Air Touched - A Dragon Tribe Origin

Chapter Eleven - Jae

When Ijn returned, she was no longer in the knock out, tight dress that hugged her every curve. She had in a looser flowing ensemble. Still beautiful, but in a simpler, more pure sort of way. He took a step forward, offering her his hand. "Why the quick costume change?"

"I..." She swallowed and he noticed her hands were trembling at her sides. "Zippers. There are hidden zippers that allow it to change and shift so I can do different things. The way I like to dance, I have to be able t-to use my legs."

Now it was his turn to swallow, as he imagined all of the different ways she could indeed move those slender legs of her. Despite being petite, they did stand out. "So you really do know how to dance. Not just the bumping and grinding that the kids are trying out on the floor."

"When I bump and grind even that looks better than what the kids are doing," she said. Her voice was quiet, but she had a bit more confidence in her tone than before. Perhaps her social anxiety wasn't a complete lie after all. He'd wondered, now he was seeing the signs.

He took her hand in his and walked her out to the floor. "Let's take them to school, shall we?"

"I-I'd like that."

His hand never left hers and his free arm went around her waist. Just then a slower song came on. "Do you waltz? At all? Even a tiny bit?"

"I waltz in all sorts of ways." A small blush spread across her cheeks. Jae was starting to understand why his father was so concerned about him maintaining his purity through the evening. His brain knew how wrong it would be to even try. He wasn't stupid. But that blush, the way she flirted with him, everything about her, he didn't want to wait.

So this is lust. He'd thought other women were attractive before. Never had his desire been so strong. Jae moved with her across the dance floor. She was comfortable with him right away, following his lead with grace. He dared to spin her, unsure of how she'd react or if she'd continue to hold her own. When he pulled her back in toward him, they were closer than ever, their chests mere inches apart.

One dance turned into two and then followed by three. They were no longer doing the same waltz where they started. She adapted well. As the music changed, so did she. He wanted to see if he could possibly get her to bump and grind, but didn't think that would be appropriate for a first date. Nor was he sure if he would be able to keep his hands to himself in a way befitting of a gentleman. The last thing he needed was for a picture to get out, or for his father to find out through the grapevine.

Ijn stumbled into him. "I think I need a break."

"Want to go see that gallery?" he asked, not ready to say goodnight just yet.

"Yes, that would be great."

He offered her his arm and together they left the ballroom. She gazed up at him and the cute blush returned to her cheeks. Jae nudged her in the side. "You know, I'm surprised you put those things back on, let alone could move so...wow in them."

"What things?" she asked.

"The shoes? The ones you could barely walk in when you came into the room."

"O-oh." She pressed her lips together. "Music moves me in a magical way. It's like a miracle. It feels more natural to me than walking does. I hope that makes sense."

He had similar feelings about flying. "I'm following pretty well."

"You think I move like 'wow'?" she asked softly.

"When my dad told me you danced, I didn't realize he meant that was one of your gifts," he said honestly. "I expected something a little less intense. Dancing with you, though, it was like...we..." Jae shook his head. "You've got me at a loss for words, and that is not me at all. I've always got something to say."

"That's the best compliment I've ever had."

He chuckled. "Even better than the one about the shoes?"

"Y-yes," she said. "I'd rather be so stunning you're speechless than focused on anything I'm wearing."

There were so many different ways he could have responded. Once again, his desire for her was heightened, and she had to know just how much she was oozing of sex appeal. She was far too smug looking as she smirked at him.

Swallowing, Jae moved closer, putting a hand on the small of her back. "Even if you have a dress on with magic zippers?"

"I suppose then it would depend."

"On?" he whispered.

The small blush returned to her cheeks. "Why you need to find the zippers."

Now it was his turn to blush. Heat flushed his face at the thought of all the possibilities. "You're something else."

Without even thinking about it, he leaned in to kiss her on the lips. Was it too forward for the moment? Definitely. The traditional courtship process was supposed to be slow, steady, and about maintaining as much purity before the wedding as possible. Jae had to kiss her, and he wasn't disappointed. She had a brief moment where her lips lingered against his before she reciprocated the act. While it wasn't his first kiss, it felt like it in all of the best ways. Because the kiss was simple, sweet, and precious. Every second worth savoring.

When their lips parted, he instantly wanted more. One kiss was all he would all himself for the time being.

He was winning her over, and he couldn't have been happier. "Oh, I got you something. I was kind of distracted at the dance and forgot, sorry." He reached into the inside pocket of his suit jacket and pulled out a silk lily. "For you. Girls like flowers, right?"

"Y-yes," she said, her smile growing bright. "Pink! My favorite color."

"For some reason, I'm not surprised," he said.

"And it'll live forever."

Shrugging, Jae put his hands in his pockets. "Thought that would mean more than a present that'll eventually die. You can keep it and gush over it for a while."

"I'd love it either way," she said.

Then they were quiet, and for the first time in the night he struggled to find something to say and not because he was flustered. Whatever previous energy sparked their back and forth so smoothly at the dance was now gone. He looked around the art gallery and pointed to a random painting of some kind of exotic fish. "I suppose you know all about the technique used to make this? The scales look real. Is it possible to paint with gold?"

"There's gold metallic paint, yes," she said. She leaned in to inspect the painting more. "The artist took a lot of time to get the lighting perfect. Realism has always been hard for me. I like to do more whimsical or abstract sorts of work."

"Why's that?" he asked.

She gazed up at him. "Escape."

"Reality sucks."

"Something along those lines."

He tilted his head to the side. "Who's your favorite artist?"

Talking more about one of her passions seemed to help drop whatever wall she was putting up to keep him out. Was she ashamed of her need for a break? The anxiety? It'd be a challenge, but it was also a hurdle they could get over together. While his father expected perfect, Jae did not.

Somehow, he'd inspire the sparks again. What he knew for certain was this was a girl he could fall in love with.