her expensive Jimmy Choos. When people saw them coming out of such luxury car they let them in easily.

The place was an old warehouse so there was plenty of space in spite of the amazing quantity of people indoors. The tropical music blasted the walls and there were laughs and chatter in every corner, huge custom jewellery from the most diverse material, cologne and perfume mixed in a delicious turmoil, bold dresses showing as much skin as possible, tight and extremely loose jeans, leather and polyester everywhere.

Gio led them to a table far from the commotion of the dance floor, so they wouldn’t be bothered and quickly ordered a few drinks. Matt monopolized part of the conversation at the table. He was a very avid entertainer, Daniel noticed. In fact, he thought he was exceptionally good at cracking jokes. Then the subjects turned into more academic matters and both Janice and Daniel were losing interest in the conversation.

“… and then I found out I wanted to pursue business administration when I did my final dissertation on Classic Administrative Theory and the understanding of modern labor litigation” He addressed to Daniel and Betty. “Oh, excuse me, not sure if any of you have heard of that theory…”

“…by Henry Fayol, of course, basic business administration… we’ve heard.”

Matt was surprised that Gio was the one that answered.

“I—”

“You didn’t think I was learned” Gio said with a smug smile. “Well, you guessed right. I didn’t go to college. I am what you scholars call: an empirical person.”

“Oh, well—” Matt admitted embarrassed, “that.”

“Not everyone that makes sandwiches is a lunk” Betty said amused by Matt’s puzzlement. She knew that Gio was a self-taught person. He really enjoyed reading. Sometimes— well, actually, very rarely, he surprised her with the display of his modesty. And that made her a bit uncomfortable. She really knew what kind of person Gio was.

Gio smiled at her comment, he wouldn’t have said it better. Matt ended up even more puzzled of what she meant by “making sandwiches” and the red-haired girl giggled in Daniel’s arms.

“So, you were saying you’re a writer” Gio quickly said. “Just like Betty. That’s cool!”

“Well, yes, different field, though. I work at a sports magazine”.

“Even better”. He was being honest he had respect for the field. But to his eyes, he and Betty were the same; even if he’s got an MBA or that he was a lawyer or an almost-veterinarian. In the field of publishing, Betty was as good as any other.

As his mind wandered in such thoughts, Gio felt no more need to talk and kept himself busy with his drink and, occasionally, stealing glances at Betty who sat almost in front of him, listening attentively at her boyfriend.

Matt suddenly addressed him right when he was, coincidentally, noticing how beautiful Betty’s hands were resting one on top of the other at the table.

“So, what do you do? Besides, obviously, knowing an awfully lot about latin cocktails”

“He’s a chef” Betty answered proudly —out of habit, she tried to explain herself later on.

Gio interrupted Betty and added sternly: “I own a Deli. I ‘make sandwiches’.”

“Oh, I get it now.”

“Sandwiches!” Janice laughed loudly. Probably she had a bit too much to drink. She pointed at Gio, winking at him. “I’d love to taste one of those.”

Betty was surprising annoyed by her behavior. “I bet you do” she whispered under her breath glaring at her. Honestly, she thought, where did Daniel find those women?

As if Daniel was hearing her thoughts, he kissed Janice in the neck. “Forget the tiny man. I can make sandwiches too. Just tell me when you feel like it”.

Matt was amused at the whole scene but Betty couldn’t prevent a smirk forming in her lips.

“Oh! Hear that out! Ah! I love this song!” Gio clapped his hands. He then stood up from his chair and moved his body to the rhythm of the music, dancing slowly around the table on the direction of the red-haired, singing in a very correct Spanish “…me inspiran tus palabras y mi casa está en tu piel… come, dance with me.”

The red haired refused with a quick gesture. She didn’t know how to dance that music. Gio turned to Betty, still moving the hips, his arms swinging by his side, smiling with pleasure, singing in his off key but excited voice, offering his open palms for her to hold: “…mi devoción, viniste a ser mi religión…Come on, Betty! …de nada me arrepiento. Que vivan los momentos en tu boca y en tu cuerpo! Mujer!”

Betty felt the blood leave her face and she felt her body automatically lean to Matt for some sort of protection. “I— I… can’t dance salsa.”

“That’s not true” said Daniel. “You were the one that taught me some dancing steps before”.

