Chapter 2 – First Kisses

2 years later

The sun was just setting over the city as Kimberlee waited for Erik on the rooftop. He would be finishing his lessons with Christine shortly and promised to meet her; she had something important to ask him. She shivered as a slight breeze picked up. She saw tow hands wrap around her as a cape was placed over her shoulders and tied in front.

"I thought I told you to make sure you had a shawl on when you are up here at dusk" Erik said with a grin. "It won't do your voice any good to get sick would it?"

"No, but if I did have a shawl then I wouldn't get the royal treatment you always give me, would I?"

"I suppose not."

"How were lessons with Christine? Her voice is beginning to develop quite well."

"Yes it is, she is a good student, but then yours is also showing improvement. Speaking of which, I have another lesson with another pupil I must get to. Shall we?" he asked holding his hand out to her.

She took his hand and looked into his eyes.

"Is that all I am to you is another pupil? I thought we were also friends" she said trying to hide the hurt in her voice.

"Of course we are friends, first and foremost" he said raising her hand to his lips and placing a kiss on her knuckles. 'Perhaps we are even more than friends' he thought to himself.

"Erik, before we go, there was something I wanted to ask you."

"First your lessons, then you may ask me."

"Alright," she sighed. This wasn't going to be easy as it was and putting it off was not helping.

Erik took her hand again and led her down below to his lair. Other than Mme Giry, Kimberlee was the only person he allowed into his home. When they arrived, she laid his cloak over a large oak armchair which was covered in a deep burgundy velvet seat cushions. This chair was made especially for Kimberlee and had been her favourite since Erik presented it to her.

He sat at the organ in the centre of the room and Kimberlee stood beside him. She sung the scales he played but could never reach the highest notes without croaking.

"Erik, you'll just have to face it, I'm never going to reach 1st soprano."

"You will if you try harder and not concentrate so much" he replied calmly.

"I know it's my father's dream that I be on stage in front of thousands singing, but I'm sorry. I don't like opera music that much…no offence, but if I'm going to sing on stage I want to sing Country or Rock and Roll."

"You know you look adorable when you throw a tantrum."

Kimberlee's face went blank and she stared at Erik. 'Did he just call me adorable' she asked herself. She quickly recovered and moved beside him and playfully slapped him on the arm.

"I'm just acting like a spoiled diva, isn't that how you are supposed to behave when you're a star like La Carlotta?"

"Many divas behave this way…but not you. You have too much class and pride for that."

Kimberlee blushed and then turned her attention back to her lesson.

"Alright, let's try Alyssa's aria from Hannibal again."

"Good, but this time I want you to sing it without the music," He stood up and moved behind her, "sing it from here" he said placing a hand around her waist and gently on her diaphragm.

Kimberlee could feel her pulse quicken and her breathing became more rapid. She tried not to concentrate on his hand touching her and his hot breath on the back of her neck. She consciously slowed down her breathing and concentrated.

"How would you like me to sing it? The way it is written or…"

Erik tightened his grip around Kimberlee. He wanted to say to her 'sing it as though there is no one in the world but you and I. Sing the aria as though you are singing it to a secret lover, sing for me.' But he didn't.

"Sing as if there were no expectations. Sing it for yourself alone."

Kimberlee began to sing, 'Think of me, think of me fondly when we've said goodbye. Remember me once in awhile; please promise me you'll try.' As she sang the words she felt free for the first time. She closed her eyes and imagined herself singing only for her lover, for Erik. His arm was now more firmly wrapped around her waist and she could feel his breath on her neck. She could sense that his eyes were also closed and as she sang the high notes she had previously been unable to reach, she now reached them with ease. His breathing suddenly became rasp in her ears and as she ended the song, his arm fell to her side taking her hand into his own. She turned to face him.

"Perfect" he stated.

Kimberlee smiled up at him, she looked into his green eyes and saw that they had become crystal clear. She could see a longing in them, the same longing she felt in her soul, the longing to belong to someone. She leaned up toward Erik and cautiously placed a kiss on his lips. She pulled away much to quickly for Erik's taste, this was something he had wanted for some time now, but unaware that she too felt the same. He could see doubt in her eyes, wondering if she had done the right thing, he took her into his arms gently and reassured her by kissing her in return.

