The Dance

*3*

Recap: 'I was hoping you would say that,' Prince replied. He gracefully extended his hand, palm up. 'Could I have your room key? I'd like to have your belongings delivered to the guest room in the penthouse. Where are you staying?"

'I'm in this hotel, in room 319. Imagine the giggle I had when they told me the room number!' Emma replied, referring to the title of an older song of Prince's. 'But are you sure you want to bring me up here? I don't want to be an imposition or cause any problems. This is work for you, playtime for me.'

'Ah, but all work and no play-you know that ain't my way!' Prince smirked. 'I'll be right back.' And with that, he crossed the room, opened the door, and called out for the butler in the room. When he came closer, Prince quietly asked, "Eric, could you please go to room 319, gather all of this beautiful woman's belongings, and put them in the guest room for me?' He surreptitiously passed Emma's keycard to the butler. 'Thank you so much.'

'Of course, sir.' Eric replied. Emma was amazed that there was no hesitation at this request, but she guessed she was in Prince-world now, where extraordinary circumstances became ordinary.

When Prince walked back and returned his attention to her, Emma said, 'Okay, I've told you why I was so emotional tonight, but I'm confused. Why I am receiving more than a few moments of conversation with you? I don't match the look or age of most of the women you've been photographed with.'

'Well, it's nice to hear you've been paying attention, but honestly, can't you feel the electrical charge, the almost magnetic pull between us? I felt it the moment our eyes met when I was onstage earlier. It was even stronger in the dressing room, and it's almost arcing between us as we sit here next to each other. When something this strong is vibrating between two people, I believe it needs to be explored. I've rarely gotten this feeling, and I never ignore it when I do.'

Prince continued to hold Emma's hand, but was now stroking up and down the outside of her bare arm. Goose bumps were quite obvious on her skin, and she could feel her core heating up. Those were sensations she hadn't expected from a man's touch ever again in her life. Watching his butterscotch skin drag along her cream colored arm made a pleasing contrast, Emma thought.

'I do feel it. I suppose I thought feelings like this were a regular occurrence for you,' Emma replied, looking from her arm to his face. Prince was concentrating very carefully on the motions of his hands.

'Perhaps it is a regular occurrence for others when they are around me, but for me to be emotionally and physically affected in this way is unusual. Many women are desirable, but this feels deeper than that to me,' Prince said, looking up from his hand to her questioning face. The intensity of the desire, and something she couldn't quite put her finger on, crossing his face made Emma catch her breath.

Prince continued, 'I really would like to spend more time with you, and try to figure out what is going on here.' He brought her hand to his mouth to give it a brief kiss. 'I need to discover if this is the woman you've sent me, God.'

As his simple kiss on the hand sent shivers visibly trembling all over Emma's arms, she didn't know what to think. 'Is he proposing an affair? If he is, will I agree? Just falling into a quick physical relationship with someone isn't something I've ever done, not even in my 'wild' college years. I don't think that's something I'll be comfortable with that now, either.' She looked down at their linked hands as conflicted thoughts chased each other in her brain.

Prince became more nervous the longer she waited. 'Surely she won't back out now,' he worried, tensing his shoulders while waiting for her to speak.  Finally she found the right words.