they’re all standing in the corner with frowns on their faces. I told Jimmy that ain’t gonna happen this time. I refuse to dance alone ever again.”
I nod, afraid I might say something that will reveal I know nothing about William and that I’ll never see him or his friends again after tonight. My dances tonight will be with William, but any that happen after will be with someone else entirely. Before, that thought would have been exciting and wild. Right now it makes me feel a little hollow inside.
I instantly want to slap myself. Jennifer, what do you think you’re doing? You can’t go off-track now! Focus! I steel myself against those silly emotions as soon as they start to trickle in. This is a one-time deal only. That’s what’s making it so much fun and so charged with sexual energy. If William and I thought this was the first date of many, there’d be pressure of a different sort, the kind that makes people act like someone else, makes them feel like they have to say and do certain things to impress the other person. Knowing this night isn’t going to be repeated is making it easier for me to be free of all that, and for him too. This whole Cinderella at the ball thing is not his usual way of operating, I’m sure of it. He’d go broke, otherwise.
I nod silently, knowing I’m steering myself in the right direction. This night is going to be awesome. This one night.
I don’t realize William is near until I feel his hands sliding around my waist from behind. Glory’s arm slips free and she steps away.
My heart skips a beat as I turn my head and find William’s face right next to mine. “I want to show you something,” he whispers in my ear. The smell of his expensive cologne is intoxicating. Screw champagne. Who needs that stuff when I can have this?
Jimmy takes Glory by the hand and twirls her in a circle. “Come on, wife, let’s go show these people how to move.”
“That’s my man,” she says, her eyes glowing with happiness. Apparently he’s been forgiven for whatever he might have done, just by asking her onto the dance floor. As I watch them grin and snuggle, I can see how they’ve managed to stay together since junior high school. They have true love in their lives, and for some reason it makes me both happy and a little bit sad at the same time.
I turn slightly in William’s arms, glad that he’s left his hands on me. The warmth begins to generate between us, and I have to fight the urge to reach my arms up and put them around his neck. Thoughts of Glory and Jimmy fade away to nothing.
“Where are we going?” I ask. My voice is way too breathy.
“Come see,” he says, sliding his hand down my arm to take me by the hand.
The thickness of his fingers between my much smaller ones gives me a jolt. I can’t stop thinking about his other body parts, wondering if they’re proportional. Eek! Down, girl! All in good time… Just the idea is sending thrills all through me. Goosebumps break out on my arms and I try to rub them down with my free hand.
We walk across the lobby and past some elevators. Soon we’re in a small alcove that hosts a bank of payphones. For a moment I think he wants to make a call, but then he switches off the light and turns to face me.
As he moves forward with determination, I step back, taken by surprise and more than a little shocked at the expression on his face. He’s all business and a little bit caveman. The man who made me laugh is completely absent.
“What are we doing?” I whisper. It seems an appropriate question, like we’re hiding from someone back here in this dark corner of the building. Plus I’m a little teeny tiny bit apprehensive. My heart has picked up its pace considerably at this complete change in his demeanor.
His right hand slides up my ribs to rest just under my breast, and he leans down, his mouth suddenly on mine. My back runs into the wall and my body jerks to a halt at the precise moment that his tongue comes out
I nod, afraid I might say something that will reveal I know nothing about William and that I’ll never see him or his friends again after tonight. My dances tonight will be with William, but any that happen after will be with someone else entirely. Before, that thought would have been exciting and wild. Right now it makes me feel a little hollow inside.
I instantly want to slap myself. Jennifer, what do you think you’re doing? You can’t go off-track now! Focus! I steel myself against those silly emotions as soon as they start to trickle in. This is a one-time deal only. That’s what’s making it so much fun and so charged with sexual energy. If William and I thought this was the first date of many, there’d be pressure of a different sort, the kind that makes people act like someone else, makes them feel like they have to say and do certain things to impress the other person. Knowing this night isn’t going to be repeated is making it easier for me to be free of all that, and for him too. This whole Cinderella at the ball thing is not his usual way of operating, I’m sure of it. He’d go broke, otherwise.
I nod silently, knowing I’m steering myself in the right direction. This night is going to be awesome. This one night.
I don’t realize William is near until I feel his hands sliding around my waist from behind. Glory’s arm slips free and she steps away.
My heart skips a beat as I turn my head and find William’s face right next to mine. “I want to show you something,” he whispers in my ear. The smell of his expensive cologne is intoxicating. Screw champagne. Who needs that stuff when I can have this?
Jimmy takes Glory by the hand and twirls her in a circle. “Come on, wife, let’s go show these people how to move.”
“That’s my man,” she says, her eyes glowing with happiness. Apparently he’s been forgiven for whatever he might have done, just by asking her onto the dance floor. As I watch them grin and snuggle, I can see how they’ve managed to stay together since junior high school. They have true love in their lives, and for some reason it makes me both happy and a little bit sad at the same time.
I turn slightly in William’s arms, glad that he’s left his hands on me. The warmth begins to generate between us, and I have to fight the urge to reach my arms up and put them around his neck. Thoughts of Glory and Jimmy fade away to nothing.
“Where are we going?” I ask. My voice is way too breathy.
“Come see,” he says, sliding his hand down my arm to take me by the hand.
The thickness of his fingers between my much smaller ones gives me a jolt. I can’t stop thinking about his other body parts, wondering if they’re proportional. Eek! Down, girl! All in good time… Just the idea is sending thrills all through me. Goosebumps break out on my arms and I try to rub them down with my free hand.
We walk across the lobby and past some elevators. Soon we’re in a small alcove that hosts a bank of payphones. For a moment I think he wants to make a call, but then he switches off the light and turns to face me.
As he moves forward with determination, I step back, taken by surprise and more than a little shocked at the expression on his face. He’s all business and a little bit caveman. The man who made me laugh is completely absent.
“What are we doing?” I whisper. It seems an appropriate question, like we’re hiding from someone back here in this dark corner of the building. Plus I’m a little teeny tiny bit apprehensive. My heart has picked up its pace considerably at this complete change in his demeanor.
His right hand slides up my ribs to rest just under my breast, and he leans down, his mouth suddenly on mine. My back runs into the wall and my body jerks to a halt at the precise moment that his tongue comes out
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