Abe Sapien and the Witch

Chapter 18

Chapter eighteen

They managed to come to their senses, both filled with excitement at this new point in their relationship, and they threw themselves into the party, dancing along to every song and finding meaning in each lyric sung.

She twirled with Krauss as promised, who proved to be quite the talented dancer as he led her around the floor, light stepped despite the bulk of his suit. A lot of the couples had drifted off as the night progressed, each darker corner becoming occupied by a courting pair.

The room was starting to feel hot, and Abe suggested they go outside for a breath of fresh air, to which she agreed. They walked hand in hand out through the double doors, into the courtyard and around the back of the building towards the gardens. They could still hear the music, though it was fainter here and he held her close, slow dancing with her under the trees as a light breeze caressed and cooled them.

"I thought I would never know what this felt like..." he whispered, her breath tickling her ear, "being here with you, meeting your eyes with mine, being able to touch you, to know you...no book could ever describe how this makes me feel..."

_I feel it too_ she said, _I feel all of these things, and so much more that I can't put words to. _

They began to walk again, through the trees with their fingers twined together, a lazy sort of movement. She squeezed his hand, and he returned it, and laughed as their eyes met again, whatever spark that was flying between them igniting.

The were quite far into the thicket of trees now, and she leaned back against the trunk of an older tree, thick and wide from its years while he leaned towards her, not quite pressing against her. His hands were on the trunks bark at either side of her hips. "Love..." he whispered, his lips velvet against her ear. "Love is a powerful word, it means you have captured my heart. It belongs to you, and only you..." he said, his lips tracing a light path over her cheek towards her mouth.

_Love_ she said, her mouth moving though no sound came from her lips, and he pressed his own to hers lightly, sharing feathery little pecks that she returned. Her head tilted to the side, and his moved to fit with her, his hand reaching up to trace along her neck, holding her as they kissed one another more deeply, their feelings shared through the dancing of their lips.

She started to smile, and he leaned back to find out what amused her. _We were having such a lovely conversation this morning..._ her thoughts teased, and he tilted his head at the playful look in her eye, waiting for her to continue.

_...such a shame we never got to finish that conversation_ her voiced purred, and his own lip curled as he bent forward to plant a gentle kiss her forehead. "That is true," he said, his voice a soft murmur against her skin that made her tingle. Her arms found their way up to his chest, the fingers unbuttoning his outer jacket with deft movements.

"Wait, do you mean...?" he started, her silent laughter answering his question. _Well, nobody will see us here, right? _ she asked, _We've wandered pretty far away from the party. I can't even hear the music anymore. It's just me and you. _

What was it about this woman that eased every doubt in his mind, he wondered, kissing down the nape of her neck and across one bare shoulder, his fingers tracing along her exposed collar bone.

He found her lips again, their kiss intense now as they pressed against each other, his hands caressing her back between the hard bark of the tree. _My dress..._ she whispered, bunching the fabric up higher to reveal feet dressed in delicate white heels. He knelt, planting a light kiss near her knee as his hands reached up between the folds of fabric, finding the edge of her underwear against her skin and pulling them down, helping her step out of them before putting them into his pocket.

He stood again, leaning close as she reached under his now open jacket to open the zipper of his pressed trousers, he reaching down to release himself from the constraints of his own underwear. She had the dress bunched up around her waist now, the pale skin of her thighs stark in the moonlight and he caressed the back of her leg, coaxing her to bend it up around his waist.

With a gentle lift she was straddling his midriff, leaning against the trunk of the tree while he held both legs, adjusting her so that his body held her there. Her arms twined around his neck, and she lifted herself into a better position against him.

"Are you alright?" he asked, concerned that being pressed against the tree might be hurting her and she nodded, her breath quick with anticipation.