Chapter 3
The restaurant was a bit mediocre and the food was only slightly above average for the region, but the real reason Hannibal Lecter has brought Clarice here, is for the live music and the small dance floor. He saw it as a socially acceptable excuse to have her in his arms for an extended period of time. The fact that Clarice kept glancing at the dancing couples a bit wistfully did not escape his notice. When she had finished her dish of ribollita, he put his napkin down on the table next to him and got to his feet
"Would you do me the honour of joining me for a dance my dear?"
He saw the expected panic in her eyes briefly before she schooled her features. He longs for a time when she will no longer feel the need to hide these things from him.
"Actually, Doctor I don't dance. Not like what they're doing" She gestures with her chin "I don't want to embarrass you"
"You won't embarrass me, even if you step on my toes every step" he answers in his most persuasive tone "I can teach you. I won't lead you astray"
Clarice takes a big swallow from her glass of wine before she allows herself to be drawn to her feet.
"Well, you've already done that. Led me astray" she says as they reach the floor and the doctor places her one hand on his shoulder and takes her opposite in his hand and guides her closer to his body.
"And do you regret it?" He asks softy in her ear.
She gives a small shiver that she cannot quite supress before answering, also in a whisper "No"
He smiles and hums in contentment but she is ramrod stiff in his arms and doesn't seem to quite understand how to move her feet.
"Only one of us can lead my dear. Close your eyes and just listen to the music" he says as he draws her body even closer to his. "Relax, dearest".
He starts to sway in place with the music with her in his arms and hums the melody softy against her fore-head. It thrills him no end when she complies, and closes her eyes. It seemed to do the trick because he can feel her relaxing by increments and then start to sway with him to the tempo he has set. When he moves her back in a small step, she easily follows his lead and he continues the slow steps and she follows beautifully. He is beyond pleased to find that she has quite a good natural rhythm and has no problem following his lead.
The band is good at segue and the music flows seamlessly without the need to pause awkwardly in each other's arms. Not that he would have felt awkward holding Clarice, but he feels quite sure she would have stepped back and broken this wonderful spell they seem to find themselves in.
He has stopped humming and has pressed her even more closely to him, and they are dancing flush to one another. He cradles her hand on his chest and presses her close with his hand in the small of her back. When she runs her nose up his neck and over his jaw, he does nothing to inhibit or suppress the delightful shudder running through him. Normally, in the past, he would take great pains in schooling his body's responses to a partner as a way of maintaining control. Here he finds he wants Clarice to feel the effect she is having on him.
The pheromone androstadienone is a component of male sweat that some women find attractive. He hopes Clarice finds his smell pleasing and arousing. He considers that women also produce pheromones in their vaginal secretions, and he finds himself hoping that he will be able to taste hers one day. Hopefully soon. If she allows of course.
This train of thought is having a greater than expected effect on his anatomy and he stiffness his self-control by thinking of rotting fish. Once he feels himself more under control, he directs his mind to only focus on the feel of her in his arms, moving so obligingly to his steps, than to any possible future encounters.
When the band does finally stop, Clarice lifts her head from his shoulder and is surprised to find herself on the far side of the dance floor. She glances up at Hannibal and blushes beautifully before stepping back. How lovely he thinks, and smiles and winks at her before kissing her hand. The blush deepens and he tucks her arms under his to lead her back to the table.
"Seems you dance very well my dear" he says as he pulls out her chair for her
"You only needed the right partner "
She flushes again prettily before taking another large gulp from her wine.
"Thank you, Hannibal, I've never danced like that before. Usually, the guy would be crying uncle before the first verse is over" she says in a self-deprecating way.
He can feel a red-hot ember of rage directed to the hapless fob that has dented her self-confidence. Maybe he could find out who that was and pay a special visit? But he realizes the digression quickly and brings his attention back to the beautiful woman sitting opposite him.
He extends his hand to her and is thrilled when she takes it in hers. He closes his other hand over hers and looks at her seriously.
"I would happily partner you every day, if you'll let me"
His speech stunned her but she was saved from having to make a reply when the waiter approached with the desert they have ordered. He only let's go of her hand when the dishes are put on the table.
Hannibal was quite pleased that they had waited for them to be back at the table before bringing it out. The food was adequate but he nevertheless decides to leave a generous tip. He had accomplished what he had set out to do that evening.
It was obvious that Clarice was attempting to steer the conversation to a more neutral territory when she asked him what exactly the difference was between sorbet and ice cream. He allowed the change happily and regaled her not only with the difference, but a quick how-to to make each. She was smiling at his story, even though it wasn't really humorous as he helped her with her coat.
She was beginning to become more used to him opening and closing her doors for her and he thrilled at the small task. The ride back home was passed in companiable silence but when he parked at the carport, he stopped her from getting out by placing a gentle but restraining hand at her elbow.
"You let me open your door for you when you get into the car. Will you not let me open it to assist you out?"
It had been a point of minor contention in himself why she always existed the car at the same time as he did.
"No one's ever offered before. And where I'm from you'll sit in the car like an idiot while the guy is halfway down the street if you expect that"
Once again, Hannibal clamped down on the ember of rage in his chest
"Will you allow me the honour of opening your door for you?" He asks seriously and she swallow before replying
"Yes"
He smiles at her and walks over to the other side and offers her his hand to climb out.
"This doesn't mean that I couldn't have done so myself" She says as he helps her out "I really am perfectly capable you know"
"Oh but I do know" he says as he walks her to the door hand still clasped in his "and the fact that you would cede that concession to me, means a lot"
He unlocks the door and opens it for her smoothly.