She wrapped her arms around him as he pulled her more closely to him till there was no space between the two. His kiss became more hungry as he asked her permission to deepen the kiss by gently caressing her lips with his tongue. She responded by allowing him access with delight and she couldn't suppress the moan waiting to be released.

Both were completely lost in the moment, their hands both caressing the other as though they had been long-time lovers. Kimberlee tasted of honey, the way Erik had always imagined she would taste, Erik in turn tasted of the smooth brandy he sipped whenever they met. She had tasted brandy once before with him and not enjoyed it, but she enjoyed it now. Her mind was racing, this was her first kiss, and it was incredible. She had never allowed the boy she dated years back kiss her because she didn't care for him that deeply, but she knew that this was so right with Erik.

Time seemed to pass slowly, when they finally parted it was out of desperation for air. As they each caught their breath they stared into each other's glossy eyes, their lips tingling with the sensation of the kisses they had shared. Kimberlee's hand felt as though a lead weight had been put in it's place, but she somehow managed to raise it to his face. She gently traced the outline of his face and then moved to his lips.

"What are you doing?" he asked with a smile in his voice.

"I want to remember every little detail, this was my first kiss" she quietly admitted the last part.

Erik took her hand and gently kissed her finger tips.

"It was my first kiss also. You weren't disappointed were you?"

"Disappointed? No that was incredible. This is the best I have felt in a very long time….in fact; it makes what I wanted to ask you earlier a little easier."

"And what was that?" he asked as he brushed her hair aside and began kissing her neck.

"I wanted to ask you if you'd be my date to the prom next month?" she asked breathlessly.

He stopped what he was doing and looked at her.

"Why me?" he asked softly

"I can't think of anyone I'd rather go with. There's no one at school I want to be with, only you. I'll understand though if you don't want to go."

Erik took a moment to consider her request.

"Kimberlee, I'd be honoured to be your date to the prom, but don't you think I'll stand out with my mask and all?"

"Oh, did I forget to mention…the theme is masquerade, so you'll fit in perfectly" she said with a glimmer in her eyes.

Erik gave her a coy grin and then captured her mouth in another earth shattering kiss that left them both weak in the knees. Erik sat down in the large chair placing Kimberlee on his lap. They sat their in each other's arms for a while basking in the glow of their newly explored feelings for the other. A short while later Erik escorted her back to her room; she now had her own, in the dormitories and kissed her goodnight, unaware that the scene was being witnessed by Mme Giry.

Once she closed the door she allowed herself to truly experience the feelings flowing through her. She could feel his lips on hers again and her heart began to quicken once more, she could feel her lips swelling with just the thought of the kisses they'd shared. Once these new found stirrings were under control she undressed and climbed into her bed, she suddenly felt exhausted and sleep came rather quickly.

When Erik arrived back at his home he sat in the chair where they had been, where they had shared such an intimate moment that he believed it to be a dream. He closed his eyes and in doing so the memories came flooding back to him and he knew that it hadn't been a dream. He felt a stirring within that he had never experienced before and longed to hold her once more. He knew that he had fallen completely in love with her and for once in his life, he wasn't afraid of love. He finally had with her what he had longed for so long. He too felt exhausted and retired to his room where sleep quickly overtook him.

The next morning when Kimberlee awoke she found both Meg and Christine at the foot of her bed. She slowly stretched her body and smiled at the now 16 year old girls.

"Did I oversleep, have rehearsals begun?" she asked panicking

"No, rehearsals have not begun" Christine stated.

"You must have had a good night, you were smiling in your sleep" Meg said.

"Was I really?" she asked sitting up rather quickly and glancing around the room.

"Your father hasn't been by yet this morning" Meg said smiling with satisfaction in her eyes.

The two girls sat on the edge of her bed and asked Kimberlee to tell them about this mysterious stranger she spent so much time with. Outside the door in the hallway Mme Giry listened as the girls giggled with delight at Kimberlee's tale of romance and first kisses. She alone knew that the man she spoke of was Erik. She made up her mind to speak to him about this. A romance between the two would never be permitted by her father; he had another man in mind for his daughter. If he ever found out about their friendship let alone their relationship the results could be disastrous. Mme Giry had taken care of Erik since he was a boy and cared for him as a son, she had to protect him now, even if it meant protecting him from himself.

Well?