The group departed but was soon split in two, with Jane and Charles lingering behind. Words kept flowing between them. At first, Charles could only repeat how fortunate he was to have been able to see her dancing that night, and how her dancing had moved him.
“I won’t pretend that your flawless body didn’t affect mine but you have to believe me when I say that it went far beyond that. I could feel on my skin the movement you created in the air. It was like I could breathe every oxygen atom you were putting in motion. I felt I was receiving every signal you were sending. I felt I could touch your soul. You put so much of yourself in your dancing… I don’t know if I make any sense…”
They were slowly making their way to the hotel, completely oblivious of the rain, and utterly unmindful of the others. Sometime during his speech, his hand found hers and quite naturally, their fingers entwined. She held her precious rose in her other hand.
“I can’t believe how lucky I am to have met you. You make perfect sense, Charles. I live to dance. I don’t exist without my dance. I stopped dancing ten years ago, I stopped for one year…”
“What happened? Where you injured?”
“No, well yes… I had been fired from the corps of the Royal Ballet because I had grown too tall. My injury was in my mind, I hated my body, I hated my life, I had lost all purpose." She looked at him, surprised at how comfortable she was, revealing something so private to him. “Lizzy dragged me back to a ballet school, to a smaller one, to a less prestigious one, but one where my physical appearance was not my shame. There, my soul could finally re-enter my body; that soul I put every night in every show, that soul you’ve been the only one to see.”
She brought their hands to her lips and brushed them softly on his knuckles. He leaned towards her and tenderly kissed her now rain-dampened hair. She smelled of chamomile. She smiled her angelic smile up at him. He wanted to stop and kiss her lips, but he didn’t dare; it was going too fast, it was too easy.
“I’m sure I’m not. I’m sure a lot of persons feel the way I did. But I’ve been more fortunate. My lucky star made me meet you, it has only been a matter of chance.”
“La chance sourit aux audacieux. as they say in French. You bring yourself your own luck. It was not easy to dare offering me a rose, but you did it. It was not easy to put a business card in it without the slightest hint of flirting, but you did it too. Had you not done that, I would probably be heading to Rueil with Lizzy. Instead, I’m walking in Paris, on a rainy night, with one of the most sensitive men I’ve ever met.”
“Me, sensitive? I’m afraid not, Jane. I’m an engineer. I deal with reality. And my reality, now, it’s you. I don’t know how it came about or why, but it is. You have completed my world.”
They had finally arrived in front of the hotel. The doormen were watching them; they were looking at each other. He leaned slowly, his eyes deep in hers, his lips almost touching hers, and he whispered:
“You know I’m going to marry you, right?”
She murmured back: “I know, I was just wondering if you knew it too,” and she closed the space between them. When their lips met, she felt a shiver go down her body. She pulled his head against hers while he forcefully embraced her, placing their joined hands around her waist. He kissed her hard and she countered back. His other hand kept roaming her back from her bum to her hair. The heat spread slowly in her body. She could feel his shaft harden. He nibbled on her lower lip. She opened her mouth and he showed her how hungry he was.
When they stopped, panting for breath, the doormen were still looking at them. Jane’s legs were weak. Charles’ embrace had not weakened. Their eyes were locked, darkened with desire.
“Are you really thirsty?” Jane asked.
Slightly taken aback by her question, he didn’t pretend to misunderstand her meaning.
“Are you?”
She shook her head coyly. “I want to touch your soul too.”
“I wish I knew a sure way!”
“I think I know one.”
He looked at her intently. “Are you sure?”
“I’ve never been so sure in my life.” She tiptoed and gave him a peck. “Shall we go? I think they got enough of a show for tonight!”
Charles smiled at her and led her in the lobby. The lift was there, people already inside; they rushed into it not to lose a minute. Jane felt the presence of the others strongly but her impatience decreased somewhat when Charles placed her so that she had her back against his chest, his arms once again around her. They were quite close in height, Charles’ above-average height not quite equivalent to Jane’s. She easily tiptoed and nibbled his ear. She felt his cock harden further and couldn’t repress a giggle. He managed to pop one button of her coat open and slipped one of his hands, his fingers finding a breast. Her sigh made him smile and he tenderly kissed her temple. Suddenly, he felt her body stiffen.
“Jane?”
“Charles, what about Lizzy? I can’t leave her alone! You told us you would take us back to the car…”
“I don’t want to take you back to the car as I don’t want you to leave,” he told her, holding her tighter. “I’ll call the bar and tell Darce that we won’t be showing up. If he doesn’t want to walk Lizzy back to your car, I’m sure Fitz and Charlotte will.”
