Rio de Janeiro! He had always dreamed of it, and now here he was, having seen nothing but three long days of hotel meetings and dinners for a deal that was going to make his career--except now, after all, the deal seemed to be tottering. In seven hours he'd fly back to the States to face his boss.
He had just the last bits of this final night to get out and feel the air and maybe hear some music, but he was too exhausted. Oh well, last chance for the real Rio, he'd go out anyway. He took the elevator down, got a Mojito at the bar, and followed the sound of live music out to a courtyard wonderland of overhanging plants and small lanterns throwing shadows in the soft darkness. Piano, guitar, upright bass, smooth and tight, somehow relaxing and energizing both at once. Couples dancing. He couldn't dance like that! So elegant, composed and totally focused on one another and in the moment. He found a chair in a shadowy corner.
This music! It flowed into his blood, his soul. And among the crowd of elegant couples, one woman caught his eye, dancing alone. No wild display. Subdued, restrained. She and the music were one essence, leading and following each other. She was discreet, subtle, enchanting. He couldn't take his eyes off her, this lovely woman dancing in her own world in her shimmering clinging silver sheath dress and her shimmering silver high heels, so dainty. It was all about line and posture and presence, but her flowing curves transcended the geometry, her lovely breasts held by the shimmering silver dress, waist nipped in and then swelling out again with her hips and tapering down her thighs, knees, curves of her calves, all of her moving in a gentle flow. Her long black hair hung straight down to the back of her waist. On each pierced ear a silver hoop showed off her long neck. She had colored her full lips with a tropical shade of red, a bright blooming red, so appropriate for this setting and for her tan skin and black hair. She smoldered. He was mesmerized and could not take his eyes off her but there was no way he could get up and dance. He didn't know these dances, didn't know a word of Portuguese. He just sat entranced.
She saw him, and watched him looking at her. Soon the music moved her a few steps closer and she began to to move faster with the quickened samba rhythm, and he knew she saw him looking at her but it was impossible for him to tear his eyes away. She moved a little more freely, just a little, but did not turn her back. She locked her brown eyes on his then danced closer. He was afraid she might pull him out of his comfort zone, bring him out of his shadowy corner. Normally that would be exactly what he wanted. But he felt so beaten down by this rough trip, so isolated, separate. The flowing dancers, this lovely woman, the soft air and flora and lantern shadows, were all just a dream Rio he could never join.
But now here she was right in front of him, smiling, offering her hand. He hesitated for a long moment then stood, trying to smile too. She spoke a few words, none of which he understood, but her voice was like water flowing over smooth stones, seeming to say, "My friend, you are sad. Don't be sad, you cannot be sad in this music, this night, this place. You will feel better if you let the music help you. Let me help you escape from your sadness, now come please with me." She took his hand and led him to the darkest corner of the dance floor, under the shadowy flora. She saw that he did not know these dances, so she dropped all of the rules about line and posture and simply took his hands and placed them on her hips. She in turn put her hands on his forearms and began so slightly ever so
slowly to move her hips from