Dance for Me

by J.C. Valentine

  Moving down my body, he nips at my skin, placing soothing licks after each bite. I look down in shock as he positions his wide shoulders beneath my legs. Reaching down to sift my fingers through his hair, my breathing increases in anticipation of his next move. This is another thing he hasn’t done in a while. The last time I asked, he had muttered something about being too impatient to be inside me, and that was that.

  Seeing him there now, staring up at me, I can hardly breathe. When he covers me with his mouth, my head slams back into the blankets, and a vicious moan rips from my lips. He circles my clit with his tongue and then laps at my opening. Dragging the flat of his tongue up my slit, he repeats the pattern, lapping, circling, tasting, and teasing. Taking me further than he ever has before. It’s a torturous dance that causes all of my muscles to convulse, until I am shaking so hard, I can’t tell whether I’m going to come or if I already have.

  When his touch becomes too painful to bear, I push his head away. He comes up laughing as he wipes his mouth dry. “What’s the matter, baby?”

  I don’t even have enough strength in my muscles to lift my arm to punch him. Hooking my legs around his powerful thighs, I open myself to him. “Shut up and fuck me.”

  Reaching back, he retrieves a condom lying on top of the blankets I hadn’t noticed him put there. After rolling it on, he braces himself above me and flexes his hips. His length is long and hard and stretches me as it slowly enters me.

  “Yes, Ransom. It feels so good,” I moan breathily as he seats himself fully.

  “So do you, Josephine. You feel incredible.” His eyes slip shut and he moans as he rocks into me. The slow, steady pace he sets is so unlike the way we usually have sex. Tonight, Ransom is taking his time, and I feel it. I feel everything. This isn’t sex. This is making love.

  When he hooks his arm under my leg and spreads me open even wider, there is no going back. His pelvis rubs my center just right, and I come undone, splintering apart piece by piece as my orgasm slowly rolls over me like ocean waves breaking against a shore—slow, but with unexpected force. There are no fireworks and my toes don’t curl up. I haven’t even broken a sweat, but I still feel shattered.

  It’s the most honest feeling I’ve ever experienced.

  Holding him close, I feel Ransom’s muscles straining beneath my hands as he chases his own pleasure. My boobs jiggle and my head bangs against the headboard as he lifts himself to begin moving faster.

  I watch as his face contorts and the tendons in his neck stand out in stark relief. His hips surge once more, and then he freezes, going completely still as his lips peel back from his teeth and he releases a tortured sound, before collapsing on top of me.

  His heart pounds against my chest as he struggles to catch his breath. My hand strokes his back as the other holds his head to my chest. At this moment, with nothing but the soft sounds of our combined breaths between us, I feel at peace. Having never experienced it before, I have no idea what to do with it. But it’s… nice.

  The feeling is shattered when Ransom rolls away, and hollowness in my chest begins to take its place. But that space is quickly filled again as he takes me with him. Lying on his back, Ransom tucks me under his side and drapes my arm across his chest. My leg moves up to cover his, and when we are completely wrapped around each other, my chest swells with an emotion I can’t name.

  Whatever it is, I feel safe here. Protected. Home.

  ***

  A low buzzing lures me from my sleep and I am vaguely aware of Ransom peeling me off him to root around on the floor. The buzzing stops and is followed by his voice, which is soft and a little gruff from sleep. The call is short, and then he is back, crawling into bed beside me.

  “Are you awake?” he asks, and I roll away, making a sound of complaint. I’m not a morning person. Never have been, but Ransom is determined to make me one.

  Pressing his naked body against my back, I can feel his desire for me to wake up burrowing between my thighs. His warm breath tickles the back of my neck and I tilt my head to feel his lips touch my skin.

  “What time do you have to be to class?”

  Reaching back to cup his head as he continues to nibble at me, I reply, “Nine.”

  “Mmmm, then you have twenty minutes to get there.”

  My eyes fly open and I shoot out of bed. “I’m going to be late!” Spotting him still in bed wearing only his smile, I shout, “Get up! I gotta go!”

