which the two of them would
discover and explore each other in ways only dreamed of until now,
deepening their love, growing closer than ever. At that thought,
Sarah felt her heart well in her breast, as though it were unable to
contain all the joy it held.
As
though he had read her mind, Renzo tightened his arms around her.
“Sarah. Sweet Sarah,” he whispered against her ear, his
lips caressing the strands of her hair, his hands roaming sensuously
down her back. “Do you have to go home right after the prom is
over, or can you wait for me outside?”
“ I
don’t know. It depends on Liz. I came with her and some of the
other girls, in Liz’s parents’ car. We said we might go
to the Sonic for a shake and burger afterward, so I’m not
expected home right away. If Liz isn’t in any hurry to leave
after the prom, I’ll try to meet you outside.”
“ Try
hard.” He paused for a moment, then swore softly. “Damn!
I should have just told the band I couldn’t play with them
tonight!”
“ No,
it’s all right,” Sarah insisted again. She knew the
orchid he had sent her couldn’t have been cheap and that the
Martinellis, while not poor, were not rich, either. “It’s
enough just to dance this one dance with you, Renzo. Truly, it is.”
“ No,
it’s not. But by this time next year, you’ll be old
enough to get married without your parents’ consent, so we
won’t have to convince them you’re not too young to be
tying yourself down, and then we’ll have the rest of our lives
together, Sarah. I promise you that. I love you. I want you. God, you
don’t know how much I ache to be inside you, to claim you as
mine forever. I don’t know if I can wait until next spring to
have you.” His eyes glittered as he gazed down at her hungrily,
as though he would devour her right there on the dance floor. A wild
thrill shot through her, making her shiver. Her heart leaped with
happiness and excitement and apprehension. He wanted to marry her! He
wanted to make love to her, to hold her naked in the darkness, to be
a part of her for always. And he was impatient. That thought gnawed
at her.
Was
that how Evie held on to Parker, the most popular boy in high school?
By giving in to his sexual demands? Sarah wondered, another shudder
of fright and anticipation running through her at the idea of
sleeping with Renzo. As they danced, she could feel the hard, strong
muscles that rippled in his back and arms. She thought of him
embracing her, entering her, enveloping her, and she knew that if she
were honest with herself, she must admit she wanted that, too.
“ Renzo.
Oh, Renzo, are you sure about marrying me?” She glanced up at
him earnestly.
“ Surer
than I’ve ever been about anything else in my life, Sarah.”
Seeing
that truth in his dark, intense eyes, she sighed deeply with pleasure
and once more laid her cheek against his shoulder. This was where she
belonged, where she had always belonged. There was nothing to be
afraid of. Renzo loved her. Come what may, he would protect her and
care for her for the rest of her life. She wanted... she needed no
more than that. Her heart and feet had wings. She could have danced
all night. But finally, the last strains of the song died away, and
Renzo was compelled, however reluctantly, to return to the stage.
With
that, the magic he had wrought in the night dissipated for Sarah. The
blue lights again became a kaleidoscope of colors, and the tiny stars
cast by the mirror ball faded from the dance floor. She became
abruptly aware that far from being winged, her feet hurt from the
unaccustomed high heels she wore, that her toes were pinched and
painful. Gingerly, she tottered from the dance floor, relieved now to
sit back down at the empty table, to slip the torturous pumps from
her feet and to watch, unsurprised but wistful and envious even so,
while Evie and Parker were crowned prom queen and king.
The
remainder of the evening passed for Sarah in a blur of impatience
discover and explore each other in ways only dreamed of until now,
deepening their love, growing closer than ever. At that thought,
Sarah felt her heart well in her breast, as though it were unable to
contain all the joy it held.
As
though he had read her mind, Renzo tightened his arms around her.
“Sarah. Sweet Sarah,” he whispered against her ear, his
lips caressing the strands of her hair, his hands roaming sensuously
down her back. “Do you have to go home right after the prom is
over, or can you wait for me outside?”
“ I
don’t know. It depends on Liz. I came with her and some of the
other girls, in Liz’s parents’ car. We said we might go
to the Sonic for a shake and burger afterward, so I’m not
expected home right away. If Liz isn’t in any hurry to leave
after the prom, I’ll try to meet you outside.”
“ Try
hard.” He paused for a moment, then swore softly. “Damn!
I should have just told the band I couldn’t play with them
tonight!”
“ No,
it’s all right,” Sarah insisted again. She knew the
orchid he had sent her couldn’t have been cheap and that the
Martinellis, while not poor, were not rich, either. “It’s
enough just to dance this one dance with you, Renzo. Truly, it is.”
“ No,
it’s not. But by this time next year, you’ll be old
enough to get married without your parents’ consent, so we
won’t have to convince them you’re not too young to be
tying yourself down, and then we’ll have the rest of our lives
together, Sarah. I promise you that. I love you. I want you. God, you
don’t know how much I ache to be inside you, to claim you as
mine forever. I don’t know if I can wait until next spring to
have you.” His eyes glittered as he gazed down at her hungrily,
as though he would devour her right there on the dance floor. A wild
thrill shot through her, making her shiver. Her heart leaped with
happiness and excitement and apprehension. He wanted to marry her! He
wanted to make love to her, to hold her naked in the darkness, to be
a part of her for always. And he was impatient. That thought gnawed
at her.
Was
that how Evie held on to Parker, the most popular boy in high school?
By giving in to his sexual demands? Sarah wondered, another shudder
of fright and anticipation running through her at the idea of
sleeping with Renzo. As they danced, she could feel the hard, strong
muscles that rippled in his back and arms. She thought of him
embracing her, entering her, enveloping her, and she knew that if she
were honest with herself, she must admit she wanted that, too.
“ Renzo.
Oh, Renzo, are you sure about marrying me?” She glanced up at
him earnestly.
“ Surer
than I’ve ever been about anything else in my life, Sarah.”
Seeing
that truth in his dark, intense eyes, she sighed deeply with pleasure
and once more laid her cheek against his shoulder. This was where she
belonged, where she had always belonged. There was nothing to be
afraid of. Renzo loved her. Come what may, he would protect her and
care for her for the rest of her life. She wanted... she needed no
more than that. Her heart and feet had wings. She could have danced
all night. But finally, the last strains of the song died away, and
Renzo was compelled, however reluctantly, to return to the stage.
With
that, the magic he had wrought in the night dissipated for Sarah. The
blue lights again became a kaleidoscope of colors, and the tiny stars
cast by the mirror ball faded from the dance floor. She became
abruptly aware that far from being winged, her feet hurt from the
unaccustomed high heels she wore, that her toes were pinched and
painful. Gingerly, she tottered from the dance floor, relieved now to
sit back down at the empty table, to slip the torturous pumps from
her feet and to watch, unsurprised but wistful and envious even so,
while Evie and Parker were crowned prom queen and king.
The
remainder of the evening passed for Sarah in a blur of impatience
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