Page 41 of Teddy Bear

I feign heart-wrenching gratitude and affection as we part, with a contrite expression from the gallant gentleman who sees in me a brave and miraculous, innocent victim, and in Danny my holy savior.

Oh man.

Danny's hand is quite low on my back as he leads me to the other corner of the room.

-What are you trying to do, Lizzie?

I remove the clip from my tied, long, now completely natural hair and let it fall freely over my shoulders.

-Nothing.

I answer short and bitingly, looking defiantly into his eyes.

-If you don't calm down a bit and mind your behavior, tonight we'll have to do the session earlier than usual, but it's not like you'd mind that -

He comes to my ear, so close that I can smell his minty breath and the smell of aftershave with notes of cinnamon, sandalwood, and tobacco, mixing with the fresh and chaste scent of my newfound virginal purity:

-Right, you dirty little slut?

It blurs in front of my eyes as my pupils instantly dilate at his hushed words spoken in the mass of too loud murmuring.

I pull away from Danny without a word, letting his angry and eager gaze sear my entire body as I walk away from him.

I approach the record player playing one of the light, old jazz records - Danny is an avid collector of these things, and I play one of the songs with a faster and more energetic rhythm. The noise of the people becomes a little more rarefied, but more energetic, and the whole room is a little bit warmer.

I watch their plastic faces smugly smile and babble. So snug, so calm, so perfectly carefree in their plastic, shapeless, cardboard worlds.

I'll show you, motherfuckers.

I approach the middle of the room as I can feel Olivia's surprised look on my cheeks as she stares at me - she is almost shocked by my shamelessly loose hair that she has so carefully tied in a bun; what a shock this will cause.

It's time to have some fun.

I approach the middle of the room and take off my shoes; now I'm completely barefoot, which gives me complete freedom and ease of movement.

I go down really low, like down an imaginary dancing pole, crouching, all the way to the floor, elegantly sticking out my butt.

Along with the rhythm, I sway and then stand up barefoot; alternately on the tips of my toes, I continue to dance, sensual and fierce, while my curls, released and free, just like the whole of me, flutter together with sharp and bold movements.

I sway my hips and twist my waist - it feels good. I haven't felt this alive in so long; I'm aware that all eyes are on me now.

I close my eyes, and instead of a tight black dress, I'm wearing only a flowing, black skirt made of crystal beads, while my breasts are bare, round and firm and bounce cheerfully and naturally with my movement.

I am wild and primal; my eyes shine in the dark, around me there is crackling fire, the roar of the waves, and thousands of fireflies that illuminate the bright sky.

I dance and give myself to sensual notes - a ritual dance, a rite that will bind us forever, for now, I am his wild, wanton, animal, dark queen with fertile hips and eager womb - I am the fire of his groin and the princess of his bachelor dreams - and he is my prince, brave and virtuous, the strongest and most beautiful of all men in the world, he is my king to whom I will give my bleeding midnight heart.

My bare feet now move absolutely in sync with the rhythm; all I hear is fast, rhythmic, and lively jazz that is now one with my body, as I walk on the soft sand and the sound of his heart calls me closer.

My eyes are two black coals, and my hair is a crow's feather; I am a black panther and a wild wind; I am a woman of the wild, an angry she-wolf coming for her man.

My beads sway and crackle along with the rapturous movements of my hips, high, up and down in the air; I throw my head back and my hair flutters, in rhythm, hard, stronger, until I'm on my knees on the ground, surrendered, a witch of the night who has cast a dance spell on the man she loves.

He's mine now.

I open my eyes; the song is over. I hear loud applause as Danny runs up to me in a flurry, Olivia's incredulous, reproachful look as funny as it is disgusting.

Danny picks up my hand and takes me into his arms.