Love's Dance

by Karen Deen

  Zara told me one night when we were lying in bed, talking on the phone, that she sometimes sleeps snuggling into one of my jumpers because it reminds her of my smell and how she misses me. That makes me ache with happiness and sadness.

  I like the fact that if any of her dancer friends visit, they will see plenty of me in the apartment and know I’m not far away.

  As we walk away, we’re stopped when someone calls Zara’s name from the theatre door.

  “Wait up, Zara. Let me meet lover boy.”

  My fists clench at my sides. Time to let this fucker know how this is going to work.

  “Lewis. Stop it. I told you not to call him that.” Zara reaches out to slap him on the arm. “Grant, this is Lewis, my new dance partner. Lewis, this is Grant, my boyfriend. Yes, the one I can’t stop talking about.”

  My parents always told me never to be rude, but it takes all my restraint not to put this guy on his ass. Instead, I extend my hand to shake his like any gentleman would do.

  “Wow, now that’s a power handshake,” the wimpy boy remarks as he pulls away. He knows he’s pushing my buttons and is waiting for a reaction. In my head, I’m counting. I don’t want to upset Zara and I know if I open my mouth she won’t be happy with what comes out.

  “Grant,” Zara mumbles and elbows me softly.

  Take a breath.

  “Pleased to meet you, Lewis,” I grumble. I feel her eyes burning through the side of my head.

  “Sorry, Lewis. Grant and I have plans tonight so we need to get moving. I’ll see you tomorrow for the matinee.”

  “Sure, sweetie. I’ll see you on the stage with my arms open and waiting. Bye, Grant. Enjoy your short stay. Such a pity you don’t get to be with Zara very often. Don’t worry, we all take very good care of her.”

  That’s it. I am going to fucking kill him. I step forward and feel Zara pull me down the road. She knows he hit me right in the guts with his words.

  The only way to calm down is to walk it off before we get home. I take over, dragging Zara towards her apartment. She knows better than to say a word. There are times when her mouth and the words that come out rile me up, and it is a good thing. We enjoy the banter. But right at this moment, she knows silence is the safest way. For us both.

  Slamming the front door behind us is like opening the gate to the emotions we both need to verbalize.

  “What the fuck was that, Grant? You promised to be nice to my theatre friends. If your mother was here tonight she would be disappointed and have a go at you for your manners.”

  “If my father was here tonight he would have told me to punch the fucker and teach him a lesson. Everything that came out of his mouth was trying to provoke me,” I yell. “I already don’t like him. I’ve only been near him for thirty seconds. His hands wander way too much on your body, and he thinks he can look after you better than I can.” My jaw aches from tension.

  Trying to calm myself, I close my eyes and take a deep breath. The room falls silent while we both take a moment.

  My anger gets in the way and I don’t want to take it out on Zara.

  After a minute or so, I slowly open my eyes.

  “He will never take care of me like you do, Grant,” she whispers. She stands in front of me with just her red lace bra and panties. “He will never get to touch me like you do.

  “Show me how you take care of me. I need reminding.”

  Zara knows exactly what I need. To feel like I’m the only one. The man who is her world.

  I take slow steps toward her like she’s my prey. I’m the beast and she knows how to soothe me.

  “You are mine, baby. All mine. Every. Single. Inch of you.” Slowly running my hands down her body, I don’t stop in any one spot. I need her to feel me all over her body.

  Her breathing is deep, her exhales are bringing long low moans with them. Her body leaves a trail of goose bumps behind where my fingers touch.

  “Don’t move,” I command.

  I need to get my clothes off. My penis is pushing so hard to break free. I have been hard since I entered the theatre, just knowing I was near her but couldn’t see her.

  Her eyes follow every movement I make.

  Fully-naked with my cock standing to attention, I place my hands on her hips.

  “Grant,” she whimpers.

  “No talking. Just feel me. I’ll remind you who owns this body and what I do to it to. The passion I can release from it.”

  My heart beats hard and I hear it in my ears. This is the longest we’ve been apart this year. It’s been three weeks since I was last here. It’s killed us both. I needed to work last weekend to give me the extra days to spend the week here with her. I plan on making up for lost time.

  “You told me you were my anniversary gift. I intend to very slowly unwrap my present. I will then need to inspect the present to make sure everything is just how it should be.”

  My fingers loop in the side strings of her panties and start to very slowly slide them down her legs. By the time I reach her ankles, my face is eye-level with her very wet core. My favorite sight to see.

  She has waxed herself bare, leaving my little landing strip. Zara has learned what I love her body to look like and she makes sure she looks perfect every time I come home. That’s a massive turn on to know she treats her body as my playground.

  I lean forward and place my nose just above her and take a deep breath. Zara is wet and smells like sex. Hot, passionate sex. My favorite scent.

  “I’m loving my present so far. Although, I’ve only seen half of it. Perhaps you can help me unwrap the other half. Nice and slowly.”

  Zara trembles under my delicate touch. She reaches slowly behind her to unclasp her bra. The straps drop off her shoulders and I can tell her restraint is gone. The bra falls forward and then onto the ground. Her perfect tits are now free, her nipples erect and ready for my mouth to devour.

