She raised an eyebrow at him. “I did," she confirmed. "And this time I'll even be ready for it." It was much easier to spin the second time, and she couldn't hold back a happy laugh. The smile stayed on her face even as she focused on the steps.

Jim gradually increased the pace, and she couldn't seem to stop smiling even though it was sometimes hard to keep up. This dance was so different than what they'd done before – it felt as if they were literally running around the room – but she loved feeling a little breathless. She told herself firmly that it was only the exercise that made it difficult to catch her breath; Jim being so close to her had nothing to do with it.

Occasionally her stance slipped, and each time she resolved that she wouldn't let it happen again again. It invariably did, and gradually she accepted that she wouldn't always be able to do everything perfectly the first time. That didn't mean she wasn't going to try.

When he stopped, she took a moment to catch her breath and gratefully accepted the glass of water. “Thank you." She was still grinning even though she was tired. When he asked about her feet, she replied, "Not at all," then considered for a moment and amended her reply. “Well, maybe a little, but it's nothing I can't handle.”