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"I'd rather have a kissing lesson"

She blushed a deep red "We already had one of those today, and anyway, Eet back to work I'll lead first, and once you catch on, you can take over Are you ready?"

"I've been ready all afternoon"

Belle hadn't thought it possible to blush any harder but soon found that she'd been ht then, one-two-three, one-two-three" She applied slight pressure to John's shoulder and began the sloirl of the waltz She proine ht that you were the first to stumble"

She looked up at hi' And it certainly is not very gentlemanly of you to point out my flaws"

"I didn't see it as a flaw In fact, I rather enjoyed catching you"

"I'll just bet that you did," Belle ive it another try?"

She nodded and put her hand back on his shoulder "Wait just a moment I think we need to switch positions" She slid her hand down to his waist "Put your hand on my shoulder There, now just pretend that I' swell of Belle's breasts "That," he ly difficult"

Belle aze, which was fortunate because her senses were already quite overwhelmed "Now then," she said blithely, "if I were the man and you were the woman, I'd just put a little bit of pressure on your waist like this, and then ould an to twirl around the parlor, John's bad leg race he'd never dreamed he could possess "Wonderful!" Belle cried out triuree," John replied, savoring the feel of her in his arms "But do you think that I could be the man for a while?"

Belle shifted her hand to his shoulder as her eyes caught his in a sultry caress She parted her lips to speak, but her throat went dry Sing nervously, she nodded

"Good I ht her about the waist and pulled her to him This time, Belle made no protest, captured by the war this correctly?" he asked softly as he led her in the dance

"I-I think so"

"You only think so?"

Belle snapped herself back into reality "No, of course not I know so You're a very elegant dancer Are you certain this is the first time you've ever waltzed?"

"Actually, my sisters used to force "

"I knew you weren't a novice"

"I was only nine"

Belle pursed her lips in thought, unaware of the kissable te for John "I don't think people even waltzed when you were nine"

He shrugged his shoulders "We had a very advanced household"

As they twirled around the parlor, John wondered if he was fighting a losing battle He kept telling himself that he had to stay away from Belle, but his resolve had so far proved useless next to her sunny smile He knew that he couldn't marry her; to do so would only hurt the woman he wanted to protect and cherish

He felt like a fraud just standing next to her after what he had done in Spain

John exhaled slowly, his sigh a mixture of contentment and frustration He had promised himself this afternoon Just a few hours of happiness without any memories of Ana