The Dance

*12*

'At this point,' replied Emma, 'I don't think I'm ready for the next step. I'd love to spend more time with you tonight talking, probably even holding you and kissing you, but I'm not ready to go to bed with you. I'm sorry if that disappoints you. In a way, it disappoints me. But it's a combination of timing and, probably, fear. If you'll be patient with me, I'm willing to try this next step, soon, but I don't think I can go through with it tonight. I guess that answers all your questions, though maybe not with the answers you wanted.

Emma took a shaky breath. 'This is something I never thought would happen again in my life. You were praying, but I wasn't even thinking along these lines. I thought I'd be single for the rest of my life. You coming into my life has turned so much upside down, in the very best way.' It's hard to imagine life without you at this point. She thought the words she didn't dare say out loud.

'Twenty, thirty years alone? That sounds awful to me. Now I really hope this is right for both of us, because someone as wonderful as you shouldn't spend the rest of their life without a partner.'

'I have to confess some trepidation, knowing that you've been surrounded by beautiful young women and Hollywood actresses for years. This is a normal woman's body. I hope that isn't a turn off.'

'Let me make my own choices, Emma,' said Prince. 'Don't try to think for me or anticipate what I want. I'll always tell you what I want from you. Right now, what I think is best is for us to go to bed separately. I'm sure we both could use some sleep after the interruption we had last night.'

'And no,' Prince held up a hand when he noticed the concern on Emma's face, 'I'm not trying to get rid of you or push you away. I know my limits, and we've already reached the end of them. You deserve the timeline you need, and I know how good I am at persuading women. That's not how I want to treat you, so give me a kiss that will hold me until breakfast.'

Pulling Emma to her feet, he gave her a long, intense kiss, one that had her moaning against his mouth, and melting into his arms. She had to work very hard at staying upright under the onslaught of emotion and desire he created with just his mouth and the feel of his body next to hers.

'See what I mean? We are both teetering on the edge of the precipice. I'll see you at breakfast, mama.'

Prince walked Emma to her bedroom door, and they had a replay of the previous kiss, which started rather chaste, and ended very hot. The kiss ended, they smiled at each other, Prince stroked her jaw, and walked away.

Emma turned toward her door, and Prince called to her.

'Emma, if you change your mind, you know where to find me.' Emma turned back toward Prince to see a big ol' grin on his face.

'You are insufferable!' Emma laughed. She went through the door and closed it behind her.

Prince went back into the living room, sat down at the keyboard he traveled with rather than the piano in the suite, and put on headphones. Working creatively, tapping into the music in his head, was the best way he knew to deal with physical frustration, and he certainly needed it tonight.

A couple of hours later, Prince took off his headphones. He thought he'd heard something like moaning coming from Emma's room. If he had, he needed to get out of the living room, maybe even the penthouse. He knew he wouldn't be able to resist sounds like that coming from her, and he wanted to honor her wishes, even if it was one of the hardest things he did. 

As he put the headphones on the keyboard, he heard a blood-curdling scream come from Emma's room. He ran over, opened the door, and found her sitting up in bed, hugging her knees, with tears streaming down her face. Even though he sat on the bed beside her, he wasn't sure she was aware he was in the room. He put his arms around her and asked,