Just a little something to keep you happy…I love you guys!

Got this one out early; I have to be at work very early in the morning, so I posted tonight instead of tomorrow morning.

Enjoy.

BEYOND THE SHADOWS

CHAPTER 17

Erik and Christine spent the next couple of days getting to know each other better. Erik had no experience in relationships, so Christine was reaping the rewards of his overzealous need to please her.

The house was empty, as Erik had sent Nadeesh and Rebekah on an errand in London, and Sachin had gone with them, to visit a friend. Rachel and Meg had decided to make it another day of sightseeing.

They were currently playing a heated game of chess; if chess can, indeed, be a heated game; Erik was not even concentrating and had placed Christine in "check" six times. She knew she was losing, but she was learning the game well, by playing with a master.

"Does this mean we're a couple?" Erik asked, hoping he was assuming correctly.

He was running his foot up her leg, feeling the smooth surface and creating fantasies in his head about what her clothing hid from his greedy eyes; he wasn't getting any younger, and he needed more.

Christine smiled beautifully, but there was a warning in her eyes, "Let me put it this way, if any other woman so much as puts her hands on you with intentions of being anything other than a friend, she just might find herself missing that hand." She apprised. "Oh, and by friend, I mean someone who recognizes you on the street but doesn't know where you live."

Erik chuckled amusingly, he had never had anyone jealous over him before; this was knew territory.

"I doubt any other women would want me, Christine – I still can't believe you do." He truthfully stated with a smirk.

"Trust me Erik, the only reason you have not been snatched up and rushed to the wedding chapel is because you stay hidden from the world…but I will not allow that anymore – so I will be fighting the women off with my fists…" Christine said with determination, "…and anything else I find handy at the time."

Erik smiled, blissfully, "Speaking of not allowing me to stay hidden from the world." He reached behind him and pulled, what appeared to be, a card from his back pocket. "I have been invited to a masquerade ball in London, the evening of April 6." He had yet to look at Christine, but he knew she would love to go, "I had originally declined, even though I was personally invited by the Duke of Wellington."

"A Duke…a Duke invited you and you turned him down?" Christine could not believe this.

Erik sighed, "He's a friend; he didn't take it personally." Erik insisted, "I would have been required to bring a lady escort…I had no one." His voice cracked as he looked at Christine, "Would you be interested in attending…as my date?"

The smile she gave him assured him that would be happy to attend with him; then, her face went into a shocked horror and she looked at him with panicked eyes.

"That's only two nights from now!" Christine was already going over costumes in her head. "You're friends with a Duke?" she excitedly paced the floor and stopped to regard him with admiring eyes. She realized he was not moving and scooted him off, "You need to be calling Mr. Duke man and tell him that you are coming and you will be escorted by your girlfriend, Christine Daae."

Erik could do nothing but laugh as he was scurried out of her presence and handed his cell phone. He dutifully followed orders and headed down the hallway while dialing the phone.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Rodney…hey, It's Erik."

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"I'm doing well…and you?"

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"Splendid. I have decided to come to the ball…if it is not too late."

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"Are you sure?"

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"I will be bringing my girlfriend, Christine Daae."

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"Yes Rodney…my girlfriend."

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"Ha, ha, ha…very funny."

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"Thanks, I look forward to seeing you, too."

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"Okay…see you then."

Erik smiled; Rodney had made Erik his personal project after Erik designed his new summer home in Ireland. Erik had overseen the building and made sure that each piece of brick and every nail was placed in the exact spot for which it was intended.

Rodney Chesterfield, Duke of Wellington, had taken it upon himself to be like a father to Erik. Erik reflected back on a conversation they'd had right after Erik finished his home…

FLASHBACK

Three years ago…

"You are a very gifted architect, Erik…why haven't I heard of you?" Rodney asked, noticing how nervous Erik seemed.

"My designs are all over New York and there are a few in other large cities across the United States…I have not done any work in Europe." Erik did not like the fact that this man seemed interested in him personally.

"I still should have heard of you…I spend a great deal of time in the states, particularly New York." He insisted.

Erik stood rigidly, not sure what to say, "I am pleased that you like my work."

Rodney jarred Erik on the back, "Like? My boy, like is not the word…I love your work."

"Thank you, sir."

"Cease the formality, I am going to see to it that you are commissioned by all the royals and nobles to do their designs, you will never want for work, money, or women." Rodney finally saw a contented look cross the younger man's masked features.

Erik had explained to Rodney about his reserved personality and the reasons for it. He had even shown the man his scarred features; but Rodney did not care…he felt Erik deserved to be recognized for the genius that he was, and knew his mask, and what rested beneath it, would not matter; especially considering the entire package.

END FLASHBACK

After that, Erik and Rodney talked at least once a week on the phone and emailed every night. He had done precisely what he had said he would do, and Erik was now one of the best known architects in Great Britain; although, no one knew what he looked like…except Rodney.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Erik found Christine in her room, drawing designs for a costume. He came up to her and put his hands on her shoulders, massaging them lightly. He glanced at her sketches and was impressed with her artistic abilities.

Christine put her pencil down and put her hands atop his as he gently worked her stressed muscles. Her head lulled back and rested against his hard abdomen as he leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"You're so beautiful." He whispered, brushing his lips across hers.

She smiled up at him and replied, "So are you."

She watched his eyes darken with doubt, and stood up. There was no guile in her eyes and Erik felt naked before her.

"You really believe that, don't you?" He asked with wonderment.

She shook her head, "I don't just believe it, Erik…I know it."

