I walk into the crowded hotel lounge in San Juan and push my way to the bar. Young people are everywhere. The music is so loud that it is hard to hear what they are saying. Everything is in Spanish and I am obviously not Puerto Rican. Most of the people move aside for me and are politely ignoring me. Finally, I get the bartender's attention and order a Jack and water. The first sip is welcome. Watered down, but mostly a good taste. Cigarette smoke is heavy in the dark room and I look over at the dance floor. There, through the thick smoke, people are jammed together, dancing to the salsa music. Lights blink on and off and it is like going back in time, to an old disco.
I hear Spanish everywhere and laughing and good conversation. People are enjoying themselves everywhere in the bar. On stage is a salsa band that is playing loud and sweating and full of fun energy. My foot taps to the beat and I cannot help but feel the thrill of the crowd. I want to dance.
I look over the crowd of beautiful, overdressed dark-haired women, hoping to find either a familiar face, which is unlikely, or at least someone who looks friendly enough to want to dance with a middle-aged, balding gringo. I can dance well enough, but this is a land of dancers. I am not a beautiful man, not one of the sleek dancers dressed in open silk shirts who can spend hours dancing with one of these lovely women and then whisk her away to make love to her until the sun rises. These beautiful girls can have their pick of the bold, energetic men who would love to dance the night away. I am not even competition.
I turn from the dance floor, deciding that this is probably not the place for me. I am about to finish my drink and wander back out, when I spot a lady across the bar. She is blond, not unusual, but striking. Her face is beautiful with full red lips and dark eyes framed by shoulder-length hair. Her cheeks are soft and full and her ears are rounded and just peek through strands of hair. She wears silvery earrings that sparkle when light from the stage reflects off them.
She looks to be in her late twenties. She is approached several times while I watch, mostly by young men who seem to know her. They ask her to dance. She shrugs them off. She would be a prize to flaunt, but she apparently does not wish to be seen on anyone's arm. When she smiles at each man, her face lights the area around her. Each man is hopeful, but gets the same response. Each man goes off to find a more willing partner.
She looks down, during a brief moment when not being begged to dance and then glances up and across the bar. She spies me looking at her. She smiles. I cannot help but grin back foolishly. Then she looks away again. I decide to stay for one more drink, just to watch her some more. The bartender delivers my order and I glance up at the band again. Then I turn back to the bar and look across. She is gone. Probably finally found the right guy, I think.
I smell jasmine perfume next to me. I turn to find the source. She has moved to my side of the bar.
"I saw you staring at me," she says with a Spanish accent. She smiles. Her eyes are deep blue and lined with rose colored makeup. Tiny silver sparkles are dabbed around them and make her eyes seem huge.
"I am sorry," I stutter, caught by surprise. "You are extremely beautiful and I could not help but look." She smiles shyly. She wears a dark dress that is sheer, but not completely transparent. Her body is slender and she is well proportioned, obviously in excellent shape. The dress covers her from her neck down to below her knees, showing just a hint of lovely calf. The dress is slit conservatively to her knee and is made for dancing. She wears a pair of dance heels that match the dress. The heels are tall enough to bring her to nearly my five foot ten inch height.
She looks back at me, forcing me to look directly into her eyes. The music fades around me and the other raucous voices fade to murmurs. It is as if the room has suddenly emptied.
"You are obviously dressed to dance, so why don't you go out to the floor with one of these handsome men?" I ask.
"I do not care for them," she replies. "They are all young and dangerous and would not dance with me properly."
"What do you consider to be proper?" I ask.
"Proper includes making love when one dances. Salsa is a very sexy dance and I wish to make love with the man who can dance with me." Her voice is deep and her accent thrills me. Her r's roll ever so slightly when she speaks and each word is carefully spoken.
I am unable to reply. I can only smile and quickly take a sip of my drink to cover my nervous smile. I have visions of her exquisite body against mine.
"Why do you say nothing?" she asks. "Do you dance?"
"I do," I say finally. "I love to dance."
"Then take me to the floor and dance with me." She turns and offers her arm to me. I take it and guide her through the crowd to the floor.
The band is ready to start a new number and we find a place at the corner of the floor. Young men everywhere are startled to see her out here with the middle-aged man and smirk. But they are in awe. I can see them wondering what line I must have used. They are also thinking that I must be a relative or a close friend, because they have never been lucky enough to dance with this beauty.
The music is a merengue. She turns and slides into my arms. She looks at me and I lead the first step. My right arm goes around her waist. My left arm is up and holds her right hand. We step together and our movement is fluid. We step and spin and I quickly learn to lead her. She is an excellent dancer and we both smile at the way we have learned the rhythm together. Our bodies move closer together until I feel her thighs pressed against mine. Her head finds its way to my shoulder and we spin, first slowly and then quickly. Fast. A space clears and we move toward the center of the floor. We dance now as one person. She follows every lead and we never miss a single step. I am filled with desire and becoming hard, moved by the scent of jasmine and the closeness of this beautiful woman.