Chapter XXXIV

Christine sprang up from the bathtub with a gasp as Erik burst into the room. It registered almost instantly to her that she was very naked.

"Christine!" Raoul called from outside of the door as she scrambled wildly. Too speechless to even ask Erik what he thought he was doing and outraged, and then quickly embarrassed as she realized that she had stood – therefore in Erik's direct line of vision. Her heartbeat was erratic as she looked up.

He was staring at her with eyes as wide as plates. He had never seen a woman naked, not really any way. And this was inappropriate. This was... this was wrong. But he couldn't look away from her. He tried, he really did but he could not bring himself to tear his eyes away. She was-

"Christine forgive me for the interruption," Raoul called from the other side of the door, "but I heard you singing. I know people that could train you!"

Christine did not hear him at all. She was mortified. Erik was still staring at her, and she was still staring at him. She was becoming lightheaded. What the hell did Erik think he was doing?

"Christine did you hear me?" Raoul called.

Erik ducked his gaze from her and turned his back, trembling. Christine opened her mouth to speak but found that no words came out.

"Are you alright in there?" Raoul called, suddenly nervous. "Christine?" He knocked on the door multiple times, and Erik locked his hand onto the doorknob so that Raoul might not try to open the door. "Christine! Answer me!"

Realizing that if Raoul did not get an answer he might burst in through the door next she opened her mouth. Erik would kill Raoul, she was certain of it. Erik would not tolerate someone staring at him with his mask, especially not a 'fop' like Raoul.

"I am alright," she called back in an uneven tone, "I will speak with you when I am out Raoul. It is quite improper that we shout this way."

"Ah, yes, yes you are quite right. Forgive me Christine." Without another word his footsteps started and she listened carefully until they disappeared.

What have I done, Erik thought angrily as he listened to the silence behind him. Christine was naked, and he had caught an eyeful. He had seen the way her body sloshed out of the water as she stood up, indignant at first, and then horrified as she realized what was taking place. He had been unable to breathe or think, or move, as he stared at her.

He knew that Christine was too thin for her own good, but it did not rob him of seeing the beauty before him as he admired her small waist, or the smooth curve of her thighs, or her breasts. Erik hated himself more than anyone else at that moment. He was a beast, and Christine had all the right in the world to hate him, because try as he might he was fighting all his urges to turn around and stare at her again. He had never seen a woman naked, not really. And especially not one so beautiful. He could still envision her if he tried.

"Erik..." her sweet voice sounded cracked, "what are you doing in here?"

"Christine," her name escaped him shallowly. He did not know how to respond. How could he explain that his own cowardice forced him to hide from that Raoul boy, "forgive-

Christine stepped out of the tub and grabbed her dirty clothing. She did not wish to bathe again but she was not going to stand in front of Erik so naked. She tossed on the shirt and then the pants, mildly annoyed at the fact that she was still soaking.

"You may turn around now," she muttered.

Slowly Erik turned to face her and sheepishly looked, thoroughly embarrassed. Christine stood there with her long hair dripping wet. It seemed to him that she did not notice something which he himself could not ignore, and it was the fact that her nipples were taut against the fabric of the clothing. He ripped his gaze away and shuffled uncomfortably as feelings... feelings he had not really experienced before started brewing. He swallowed thickly and looked elsewhere, anywhere but her. This could not be happening to him.

"The Vicomte was coming up the stairs when I... I realized that he would see me if I did not hide."

"And so you burst in here?" she hissed angrily, marching forward and into his direct line of vision, "I am bathing, you have no right to enter."

"I know."

"How dare you!"

"I do not know."

"You insufferable man!" She stomped her foot. Erik did his best to keep a serious face but he found it downright endearing as she continued to hiss at him and angrily explain to him her disbelief. There was something about the fire in her eyes as she said it that made him want to hear more. "You are not so horrible that someone seeing you is a disaster! I was naked! You just saw me …. naked!" She spluttered in her outrage, "and than than idiot Raoul is shouting about some training nonsense. Have you all lost your minds!" She shouted.

