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She sat back in her seat, blind to the ee So buoyant and beautiful poses, their costuance of each step, the hauntingly beautiful song telling the story of the stirrings of early passion between the dancers—and some part of her watched But most of her was alive to this totally new sensation

‘Having fun?’ he whispered

Yes, she wanted to gasp out loud For the first ti The dance, the theatre, the interested crowd and, despite knowing the dangers, the netic draw of this man

‘I’d rather be on stage with the it was actually true

‘I’d love to see you dance’

He leaned further into her space His voice, close to her ear, was thrilling It was that eventheir own feverish path across her skin

‘I i Maybe one day’

For ato touch her—his hand hovered and then landed again on his own leg She stared at it, and then risked a glance to the side, where his profile was outlined in a sleek silver line froht ahead, rapt, but she could feel soy that made her suddenly aware of her bare flesh, her braless breasts under the bodice of the dress, her thighs as she crossed and uncrossed her legs, her feet in tiny straps and pointed heels

Her body hat she used to express herself It was her language, her vocabulary She could read and sense others through their wordless actions too How they held themselves She could see how nervous or confident they were in the tilt of their head or the curl of their shoulders And the language he was speaking noas as sensual as any lovers’ pas de deux She was aroused by it She was aroused by him

She strained forward, facing the stage as the dancers drew pictures of their anguished love, their bodies twisting and writhing with pleasure and pain And in every move she felt the exquisite pleasure of physical love And she saw herself with him as the hero lifted his lover and then let her slide down his body, his hands ski her face and holding it close against his

She had danced and felt hands on her body—all dancers had—but she had never, ever felt the way she was feeling right now, si