Dance For Me Ch. 09

Chapter Nine: Truth Hurts

Sada let out a growl of frustration, slamming the door of the shower stall shut. What the hell is with him? she thought, as she jerked the knob. Cold water sprayed over her, making her yelp. She quickly adjusted the temperature and sighed as hot water ran down over her back. Her head was pounding, her muscles ached, and she was ready to scream.

Something was wrong, of that there could be no doubt. For the last few weeks, since they'd gotten back from Florida, Alastair had been...odd. Cold, indifferent, yes, but even more; there seemed an undercurrent of anger in him. I don't understand, Sada thought, leaning against the side of the stall. He was being so affectionate before, now he's... Was it because of Melissa? He tried to act casual about it, but that most certainly didn't stop the horrible thought that he might still have feelings for her.

Sada washed quickly, then got out of the shower. She dried herself in a rush, then tugged on her clothes. Usually, in this sort of weather, she dried her hair before leaving, but today she had business. Making certain she was tightly bundled in coat, scarf, and mittens, she headed out into the cold and dark. Alastair had already gone home. If he won't talk to me, then I know one of his family members will, she thought. Normally Sada would have felt guilty about going behind his back, but not with the way he'd been acting lately.

It was a short drive to Alastair's parents' home. She knew he wouldn't be there, since it wasn't family night. Sada parked on the side of the street and headed up to the door, rubbing her hands together; the chill bit through her mittens. She rang the doorbell, and had to wait only a moment before the door opened. Alastair's sister, Alanna, answered the door.

"Sada," Alanna greeted cheerfully. "I'm afraid Alastair isn't here right now."

"I know," Sada said. "I um...I'm here to talk...about Alastair, I mean."

Alanna nodded, her expression knowing. "Come in."

Sada followed her into the house and sighed as warm air enveloped her. She took off her mittens and scarf and stuffed them in her pockets, then let Alanna take her coat. At that moment she heard soft footsteps; glancing up, she saw Quinn coming down the stairs. He looks good, she thought, biting her lip. Although he was Alastair's identical twin, there was some definite differences. His hair was shorter, falling just below his shoulders, and usually pull back into a neat ponytail. His demeanor was quiet and unobtrusive to Alastair's loud and outgoing.

At the moment he was wearing a t-shirt and jeans; casual clothes looked good at him. A pair of reading glasses perched on his nose. When he saw her, he smiled, and Sada felt her heart thump. It's because he looks like Alastair, she thought. She felt a sudden pang of sympathy for Alanna. What must it be like, having two-heart achingly good-looking brothers? Torture, most likely, she thought.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Alanna asked, giving her brother a playful tap on the shoulder as he walked past her into the kitchen.

"Um, well...it's about...Melissa," Sada replied, staring at her toes.

Quinn walked back into the living room, holding a can of soda. "Follow me," he said quietly, beckoning for her to follow as he headed up the stairs.

Sada glanced at Alanna, who nodded. Feeling somewhat self-conscious, she followed Quinn up the stairs and into the first room at the top. His room, she realized. It was unbelievably cozy and intimate. The carpet was black and thick, the walls painted a pleasant dark blue. Drawings and paintings of all sorts hung on the walls, alongside a few oriental style wall-hangings. His bed was a queen sized, set in a low frame of dark mahogany and done up in bedding of black and dark blue. The furniture was also dark mahogany, and there was an assortment of cool things on them; all kinds of candles, numerous beautiful bottles of crystal and blown glass, pewter figurines of wizards, dragons and the like, a minature water fountain, and a beautiful oil burner shaped like two entertwined lovers. It was darkly romantic. The girl who gets him is going to be awfully lucky, Sada thought.

"So, you want to know about Melissa?" Quinn asked as he sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Uh, yeah," Sada replied. She glanced around and saw a papasan chair in the corner. Quinn gestured towards it, and she sat down.

"And what is it you want to know?" Quinn inquired softly, steepling his fingers beneath his chin.

Sada took a deep breath, then plowed ahead. "I want to know what happened between them. Since the Quarterfinals he's been so...cold. And angry. I need to know what happened and I doubt he's going to tell me."

