Chapter Ten: Drawing Session

A/N: Here is the next chapter. I have the next chapter of Dark Prince finished as well and it is currently with my beta getting corrected, so that should get to all of you soon! DJT

Christine looked at herself for at least the hundreth time in the mirror, making sure everything looked wonderful. When she had woken up that morning an image of what she and Erik had almost done the night before had flashed before her eyes. After leaving Erik with his cup of tea and the promise of tomorrow she had been unable to sleep for another couple of hours. Her mind was full of guilt and some realizations. She had been thinking about Raoul and their relationship since first kissing Erik, and she tried to put what they had together in a different light. He was not right for her, and she knew it. That revelation did not put her into a very good mood but she tried not to think on it to much. She did not have to worry about it for the time being.

Today she was going to be under Erik's intent scrutiny, and she wanted to look perfect. She had been a little put off when she had found out that she had nothing to wear. However it seemed that the less she wore the better for Erik. He had given her a silk black robe, that she assumed was his, but must have been to small for him. He had asked that she only wear a bra and panties underneath, due to the fact that the pose he wanted her in would show off her shapely legs. Christine had agreed and went into the bathroom to change, where she now was.

She would not inform Erik but she had opted to wear no bra or panties underneath, deciding that if she felt sexy she would look sexy. Christine tied the sash on the robe and ran her fingers through her hair for a moment. She had decided to keep it unbound and flowing down her back, all in all it was not that bad. Exiting the bathroom, she found Erik had moved the couch so it was sitting with its back to the fire. He was seated in a chair in front of the couch, sketchpad and charcoal at the ready. He turned when he heard her come in and she managed a small smile, suddenly becoming incredibly nervous.

"Ready?"

She could only nod.

"Don't be nervous, Christine, it can be fun. Hopefully I do justice to your beauty."

How was it possible for this shy and unsociable man to know all of the right things to say? She knew he meant them because Erik was not the type to lie to get a girl on his side. She smiled.

"You are an amazing artist...what do you want me to do?"

Erik smiled slightly at her compliment and led her to the couch. Christine remained silent as he had her stretch out on the couch, her upper torso propped up by the arm of the chair. Her arm draped over her waist and the other lay over the arm of the chair. He stood back and scrutinized this position before making slight adjustments. He sat down and readied his sketchpad again. He looked down at the paper and looked back at her, repeating this process several times.

"Is there something that needs to be fixed?"

He hesitated.

"Yes...could you open your robe slightly at your chest?"

Erik looked ready to blush at his comment but Christine could not help but smile. This could turn out to be quite an entertaining moment. She parted the robe at her breasts slightly so that the swell of one was clearly visible. Erik nodded quickly when it appeared that she was going to go further and she stilled her hand.

"Alright, don't move."

Christine had no plan on moving.

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"What the hell is going on, Meg?"

Meg looked up to see Raoul come storming into the room, effectively waking up the baby. She scowled at the man in front of her and got her daughter quiet before turning her attention back to the idiot in front of her.

"What are you talking about, Raoul?"

"Christine has something going on with this man she is staying with?" he growled. Meg froze. How did he know...oh, God, she had not logged off of the computer last night...that meant Raoul had seen Christine's instant message about how she had heavily kissed her masked man! She felt herself grow a little pale.

"I do not know what you mean..."

"Do not play stupid with me, Meg Giry! You left your computer on and it clearly says Chris was kissing this stranger!"

"And if she was?" Meg demanded. She would not have this man talk to her like this, and he would do well to remember whose home he was staying in! She knew Christine could have done better than this!

"We are engaged! We are going to get married!"

"Not if I can help it," she muttered. Raoul glared at her.

"Who is this man? He is a stranger! She is throwing everything we have away just for some tyrst with a stranger! What kind of a woman is she?"

"The kind of woman who is tired of what you have to offer her!" Meg screeched, beyond annoyed now. This man would hear what she had to say. Raoul stiffened.

"What? What has she told you?"

"Nothing! Can't you see it?"

Raoul shook his head.

"No, I can forgive her for this. If all she did was kiss him than we can talk about this when she comes home! I am not going to give her up, not to some masked man!"

Meg sighed when he turned and stormed from the room. It seemed Christine needed to decide if she wanted to be with Raoul or not. It was not right of her to give him false hope and Meg hoped she realized soon what it was she wanted.

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"Have you done this many times, Erik?"