“I’d rather Char and Rich do it. Lizzy’s gonna kill me if it’s my fault she has to be stuck with him.”
“Why?” This news was very surprising to Charles. His friend was quite attractive and he had often witnessed women being drawn to him like moths to a flame.
“Charles… we overheard your discussion before the show. Actually Lizzy did and she called Char. They only told me about it later.”
Charles gulped, trying to recall what he had said. He felt her smile against his jaw.
“Don’t worry, you defended us quite vigorously, but William was as vigorous and it was all insults. I’m afraid this is quite a touchy subject for all of us, and especially for Lizzy who dances the hottest scene of the show.”
During their talk, they had reached Charles’ room floor and were standing in front of his door. He was trying to recall where he had put his key-card, his impatience obviously an impediment in his search. Her last words made him still for a moment.
“She wears a black wig?” he asked abruptly.
“Yeah, why?” Charles seemed to have a problem with her sister. As hopeful as she was on her relationship with this man, she knew where her loyalty lay. If he had any objection about Lizzy’s dancing, she would leave him this instant and try to forget him for the rest of her life.
“We’re talking about the dance with the three bars on-stage, right?”
She went colder. “Yes, why?”
His eyes were wide with astonishment but expressed no blame. This soothed Jane’s unease but she had to know what was his point.
“I can’t believe it! She’s the one!” Taking into account Jane’s puzzled face, he explained. “Darce was completely bewitched by your sister. I’ve never seen him like that. I thought he would implode! He was so tense.” After a while he added: “I wonder if he knows… Well, now I have one very tiny feeling that I should be downstairs!” Saying that, he seemed to rediscover where and with who he was. Leaning towards her, he whispered: “But a very very tiny one!”
He looked expectantly at her, silently asking her if she had changed her mind. She smiled, took the key-card he had eventually found and placed it in the lock. He opened the door and she preceded him inside.
As soon as she heard the click of the lock, she faced him, pressed him back against the door and framed his head with her hands. She leaned toward him and started teasing his mouth with her tongue. He was stunned. He wanted her as he had never wanted any woman. She had been teasing him in the theatre just a while ago. She had been more than eager to answer his kisses a few minutes before. His testicles still hurt from the unsatisfied lust he had been subject to. And there she was, only touching his slightly opened mouth with her tongue. He had to touch her, he wanted to rip her clothes away, he wanted to plunge into her body.
When he made a move to do just that, she took his hands and held them above his hair, against the door. He groaned his frustration and she laughed lightly against his mouth. His tongue managed to catch hers and, with no little satisfaction, he felt her grip weaken. Nevertheless, this feeling soon faded away as he became as involved as her in their passionate kiss. Their game forgotten, she released him, and they started to undress each other in the small entryway, coats and scarves falling at their feet, the poor rose buried under the clothes.
During their first small pause for breath, Charles panted: “Jane… I have to call Darce… I have to tell him before I get too carried away…”
She kissed him hard once again and nodded her agreement, not quite confident in her ability to say anything.
“Why don’t you choose us something to drink in the mini-bar?”
He watched her as she collected their discarded clothes and put them on a chair. She then sat on the bed and started to unzip her long black boots. He saw that she was casually dressed, a fitted pale blue jacket matching a long, narrow woollen skirt. She smiled shyly at him and, as suggested, she went to discover what treasure the small fridge hid.
Charles had also sat on the bed and, holding the set between shoulder and ear, he started to untie his shoes. “Allo… Hi, Charles Bingley, room 315 speaking… I’d like to speak to William Darcy, he must be at the bar with a party of four… Yes, thank you…”
He nodded his enthusiastic approval at her choice: a chilled Veuve Cliquot seemed more than appropriate to celebrate their encounter. He indicated his ignorance to where she could find adequate glasses.
“Darce, hi” Now that he had to actually put words on what was happening, he hesitated, “I’m, erh… we… Jane and I won’t be joining you.” He let a deep breath in, “we’re… upstairs…” He frowned… “Will, you’re there?” …”Listen Will, I just called to ask you to tell Fitz he would be really cool to take Elizabeth to her car later. I can’t do it and Jane won’t be going back home tonight. That’s all. Thanks.” Pushing on the end-call button seemed to relieve him greatly. He had sped the last part of his speech and hadn’t waited for William’s answer. He was perfectly aware of his friend’s opinion on his actions. Charles knew William was utterly and completely wrong but he fully believed himself to be right. Fortunately, he had not been able to voice all his sentiments on the subject, his companions preventing such communication.
