No Ones Watching

"Did you know the Waltz was criticized to the point where people were threatened with death if caught?"

"I can believe it, remind me to show you the movie Footloose," Her eyes were alight with joy.

"I would like to view that at a later date...Now shall we..." His eyebrows rose along with his smile.

"Must we..." Abbie grumbled, reluctance more than evident in her tone.

"This was Jenny's wish; she wished us to dance at her wedding." His body was as relaxed as he was carefree. They angled in, keenly paying attention to the little space between them.

I can't believe I'm agreeing to this," At the mention of her sister's nuptials, her lips curved into a fond smile.

He smiled, drawing her closer, his hand coming to rest on her waist while his other arm wrapped around her back. "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be," she inhaled deeply to calm the butterflies that were fluttering around in her stomach.

He tilted his head, his wintry blue eyes sparkling with mischief. "Are you certain?"

"Just teach me how to waltz already!" She gave a deep sigh of contentment and then giggled uncontrollably. She batted his impossibly long eyelashes, blinking with feigned innocence.

"Very well, keep your feet on mine until you feel comfortable," His answer was a bright laugh before he began to show her the steps to the waltz.

"Are you sure," She stepped placing one foot on his and then the other.

With a candid stare, he leaned into her, "You are as light as a feather," He stepped forward with his left foot and moved his right foot sideways to the right. When he brought his left foot to the right Abbie lost her balance and stumbled.

"Damn it!" She shot a doe-eyed look at her feet, wishing they'd connect with her brain. He lifted her chin, lightly caressing her cheek.

"Let's begin again, shall we" His eyes had a dreamy quality to them and Ichabod's patience with her was one of the many reasons that Abbie loved him so much.

Though she spent most of the lesson stumbling or missing crucial steps, he never once grew cross with her. In fact, he seemed utterly delighted at the prospect of teaching her something for once.

"You're enjoying this far too much," she scolded when he carefully twirled her around in a pirouette before pulling her back into his arms.

"Do you blame me? I have you all to myself and entirely at my mercy," he teased, tugging her as close as possible so that their bodies were intimately pressed together. His eyes fixed her with an admiring gleam, "A delightful change of pace."

"Well don't get too used to it," she muttered, the way she was fighting back a smile She really didn't mind at all. She could get used to Ichabod being dominant in this way.

Ichabod smirked His eyes blazed with confidence and then startled his partner by dipping her. The surprised yelp that she uttered was almost immediately cut off by his mouth claiming hers. She sighed quietly, her fingers coming up to thread through his dark tresses as he punctuated his affection with playful nips and teases.

When they finally pulled away from one another, her chest was heaving as she struggled to regain her senses and he looked ready to cut the lesson short so he could make love to her all afternoon instead.

Abbie cast her eyes away smugly, "That was entirely unfair. I've completely lost my train of thought." Heavy lashes surrounded her beautiful brown eyes, framing them softly against her coppery skin.

He ducked his head to brush his lips over her throat. "I assure you that was not my intention." Crane's kisses were by far the most intoxicating she'd ever experienced and this one was no exception; setting her senses whirling and making the most pleasant shiver ease its way up her spine.

The classical song ended and a slow, sensual-sounding song began to play, enhancing the mood as he found her lips again, kissing her fiercely as he maneuvered them to the bedroom. Her fingers went to work, divesting him of his shirt in record time as he worked on getting her out of her blouse, hands wandering over dark smooth skin as it was revealed. Soon, clothing littered the floor and they sank back together on the king-sized bed of their log cabin. Naked limbs entwined instinctively, and just as many kisses and tender touches before they were finally one. They were equals in pretty much every sense of the word, battling for dominance as they moved until nothing else remained except for the pleasure they shared. Hours passed as the couple devoted themselves to one another, and eventually, they ended up on the floor.

"I thought we were supposed to be dancing vertically," Abbie swore that it was his fault.

"You lured me here, temptress," Ichabod insisted that she had been the one to miscalculate and send them tumbling off the edge of the mattress.

Either way, it had ended in joyous laughter. Sated and content, they were still wrapped up in each other's arms Abbie curled as close as possible, her lean mahogany legs tangling with his long pale ones as she tilted her chin up and kissed him sweetly. He smiled and gladly returned the kiss, his fingers sweeping a few of her thick curls away. They embraced ardently for a few moments, then took the time to re-situate themselves to cuddle properly. He took great pride in the fact that she liked to bask in the afterglow this way: encased in his arms, her head resting on his chest as she traced invisible patterns over his bare skin.

She tilted her chin in order to gaze up at him, noting privately that he looked especially handsome with his dark hair mussed and falling into his eyes.

He was quick to notice her staring, and a smug expression crossed his face. "Are you admiring me again, my darling?" He chuckled with a wolfish twinkle in his eye.

She slapped half-heartedly at his chest. "I am waiting for you to get dressed, we're supposed to be dancing, and look where we ended up. I can't trust you with anything."

He chuckled from low in his throat. "I don't recall you protesting ...as a matter of fact you demanded me to make you..."

"Zip it, Crane," she muttered, settling so that her head was pillowed in the crook of his shoulder.

He knew better than to argue, especially when it was the truth, so he just gathered her as close as possible and touched his lips to her forehead. Abbie smiled and closed her eyes, listening to the soft strains of music mixed with the beat of her lover's heart.

Their lessons could continue later.