"Done what?"

"Drawn women for your art?"

Christine was just dying to know. He seemed so focused on her she loved it. For a brief amount of time his attention was focused solely on her, and she on him. She had noticed several things about him while he sat in front of her, the most adorable was the way he bit on the inside of his cheek while he drew. She had not noticed it before and she kind of liked it. She was also mesmerized by the color of his eyes, so beautiful and intense. He had a passion for what he did, and not very men were lucky enough to find something that they enjoyed so much. When he drew he had an air of confidence about him that Christine found incredibly sexy. It was rather exhilerating to find a man who was not trying to prove anything. He knew he had a talent and he did not flaunt it. It was a natural talent and Christine admired him for it.

"I have done a few," he said, answering her question.

"A few? Tell me about them," she urged. She had a reason beind what she was asking and she had a feeling that she might be right about it.

"I'd rather not."

"Oh, come on-"

"Don't move, Christine, I am almost finished," he interrupted. Christine frowned and decided not to tell him that she had not moved at all.

"You've done nudes, haven't you?" she said with a smile. She knew he had to of, she just had this feeling, and she really wanted to pose for one for him to draw. Erik stiffened slightly but nodded, not looking at her as he finished one of her legs. Christine knew that anyone would tell her that she was being to bold and to forward but she could not seem to help it, that was her personality after all.

"Would you do one of me?"

"Christine-"

"Please, Erik, this might be my only chance to do something like this ever again," she pleaded. She did not know how much longer she was going to stay here but she wanted, no needed, to experience everything she possibly could with him before she was forced to go back to her dull, and depressing life. He did not want to do it, that much was obvious, but she continued to softly beg. When she began to get frustrated by his lack of an answer she stood up, giving him little chance to say anything.

"Christine, please, I think-"

He groaned. Christine had dropped the robe and he was faced with the sight of the most beautiful body he had ever had the priviledge to look at in his entire life. He had done nudes before, that was not new to him. But he had never been so attracted to any of his subjects as he was with Christine. She seemed completely comfortable without having any clothes on and that in itself was very sexy indeed. She laid back down on the couch in the same position, this time without the robe. Erik swallowed several times before grabbing a new piece of paper and beginning to draw.

He tried not to look but when you were drawing the person it was nearly impossible not to. She was full of breasts and hips and everything seemed to be flawlessly made, like one of God's own portraits. She remained still the entire time and did not look away from him, trying to pretend that there was nothing different about this than if she were to pose for anyone else. Even when she knew this was a lie. It was different because it was Erik. He was different.

Thirty minutes later he had finished and Christine stood, putting on the robe and going to his side. She gasped softly when she looked at herself through Erik's eyes. She looked...beautiful...such a simple word because she knew no picture could have ever done her justice like this. He glanced up at her, wondering if she approved. Before he could react she had thrown her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.

"Oh, Erik! It is beautiful!" she said breathlessly. She was so flattered and so stunned she really did not know what to say.

"It is nothing compared to the real thing," he said. She smiled and kissed him on the cheek, whispering a soft thank you. He nodded and stood up, going to the kitchen and pouring himself something to drink. Christine stared after him, realizing that something was wrong...

"Erik?"

"I am going to take a shower," he said. She did not like the stiff set of his shoulders but she said nothing, a million thoughts suddenly filling her mind, knowing what she had to do and wondering if it would be worth it in the end.

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Erik ran his hands through his hair, allowing the hot water to run all over him. His body was aching in desire but today he refused to relieve himself. Why was Christine doing this? She was engaged and he was doing everything in his power not to touch her, but she seemed to continuously tempt him, and he did not know what to think. He knew he was an idiot to believe that a woman like Christine would be interested in him but the way she had kissed him...

No one had any idea how much he would give just to feel her lips one more time on his. To know, just for a moment, that he was not as repulsive and ugly as everyone had always clamied he was. Just for a moment he wanted to feel like a man and Christine had been the only one, ever, who had been able to make him feel that way. But as long as she belonged to another he could never hope for anything. And even if, by some miracle, she were to break up with her fiancee, he knew that she would never wish to be anything more than friends.

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Christine pulled out Erik's computer and logged on to her instant messenger. She knew she had to do this before she did something that she would regret. She was relieved to see Meg online and she took a deep breath.

BroadwayNigthingale: Meg, I need you to tell Raoul something for me...