"Christine-

"No! Do not Christine me! Men are all moronic! All of you seem to be unable to grasp the concept of propriety!"

"You cannot speak on propriety Christine. You are dressed like a man and yet you are a woman," he pointed out, trying to take the image of just how womanly she was out of his head.

Christine seemed to read the embarrassed look in his eye and a rage swelled within her. One moment she was standing in front of Erik with her hands to herself and the next she had her hands fisted in his shirt.

Christine had him shoved back against the door. It vibrated as he slammed into it and she kept him pinned there. His eyes grew heated as he glared down at her. Her little fists were pressed tightly against his chest. He waited, expecting her to say something, but she did not. She just stared up at him, and the fire in his loins stirred as her hands dug even more deeply against his shirt.

"I am sorry," he stated sincerely, "it was a mistake and it shall never happen again. I swear it." Christine's eyes remained heated and he reached up carefully, touching her wrists. He tried to pry her hands off of him but clearly she had no intentions of releasing him. The press of her against his body was becoming dangerous, and they both saw it in their faces. Christine's breath was becoming increasingly more shallow and her hands were loosening of their own accord. Erik's eyes had hazed over and skated down to her mouth.

"Christine," he murmured softly, "you should let go now."

Her fiery eyes remained locked on him, she did not release him. His hands tightened on her wrists as she pressed him against the door again and moved closer.

Christine knew what she wanted to do. She wanted to stay like this, but she wanted to kiss him. She needed to.

To hell with the repercussions, she thought as she carefully rose onto her toes, staring up at him hesitantly. His amber eyes were hooded, and she was unsure of what that meant. But she did not care to find out. She didn't have much of a choice.

Erik's lips came crashing down on hers with such a ferocity that it hurt. Her eyes widened and then shut as he held her lips to his for one long moment, almost unsure of how to proceed, but before she could think of taking the reigns he was moving again.

Erik's hands were at her hips, pulling her closer, ignoring the way her pants slung low on her hips and feverishly wrapping his arms around her, pulling her closer, clawing his hands at her back and daring to taste her bottom lip with his tongue. She sucked in a soft breath at the feeling of his tongue skating against her lip and then she returned the favor. He released a deep rumbling sound from his throat.

She was all too aware of the mask and how it made it hard for her to kiss him. She wanted it gone but did not dare to rip it away. Her hands started skating down his chest. She wanted to touch his skin, but he was covered from neck to toe in material. Her finger tips skated dangerously close to his abdomen when Erik's tongue once again darted out to taste her lips. A moan quivered out of her. She caved and opened her mouth very slightly, going weak at the knees and wobbling.

"Erik..." her soft purr was enticing and it made him release a hard breath as she came up for air. His mouth was on her jaw, his tongue daringly flicked out – snakelike and stole a taste of the skin most readily available to him. Thunderbolts rolled in his loins as Christine moaned softly and brought his mouth back to her own. Her pretty hands were in his black hair. "More... please."

Erik suddenly seized. Understanding.

"No," Erik whispered hoarsely and wrenched away from her.

Christine stumbled backwards, confused and shocked. She swallowed back and touched her lips. They were tingling, and warm, throbbing as an aftermath of what had transpired. Erik stared at the empty space before him and shook his head.

What was I thinking? He thought as he raised his eyes to Christine who was gawking at him.

"W-we kissed," She stuttered. Her hands trembled and she tried to ignore the urge in her to do it again. "We kissed."

Erik's eyes lowered with embarrassment and he raked a hand through his hair... sighing and shutting his eyes.

She had felt perfect. He knew she enjoyed it, he couldn't ignore the feeling of her pressing herself closer to his body, or the way her lips opened, an invitation on her behalf to do what he wished with her lips. But he couldn't do it. He did not want to start something he might not be able to stop. It frightened him that one moment she could be so angry, and the next she might want him.

Christine wanting me... he never felt so confused in his entire life.

She turned around and went to the window. The cool breeze kissed her heated face and neck. She shivered slightly and ran a hand over her face. Erik had kissed her. And in return she had kissed him. What a fool I am, she thought softly, of course he would reject me.

