Seven Sins of St. Berry
Lust
Jesse slipped easily through the hot bustle of backstage, receiving scattered nods and friendly greetings from both cast and crew. Pausing outside the familiar dressing room door, he smiled to himself as he ran his fingers over the glittering gold stars she had stuck up to adorn the simple sign that held her name. Just in case there was any overlooking her presence or mistaking her role in proceedings. And as one diva to another, Jesse whole heartedly approved of such a statement.
He slipped in quietly, the sound of his entrance masked by the activity that surrounded them as the show wound down. She was across the room with her back to him, reaching down to slip off her shoes before placing them neatly back in their specially allocated rack and swiftly downing half a bottle of mineral water, too caught up in her post curtain routine to notice her silent admirer. Jesse smiled as he leant back against the wall with folded arms, content to merely watch and enjoy his enviable view for a while.
"You really should think about locking the door you know."
She jumped as he finally spoke, her nerves already wired high on adrenaline and all too susceptible to his wicked sense of humour. Spinning around, she rolled her eyes in exasperation as her hand fell away from her chest. Jesse smirked, pleased no end that he could still sneak up on her after all this time.
"I mean, anyone could just wander in."
She cocked an eyebrow, a hint of a conspiratorial smile on those satin lips. "Only idle scoundrels."
"Indeed. You should be more careful."
"So it seems," she agreed, turning away and returning to her ministrations to hide her growing grin. "Some unscrupulous characters around here."
Facing the mirror again, she carefully removed the cropped black wig, letting her own long ebony locks tumble down her back. Jesse's eyes followed the movement hungrily though his smile was poker perfect, leisurely assessing, savouring his time.
Sweeping the softly mussed fall of hair over her shoulder, she turned her attention to the garter clips that pressed flat against her thigh just under the hem of her dress. "Enjoy the show?" she inquired innocently.
"Uncomfortably so."
Rachel's lips quirked up in amusement as she caught his eyes in the mirror. "So much for professional distance."
He chuckled, dropping his arms from his chest as he strolled across the room towards her. "What do you expect when you're on stage doing numbers like that?"
Rachel said nothing, only smiling as she dipped her head and peeled off her stockings, rolling the sheer tights down over her leg deliberately slowly. Jesse let his gaze drift lazily up those ever alluring curves, taking in the full effect of the sexy, shimmering black, almost-nothing dress that was her costume. Suffice to say, he had found a whole new appreciation for twenties fashion.
Coming to stand behind her, he skimmed a whispering hand up her neck and felt her breathe in under the touch. He could feel the heat and sweat on her skin from the performance, conducting the spark of electricity through their flesh with an intoxicating intensity. She was burning up. He wound a tangled curl idly around his finger, grasping tighter until she tilted her head back an inch, bringing her cheek to brush his lips.
He spoke soft against her skin, his voice caressing through her like roughened silk, eyes dark enough to make her shiver in desire when they locked with hers in the mirror once more. "That dress should be a crime," he teased. "Or at least," he amended as he adeptly spun her into his arms, "for my eyes only."
"Jealous?" she replied with a smirk when they were at last brought face to face.
He smiled, debating his answer as they toyed with what roles they would play this time, reading her cues all too well. "You know I am," he breathed low in her ear.
"I do. I just like making you admit it."
"A risky game, my love."
"True," she conceded thoughtfully, entangling their fingers against her hips as they waltzed slowly across the floor. "But it has it rewards."
"Such as?"
"Knowing beyond question that you are completely and irrevocably…" She grinned against his mouth, "my bitch."
Jesse laughed, eyes flashing as he abruptly shoved her against the door, locking them down with the leverage of his body. Rachel gave a soft gasp, the dare in her gaze intensifying along with the taunt on her lips. He leaned in, running his mouth over the curve of her throat, pressing them close together until not even air could slip between them.
"So what does that make you?" he demanded with a teasing tongue. "A wicked temptress or a fellow love whore?"
Rachel smiled through closed eyes, wrapping her fingers deep in the tousled curls at the back of his head. "Yours," she breathed in a hot murmur. "Hopelessly."