Quinn was silent for a long time, regarding her with pale blue eyes that were just like Alastair's. Except they're not really, Sada thought. Quinn is so refined. Alastair is kind of crude. But... There was something missing in Quinn. Alastair had been cold lately; Quinn was cold, period. For some reason there was a kind of warmth missing from him.

"I can tell you," Quinn said finally. "It involves me, after all. I suspect that's why he's upset. He didn't like that you kissed me."

"I only kissed you on the cheek!" Sada protested. "And it was just a friendly kiss! I mean, no offense but..."

Quinn lifted his hand, quieting her. "Don't worry about that now. First, what happened...well, it's not an easy story to hear...and not necessarily an easy one to believe."

"I knew her when I was younger," Sada told him. "There isn't much you could tell me about her that I wouldn't believe."

Quinn took a deep breath. The expression on his face didn't change, but she still got the feeling that this was a tough story for him to tell. He fixed her with an unnerving, pale blue stare.

"It was the year we were nineteen," Quinn said quietly. "Alastair had been dating Melissa for quite awhile...they danced together. You would think they were the happiest couple in the world, the way they acted.

One day I came home to find Melissa waiting outside the door. She knew Alastair wouldn't be home yet, she said she didn't have anything else to do. Silly me, I invited her in. She's pretty...I won't deny that I find her attractive, at least physically. Her personality is very unattractive, and she made some comments, well..."

"Yes?" Sada prompted, leaning forward in her seat.

"She was flirting with me," Quinn explained. "I didn't like that. She was my brother's girlfriend. The phone rang. I left the room...when I came back...well, that's where things start to get blurry."

Sada's eyebrows raised. "Blurry?"

"I'd left my drink on the coffee table," Quinn told her. "She put something in it. The doctor's told me what the scientific name was, but hell if I remember. Some kind of roofie, basically."

"She didn't!" Sada exclaimed, her eyes widening.

"Oh, she did," Quinn assured her. "I don't remember it really, but...Alastair caught us. He was furious. Took me to the hospital...but things haven't been the same between us, since."

Sada sat back, feeling somewhat dazed. She didn't have to ask Quinn for anymore details. Alastair kept insisting he was worthless, something Melissa had told her. She must have decided she wanted Quinn instead, she thought, biting her lip. I can't believe it. Frowning, she stood up. Quinn stood up with her. He was watching her intently, and Sada felt suddenly uncomfortable. She looked around, trying to come up with something to say.

"Uh...your room it's...it's nice," Sada stammered. "I uh...I thought you had your own place, like Alastair..."

"It's being fumigated," Quinn said, taking a step toward her.

It happened so fast that she wasn't sure how it happened. Quinn wasn't really rough, but he swept her off her feet and down onto the bed, pinning her easily beneath him. Sada let out a squeak of surprise which was quickly muffled by the pressure of his mouth. He was gentle and tender, and with her eyes closed, he could have easily have been Alastair.

Alastair! she thought, panicking. She pressed her hands firmly against his chest and pushed firmly until he backed off. Sada scrambled out from underneath him and turned to stare at him. Quinn sat up, his calm expression never changing. He didn't look in the least repentant. Rather, her stood up, moving over to her swiftly, and caught hold of her arms, drawing her close.

"Let go," Sada hissed, glaring at him.

"He doesn't appreciate you, you know," Quinn told her. "You deserve better than him, Sada."

Sada jerked out of his grip. "He's your brother! How can you say that?"

"I know him," Quinn replied. "I know how he is."

"No, no you don't," Sada said, shaking her head. "You haven't got a clue, if you can do this."

Quinn smiled at her sadly, his fingertips brushing against her cheek lightly. "You can't blame a man for trying, lovely Sada."

He turned away from her and she knew that for the dismissal it was. Sada left his room and raced down the stairs, feeling confused. On the one hand, she could not believe that Quinn would do that. On the other, she reminded herself that she wasn't dating Alastair, so technically Quinn hadn't done anything wrong. I have to see Alastair, she thought, grabbing her coat and dashing out the door even as she pulled it on. I have to talk to him about this...well, maybe not about Quinn kissing me.