He stands back and smiles as she proceeds him into the house. He can feel her nervousness and hoping to sooth, he offers "who you care for a night cap or would you rather retire my dear?"
He knows he would love to retire with her but he is content to wait till she seeks him out.
"Um, actually if you don't, I think I'd go take a bath now" she says
"Of course. May I just say that I had a wonderful time"
She smiles and leans in to leave a chaste kiss on his cheek.
"Me too. Thanks again for the dance"
"My pleasure. Sleep well my dear" he replies and she smiles at him before mounting the stairs.
Hannibal wanders through to the piano, and after getting himself a glass of Chianti, settles at the piano. He's not quite ready to retire yet and knows he won't be able to fall asleep if he were to do so now. He starts picking out Chopin's nocturne and works some of his yearning and frustration out through the music. Really, their relationship was progressing wonderfully and it wouldn't do to rush her now.
It is much later, after he's played for a few hours and showed, when he's lying in bed reading Herodutus's Histories that he hears a cry. He put the book down and donning his robe, softly opens his door to listen. Her room is right next to his, and when he hears her crying out again, he softly opens her door. Clarice is laying on her back, tangled in her blankets from her tossing and turning and it's the small whimper she makes that has him crossing to her side.
"Hannibal" she pleads so softly he wouldn't have heard it were he not standing so close. To hear her reaching for his name in her distress makes him feel warm and protective. He speaks softly to her while running a soothing hand over her wet cheek
"Clarice, wake up dearest"
He doesn't know whether it's his touch or his voice that wakes her but she comes to with a start and clutches his forearm. She takes a few deep breaths and he can see that her mind is trying to come to grips with the state of things. When she takes another shaky breath, more of a soft gasp, he lifts her in his arms, dishevelled blankets and all. She starts but doesn't protest as he carries her to the large couch before the window. He sits down and arranges them so that he can lie back against the pillows and armrest with her head on his chest. She pulls some of the blankets out from under her and then settles on his chest. Her breathing isn't as ragged as it was, but her heart is still beating very fast.
"The lambs?" He asks as he drops a kiss to the top of her head
"The basement"
She answered and even though she's never told him of this particular nightmare, he has no trouble understanding to what she is referring. He hums an answer to her hair and the starts running his hand up and down her back in a slow soothing pattern.
He's not quite sure what prompts him to do so, but he starts humming an old Lithuanian lullaby. He's quite sure he won't be falling asleep, but he is more than happy laying here with her in his arms. It occurs to him that he hasn't slept holding another in his arms for a very long time. He never liked the intimacy it implied when he was with his previous partners and was very good and avoiding a situation such as this without causing offense. He inhales her scent and picks up the notes of some of the skin products he had left for her.
Clarice was sure she wouldn't be able to go to sleep again once Hannibal woke her form the night-terror. She knows from bitter experience that it would be all but impossible. She cannot find it in her to protest however, not when it felt so good and safe, laying here in his arms. She determines that she will allow it a bit longer, also to not cause offense for his thoughtful and surprising gesture, and then return to the bed. She is thus astonished to wake several hours later finding a weak dawn lighting the room. He is solid beneath her and his arm is curled a bit possessively around her hip. She cannot find it in her to mind much, as she quite enjoys the feeling of his hand warming her hip. He is snoring ever so softly and Clarice finds it endearing beyond belief. She is warm and comfortable where she is, and more than content to watch the room get lighter by small increments as the man under her slept peacefully. She reflects that very few people would have seen him in such comfortable repose and she feels privileged.
It's only once the room is quite light, that she detects a small change in his breathing and she feels a conscious tightening of the arm holding her. She lifts her head and finds him fully alert peering down at her.
"Good morning" she says. She feels that the moment should be awkward, but finds that it is not.
"Good morning" he says pushing some stray hair out of her face "did you sleep well?"
Clarice smiles before she answers
"Actually, yeah, I did. I've never been able to sleep again after one of those"
She can see the small laugh-lines at the corners of his eyes when he smiles back.
She turns serious and adds "thank you"
He leans in to kiss her forehead and nuzzle her. She enjoys the sensation for a bit before putting her head back down on his chest. He has resumed running his hand over her back, but is drawing lazy patterns similar to what he did last night.
She finds it quite arousing and stretching against him she asks
"What are we doing today then?"
"Anything you wish" he replied to the top of her head where he is still nuzzling her.
She playfully jabs him in the tummy
"Funny guy"
He rumbles a soft laugh that she can feel reverberating through her.
Hannibal was quite unprepared for the immediate response his body had to her poking him in his lower abdomen. He was already somewhat encumbered waking with her soft and warm in his arms. He is still able to hide the level of his arousal from her and he plans to keep doing just that. He knows his restraint is wearing thin so he grabs her hand and kisses the back of her hand.
"Well, how about we go for a walk along the beach, then we make some breakfast together hmmm?"
"Sounds like a plan"
She says and he shimmers from out from under her before offering her a hand up. To her utter astonishment, he then proceeds to stretch for all the world like a big cat. Before dropping a quick kiss to her cheek while tying his robe. Watching his back as he leaves her room, she reflects that he probably thought he was quite successful hiding his morning election from her, and she is happy to let him keep the illusion. It did not escape her notice that his eyes never dropped below her shoulder line, even though the night dress she wore, that he has bought for her, is far from modest.