They swept across the dance floor dipping and swaying to the sultry voice, and La’Shia began to feel a little faint. Her breath was coming in gasps, yet her steps never faltered. Ben guided her effortlessly and smoothly as they moved together. She bit her lip as she realized she was getting turned on. She never wanted the song to end, but she was becoming desperate for a release. Ben wasn’t blatantly grinding himself against her as they danced. It was subtle touches of his hip or thigh to hers, his hands touching her. He dipped her, and for that glorious moment, his pelvis was pressed tightly against hers and bliss flared in her body. Then she was pulled close, her breasts squeezed against his muscular chest, and she felt her nipples stiffen with the tingles coursing through her. He spun her then slowly dipped her again, almost to the floor. The pressure against her pelvis caused her to moan and bite her lip as her eyes fluttered closed. He lifted her, and she felt the hint of his lips close to hers then her eyes opened to see him stepping back from her slowly. She blinked in confusion as the thunderous applause rolled through the room. Her hands were clasped together before her as her arms squeezed her tits. This also hid the visible points of her nipples pressing against the fabric of her slinky dress. Fuck, she was so turned on! SO close too! But the song was over.
Brooklyn joined her on the floor, giggling with glee. “Holy fuck, that was sexy! Kind of old school but hot!”
La’Shia nodded, but she couldn’t speak, and Brooklyn finally caught on as she saw the heat on her friend’s face. She looked over to Ben. “Did you-”
“NO! Uh, no, he was a perfect gentleman… but there was something in his dancing this time.” Her eyes found Tilisha’s looking back at her from the side of the room, and they nodded to each other. La’Shia understood now.
“Are we done? Did you get what you needed?” Ben said, his voice a deep rumble as he calmed himself.
La’Shia squeaked as she turned to look at him. Brooklyn gave her friend a closer look then turned to Ben.
“Where did you learn to dance like that? The economy of motion. No wasted movements, yet such elegance, grace, and so much passion… I’ve never seen anything like it!” Brooklyn exclaimed to Ben.
He looked to the two women, and his smile cracked a little as his heart remembered the loss too sharply. He pushed the pain down and looked into Brooklyn’s eyes. He imagined how it might have been if a young dancer from France had been able to live her dream of stardom as La’Shia had. The injustice of Marguerite’s anonymity and the brutal extinguishing of her bright promise cut through him. He felt the need to do something to repay the debt he owed the woman.
“Her name was Marguerite Durand. When I met her as a young boy of twelve, her name was Margaret Cosburn. She was my foster mother and the most beautiful woman I’d ever met in my life. It wasn’t her looks that captured your eye. It was how she moved. Every step she took, every gesture she made, was an exquisite celebration of motion.” He sighed.
“She’d been a young dancer in France, just beginning to spread her wings when the war came. She was forced to flee her country. To get on a ship bound for the states, she married a man she didn’t know. Her new husband was a jealous brute who forbid her the one thing that gave her joy. So, she learned to dance with every movement. I’d never seen anything so graceful, yet so sad. One day, when she thought she was alone, I saw her dancing. It took my breath away. She decided to teach me in secret. I was beginning to grow into my current size and was awkward… but not with her. She reached something inside me that was able to match her movements. We danced every day. It was exhausting, yet so exhilarating. She pushed me to learn everything she knew… until one day, I did.”
Ben’s throat closed up with the pain of his memories. Tears ran down his cheeks, unfelt.
“What happened?” La’Shia asked, and fresh pain ripped through Ben’s heart.
“He killed her.”
The women gasped.
“Drunk. Jealous. Vicious bastard. He beat her to death with his fists. Just because she wanted to dance,” he growled.
Catherine was suddenly at his side and pulled him into a tight hug. “Enough!” she said, head turned to face the two women. Her voice sounded too loud in the now silent room.
Ben hadn’t realized he’d had everyone’s attention when he’d told them of Mrs. Cosburn.
Catherine led Ben off the floor into the arms of the other women waiting for them.
“I have to get past this,” Ben said quietly to Catherine as his muscles trembled with unspent adrenaline. His reactions felt exaggerated and overpowering, like those of a twelve-year-old.
“You don’t need to do it here and now. Take your time,” Cat replied gently. “Maybe you should speak with Dr. Granger again when you get home,” she said, and Tina held his other hand.
He nodded. “I think I’d like to head back to the hotel if it’s ok with you. You’re welcome to remain at the party-”
His friends loudly set him straight on that. They went where he went.
His emotions were off the rails, so he pulled them in for kisses which they returned with love.
In his emotion-driven confusion, he found himself planting a solid kiss on the surprised lips of the Sergeant who’d approached to find out what was happening. She didn’t resist, but her face went bright red when he released her from the hug.