She drove straight to Alastair's apartment. It was pouring rain by the time she reached it, and Sada was soaked to the bone by the time she reached his apartment door. She knocked quickly, and when she got no response, she knocked again. The door opened this time, to reveal Alastair, dressed only in a pair of jeans, his hair still slightly damp from the shower. He looked surprise to see her. Alastair stepped back, and Sada stepped inside, grateful for the warmth.

"What are you doing here?" Alastair asked, watching her as she stripped off her coat.

"I needed to talk to you," Sada replied, wrinkling her nose and plucking at her wet shirt. "I just came from talking with your brother."

Alastair's eyebrows lifted. "About?"

"Melissa," Sada said. "He told me...what happened..."

Alastair's expression darkened immediately. He took a step forward and Sada winced, stepping quickly back. His pale blue eyes flashed in annoyance. I knew he'd be angry, she thought, but I had to know. Still, she didn't like the way he was looking at her.

"He had no right to tell you anything," Alastair growled.

"He had every right!" Sada retorted. "It happened to him, too! And it's not like you were ever going to tell me!"

Alastair snarled wordlessly and turned away. She stared at him, uncertain what to do. She could tell by the tense set of his shoulders that he was angry. I had to ask Quinn or I would have never known, Sada thought. I mean, what's wrong with that, it's not like I... She frowned. What if Alastair thought that she was doing the same thing Melissa had? But we're not dating! she thought. And it's not as if Alastair has made any indication that he wanted to! Those kisses were all...

Amazing, that's what they were. Her heart beat faster just thinking about it. Moving quietly, she stepped around in front of him. His head was bowed and his hair covered his face. Sada reached up and cradled his face in her hands, catching his attention. The bemused expression in his pale blue eyes told her a lot. No wonder, she thought, taking a step closer to him.

"I can't stand that she hurt you like that," Sada said quietly. "You must have really loved her, for it to effect you so deeply. But Alastair...she's wrong! You're not worthless!"

She could see herself reflected in his eyes. Sada braced herself, prepared for anger, for denial, for sadness...for anything but the fierce, passionate kiss he dragged her close for. Startled, she could do nothing for a long moment but stand there. But this was Alastair, not Quinn, and she was kissing him back before she realized it. Alastair picked her up easily and carried her across the room. He supported her with one hand and, still kissing her, swept an array of papers and a phone book of the small table in his kitchen. Sada was breathless by the time he set her down on the table.

She didn't have time to think. Alastair pulled back from her long enough to tug her wet t-shirt up over her head and toss it aside. Her skin was cold and clammy, but it warmed quickly under his hands. His mouth traced a fiery path along her neck and down over her collarbone. Sada buried her fingers in his hair; she trembled but it was not quite the same as before. She wasn't scared, but anticipation made her heart hammer and her blood race.

Alastair's mouth moved further down, between her breasts. His hands slid around her back and unlatched her bra. Sada shivered, feeling her cheeks heat, as it fell away, baring her breasts. Keeping his hold on her firm, he moved his mouth along her skin, his lips and teeth teasing sensitive flesh. She closed her arms around him, holding onto him as he lowered her back onto the table, his mouth working restlessly at one painfully stiff nipple.

"Alastair!" Sada breathed.

His hands wandered along her belly, making her shiver. Alastair unfastened her jeans and she gasped in surprise when he pulled them down. Sada tried to sit up, but he pushed her back onto the table, murmuring something soothing against her skin. His fingers hooked beneath the waistband of her panties and tugged them down.

"What are you doing?" Sada asked, starting to feel a bit panicky.

"Relax, baby," Alastair murmured. "Just relax. I promise I won't do anything you won't enjoy."

She couldn't come up with a reply, and anyway, she was too busy staring, her cheeks turned read, as he gently pulled her thighs apart. His hair tickled her belly as he lowered his head and Sada shivered at the first touch of his mouth against her. Alastair's tongue slid up against hot, aroused flesh, and she groaned, biting down on her lip. She buried her fingers in his hair again, holding him close and savoring the sweet pressure of his lips and tongue.