  I want to go slow but I’m struggling now. Standing to take her tits in my hands, I crack, slamming my mouth on her.

  It’s like I’m being given the green light. Our hands are all over each other. We can’t get enough. I want to keep kissing her, but I desperately need to be sucking her tits and to taste her.

  My tenderness has disappeared. I pinch her hard nipple between my fingers and pull on it while I devour her other one in my mouth.

  “Missed you…need you…now…can’t take…much more,” Zara whimpers and stumbles over her words.

  “I’ve only just begun to take care of you. You will take it all and never forget how I make you feel when I touch you. On the bed, now.”

  Nothing looks more perfect than Zara naked and spread out for me. Just waiting. I see her pussy wet and ready.

  My tongue swipes towards her nub and I push two fingers inside her. Sucking hard on her clit, with my fingers curled and stroking her G-spot, it’s enough for her to explode all over my mouth.

  Zara screams out and can’t keep still as the orgasm explodes through her body. I lap up every tiny drop of her come with my tongue. That’s all I need to push me to my breaking point.

  I climb straight up and thrust into her. Hard and deep. I feel like I did a year ago where I was claiming her and finding my home. Her heels dig into my ass cheeks, urging me to go faster and push deeper. I give her every single piece of me. I’m so close, I thrust hard and latch onto her neck as I explode and release inside her.

  “MINE!”

  35

  Zara

  Pain bursts in my neck as Grant lets go and comes deep inside me, releasing every bit of sexual frustration that we’ve both been feeling.

  His body drops on top of mine while we both catch our breath. He continues to slowly run his hands over my body. It’s almost like he’s scared to stop and let go.

  My gut instinct is right. Grant’s off balance and he needs to know we’re still okay. His needs to completely dominate me which is my sign he’s trying to regain his control. In his mind, it’s slipping, and he doesn’t know how to dea
l with that.

  We haven’t had these issues since we finally got together. Grant has always had control of his life and managed to navigate through the last year without too much stress. Something is not right with him. I need to work out just what that is. Luckily, I have a few days with him this time. I will talk to him tomorrow.

  Right now, I just want to lay in his arms and fall asleep with him holding me tight. He makes me feel like I’m home.

  “Fuck, Zara.”

  “Yes, we did, it was out of this world.”

  “No, your neck. Shit, I am so sorry. I have never done that before.”

  Grant starts rubbing his hands up and down on my neck.

  “Done what, Grant?” I try to sit up.

  “How stupid of me. I’ve given you a love bite on the side of your neck. What are they going to say at the theatre?”

  I fall back on the bed laughing. It turns into a deep belly laugh. “Making sure you really mark your territory? I feel like I am sixteen again. My boyfriend has given me a love-bite. Whatever will my mom think?”

  “Zara,” he scowls. “What about on stage?”

  “Oh, stop panicking. That’s what make-up is for. No one will know.”

  “Thank God. I didn’t mean to hurt you, beautiful. You just had me that wound up.”

  “Sure, you just want to make sure everyone knows I’m yours.”

  “Don’t push it tonight. That’s not even funny.

  “But if you like it there, maybe I can give you a few more so they get the message loud and clear. What do you think?”

  He reaches out and pins me down with his hands tickling my sides. He knows exactly where I’m the most ticklish and he uses it against me constantly.

  It’s what we need to break the moment. From the moment Lewis called my name, the tension had skyrocketed and we needed to just relax and let it go.

  “Are you hungry? Do you want me to order some food?”

  I had forgotten we hadn’t eaten after the show. Things had gone so different to how I had planned.

  “I don’t want to leave, and I don’t want to get dressed. What about cheese toasted sandwiches and I have a tub of vanilla and chocolate swirl ice cream in the freezer. Can you think of a use for that for dessert?”

  Grant springs to his feet.

  “On to it, baby. I will have dinner made in a flash, but I get to dish up the dessert. Don’t you dare move off that bed.”

  With that, his bad mood is gone, and I feel like I can breathe again.

  “Well, if you want me to be awake for dessert, I suggest you make dinner quickly. You fucked every last bit of energy out of me. I can feel sleep creeping in.”

  “Not a chance. I will keep you awake even if it means I have to tickle you again.”

  I have a feeling no matter how tired I am, there will be very little sleep tonight. Tomorrow will be a long day.

  That first morning of waking up in Grant’s arms when he’s here, feels all brand new again. I realize how much I’ve missed it while he’s been gone.

  Today, we lay side by side with Grant slowly running his hand up and down my back. No words are needed. We are just getting our souls back in sync. I always feel a little off balance when Grant leaves town. It is like he takes a part of me with him.

  When we agreed to try this long-distance relationship, I knew it was going to be tough. At times it has been even tougher than I imagined. Every day lately, I’m starting to think about when the right time will be to step away from the company and head home to Grant and my studio. I didn’t think I would miss it as much as I do. I thought it was just a fill-in until I reach where I am now. But like anything, I became attached. Not only being a teacher, but to all my students.