  Moving to the edge of the bed, he watches me rush around the room collecting clothes from the floor. “I’m all for dedication, especially when you keep bending down like that, but maybe today we should just call in sick and stay in bed.” I see that look in his eye, hooded and full of desire, and the offer is almost too tempting to ignore. But for once, reason wins out.

  With his clothes in hand, I walk back to him. His knees open and I step between them, draping my hands and his clothes over his shoulders. “As much as I’d love to spend the day in bed with you, you have a job to get to. Besides, both of us absent on the same day? Not a good start if we want to keep this on the down-low.”

  He releases a heavy sigh and presses his forehead to my sternum. “You’re right. God, why do you have to be right?” he complains, throwing his head back and squeezing his eyes shut.

  I chuckle and step back, handing him his clothes. “You’d better run if you don’t want to be late.”

  I don a robe as he dresses, and then I walk him to the door. Turning before he leaves, he hooks me around the waist and hauls me up against his chest, dropping a possessive kiss on my lips that leaves me feeling winded. “See you in class, Miss Hart.”

  I’m smiling like a loon when he opens the door to go, only to have it fall away in an instant. Ransom freezes on the spot. Annie stands on the other side of the door, two coffees in her hand and a look of shock on her face.

  Ransom clears his throat. “Good morning, Miss Guerra.”

  Blinking away her surprise, Annie’s expression turns sly as she takes in my appearance. “Good morning, indeed, Professor Scott. Joe, what in the world did I just walk into?”

  I rush to explain. “Annie, Professor Scott was just dropping by to…” My excuse dies, and I look to him for help. He is rumpled from head to toe, clearly having just rolled out of bed.

  “Uh…tell her about a possible project idea I came across.”

  “Right,” I say, snapping my fingers and pointing at him. “The project.”

  Annie’s suspicious gaze shifts between us, and of course she’s not buying it. Even a blind person could see through the lie. “Riiiiight.”

  “So, okay then. Thanks for the info, Professor Scott. See you in class.”

  I reach past him and yank Annie by the forearm into the apartment. Ransom gives me a worried look as he exchanges places with her. I don’t know what to say or do, so I shrug and close the door in his face. Annie won’t tell anyone about this, and I will make sure he knows this when I catch up with him later, but right now, I need to do damage control.

  “Thank God you brought coffee!” Relieving her of the extra cup, I gulp it, the hot liquid scalding my tongue on the way down. “You don’t even know how much I needed this.”

  Reclining on my couch, she pulls her feet up on the cushion beside her and gives me a knowing look. “Oh, I can take a guess. How the hell did he end up here? I assume he stayed the night?”

  “It’s a long story, and yes, he did. Don’t,” I say firmly as I point my finger at her, “tell anyone. Not even Jason.”

  She holds up her hand. “I swear, my lips are sealed.”

  I stare her down for a moment longer, and when I’m satisfied that I’ve gotten through to her, I nod. “Okay, I’m going to hop in the shower. Be back in five.” Her voice floats down the hall after me as I gather what I’ll wear for the day—a pair of cut-off shorts, a white tank top, and a black and white checkered button-down that’s two sizes too large.

  “So, was he good?”

  “So good!” I call
back as I duck inside the bathroom. Her laughter is drowned out by the rushing water, and as I step beneath it, I realize once again that I can’t stop smiling.

  Professor Ransom Scott is ruining me.

  SIXTEEN

  The good thing about having a job that allows me to afford a place off-campus is having privacy. Ransom ends up spending the night with me over the weekend, which quickly becomes every night the following week. None of which would be possible if I had to worry about sneaking him out of my room every morning. We’re spending so much time together outside of class and work now, that I’m not sure how I will ever be able to go back to sleeping alone. He’s taken up space in my bed like he’s taken up space in my lungs. If we go back to how things were before, I worry I won’t be able to breathe without him.

