Dancing Lessons Read Online Free PDF Page A

met Rafael Winters. Nearly crying on the man’s shoulder had been bad enough, although it also settled everything, really. The man was attractive and, apparently, kind and gainfully employed and a great teacher, if today’s lesson was usual for him. His body wasn’t something Chico could currently think about without putting a hand to his cock. But Chico wasn’t interested in anything. That road was closed until he could imagine wanting someone enough to try again. Considering Chico was living in a tiny room filled with boxes from his old life, that wasn’t going to be anytime soon.
    He took his eyes off the houses in the trees and considered the stars for another few minutes before he finally sighed and dragged his ass inside. Today had been a forceful reminder he needed to feed himself something other than ice cream.
    He wondered if he had any solid food in the house.
    Since he couldn’t remember his last trip to any store bigger than a gas station food mart, he guessed not.
     
     
    IT TURNED out that the other benefit to living in the middle of what was essentially the country, after the great view, was the proximity to farms and fresh food. The local communities all had farmer’s markets, and Brandywine was no exception.
    True, the market itself was just six stalls of fruits and veggies, a flower vendor, a honey vendor, and a coffee cart. But Chico had been informed it grew in size during the summer proper. Sunday mornings in June would see additional stalls for eggs and milk and cheese and possibly one for the old Italian bakery that had recently been taken over by an ambitious baker from one of the towns along the freeway. The town council had plans for more than that.
    Chico thanked the guy who’d made his latte, for the coffee and for the helpful news, then hefted his basket and moved on. He was determined to shop for healthy food like the adult he was, and he was even out of the house. He was outside, in the early morning sun, in clothes that fit him. This was progress.
    Obviously Davi could never know.
    Chico let sunbeams warm his bare shoulders and admired the glint of his rings in the light as he stepped up to the first stall. He noticed in approval that it had peppers of all kinds in addition to tomatoes and onions. The colors were appealing, even if he had no idea what he would make with them, or if they’d end up unused, rotting in his refrigerator.
    “He runs out on me, and this is where I finally find him.”
    The familiar voice took his attention from the bright bell peppers in his hand. Chico raised his head and let out a startled breath when Rafael Winters was in front of him.
    Despite his words, Rafael wasn’t looking at Chico. He had on a T-shirt and a pair of thin gray sweatpants that should have made him seem like a sloppy mess. Instead he looked comfortable and casual and healthy, like a man who had worked out on his Sunday morning and then headed down to the farmer’s market for honey and lettuce or whatever dancers ate.
    Possibly Chico was confusing starving movie ballerinas with real dancers. Or possibly not. Either way he’d bet Rafael Winters didn’t consider ice cream a meal.
    “Ran out on you?” Chico repeated, struggling to bring his eyes up from the glimpse of sweatpants dick he might get, and trying to recall what Rafael was talking about. He looked over at the kid working the stall, some farmer’s kid, probably, no longer as bored as she’d been a moment ago.
    Chico tossed his head and took a gulp of his latte in an effort to wake up his dormant brain.
    Rafael turned to face him while also shaking out the reusable canvas bag on his wrist. He smiled—kindly, Chico thought—until he glanced at the girl again. “He didn’t even tell me his name, Ruthie.”
    He managed to sound heartbroken.
    Chico’s jaw dropped. “I was looking at peppers,” he said, possibly the dumbest thing that had ever come out of his mouth. So he frowned and straightened up—something that only