Gio took hold of both her hands and pulled her up. Betty giggled nervously as the truth was exposed, showing her metal braces for the first time the whole night —or was it just an unconscious reaction to the touch of Gio’s hands?

“Busted!” Matt laughed at the situation and winked at her, encouraging her to dance, “this will be fun to watch”.

Gio dragged her dancing to the center of the floor. It was packed with people so the atmosphere felt charged with an asphyxiating but surprisingly sensual energy.

“You are so tense! Loosen up a little bit.”

Gio pulled her back and forth to make Betty, who was still blushing and almost immobile in front of him, move to his steps. But he didn’t have to force her for long. As soon as he put his right hand on her waist locking her on a secure grip, she felt comfortable and she let herself to the joy of dancing. It had been years since she danced salsa. She felt the chords against her body and the Latina in her awoke from her lethargy and she heard every sound of the bass strings, the restless cry of the trumpet, the hammering drums, the energetic sound of the cowbells… her body relaxed and then, just then, she felt the magic of the salsa invade her body. She willingly let Gio guide her. Gio smiled as she responded to his every command.

Once again the chemistry of their bodies reminded them of those dances they shared as they chaperoned a Junior high dance, made them remember of that very first dance in her house. Gio was secretly pleased to see her move to a very complex step. She laughed back at him as she finished the move. He smiled back at her.

Then a sudden thought crossed his mind and the smile was substituted from a challenging smirk he pulled her closer. He spoke: “Should have guessed I’d meet you there.”

“What do you mean?”

“That you’d end up showing up at the club. You just can’t leave your ex-boyfriends alone, can you?”

Betty’s features hardened. Gio always found a way to ruin every moment, she thought as she pulled back a bit. Gio held her tight by her wrist, there was not way she could escape from the dance floor. There was no other choice but to keep on dancing.

“How did you know about Jesse?”

“I have my ways” he said smugly. Betty’s lips pursed.

“A musician? Really?” Gio continued. “I thought you said you wanted to focus on your career.”

Betty made a face. She could feel anger travel under her skin, brain buzzing in activity, sending an insulting response right to the tip of her tongue, her body boiling in excitement. And then she realized Gio always found a way to make her spirits jump from the calm state, jump from inertia: he made her feel alive.

Just at that moment, music increased the rhythm and Gio made her turn a few more times with violence, dismissing all her previous thoughts and forgetting if she was even mad a few seconds ago. Her shoes barely touching the floor, Betty almost tripped a few times but Gio found a way to always hold her tight in his experienced grasp and their dance went so smooth and continuous that no mistakes would be noticed in eyes of the average observer.

The final chords of the music were playing. Gio pulled her closer, making her face him. She dared to slide her hands across Gio’s forearms and she felt them drenched in delicious sweat. Her finger glided smoothly like a sailboat over the calm waters of his skin. Very unlike her own heart that was riding a demonic storm inside her.

Her finger reached the hem of his black shirt by his elbows. She looked up and found him staring back at her: lips parted, the face with traces of red, his eyes glowing, eating her, a few strands of hair plastered against his forehead: a vision of love and desire.

And there, that very instant, she found herself wishing there was not Matt or Daniel or that red headed beauty, that there was nobody around them. She wished with all her might that they were alone in the room.

Music changed starting a reggaeton set. Betty coughed uncomfortably breaking the spell.

As they walked back to the table Betty started feeling even more restless. She suddenly found it hard to breathe. Her head felt like it was about to explode. She felt a bit nauseous and she was about to lose balance as she reached the table. She blamed the heat of the crowded place, the fever eating her skin, the maddening sound of the music. She blamed Gio for returning to mess her simple and balanced life. She felt in Hell.

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Next chapter: chapter III

Translation of the verses Gio is singing:

Mirándote a los ojos se responden mis por qués
Looking into your eyes my questions are answered
Me inspiro en tus palabras y mi casa está en tu piel
I become inspired in your words and my home is in your skin
Qué tierno amor, mi devoción, viniste a ser mi religión
What tender love, my devotion, you came to be my religion
Mi dulce sentimiento
My sweet emotion
De nada me arrepiento
I regret nothing

Que vivan los momentos en tu boca y en tu cuerpo!
Blessed be the moments in your lips and on your body!
Mujer...
Woman...

BACK TO GIO ROSSI LAND

CHAPTER THREE