Jesse responded by biting the tender flesh between his teeth just hard enough to make her suck in a breath. Rachel giggled and writhed slightly, the mounting friction making fresh perspiration prickle her skin. Before she could lose her senses altogether, a reluctant moan pushed past her lips.
"You know they'll be locking up soon…" she protested between kisses. "Jesse, I have to get changed."
She felt his hand rise higher on her thigh until he hooked a finger under her garter belt and her heart skipped frenetically in her chest, pounding against her ribs with searing adrenaline. "Need any help?"
"Not your kind," she muttered with a reproving smile.
She felt him laugh silently, the pressure of his body unabating as his hands proceeded to travel north on the terrain of her flesh, sliding under the straps of her dress and slowly teasing them off her shoulders. "Are you sure?"
Rachel released a sigh that was half a groan, and yanked him back to her mouth in frustrated and reckless surrender. She could feel him grin smugly against her lips before she took control of the kiss and they both slammed back into the wall. Jesse ran his hands firmly along her arms, guiding them up above her head where he deftly pinned them in place. The liquid lust in his eyes when they met hers melted the butterflies in Rachel's stomach, overwhelming everything else until she could feel nothing but the heat that penetrated everywhere their bodies touched.
"Jesse…lock the door."
He smirked but complied with the order, not taking his eyes off hers as he slid the lock over behind her back.
"Your wish is my command…" he whispered playfully into a kiss that sent a jolt of raw fire pounding through Rachel's very core. Finally wresting her wrists free from his grip, her hands dropped to his trousers, undoing his belt with the ease of practice until his jeans were riding low on his hips. He pushed his hands under her thighs and lifted her up until she wrapped her legs around his waist, her back firm against the wall, his mouth hot and insistent against hers as they plunged deep together. It felt almost like dancing, and she was intensely grateful for the hours of strenuous rehearsals that had toned them both with such stamina and strength. The job definitely had its perks.
On the other side of the door, the last stragglers were filtering through backstage, friends shouting to each other as they prepared to call it a night. One exclamation in particular resounded louder than others, considerably more irate in tone than his cast members.
"Bloody hell!"
Nigel ran a hand through his thinning hair in weary exasperation as he caught sight of an all too familiar leather jacket that had been carelessly discarded on a props table.
"Who the hell let Jesse back here?" he demanded loudly, the distinct edge of his Manchurian accent rising through his voice, as it always did when he lost his temper. Snatching the faded leather up, he rounded accusingly on anyone who happened to be in his eye line. "We'll never get away on time now! I swear they're worse than horny teenagers."
"What do you expect?" remarked Liza as she wandered past, unfazed by their director's tantrum. "Talent is the ultimate turn on for those two. No wonder they're so explosive together."
"Well they can be explosive in their own damn time," Nigel grumbled, promptly turning around and marching off to track down the wayward love birds that were the bane of his existence.
Blissfully unaware of the barrage of ill temper heading their way, the still entangled lovers sank to the floor together, breathing hard and lost in the heady after glow. Rachel nestled closer on his lap and Jesse tucked her head under his chin, twining their hands over her stomach as they soaked in the heat of their heartbeats with tender and tired smiles, the fire in their bellies growling in pleasure but ever insatiable.
"Rachel!"
The shout was accompanied by a loud and irritable bang on the door, causing the couple to raise their heads lazily, easily recognising the pissed off director's voice. Rachel giggled under her breath, an adorable flush coming to her cheeks as she squeezed his hand.
There was a sigh and another warning thump on the safely locked door.
"St. James, get your hands off my leading girl and get your butts home now, both of you!"
"She was my girl first," Jesse muttered with a smirk.
Rachel pressed a silencing finger to his lips. He raised an eyebrow at her, moving his mouth to kiss her fingertips in response.
"Pretty sure he already knows we're in here, babe."
"Don't give him any more excuse to call security," she whispered, her chest beating fast with passion and amusement.
Her lips replaced her fingers a moment later and Jesse smiled as he kissed her again, more than content to keep the quiet for a few minutes more.
[o]
AN And that's all folks! Think this is the first multi-chap I've ever actually finished, and I'm still not sure it counts as it was more a collections of one-shots. Even so, hoping it will give me the push to get my other WIPs complete too! Anyway, thanks to you for reading! Hope you enjoyed :)