Danika was a bound-up ball of nerves the whole way inside. She even fumbled at the door to get it unlocked. A dark, 1-bedroom flat greeted them. Bags were strewn around main space in her hustle to leave on time for the ball. Old take-out boxes were upturned in the sink. Lots of books were half-read, another miniature tower perched in the corner. She didn’t own any bookshelves. In fact, there weren’t many pieces of furniture at all except the basics.
The first thing she did was kick out of heels and sink about four inches, gown puddling around her toes, but it was only just in the nick of time before Marcus clasped her hand. The connection to another human being only reminded her how empty her days were without it. He pressed close, the wide swath of his chest melting around her.
While touches jumped from place to place, she didn’t know what to do with her own hands. They felt like awkward limbs flailing about. A moment of panic started to rise, until she just told herself to wrap around his neck and stay there. The thing was, before long, they took on minds of their own. He was so passionate. She’d never known someone so hungry for something (except maybe herself; though her own hungers never focused on a someone).
They broke apart after a few minutes, but mostly because Danika needed to catch her breath. “I’ll be right back? There’s some drinks in the fridge.” She smiled sheepishly and disappeared into the washroom to give him the opportunity to rummage the kitchen. Remnants of makeup bottles and hair styling pieces were strewn all about the counter, but she wasn’t obsessed with an impromptu tidying. After a quick freshen up, she was surprised by the freshness to her cheeks and sharpness in her eye. The nerves were still there, but they were twisted with excitement rather than anxiety. She cupped some tap-water to her lips, already thirsty. There wasn’t anything near so nice as what they drank at the ball. Her pre-ball mini bottles of alcohol were already empty.
Before returning, she checked inside the gown’s collar. The beading sparkled like galactic stars, and she wanted to be careful with the material. This thing probably cost more than her salary. It wasn’t the gown that held her inspection, however. The girls at the shop absolutely refused to let her leave without purchasing ’appropriate’ under garments. The rigid bones of the corset was layered with black lace. If the gown was mesmerizing, the thing that went under it was absolutely complicated.
She bit her lip, mentally going through the various components required to take it off. Assuming that’s where this was leading.
A deep breath, she looked herself in the mirror, “okay, Dani,” the face in the mirror imposed some encouraging, self-talk. When she came out, it was with all the languid patience of a cat trying to keep cool as she searched for Marcus.
The first thing she did was kick out of heels and sink about four inches, gown puddling around her toes, but it was only just in the nick of time before Marcus clasped her hand. The connection to another human being only reminded her how empty her days were without it. He pressed close, the wide swath of his chest melting around her.
While touches jumped from place to place, she didn’t know what to do with her own hands. They felt like awkward limbs flailing about. A moment of panic started to rise, until she just told herself to wrap around his neck and stay there. The thing was, before long, they took on minds of their own. He was so passionate. She’d never known someone so hungry for something (except maybe herself; though her own hungers never focused on a someone).
They broke apart after a few minutes, but mostly because Danika needed to catch her breath. “I’ll be right back? There’s some drinks in the fridge.” She smiled sheepishly and disappeared into the washroom to give him the opportunity to rummage the kitchen. Remnants of makeup bottles and hair styling pieces were strewn all about the counter, but she wasn’t obsessed with an impromptu tidying. After a quick freshen up, she was surprised by the freshness to her cheeks and sharpness in her eye. The nerves were still there, but they were twisted with excitement rather than anxiety. She cupped some tap-water to her lips, already thirsty. There wasn’t anything near so nice as what they drank at the ball. Her pre-ball mini bottles of alcohol were already empty.
Before returning, she checked inside the gown’s collar. The beading sparkled like galactic stars, and she wanted to be careful with the material. This thing probably cost more than her salary. It wasn’t the gown that held her inspection, however. The girls at the shop absolutely refused to let her leave without purchasing ’appropriate’ under garments. The rigid bones of the corset was layered with black lace. If the gown was mesmerizing, the thing that went under it was absolutely complicated.
She bit her lip, mentally going through the various components required to take it off. Assuming that’s where this was leading.
A deep breath, she looked herself in the mirror, “okay, Dani,” the face in the mirror imposed some encouraging, self-talk. When she came out, it was with all the languid patience of a cat trying to keep cool as she searched for Marcus.