She closed her eyes, her back arching off the table, little gasps spilling from her lips each time his mouth tugged at her clit. Sada could feel, through the fog of pleasure clouding her mind, the tension building in her belly. She moaned, her fingers flexing reflexively in his hair. The sound built into a loud cry as she came, little shudders shaking her body from head to toe.

Sada released her hold on Alastair and brought her hands up to her face, her mind a whirl of thoughts. She lay there, trying to catch her breath, and didn't notice any movement until Alastair came back to the table. He used a towel to gently clean her off, and wipe the rest of the moisture from the cold rain away from her skin. Sada sat up slowly, feeling dazed but incredibly pleased. She was also shivering, this time from the cold. It wasn't cold in Alastair's apartment, but she was weak and shaky from the intensity of what he'd done, and the chill penetrated easily.

"Here," Alastair said quietly.

He handed a her sweatshirt and she pulled it on. It was much too large for her and she had to roll up the sleeves, but it was warm. Cheeks flushing darkly, she found her panties and pulled them on. Alastair chuckled softly. Sada began looking around for her jeans, but stopped when he drew her close suddenly. She sighed, resting her head against his chest. Suddenly all those times she'd freaked out about him touching her seemed far away. This time she hadn't been able to resist.

"Stay here tonight," Alastair murmured, his breath warm against her ear.

"I...I...we...I..." Sada stammered, staring up at him.

Alastair chuckled softly, his fingertips running gently along her cheek. "Not like that, little dancer. I just don't want you to go."

"Oh," Sada said softly. "Okay..."

He caught her hand in his and pulled her into the bedroom. It wasn't that late yet, but both of them were tired from practice, and work and school respectively. Sada allowed Alastair to pull her down onto his bed, and cuddled up close to his side. He pulled a blanket over them both, then closed his arms around her tightly. I can't believe it... she thought, resting her head on his chest. This is like a dream.

*****

Alastair lay awake, staring at the ceiling, his fingers moving idly through Sada's hair. She was asleep, but he could not. It wasn't that her presence bothered him...okay, maybe it did. But not because she was in his bed, but...well, because she was in his bed. Damnit, Alastair thought, groaning softly. I'm not annoyed because she's here, I'm distracted, that's it. And unsettled. She provoked feelings in him that he wasn't quite certain he wanted to examine too closely.

When he'd heard she'd been talking to his brother, his heart had stopped for a moment. Girls liked Quinn...he was mysterious. It didn't usually bother Alastair so much, except this time it drove him crazy. Why should she go to him? he wondered, starting to feel irritated. She could have just come to me! She didn't have to go running to my brother!

But he knew why she had. He would probably never have been able to tell her about what happened. And I've been such a jerk the last few weeks, Alastair thought. I couldn't help it, though. When she'd kissed Quinn, even though it had just been a kiss on the cheek, he'd wanted to strangle his brother. Last time Quinn hadn't even done anything, and he'd stolen Melissa away. Alastair closed his arms possessively around Sada, disturbed by the thought that that would happen again.

She shifted in her sleep, murmuring something incoherent against his chest, and he loosened his grip. It had been a near thing tonight, controlling himself. She sent a fire through his veins, and he'd wanted to take her tonight. Alastair had had to rein himself in fiercely, and he'd been well rewarded by the sweet little noises she'd made. He wanted the opportunity to make her make those noises again.

"Sada," Alastair called softly.

"Mmm?" she muttered, lifting her head slightly.

"I uh...I know we're pretty busy but ah..." Alastair stammered, feeling oddly nervous. "Well, Valentine's Day is in a couple of weeks and um...well...would you like to do something together?"

Sada stared at him for a moment, as if she wasn't sure she'd heard him right. A smile curved her lips slowly, and she lowered her head back onto his chest with a sigh and a murmured, "I'd love to, Alastair". Within moments he had drifted off into a blissfully peaceful sleep.