It's so unbearably hot. As lavish and decadent as the Montana is, the air conditioning hasn't been renovated for decades. Even dressed in my Egyptian linen I can feel the heat seeping into my skin. It's suffocating.
The doorbell rings. I expect it's the doorman with mail. Or Mrs Krazinski from 12 asking for ice. Or-
"Daphne?" I'm bewildered… Daphne. She stands before me as if I've summoned her with my thoughts. Even the oppressive heat has done little to dishevel her unshakeable beauty.
"I'm so sorry to bother you Dr Crane, but I had an awful row with Sherry and I can't go back there. I tried a couple of my girlfriends but they weren't home. So… May I spend the night here?"
I'm dreaming. I've died. I'm….fainting….
As I struggle out of the black fog, Daphne's face comes back in to view.
"Relax Dr Crane, I'm just unbuttoning your shirt." No here I go again...
"Are you feeling any better?"
I pull myself out of unconsciousness. She's leaning over me with deep concern in her eyes. Concern for me… how embarrassing. How helpless I always appear in front of her, no brute like Joe. She's looking at me with her big beautiful eyes and I realise I haven't answered her.
"Um…Yes. I don't know what happened, my knees have never buckled like that before," I lie. "The…wine and the heat must've made me dizzy."
"Yes, it is rather steamy in here."
"I apologise for the lack of air conditioning. It seems in order to live in an exclusive landmark building, one must have to sweat through the odd heat wave like a tortured character in a Tennessee... Williams... play." Daphne's standing in front of the fan, lifting her shirt so the cool air can get to her skin and for one awful moment I think I'll pass out again. I beg myself to get a grip, as the smell of her skin flows around me. Not of sweat, but that irresistible smell that is hers alone. Cherry bark and almonds. It haunts me, and I can feel the hair on my arms rising. This heat, it's making me feel like a wild animal…
"I can't imagine what you must be thinking. Me barging in, asking to stay the night."
"Well, gee I'm just thinking so many things."
I take a gulp of my wine to try and steady my head, but I'm swooning further. I have to get a hold of myself.
"Sherry just makes me so mad. She's been giving my number to strange men so they'd call and ask me out!"
"How dare she! Why would she do such a thing?" I don't need to feign fury. As much as I've tried to conceal it my jealousy towards Daphne has been a thorn in my heart for years.
"Because she says I'm too rigid."
"Nonsense!"
"And that I'm too picky!"
"Poppycock!
"And that I'd be much happier if I just went out and had sex with someone."
She sits on the sofa and in that moment, with those words having been spoken by her, it's my very limit. I sit down, before my knees re-buckle.
"Just to play Devil's advocate…"
"Don't tell me you agree with her!"
"No, no. It's much too hot for hell to have frozen over."
"I mean, it's like caveman thinking! All Daphne needs is a quick roll in the hay! A little slap and tickle would solve all her problems!"
"Yeah… um..."
"The worse part is... I think she might be right." I hold my breath, and bite my tongue. The last thing I want is to distract her from this train of thought
"Maybe part of why I got so mad at her is because she hit a nerve."
"It's very possible."
"I mean, I have been keeping myself on the shelf lately. I'm feeling a little like the good China."
"Someone should be eating off you everyday." What was that?! I have to think of something else to say…think!
"Hmmm… music?"
"Lovely."
She smiles, as I move away.
"You know, I hope this doesn't sound terribly forward, but I'm so hot. I'd really love to get out of these sweaty clothes." Oh my god…
"Would it be all right if I took a cool bath?"
"Yes, of course. " I flush, restraining my thoughts It's upstairs, third door on your left."
"Thank you."
"There are fresh towels in the linen closet - use the Indian cotton, it will be more gentle on your skin."
"Oh, Dr Crane, you're always thinking of me. "
I watch her walk away. Left alone with the thoughts of her.
"….You have no idea."
"Dr Crane? Ooh, that fan feels good." The fan blows the skirt of the dressing gown open revealing her milky thighs. I realise I'm staring! The champagne bursts from the bottle I'm holding and tumbles over my knuckles.
"Oh,..." I turn my glance away, feeling a flush of embarrassment at myself for losing composure.
"Thanks for lending me your dressing gown. Don't you just love the feel of silk on your skin?"
"Yes, there's nothing quite like it. Passion fruit?"
"Thank you! You know, if you keep treating me like this I'll never want to leave."
"Champagne?"
"Oh, you shouldn't have!"
I pour her a glass, and then myself.
"I love champagne, but it's a drink for two and I never have anyone to share it with."
"Yes, there are things you miss when you're on your own. Champagne, another person's touch - even if it's just holding hands." She smiles, a little sadly.
This conversation is torturous. If she only knew what a tight leash I keep myself on when she's near me. How desperate I am to feel her skin on my skin.