“Oh my god! I’m so sorry!” Ben blurted after he realized what he’d done.
Evelyn couldn’t speak, so she just shook her head as she touched her lips which tingled madly. Her eyes were locked on Ben’s lips as he’d taken her first kiss! Her body felt so hot, yet she was shivering!
“Are you ok?” Ben asked gently, and she nodded rapidly. “We’re, uh, going back to the hotel now.”
Tina was on her cell ordering the stretched limo as he spoke.
Lawrence Manning approached Ben once more, this time with a determined expression. “Sorry to interrupt but after what I just witnessed, I’m convinced we should insist the studio makes your movie a musical. I would love for you to teach me how to move as Madam Durand taught you! That was truly inspiring!”
Ben scowled. “It’s not my movie! I don’t want to be involved in any way! I’m also not a dance instructor.”
“Told you,” Ron Leopold said as he walked up to their group. Another of Hollywood’s hottest and sexiest leading men and a friend of Lawrence, he turned to face Ben. “I’d still like to offer you a role in my next movie. You could play someone whose super power is…” He looked deeply into the Sergeant’s eyes, his voice deep and sexy. “… he loves too much!”
Her face threatening to burst into flames, Evelyn stiffly marched away towards the front door.
Ben looked at the actors in frustration then moved to follow the Sergeant. The ladies went too, glancing back at Lawrence’s unhappy frown and waving to Ron who grinned and waved back.
La’Shia and Brooklyn rushed to meet them at the front door. “I’m sorry, Ben! I had no idea!”
He turned to the singer and her choreographer and sighed. “I know. It’s ok. The memories of… that night, of all of it, were buried deep in my mind for so long. Decades. When they finally came out, it felt like it just happened. The pain hasn’t had time to dull. Again, not your fault. Thank you for inviting us to the party. We had a lovely time.”
La’Shia kissed him on the cheek as did Brooklyn. Their eyes still looked sad.
Ben shook Killah’s hand when the rapper came to see him off.
“It was good to see you again, Ben. Don’t be a stranger,” the big man said to him.
“It was great seeing you too. Same goes for you. If you ever want to escape from under the microscope and get a little peace and quiet, you’re welcome to visit us,” Ben responded.
The rapper laughed and patted him on the back as they stepped outside. The limo was waiting, so they piled in and, with a final wave, headed back to the hotel.
When they got back, they went up to the rooms and ensured the proper distribution of their purchases. Ben gave everyone kisses good night, except the Sergeant who beat a hasty retreat to her room. He shared a look with Trish as she followed Evelyn.
Lisa and Lori took his hands when they closed the door to their room.
“If you’d rather have Catherine with you tonight, we’d understand,” Lori said.
Ben froze and looked into their eyes. Both were hiding their nervous expressions. This wasn’t good! His earlier sadness and melancholy was wiped away by a wave of distress. “Where did this come from?”
Lisa squirmed. “Catherine was the first one to recognize you were having an emotional reaction to the dancing. She came to your aid first.”
Ben stepped closer to them and wrapped his arms around them pulling them tight to his chest. They rubbed their faces against him. He knew what he had to do to restore their confidence.
“I love Catherine. I love you. I recently told this to Tina and Lucy, and I’m telling you as well. You’re mine, but I’m yours too. Let’s get ready for bed.”
He released them after giving them each a kiss, and they went to their bags to collect their sleepwear. Ben undressed and folded his clothes as he went. He left his black silk boxers on as they would suffice for sleeping. The twins had disappeared into the bathroom to dress and brush their teeth but returned shortly in sexy white satin baby doll nighties. They purred when they saw Ben’s choice of sleepwear.
Ben approached them and ran his hands over the smooth fabric as he smiled approvingly. He stepped into the bathroom to brush his teeth; then he joined them in the bedroom. The ladies were sitting on the bed, and he noticed they’d added collars to their outfits. They were white leather straps with silver metal loops on their front. He wondered if his claiming them as he had anything to do with this. They were smiling at him as they’d noticed his attention on their necks. He prowled closer, and he saw them tremble with excitement. He stood before them and admired their beauty for a moment.
Then he reached out to grip the loop on Lisa’s collar. She made an involuntary happy squeak and looked up at him in amused embarrassment. Ben pulled, and she moved to follow, but he tugged down, so she had to move to her knees before him. He released her collar and stood tall before her.
“Pull them down.”
Lisa’s eyes flicked up to his then back down to his underwear. She slipped her fingers under the waistband and tugged them down to his ankles. His adolescent-minded cock was already waking for a little fun.
Lisa’s eyes locked on the movements of his heavy cock.
“Take me in your mouth.”
She immediately moved forward to begin licking the length of him. Ben rumbled his approval, and she slid the head of his cock between her lips and into her mouth.