Jane had not found anything better than the glasses in the bathroom and had popped open the bottle. She came closer to the bed where he was still sitting and handed him his glass. She looked down at him. “Did he say it would be okay?”
He shook his head. “But I’m sure it will. Darce is sometimes narrow-minded but he is a gentleman. Even if Richard cannot take her back, he will do it. He will loathe me but he will do it!” Charles’ smile was becoming radiant. “And I really don’t care!”
“Santé!” She was standing in front of him and clinked her glass against his.
“To the most angelic woman I have ever met!” His words matched the reverence of his tone.
She smiled demurely. “To our lucky star!”
Each took a sip and put away their glasses on the nightstand. Their eyes locked, he placed his hands on her waist, she put hers on his shoulders.
“You’re beautiful, Jane. Let me discover you.”
Her eyes spoke her agreement. Still standing, she felt his hands going up her sides, then, shifting their paths, covering her breasts. Shivers ran through her spine. Her abs contracted as his fingers pursued their course down her stomach and her pubis, his thumbs insisting a little on this part. When he cupped her bottom, her fingers were grasping his hair, her head had fallen backwards. Her eyes were closed and his were now observing the movement of her breasts, their movement increased by the harshness of her breathing. He pulled her to him and buried his face in her bosom.
She cupped his face with her hands and disengaged him from her body. Her legs had become unsteady, so she went on her knees by the bed and she brought his face to hers. The kiss they exchanged spoke of need, spoke of lust but, above all, spoke of love. And while their lips fought, while their tongues played, his hands unbuttoned her cardigan and discarded it. He barely noticed that her bra was a very fancy one, but he quickly found out that her nipples were erect under it. He teased them over, and, after unhooking it, out of the black lace and navy blue silk.
Her groans sent electricity in his body; she couldn’t control hers any longer. Her mouth was gapping open, no longer able to really kiss him. He left her swollen lips, and, instead, his mouth made its way along her neck. Her hands, which had only been grasping helplessly his knees through his trousers, soon discovered a life of their own. He felt a strong grip on his shortly trimmed hair pushing his head lower. To satisfy her urge, he let go of one of her breasts to cup her bottom and made her sit on one of his thighs. He chuckled softly at her disappointed moan quickly followed by a sigh of satisfaction when his tongue and teeth chose one nipple and started nibbling it. His free arm embraced her narrow waist to steady her but his hand preferred to make its way under the elastic waistband of her skirt and found her bare buttocks. He started stroking them, reaching as close to her sensitive centre as he could, incensed by every cry she made. While she maintained a firm hold on his head, she let her other hand wander and she found the bulge of his hardened cock in his trousers. She unsuccessfully tried to grasp it through the fabric, her indirect touches only reinforcing his arousal. Her strokes became more and more stiff with her coming climax, her inarticulate sounds being louder and louder under Charles’ hands and mouth ministrations. Soon waves of pleasure overtook her and she found herself laying panting in Charles’ grip, her back unable to hold up, her body held between his arms.
“O my God! You’re so beautiful, Jane!” His breathing was ragged.
She managed to straighten her head and gaze gratefully into his eyes. “Charles…” After a while, she stood up and took her skirt off. Her thigh-highs followed and she saw an admiring lust in his face as she faced him in her black and blue thong.
She made him stand up then whispered in his ear: “Don’t you think you’re slightly overdressed?” He took her face in his hands and kissed her hard. A part of him wished he could be gentler, as his mouth savagely devoured hers, and his hands forcefully roamed over her body. Yet the fact that she answered nibble for nibble and had somehow managed to unbutton his shirt didn’t entice him to slow down either. Suddenly her breasts were pressed against his bare torso and she exhaled a sigh of sheer pleasure. The buckle of his belt was a source of discomfort that had to be dealt with; Jane started unbuckling it.
“No, no, don’t!” he panted.
She took one step back. Her breathing was hard. She wore a surprised air.