  I’m not ready yet to give up dancing but something deep inside has me thinking I’m closer to the end than I was a month ago. My dancing is fine but my drive to keep at this elite level is wearing out. If I didn’t have Grant to go home to, I may have pushed it all to the back of mind a while ago and just pushed harder. But a part of me is starting to get tired of the crazy lifestyle and just longs to have a normal one.

  A night on the lounge watching television just doing nothing, with Grant wrapped around me, both of us just relaxing and not a care in the world.

  I haven’t said anything to Grant because I am not that deep into my thoughts yet. I just know it’s starting to happen more and more where I am thinking about life after dancing and my life with Grant.

  “So, what’s on the schedule for this morning before you need to be at work?” Grant asks with his soft voice.

  “Nothing, unless there’s anything you would like to do? I have made sure I haven’t booked in anything with my friends while you’re here. Although, I keep getting in trouble because they want to get to know you more.”

  “Sounds perfect. Sex all morning it is then.”

  Smacking his chest, I have a quiet chuckle.

  “Oh, you think I am joking. More fool you, sweetheart, for thinking that.”

  This earns me another smack.

  “Why don’t you organize something with your friends while I’m here then. We have a few extra days this time. I’m sure I can put on clothes for one day at least. What do you think?”

  “Really?” I spring up on the bed. “I would really love you to meet all my group. They have become like my family away from home. I get lonely while you aren’t here and talking to Nat and Xavier a couple of times a day just isn’t the same. How is tomorrow? We only have one daytime show tomorrow, so we could all go out for a while. Grab dinner or head to a bar?”

  “Slow down, gorgeous. Let’s do dinner. I think that’s a far better idea.”

  “Where’s my cell? I need to post a message in our Facebook group, so we can get it organized. You see, I have this boyfriend who likes to know what’s happening ahead of time. He’s a bit OCD like that. Such a pain in the ass, he is.”

  I feel the sting on my ass cheek before I hear the noise. “Now you really have something to complain about, smarty pants.”

  Grant

  I know I’m putting myself in danger having dinner with all Zara’s friends, but it’s important to her, so I’m going to have to be on my best behavior. Besides, it will give me time to find out a bit more about this Lewis guy. See how he is around Zara in a social environment.

  He will also get a message from me loud and clear on where the line is with touching my girlfriend. He either backs off quick, or I don’t have a problem with making him back off.

  Zara looks excited while she sits in bed leaning against the headboard messaging her friends and giggling at their replies.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “The girls can’t believe they are finally getting to meet the hot sexy guy who is the mysterious Grant. I talk about you all the time and they always give it to me that you aren’t real. They have seen you but only ever in the dark alley of the theatre.”

  “I’m sure you can set them straight about how real I feel, can’t you?”

  She shrieks as I start to pull her back down onto the bed.

  “I don’t know if you are, maybe you better show me so then I can describe it to them.”

  “Baby, this is not a description you will want to share with anyone but me.”

  With that, we lose another hour before we finally make it out of bed and start the day. These are the mornings I want more of. Being together and starting the day slow.

  Watching a two-show day makes me appreciate how physically hard Zara’s job is. Each performance runs for two and a half hours with an intermission. So that is a solid five hours of dancing in one day that needs her at her absolute best, every single time. She never shows if she’s tired. The only thing you see from her on stage is the happiness of being up there. I know she never takes her position for granted, after how hard she had to work to get it.

  When we make it into bed that night, I just hold her. I want more but I know she just needs to sleep. Sometimes the simple things can be
the best. Just lying there with her in my arms and sleeping peacefully, is so intimate. I know I want this for the rest of my life.

  Waiting in my usual spot outside the theatre door, I feel like I just want to get the dinner with her friends over and done with. When we are apart, I struggle with visions of what she’s doing, where she is and who she’s with. So far, I don’t really have faces to put with the names of the stories, so it made it a little easier. After tonight, I won’t have that luxury.

  She bounces out the stage door with her normal excitement towards me. Zara grabs me instantly for a kiss and a strong hug. I love that she has no problem showing me in public how she feels.

  After all the introductions, we start walking to dinner. So far, Lewis hasn’t turned up and I don’t know how that makes me feel, relieved or anxious in anticipation for his arrival.

  I eventually ask Zara where Lewis is, and she explains he couldn’t make it. He already had plans and couldn’t change at such short notice. Funny how he seems to be there every single time she goes out when I’m not here. I don’t like the vibe of the guy. Not at all.

  Dinner turns out to be a good night. Some of Zara’s friends are really funny and I feel like I have known them for a while the way they include me in every conversation. There’s also a couple of quiet ones who seem to sit and enjoy the conversation but not contribute much. They are my kind of people.

  The week goes fast which is hard on both of us. We don’t want it to end but I’ve been away from work for long enough. Zara knows how hard it has been for me to walk away and leave the others in control.

  Though, they were never completely in control. While Zara is at work some days, I’m on my laptop and cell still working. My brothers and sisters tease me that I can’t keep away. They never understand that I’m more relaxed when I know what’s going on and that everything’s under control.

  Saying goodbye this time is the hardest. We have spent so much time together. I’m used to her always being there, to kiss, to hug, to touch and to talk to. I am going to miss her like crazy…again.