She led him over to her bed and deftly started unbuttoning his shirt. His hands came up to stop her, but she gently put them back at his sides.

"Let me show you Erik, I want to see you….to touch you…" She whispered into his ear, "…skin on skin."

She gently manipulated the lobe of his ear and breathed in the masculine scent of his cologne – he was so intoxicating.

"This is what people who are in love do." She whispered, again. "Just the shirt, my love…let me have the shirt."

Erik felt his body react to her words and groaned. He closed his eyes and relished the sweet torture of her hands as they slowly, seductively, undressed him.

She pulled the shirt from the waistband of his jeans and undid the final three buttons. She put her hands on his sculptured pecs and pushed the silky material from his shoulders. As the shirt dropped to the floor, she ran her hands down his ribcage and felt the muscles ripple beneath her adroit fingers.

"Beautiful." She breathed.

His male nipples were erect and aching for her ardent stimulation; Erik longed to feel her mouth on him as he had felt it in his dreams.

It didn't take long, and his dreams were fulfilled. Christine nudged him back and eased him down to lie across the bed. She looked longingly at the outline of his very erect, impressively sized shaft, and knew she was going to go crazy with want.

"Christine, what do you want me to do?" He beseeched, lifting molten, hungry eyes to her.

Christine slinked to his side, running her hand diligently over his heated flesh as she went. She leaned into him and nestled her lips against his ear, skimming her tongue over its sensorial surface.

"I want you to enjoy how I make you feel." She whispered, "My body is on fire for you, Erik…"

Erik stopped her with his hands, sat up, and cleared his throat.

"Christine, this is all new to me…I don't want to rush the physical side of love before I understand the joy of it in my heart…no one has ever given me this." he wanted her to understand that he would not allow his lust for her to supersede his love for her.

She smiled with understanding, "I love you even more for having the control to say such things." She placed her hand on his bare chest and gently lowered him back down to the bed.

"Will you allow me to give you pleasure?" She asked, while lightly brushing her hands across his hardened nipples. "We don't have to make love to have pleasure."

Erik swallowed hard and nodded. He fought the burgeoning, unbridled desire that was progressing through his body. He felt time stand still as her fingers shimmered across his searing flesh.

She feathered her thumbs across his nipples and he inhaled sharply. His heart was beating frantically and he swore he could hear his blood careening through his veins. He felt her soft, scented hair wrapping around his fingers, and couldn't remember placing his hands there.

When her warm, zealous tongue lathed across his hardened nipples, his eyes flew open and his erection bulged even more forcefully against the confining material of his pants.

He groaned loudly and instinctively pressed her hot mouth against his ravenousness flesh, begging her to ease his passionate craving.

"That feels so good." He moaned, barely recognizing the voice as his; the erotic timbre sounded foreign to him.

There was so much that Christine wanted to show him…so much pleasure; but she wanted more than that…she wanted his man as her husband. She would wait a few days and see how quickly he wished to move; then, she would determine her next move.

He felt her smile against him, completely unaware of her thoughts. She moved her leg over his thighs and rested her thigh against his throbbing cock. She continued to caress his nipples with her tongue, but her leg started a massaging motion that lifted him to an unknown realm of rapture.

She moved down his abdomen, kissed the soft surface of his tummy and drove her tongue into this belly button; he jerked at the sensation. His head lifted up to watch her, as her tongue worked its magic over his skin.

Her hair created a different sensation. It playfully skirted over his heated skin, leaving a trail of tickly kisses as she continued to massage him with her thigh. He could feel the sticky proof of his desire on his skin as his cock ached for release.

Christine lifted her head and glanced down at the huge bulge in his pants and she was met with the bright pink head of his cock sticking almost a half an inch out of the top of his pants; she could feel her body react to the sight of his arousal.

The size of this man was so impressive, and she was awed to think that she was the first to ever see him in this state…he was magnificent; rippled muscles and tanned skin; taut, toned chest and defined abs. She turned her concentration back to his nipples and heard him groan as she gave him pleasure beyond his wildest imagination.

He had no cognizant thought processes, and his hips bucked against her thigh with powerful thrusts. His breathing became labored and deep and he felt the tingling sensations of his climax approaching.

"Christine…I'm going to…" He couldn't form the words as his body took over.

"Let it come." Christine breathed, caressing him with her words.

He could hold it back no longer; the force of his climax slammed down on him and he bucked against her with such power…Christine almost climaxed from the mere thought of him ramming into her with powerful exertion; a couple of more seconds, and she probably would have reached her own orgasm.

His seed spilled out onto his bare stomach, but Erik didn't even care as he bucked against her with driving force. His body trembled from the uncontrollable spasms his climax caused and Christine nuzzled his ear as he came.

His passion-laden eyes watched her watch him, as he reached his vertex, and it increased his ardor tenfold. He smiled with such exquisite beauty as his final thrust forced the last stream of his seed from him, satiating the sexual tension that had been building in him for days.

He finally came down from his high and found his voice. With a sensually playful tone, he rubbed noses with her while murmuring, "If it feels that good to have you bring me to orgasm with your thigh, I can't imagine what it would be like to bury myself inside you so deep…that I would need directions to find my way out."

The insatiable look in his eyes made Christine shutter in anticipation of the promise his words held. She smiled lasciviously into his orgiastic eyes; she knew she would never tire of his reticent beauty.

'I intend to spend the rest of my life giving him directions.' Christine feverishly thought, as she watched him move from her and head for the bathroom. 'He is as gorgeous going as he is coming!' Christine had to laugh at her observation…her mind would probably never leave the gutter now that she had tasted just a morsel of what he had to offer.

TBC