The Other Stark

The Bar 1943, New York Part 3

After hours of drinking and talking and dancing, the band leader calls out that it's the last song. Elaine's heart sinks nearly through the floorboards as she glances around at the slowly emptying dance floor. James' arms tighten around her reactively as though he too is dreading the moment when the music stops. Almost like this entire evening has been nothing but an exquisite dream and will evaporate like water on hot asphalt in August the moment the final notes of the song fade into silence.

Elaine nestles in closer, not caring what damage it might do to her perfectly curled hair. 

"I don't want to go home yet." She admits, brushing her thumb along the edge of his lapel, savoring every detail, even just the feeling of his wool uniform against her cheek and thumb.

"Well, doll... we can't stay here." James says, one hand coming up to catch hers, taking it from his lapel and lifting it to his lips, pressing a lingering kiss to her knuckles. "What do you say we paint the town red?"

Briefly Elaine considers the fact that by now Howard will have probably noticed that she hasn't come home and will most likely be beside himself with worry, but despite the deep love and affection she has for her older brother, she can't really bring herself to care. perhaps it's selfish, but perhaps she's earned the right to be selfish. She tried so hard for so long to be good. For one night she'd very much like to toss that aside and simply be happy.

"That sounds like a rather indecent proposal." She says, unable to help the edge of a smile creeping into her words. She looks up in time to catch a rather boyish grin that's just a pinch wicked flash across his lips.

"What would be the fun of a decent proposal?"

When the song ends, James retrieves her coat and helps her get it on. As they step out of the bar onto the sidewalk, Elaine realizes she's a bit tipsy. Everything is warm and buzzing slightly and the cool night air feels like refreshing caresses against her flushed skin.

James offers her his arm and she takes it.

They walk down the dark streets and if he has a destination in mind she doesn't know or care.

The occasional cab lights up their path and every now and then they pass rather amorous couples tucked not so discreetly back into alleys, but otherwise the night is peaceful and quiet.

The streets open up to a view of the Brooklyn bridge and the river and James leads her down to the water's edge, carefully picking the smoothest path.

"Care to dip your toes?" He asks, looking out at the water

"Is it clean?" Elaine wrinkles her nose. She doesn't consider herself overly uppity, but talking off her shoes in the middle of the night to dip her toes in the cold river doesn't exactly strike her as a good time.

James chuckled at her reaction. "Most definitely not."

He grabs her shoulder and gives her a teasing jerk like he's going to throw her in the water and she lets out a startled squeal, lunging forward and wrapping her arms around his neck for safety. Because if she's going in, she fully intends to take him with her.

She feels him draw a sharp breath and his hands instinctively go to her hips, pulling her closer to him. The feel of his body pressed completely against hers startles her even after an evening of dancing far closer than proper. She feels the warmth of his breath brushing her cheek and she knows if she were to move even an inch their lips would brush.

"If I wasn't leaving..." He whispers and she closes her eyes, she can almost feel his lips moving with his words and it makes her heart race. "I might have asked you to be my girl."

Slowly she looks up into those eyes of his. She can't see the color in the dark but she can make out their intensity and it makes something inside her feel like it's are melting into a deliciously molten state.

"If you weren't leaving, I might have said yes." She counters.

She feels the calloused edge of his thumb run along the edge of her jaw and it's all she can do to keep from shivering at his touch.

"Do you reckon I could write you?"

She lets out a breathy, nervous laugh, but tries to cover it with a teasing tone. "I don't know, can you?"

He chuckles and it makes her heart skip a beat.

"Last time I checked I knew all my letters." He assures her.

"Alright, then, I guess you can." She says, forcing what she hopes looks like a confident smile. "I'll be at Camp Lehigh for the next few weeks. Who knows after that... but they'll know where to forward my mail in any case."

"Camp Lehigh? But aren't you a civilian?" James frowns at her in confusion.

"Brother's a military contractor. I spend a lot of time on bases." Elaine says, but it feels much more like a lie than she's used to. She knows an omission is different than a lie, but it still feels wrong, like she should tell this man she's only known for a few hours the whole truth. But she knows better. The government doesn't much appreciate loose lips when it comes to their special projects.

"Well, then... maybe fate will bring you to my base." James says, playing with her hand as though never wanting to let go.

Elaine looks down at her pale hand in his for a moment and hesitates. Despite Howard's flagrant womanizing over the years, she's never adopted his lifestyle, and never saw the appeal. She's never let a man into her bed. Never done more than let a couple of green boys kiss her once or twice. But in this moment she realizes that this, whatever it is, can't end. Not yet. She's never been with a man. But knowing this beautiful boy is going to war in the morning and may never come home, she finds herself wondering what she would regret more. Saying good night or going home with him.

"Take me home with you?" She whispers, her voice sounding small and tentative in her ears.

"I'd love to."