“If you touch me anymore, I’m going to disgrace myself… I’ve never wanted anyone as much as I want you!” He quickly removed his trousers. Her gaze fell on his harden manhood, more than obvious in his boxers. She blushed, both flattered beyond words and intimidated by the power she had over him. He took her back in his arms and made them lay on the bed. He settled her on her back, and, once again, his mouth and his hands made acquaintance with her body. He felt her whole body shiver when he touched her stomach and she arched her back to accompany his hand downwards. The softness of the fabric of her thong made him pause slightly but he soon pushed it aside to discover her wet core. She was almost shaven; a necessity due to her job, it made his sex throb. She exhaled a groan when two of his fingers entered her. She had been waiting for that since he had started touching her. As soon as his other hand started stroking her folds, her body convulsed. For fear of hurting him, she reached for the top of the bed and griped the wooden panel. She was moaning louder and louder. His mouth travelled from hers to her breasts and whispered praise to her beauty.
At one point, she realised she wanted more, that she wanted him. She made him stop and took off her last piece of clothing.
Her blazing eyes shot him the message and he got her meaning. As he removed his shorts, he realised something.
"Jane, Love, hold on!"
She slipped under the bedcovers and watched him stumble off the bed to the suitcase that was placed on a low stool. She started smiling then outright giggled as he rummaged through it, sending shirts and socks all over the place. Eventually he shouted a resounding: "Yay!" and triumphantly held up a box of condoms.
"Caro insists that I always have some. She seems to think that her older brother is a hottie every woman wants to shag with! For once, I'm grateful I followed her advice!" He stumbled back and started pushing aside the bed-clothes.
"I don't know her but she has good sense and I already like her! Hey, I'm cold!" Her impish smile belied her words.
"I'm going to make you much, much hotter!" He had put the condom on and taken her legs to put them on his shoulders. He placed his cock by her folds and, leaning his face towards her mouth, he whispered: "So my pretty dancer, let's see how flexible you are!" and he entered her in one swift movement.
All thoughts of teasing and laughing left them immediately. She closed her eyes and let out a heavy sigh; when she didn't feel the pounding she expected and desired, she opened them again. She saw in his features a ferocious struggle. He was obviously fighting against himself to hold on. She realised that for him, the foreplay had started with the show, a very, very long time ago, even for the steadiest of men. But she had been more than pleased with his attentions so far, and, even if she could not come this time because he would be too fast, she found she really didn't care at all. Yet, from the feeling of him inside hers, she knew she would very probably be satisfied this time as well! Willing to make him let go, she started clenching and unclenching around him; she felt his shoulders tense.
"Let go Charles, I want you! Please, please fuck me!"
As soon as she had finished her sentence, he led her in a frenzied dance, thrusting hard and fast. She replied by placing her hands on his buttocks to make him go even harder and faster, her last conscious thought being that her instincts had not failed her.
Charles had lost all sense with her last words, but he somehow managed to hear her shouts. He was only aware of her under him, of her around him. Much too soon he felt himself come. He tried to hold on but the pleasure was too excruciating and the wait had been too long. He groaned as his climax took his last strength and he fell on her, her legs slipping under his arms.
While their breaths were returning to their normal rhythm, their minds grew clearer.
"Love, I'm sorry... I swear I can do better than that!" Charles’ head was buried in the pillow by her side.
She became aware that she had not voiced her earlier thoughts on the subject.
"Darling, I didn't even know that - as you put it - existed, so better is something I sure want to discover! Now, I hope you think I'm flexible enough, I need to breathe too and this is not the best position!"
He chuckled. "Of course, Love, excuse me." As he disengaged himself from her, he searched in her eyes the truth of her last satisfaction. She was flushed, her lips were swollen, she wore the most contented of smile. "You are the most beautiful sight I've ever been prevailed on to see!"
She kissed him softly and replied in her most ladylike voice. "Thank you, but I think you're partial."
"Indeed I am, Love. How could I not when you've captured my heart and my soul?" He kissed her back and brought her closer to him, covering them with the sheets.
She snuggled against him, her hand on his torso, one leg over his. "Aren't you thirsty?"
"I could do with some champagne but if it means I have to be deprived of you, then I'll do without!"
She smiled naughtily and answered: “Look at it this way: I’ll go and get us some champagne, that way, one – you can admire more of my beautiful body, and two – we’ll have time and means to re-build our strength so that you may show me how much better you can do!”
He raised one eyebrow and agreed on her scheme. “I hadn’t thought it that way!”
She got up and, surprising Charles, she started by gathering the clothes that had been thrown everywhere and put them on the chair. He soon understood her purpose as she addressed him a wicked smile over her shoulder. He relished the sight of her swaying ass; she was also beautiful from behind. She refilled their glasses with the now tepid Champagne and joined him on the bed. She slipped under the blanket and witnessed, with the grazing of her thigh, that her little display had had the intended effect. He appeared thoughtful, though. Sipping her drink, she waited for him to speak.
