**Once again, I do not own any of Tarantino's fantastic characters, and I hope he doesn't begrudge me, my poor imitation of their genius. Bon Appetit!*

"Hans Landa…?" Eva breathes, searching the Jew Hunter's face anxiously.

The man sinks into a low bow, his eyes playful. "At your service, Fraulein."

Her father is shouting again in his delighted and drunken way, but she cannot hear him above the fierce hammering of her heart. She has forgotten how to move--how to breathe and blink. Her feet are rooted to the floor and her eyes are fixed to Landa's face, the torchlight dances in his unreadable eyes.

"…What say you, Eva? My God, Landa, what did you to to her? Eva? Eva, have you lost your tongue…?" Karl chuckles and the trio slips into an uneasy silence.

Colonel Landa breaks the spell, and turns to Karl, "I don't know what happened, I assure you she was quite the chatterbox only moments ago…"

Eva winces at the subtle venom in his voice and struggles to keep from hyperventilating. I have been insulting one of Germany's highest commanding officers to his face! Papa will die of embarrassment when he finds out! Her thoughts are cut short when her father waves a hand in her face.

"EVA? Are you with us?" Karl whispers in Landa's ear, "Hans, you must teach me that little trick, stunning women into silence! Hah!"

Colonel Landa gives a pleasant, low laugh that washes over Eva like velvet, waking her from her reverie.

"I'm sorry Papa. I'm only a little tired. I'll retire, please excuse--"

"Nonsense! It is not yet midnight, and you have not danced with our fine Colonel!" Karl booms grabbing his daughter's hand and placing it in Landa's.

Her face is hot and she prays that the Colonel cannot see the blush that is raging there. Her hand trembles, but his is steady and she relishes in its strength. Landa raises an eyebrow and tilts his head, "Eva, would you care to--"

"Yes!" she blurts out, biting her check in humiliation. Landa merely clicks his tongue in amusement, gives Karl the slightest of bows and leads the young woman into the house.

She struggles to mirror his graceful stride and perfect posture. Until now, she never appreciated the way a uniform accentuates a man's body…the lean strength of his chest and arms, the length of his legs…

"Eva you are going to have to focus on me now…"

"Hmm, what?" She was focusing on him, a little too much. She hadn't even noticed him speaking to her.

"The waltz? Does it suit you?"

She is surprised to find that they are in the middle of the dance floor, the only stationary couple, and attracting a fair amount of attention.

"Wha—Oh, yes! The waltz. Yes, that's--"

But before she has even finished speaking, he places a burning hand at the small of her back and slaps her hand on his strong shoulder. The waltz picks up speed…"We are going to have to get a teensy bit closer." He pulls her violently to him, their chests and pelvises collide. She closes her eyes, and tries to calm her heaving breast. They are silent while he leads her expertly around the dance floor. She wonders if there is anything this man cannot do well.

"Still speechless, are we?" Landa is the cold man again, his eyes are hard and unforgiving.

"Everyone is staring," Eva mouths, suddenly anxious to be away from his grip. He says nothing, but pulls her even closer to him. She is sure her thin dress will burst into flame where their bodies touch. "I—I'm sorry for the things I said…about you…on the balcony."

"Are you?" his cool breath washes over face, making her shiver yet again. "Isit not the truth of what you feel about me."

"I don't know any more…except, except that you are a liar," she spits at him defiantly.

He stops their dance suddenly, his nails digging into the soft flesh of her lower back. "Me, a liar? Pray Fraulein? How is it that I lied to you?" Landa growls shaking her and picking up their dance quicker than he'd stopped it.

"By omission!" she hisses, matching his zeal and speed of the dance. "You led me to believe you were some common officer, and not the Colonel you are! You betrayed my trust before we even knew each other's names!"

A muscle twitches in his jaw and and his hand tightens around hers. The shadow is back in his eyes, there is no mistaking it this time. "You must learn to avoid putting me in a passion, or I shall--" he whispers with frightening intensity.

"Or what?" Eva swallows hard trying to banish her very real fear. "Or what, Colonel Landa? Do you deny your earlier conduct?"

A painfully seductive smile plays at the corners of his mouth. Eva tries to make sense of the conflicted thoughts ripping through her mind. "You are shaking," Landa states simply.

