The Dance

*11*

'I'm not sure what you mean by the truth, unless you mean the way, the truth, and the life, in which case the answer is yes. I can't remember a time when God wasn't a huge part of my life, and of course, I love daily bible study and devotions to keep me centered and on the right path. Was there something else you wanted to know?' As she spoke, Emma noticed that Larry became a little more guarded in his responses to what she was saying. It wasn't anything he said, but Emma was good at reading people and picking up emotional vibrations from others. Larry definitely wasn't as enthusiastic as he initially appeared.

He graciously said, 'No, I think that was a very thorough answer to my question. You are obviously a deep thinker. I look forward to seeing you in the future. Sadly, Tina and I leave tomorrow, so we won't have the chance to catch up anytime soon. Just know that I love Prince, the man I feel Jehovah gifted to me as a Baby Brother, with all my heart.'

'I'm glad to know that. He is a wonderful man, and I know he sets a great store by you, based on the way he speaks about you. You obviously have his utmost respect and love. And I do want to thank you again for being my introduction to funk when I was pretty young. That opening Bass lick in 'Thank You' is pure genius.' Larry smiled his thanks, got up to get Tina, and they both gave Prince big hugs before leaving..

By the time the last guest left, it was 4 a.m. Once again Prince told Eric to have breakfast available at 11 a.m. Emma thought, 'Well, I won't be getting my usual 7 hours of sleep, but that isn't part of Prince's world. Something else to put in the pondering list.'

Prince came and sat down next to her on the sofa. 'Well, what did you think?' he asked, putting his arm around her so her head rested on his shoulder. 'It really is surprising how comfortable I am when we are sitting together, even though we haven't known each other very long,' Emma thought.

'It was amazing,' she replied. 'Being backstage, even as a spectator, is a heady experience. There were so many folks onstage dancing when I was out there, I didn't feel out of place at all. I'm glad you didn't give me a hard time like that guy you accused of trying to get Damaris' phone number, though! As if she'd agree to that.'

'I do feel very protective about Damaris,' Prince replied. 'She's in the only business that exploits people more than the music business. And she's so young-she's pretty street-wise, but I still worry about her.'

'Well, she thinks you're awesome, that's plain to see. She was extremely kind to me tonight, and she didn't have to be.'

'That confirms something about you. If she felt you were phony in any way, she would have been cordial, but that's it, and I saw some real friendliness going on. She doesn't hug many people, and you got a big hug goodbye.'

'I asked her how long it had been since she last saw her mother, and when I heard, I told her she could have a 'mom hug' from me whenever she wanted. She's the same age as my oldest daughter, so I feel kind of protective towards her as well.'

'I noticed Larry talking to you. Did that go okay?'

'Yeah, but I got a weird vibe. It was like he approved of me and didn't approve of me all at the same time. I don't know, maybe it was just me being out of my element and tired.'

'I've told you that Larry and his wife, Tina, literally helped me out of the deepest depression I'd ever been in, which resulted in my being baptized as a Witness. He is fiercely committed to his faith, and has been since 1975. We've debated theology since 1999, and I was baptized in 2003, so the depth of our beliefs doesn't completely match. And, as I shared before, I'm starting to feel confined by the regulations of this particular sect. Things I don't think Jehovah worries about are taken very seriously by Larry and other members of the Witnesses.'

'Well, he obviously has a strong, deep love for you. That was very evident in our conversation.'

While Emma was speaking, a huge yawn took over, causing her to cover her mouth while she finished the sentence. 'Sorry,' she apologized. 'I'm still not used to your hours.'

'It does take some getting used to, but I'm so high on endorphins after a show, it takes forever for me to wind down,' he replied.

'I know a little about that,' she said. 'After singing a big symphony concert I would lie awake for a couple of hours willing myself to go to sleep since I'd have to get up at 5 the next morning and teach school. It is just too much energy to shut down immediately. All those people singing together, breathing together, it's a really cool thing. To feel the energy of thousands of people all loving what you do has to be an ultimate high.'

'Well, there are a few things that rank up there with the high after a concert, but you're right, the energy you receive in a concert like tonight's is almost too much to process. That's where the after shows and parties come in. It's a better choice for burning off that energy than trashing hotel rooms or meaningless sex.'

Emma blushed a little at his last words, which tickled Prince. He was surprised how sheltered Emma seemed for a woman her age. Emma got herself together, and said, 'Oh, you deserve every bit of that love and energy. Your shows are simply remarkable. I can't think of anything I've ever experienced as a member of an audience that comes close. And to pull this off 3 nights in a row is even more mind-boggling to me. It's no wonder your energy is so focused. It takes that level of focus to keep it all spinning.'

Prince let go of the hand he was holding to slowly move up Emma's arm as he opened his heart. 'Right now, all my energy is focusing on you. Where are we going with this thing between us, mama? You are calling the shots right now. My mind feels very made up. And my body-well, you can guess.' He smirked at Emma, which got a giggle. That was his aim, he could feel her tensing up as he spoke.

'This is a big change for me, even considering being this intimate with someone. It's been literally years since I've been interested enough in being intimate with someone to act on it. After my second marriage ended, I decided to remain celibate. Don't get me wrong, I've dated, even gotten slightly past that with a couple of women, but I never totally committed my body. Something always held me back. With you I feel like the brakes are off; it's just about impossible to hold back.' Prince moves his hand farther up Emma's shoulder to her neck. Teasing there, he then kept stroking Emma's cheek and touching her hair while he talked and listened. He didn't want to overwhelm her, but he desperate to touch her, to feel skin on skin at that point.

'I can guess, but honestly, I'm still trying to wrap my head around all this. Meeting people like the ones I've met the last two nights, it's remarkable to me that you find me interesting at all, much less someone you are attracted to,' Emma said, and turned to face Prince. It was plain to see the nervousness on her face, and Prince wanted to ease her fears.

"Like I said before,' Prince replied, 'it's as if there's a magnetic or electric current between us that just keeps pulling me in every time I am around you. And when I'm not around you, I find myself thinking about you. So, this is either temptation or something meant to be. I'm not sure how we'll figure out the difference, but I sure want to try.'

'Okay, but what is the next step? We've known each other a little over 24 hours now. Is that long enough to begin a physical relationship? This isn't a normal setting or atmosphere for most folks. Everything seems compacted, like we're inside an accordion that's being squeezed, or that time is moving in a different way than normal.' As she spoke, Prince moved his hand away from her face; he took her hand and started stroking from the tips of her fingers up to her wrists, starting that electrical current once again. His other hand was kneading the back of her head, lost in her hair.

'I get where you're coming from, and you know I don't believe in time,' he said, looking up from her hands. 'I've been thinking about that all day, as well. I feel like it would be the most natural thing in the world to make love to you tonight, but I also know that you may not feel it's the most natural thing in the world for you. You have to let me know where your head is on all that.'

A/N-Hmmm. Don't forget to Vote, Lovin' the Comments, and thanks to all y'all for reading!