  We’ve also become dedicated running buddies. Between that and our morning sexcapades, I’m getting more cardio than I ever got dancing on a stage. We may not be like an ordinary couple, able to go out and be seen together, but I feel like we’re in a good place.

  Ransom is different with me—a good different. I still catch glimpses of his dominant side, but his flair for passion has changed. I don’t pretend to know what caused it, but he’s gentler now, sweeter. He treats me with care, even when he’s ravaging me. We talk now, too, which was something we staunchly avoided in the past. I have to say, I’m enjoying learning about Ransom Scott, and I think he’s enjoying learning about me. I don’t care to know the why of it. I just want to soak it up while I can. I’m living minute to minute, in case the dream ends.

  It’s Saturday and instead of meeting my friends for drinks, we’re watching a program about the history of the cosmos, lying in each other’s arms. This is the best kind of day—laying around, doing absolutely nothing but enjoying being in each other’s company. Ransom has been quiet all afternoon, another thing he does from time to time. When he’s quiet like this, I know he has something on his mind.

  My thumbs trace over his strong forearms that are wrapped securely around my waist, following the map of thick veins as I watch stars collide on screen. I swear these programs could make a person go insane. Everything is a doomsday scenario. But I’m more concerned with whatever is going on in Ransom’s head than my possibly imminent death.

  “You’re thinking pretty hard there, champ,” I say to distract myself from the morbid thoughts circling in my brain. “Feel like sharing?”

  His chest rises up and falls back down heavily, and he gives me a little squeeze. “I was just wondering what you might say if I invited you to come to dinner with me at my parents’ house next week.”

  I twist in his arms to look at him. “I thought we were keeping us quiet for now.”

  His dark eyes pool with confliction. “I know, but we won’t be on campus. Technically, we wouldn’t even be going out in public.”

  “But a dinner with your parents? Why now? Why not wait until, I don’t know after I graduate?” When it’s safe, I add mentally. When I’m not just the student trying to earn an easy A by sleeping with her professor.

  Slipping out from behind me, I roll onto my back as he positions himself above me. I wrap my legs around his hips and stare up at him, momentarily stunned by his beauty. Ransom’s long, dark lashes are enviable, as are his flawless skin and perfect mouth. I still can’t believe I’ve caught the attention of a man like him.

  Brushing my hair behind my ears, he says, “My parents don’t have to know the circumstance of our relationship. They just want to meet you.”

  “Oh, my God, you told them about us?” I’m floored and a little horrified. I only just told Annie, and the only reason for that was because she caught us red-handed. If she hadn’t been standing on the other side of the door that morning, she would still be operating under the assumption that I wanted nothing more to do with him.

  “Only that I had met someone. My brother is coming to town next week, and they’re having a little dinner for him. They want me to bring you along.”

  An introduction and a welcome home dinner—this doesn’t sound like just a casual thing. This sounds more like a big deal to me. But then I look at Ransom, and it’s all over. His smile is soft and pleading, kryptonite to a hopeless romantic like me.

  My brows scrunch together. “Stop looking at me like that. You know I can’t say no to you when you look like a whipped puppy.”

  “Is that a yes?”

  I take in his wide, knowing smile and shrug because there’s no sense in trying to deny him. Not when he looks so adorable. “You know it is.”

  Rocking his pelvis against mine, he reawakens the passion I thought we’d knocked out earlier that morning. I tighten my legs around his hips, pulling him even closer, and he presses down into me, his arousal evident through his jeans. “They’re going to love you.”

  “Well, they’d better,” I say lightly, “because I’m awesome.”

  His chest rumbles with laughter. “Damn right you are.”

  I tilt my head, my lips pursing as something occurs to me. “Does this mean I’m your girlfriend?”

  Leaning down, Ransom kisses me softly. “Do you want to be?”

  “I think I do,” I say, lifting up to run my tongue along his jaw.

  He groans, moving his head to the side as I continue on down his neck. “Then it’s settled. Now put your hand down my pants and play with my cock.”