“This might not be the best moment to say it – post-coital love-vows always seem suspicious – but it would have been even sillier before… I love you Jane, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I don’t know if you feel the same, and if you do, I don’t know how we’re going to do that, but I just wanted you to know it.”
She kissed him, overwhelmed by his confession. She felt her heart swell. “Charles, I felt foolish for even feeling it but I love you too. I’ve always thought that love at first sight was a fairy tale, something people talk about like winning the lotto, but I now know I’ve been a fool to doubt it.” She smiled and gave him one peck. “My life is in France now but I can go back to England. I was thinking about retiring anyway, I’m the eldest in the cast, 26 years old is an advanced age for a Crazy Horse dancer!”
“Darce and I had been talking about one of us remaining here for a few months to make sure the new branch starts well. I guess I now have a reason to be that one!”
“Could you? That would be perfect! I have to give three months notice and I’ve these dance classes I teach…”
“You teach erotic dance?”
She laughed at the very thought. “Oh no! I’ve recently discovered I could combine my love for dancing and for children. One ballet-school in Rueil needed a teacher for the youngest and I was free on Wednesdays and Saturdays. So I now have some time surrounded with eager – or not – young dancers.”
“That’s great, you could do that in London!”
“Yes, I probably could!”
“I feel so much better! I was quite worried about our future.”
She couldn’t repress her giggles. “You sure were! When you had dinner, you didn’t know I existed, we’ve known each other for something less than two hours and we spent the better part of it making love! It must have been a burden on your life for so long!”
He faked outrage, took her glass, put it with his on the nightstand and sat up in the bed, exposing her up down to the hips with the movement. “Jane Bennet…” he looked at her, asking for a confirmation that he had remembered her name correctly; she nodded; he went on: “I will not tolerate such behaviour! You will not make fun of me! Right! I’m gonna show you who’s the boss!”
She entered his game and sweetly replied, “Who’s the boss?”
He grabbed her legs and getting down off the bed, he brought her butt near its edge. Settling between her thighs and without releasing them, his mouth started to show her who was in charge. His tongue played with her folds and she cried when his lips found and held onto her clitoris. She had already started a new trip to ecstasy and his nibbling and sucking made it a short one. Charles revelled in the sight of her hardening tits and he let go of her legs to tease one. She seemed to enjoy it and parted her legs even wider. He shifted to be able to pleasure her with his fingers too; he found easily the place that made her moan louder and, still teasing her with his mouth, he insisted on it. Her hands roamed the bed, unable to find something to grasp on; she eventually bit her forefinger, unwilling to shout too loud. Her release came hard and her body’s spasms lasted for a while. He drank her, accompanying her to and from that place he had taken her to. She absentmindedly stroked his hair – the only part of his body she could touch – and tried to make him come closer to her. Obeying her, he went on his feet, put a new condom and entered her as her mouth could at last show his how grateful she was for what he could make her feel.
His lovemaking was gentler and slower this time. He had gone back to his knees and held her still-half-on-the-bed body at the hips. She was able to move more freely in this position and made him understand that they were too new to take their time. He accelerated their rhythm but took care to drive her first to satisfaction before reaching his peek. He shuddered as she made him last longer than he would have believed himself able to.
When he let go of her, he went to lie by her side, taking her against his heart. After a while, she was able to resume their conversation. “Okay, let’s say you were the boss this time.”
“Hmm… I’m glad your senses are back!” he chuckled, already half asleep. He shifted their bodies so that they could satisfyingly be kept warm by the quilt. “You mind if we talk about it later, Love?”
“No Charles. Good night!” She switched off the light.
He sleepily enfolded her in his arms for a deep kiss before turning on his stomach while keeping her hand in his. She settled on her side, one of her long limbs over his. She whispered to his closed eyes: “I love you, Charles.”
She felt her hand squeezed: “I love you, Jane.”
She had been listened for a few minutes to his already even breathing when a mobile phone bip interrupted her peaceful world. She moved carefully and stood up without waking him up. She found the guilty object – in her purse – and saw she had received an SMS. She read her sister’s message, smiled and wondered at her timing. She only answered back: ‘It’s true love – B happy – A+’*, put the phone on the nightstand, cuddled back against Charles and followed him into sleep, a smile gracing her face.
*Author’s note: “A+” is a shortcut for “A plus tard”, which means, “See you later”