"Christine," Erik could read her defeat from where he stood. He did not dare to move any closer to her, afraid of what might happen if he did. "That cannot and will not happen again."

She did not respond for a moment. Her eyes shimmering with tears. Her chest felt tight and she dared to smile, to look as if it did not affect her in the slightest. She turned to him, ignoring the burning in her eyes, "I know. I would not expect it to."

He swallowed, noticing the glistening. "We cannot... I … it would be imprudent of us-

"Do not fret," Christine waved a hand dismissively, suddenly passive-aggressive, annoyed with him and his unsure behavior. He had wanted it, she knew he did, and now he stumbled over his words – deeming it a mistake with his body language. She wanted to be left alone. Why was she feeling this way? Why did it hurt? "Now leave, I need to bathe again, the clothes..." she shrugged and stepped towards the bathtub.

Erik stared at her for a long time. His eyes narrowing at her.

Erik could read the clear dissatisfaction in her eyes. And he felt the need to speak again. But Christine had already turned her back to him, Erik quietly left the room.

…

In the wake of his departure Christine remained standing. But not for long.

The crushing weight of what had jut transpired sent her onto her knees. She shut her eyes and fought the onslaught of tears in her eyes. She did not know why it hurt her so much, she could not possibly understand. It was not as if Erik had ever expressed anything other than a sort of owed kinship with her. She had never felt any expressed romantic interest in him. And yet seeing him there, looking at her with what she knew was a sort of awakened desire in his eyes – she knew. She knew that she had to be with him. There was a sort of magnetic pull to him, it was undeniable, and now … now she was left on her knees with an unexplainable hurt.

He does not feel the same way, she thought quietly, blinking away the tears and quietly coming to a stand. She began to peel off her clothing. But of course not. I am Christine, and he is Erik. Erik deserves someone beautiful, talented beyond reason.. someone who does not have to grovel for a living.

Her eyes stung as she went back into the bathtub again. Quietly she soaked. Raoul liked her very much, she knew that. Perhaps she could come to see him in the same light as Erik. Or better.

But what light is that? She wondered, looking over towards the door as if Erik would burst in again. What is he thinking at this moment?

What am I thinking? Christine sighed and shut her eyes. I need him. Dear God, I want him.

…

Erik paced in the kitchen angrily. He did not know what he was thinking when he so stupidly kissed her. Well, he was not really thinking at all. He knew that now that his thoughts had returned. Only one phrase ran through his head as he had held her closely, do it, do it. Do it.

And now one word taunted him, Why?

Why indeed. Erik could understand that any man would be tempted by Christine. She was... something else all together. Or at least he thought so. But he never thought that she could be so magnetic that he would think to kiss her, or actually do it.

His lips still burned with the after feeling of her mouth. Erik plopped down on the chair and lowered his head. If that damn boy had not come into the house none of this would have happened! He was very confused. He did not know what it was that he was feeling exactly. It was something new. He wanted to go upstairs, he wanted to haul her out of the bathroom and shake her, to make her understand that it was a mistake. And the other part of him wanted to keep making the same mistake until it was no longer a mistake. Until it was not wrong, but right.

He wanted to kiss her until it was the answer for all their problems. The cynic in Erik laughed. As if Christine would ever let him touch her that way again.

But why not? Erik was sure that she kissed him back. He knew she had, he felt it.

But it cannot happen again, he thought, Christine... Christine does not understand. She does not know me. Not really. I can offer her nothing.

Quietly Erik drifted, thoughts of her naked body plagued him.

:O CHRISTINE :( ERIK :(

I just want to kiss you both on the cheek and then make you understand! BUT I CAN'T!. WEll I can... but.. this is too fun.

And you guys like Ghetto Christine and Erik? You want to know a secret? You've all made me get this idea of a modern day story which is along those lines, but not Ghetto Erik as much as a fiesty Ghetto Christine. I grew up in Washington Heights - Nyc so I've got the lingo own even though it was a Dominican Urban slang. Still :) What do you guys think? Like a humor/romance story. Maybe a one-shot? Haha you all give me the craziest Idea.

:) So tell me what you thought!