  “I’m not even your girlfriend for two minutes and already you’re demanding things of me,” I tease as I release the button on his jeans. “I hope you don’t think this means you own me.”

  “Oh, baby,” he growls as I take him into my hand. “I’ve owned you since the moment I laid eyes on you. You just didn’t know it.”

  ***

  As far as being Ransom’s girlfriend goes, it’s pretty unremarkable. In fact, it’s just what I imagine being in a relationship with a regular guy my age would be, just with a dash of cloak and dagger crap. Dating on the DL means we can’t be seen together outside of class, and if we cross paths in public, it’s a simple, quick hello and we’re on our way. Going into it, I hadn’t realized how hard it would be to actually be with him, but it is. It so is.

  After spending the rest of the day together, Ransom suggested that I get out of the house and reconnect with the outside world. He was right, of course. As much as I would like to dominate all of his time, it’s not healthy to be so wrapped up in another person. Plus, his isn’t the only relationship I need to nurture, and I assume the same is true for him. So, we agreed to part ways for the weekend. I spent most of mine at home catching up on homework and wondering what Ransom was up to. Was he working, too? Visiting family? Or catching up with someone else—Red perhaps? Even now, the thought makes my stomach knot up. He hadn’t exactly been shy about shoving her under my nose before. What was to say he wouldn’t continue seeing her behind my back?

  Already, trust is a major factor.

  Another thing that’s not normal about us: I don’t have any way to contact him. No number. No address. Outside of the classroom, I have no earthly clue how to get in touch with him.

  “Are you kidding me?” Annie looks appalled. I don’t know why I told her any of this, but sharing the load makes it somewhat more bearable. “What kind of relationship is this anyway?”

  “A secret one,” I whisper harshly over the table. Maybe discussing this over lunch in the cafeteria first thing on a Monday wasn’t such a good idea. There are students everywhere.

  Leaning over her steaming cup of vanilla chai tea, she says, “It sounds more like a booty call. You can’t seriously tell me that you’re okay with this.”

  No, I can’t. I thought I was okay with it, but I’m beginning to realize this is just another phase of our hotel room arrangement. Only now, he gets to save himself the added cost of screwing me.

  I think of how Ransom looked at me this morning in class. Nothing that would be obvious to an outsider, but I recognized that look in his eye, the subtle, secret smile recalling memories that o
nly he and I share. It almost wiped away the worries that have been worming their way into my psyche.

  God, I’m an idiot.

  Poking at my tuna salad, I can’t meet her eyes. I feel defensive, like she’s attacking me, even though she hasn’t said one word against me. “You don’t know him. He’s sweet.”

  “Sweet? He’s sweet? Honey, seriously, pull your head out of the sand. This may have been cute before, but it’s not now. He’s just another man abusing his power. Instead of turning a blind eye, you need to be asking yourself how many other girls he’s done this with.”

  My gaze snaps up, and my mouth curves down. I could hurl the same words back at her about her relationship, but I leave the dying argument lying on the table between us. There’s no sense in getting into a fight over something that I know Ransom wouldn’t do. But even as I think it, I question how certain I really am.

  Despite where we started, as far as I know, Ransom’s one of the good guys. He’s been upfront about everything right from the start. There’s no reason to search for deception. But who’s to say that there isn’t a trail of teary-eyed girls laid out behind me? What if I’m not the exception to the rule? The thought is unsettling and I move to change the topic.

  “How are you and Jason doing?”

  Annie sits up straight in her chair, flips her blonde hair over her shoulder, and focuses on her tea as if she’s hoping to see her future in it. “Good. Some things came up and we talked. I think we’re in a good place right now.”

  Something in her voice catches my attention. It tells me to follow up, and I do. “Some things? What does that mean?”

  I don’t miss the way her gaze skitters around the room, nor the way she chews her bottom lip like it’s candy. When she finally looks at me, she’s wearing this strange expression that makes me nervous. “Jason accepted a job in California…and he asked me to go with him.”