And in that moment she puts her hand on mine. It's cool from the bath and the champagne glass but it feels red hot to me, like I've been burned. My breath catches in my throat.
"I guess you've been missing that sort of thing too since you and Mrs Crane split up?" I'm staring at her hand on mine, her fingers curling gently around mine. It's electric. I haven't felt this way since I was a boy of 13. I'm barely breathing, not wanting to disturb this moment. Tentative, and cautious. If I break this spell I'll die.
I raise my eyes to hers. She's trembling slightly. Shivering but not from the cool of the fan.
"Daphne, I-" I can't speak. I'm trembling myself. I put my glass down before I break it, before it tumbles from my grasp like this moment.
The dressing gown has slipped wider revealing her long beautiful legs. I take the champagne out of her hand. She looks like she's about to faint. In that moment my resolve breaks entirely. I've dropped her glass from my hands and my own body takes over. There's nothing in my mind anymore. I wrap my arm around her and she gasps as I pull her towards me. With my other hand I wrap my fingers around the back of her neck and pull her face towards mine. That smell of her. Those eyes, so big and full of emotion…. Those lips so soft….
Before I know what's happening I'm kissing her, pushing my tongue into her mouth. I expect her to pull back, to shrink away, or shriek at me as Maris would, but she's pushing herself further into me. I tighten my grip around her waist. I'm not letting go and that extra pressure lets out a moan from her. With that moan I've lost all composure. I bite her lip and she bites me back. My fingers are in her hair. I trace her jaw with my thumb. I pull away from our kiss and my mouth finds her neck, I feel her pulse in my lips…
"Niles" she breathes. Oh my god… Niles… she's never called me Niles. I pull the comb out of her hair and her locks tumble around her shoulders. I grab a handful and pull, not hard but enough to expose her neck to me further. With my lips locked around her throat I feel the moan escaping from her before I hear it.
There's a fluttering in my chest that I think is my heartbeat until I notice she's undoing my shirt. I pull it off me, not realising there were still a few buttons done up. They rip and go tumbling but it barely registers with me. I scoop my arm under her legs and lift her. She barely weighs anything, but I think I could lift a car with the hormones that are coursing through me. We find each others lips again as I lower her down to the carpet. Her tongue is inside my mouth. Her hands are pressed against my chest. She's caressing me, touching me, working her hands round to my back. Her fingers brush a nerve and I jolt, pushing myself into her. I have to catch my breath, if she does that again it'll all be over, and I need this to last. I want this for the rest of my life. I take her hands and pin them to the carpet. The dressing gown has slipped from her shoulder. I pull her arms above her head and hold her wrists in one hand. She has such delicate wrists. With my other hand I pull the cord of the dressing gown. As I do this I feel her leg curl up and round mine. Her bare thigh is pressing into my hip. We lock eyes and I realise… I realise she's wanted this just as much as I have.
I've wasted so many years with Maris, a china doll of a woman, so fragile yet so emasculating.
In a flash of memory I see Daphne and I dancing together at the Snowball, her eyes on me as they are now. Alive, and passionate. I didn't read the signs. The inferiority that I'd felt throughout my marriage blinded me to Daphne's own emotion. I told her that I adored her, and she had assumed I was acting… not realising the seriousness of my words. Not wanting to believe them. I should've fought harder. I should've made her listen!
The knot of the dressing gown unties and I let go of her wrists to pull the dressing gown open. She's lying in front of me completely naked. Even in my own dreams I wouldn't go this far. I couldn't bear to imagine something so intimate if I couldn't have it.
I run my hands up her thighs, her skin is like silk. She tilts her head back and gasps. I lower myself down onto her. I can feel the heat between us growing. I can feel my cock pressing into her through my trousers. Her hands are in my hair as we're rocking back and forth, my mouth on hers, her tongue entwining around mine. I can't wait anymore. I unbutton my trousers, pulling myself up and out. I'm as naked as she is now. There isn't an atom of space between us, my stomach on hers, my mouth on her mouth, her hands in my hair, my arms around her waist, pulling her to me. I push into her, as gently as I can, and she groans, kissing me harder. I moan, and I can't seem to stop, every thrust I feel like I'm breaking myself apart. She's moving her hips, her legs curling round mine, pulling me in.
My heart is beating so fast I think I might pass out. Her breath is coming in ragged gasps, and she's nearly screaming, but I can barely hear her over the sounds of my own moans, over the sound of the blood in my ears. Suddenly she tightens and I feel a shiver run through her as she orgasms, pulling my hair in her hands. It's more than I can bear and I come with her, collapsing together, my arms still pinned underneath her.
As we catch our breath I let my lips brush over her shoulder. Gently now, I lift an arm out from underneath her and cup her face as I kiss her neck. Her hair has fallen in her eyes and I brush it away.
"Daphne…I-"
"Niles," she kisses me deeply, "I adore you."
I have everything. Everything I've ever wanted. Bless you Sherry.