"Well, you make me feel…why do you make me feel so…?" she doesn't know quite how to finish and the thought trails off into silence.

"Hmm…Touché."

He offers no further explanation and they continue to twirl, slowing the pace now. His glare is so penetrating, she feels she might faint if something doesn't happen soon.

As if to answer her prayer, the song ends and the room applauds the orchestra. They turn back to one another. "Well, Fraulein Schultz thank you for the dance. It was…stimulating."

Eva only swallows hard again, not sure of what to say. Landa gives one of his quiet laughs and kisses her hand. She stares intently at the place he kissed, surprised that her hand is not a pile of ashes. He breaks her silent contemplation when he places a gentle hand at the base of her skull and ever so slowly brings her face to his, planting a sweet, light kiss on her lips. "Gute Nacht." His lips brush against hers as he speaks, sending lightning bolts down her spine.

Then he is gone. Eva struggles to see which way he went, but the room is spinning as though he were leading her still. Everyone around her continues to dance and talk, clearly oblivious to their little exchange. She searches frantically for him and spots her father instead. "Papa!" She croaks hoarsely, running to her father's side "Papa! The Colonel…which way did he go?"

"I don't know Eva…leave him be! You aren't the only girl who wants a dance with him!"

She rolls her eyes and abandons her father as a lost cause. Desperately, she races out the front door and shudders at the considerable drop in temperature. She recognizes the Colonel's handsome shoulders as he moves to accept his keys from the valet.

"COLONEL!" she cries, her high heels slipping on the loose gravel of the circular driveway. "Colonel Landa!" She nearly tackles him with the momentum of her pursuit, slamming their bodies into the side of the car. "Ooof," she groans, whereas he only laughs, helping her to straighten up.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry, Hans." She apologizes sincerely, trying to catch her breath "I don't know why, but I seem to say the wrong--"

"Say it again," he demands in his steely voice.

"I'm sorry." She pants.

"Not that part…the last bit."

She wrinkles her forehead in confusion, "Hans?"

With a growl he lifts her off her feet and spins her so that her back is up against the ice-cold car door. "Hans," she repeats, enjoying the way his name tastes in her mouth, wondering idly how he tastes. He kisses her forehead, her eyes, her cheeks and he has to support her weight when he suckles gently at her throat.

"Mmm…Hans." She never wants to say anything else again.

"Shhh!" Landa growls menacingly, placing a finger on her lips. He looks in her eyes and watches their languid expression melt into confusion as his hand leaves her mouth and wraps securely around her throat. "I told you to avoid putting me in a passion…" he whispers huskily.

Then his mouth is on hers, crushing yet gentle and sinfully delicious. His lips caress hers and she parts her lips to gasp. She feels his smile against her lips and moans when he releases her neck and his thumb brushes over her silk covered nipple. He responds with another growl and allows his tongue to trace her bottom lip. Eva is sure she will pass out from light-headedness, when his warm body is replaced with cool night air. She whimpers in disappointment and opens her eyes reluctantly. His eyes are bright, but he is otherwise composed…like always.

"Hmmm, It's late." He says, tucking a loose strand of hair behind Eva's ear.

"No, it's not," she breathes, trying to wrap herself around him again.

"Please Eva. You do realize we are in your father's driveway?" He admonishes, those fantastic dimples etched in his face.

"So…?" she shrugs.

Landa laughs heartily, and takes several seconds to regain his calm. "So, that's not exactly my style. Tea tomorrow? I will send a car for you around 4:00 pm."

"I suppose," she huffs.

"Wundebar! Till tomorrow, then." He kisses her again, this time slowly and soothingly.

"Gute Nacht," she chokes as he climbs into his car. He winks at her through the window and speeds off down the driveway.

He watches her small form shrink in his rearview mirror and smiles to himself. Definitely not your average party, he muses, and cranks down the windows to let the cool night air through his hair.

** "You must learn to avoid putting me in a passion, or I shall really murder you some time." Is a line from Wuthering Heights and does not belong to me. Please R&R! I want to know that I'm not putting all of you to sleep! As I mentioned before, this is my first fic, so criticism would be greatly appreciated!**