The Shepherd's Crook Pt. 02

"Haven't the studios spoken with you about it?" Lawrence asked.

Ben shook his head. "No one's approached me about a movie and, if they did, the answer would be not interested."

The Aussie's eyebrows went up; then he leaned closer with a sparkle in his eyes. "What if it was a musical?"

Ben snorted in amusement then the smile slipped away as he realized the actor was serious. Finally, he shook his head and walked away. "Have a good evening, Mr. Manning."

He made his way back inside and went through the gauntlet once more. He fielded a few offers for visits to private tropical islands, guest appearances on TV shows, bit parts in movies, and even one bid for a wild night of passionate sex. He turned down that fellow as quickly and gently as he could.

He'd gotten to dance with Trish and Catherine a few times as well, but mostly they were caught up in conversations with Mr. DeMonte and Killah D's crew or one of the other men in attendance. Maybe they were celebrities. The ladies were certainly smiling a lot.

From La'Shia, he'd only received the briefest of attention. A kiss and a hug shortly after he'd arrived then she was off. Even Brooklyn was keeping her distance. Tilisha became scarce as well. They seemed to be watching for someone, but he couldn't tell who it was.

As the night progressed, Ben began to wonder if he was going to teach them any dance moves. When he was out on the dance floor with one or more of his party, he was letting the beat move him without using the skills he'd learned.

Coming back to the present, he walked to the bar for another bottle of water. He saw Phil DeMonte preparing to leave so he walked over to shake his hand again.

"We're good?" the man asked Ben, with just a hint of anxiety.

"What?" Ben replied in confusion then recalled his concerns from earlier in the evening. He smiled and pulled Phil into a hug and patted his back. When he stepped back, he grinned at the surprised look on the actor's face which quickly became a smile.

"I knew we should have hugged it out earlier. You feel better now, don't you!" Ben said.

Phil looked up at him and had to nod. "Actually, I do." His eyes caught the motion of some of the guests taking videos of them. "Shit." He gave Ben a crooked smile. "I have a couple of meetings with potential backers in New York, but if that doesn't pan out, I'll give you a call?"

"Sounds good! I wish you luck with your contacts in New York. Maybe this stupid attention in the news will do some good this time and make them take your project seriously," Ben replied.

Phil laughed and waved as he headed out. Ben turned back towards the bar.

"Fuck. You don't like the attention?"

Ben stopped to look at the woman who asked the blunt question. She was pretty with light brown skin showing a number of odd tattoos. A fair amount of expensive jewelry was on display as well. Her eyes were glassy, so he guessed she'd had a few drinks.

"No, I don't."

"What the fuck are you doing here then? What the fuck am I doing here?" she grumbled, and he realized she was talking to herself. With a final look of distaste, she turned and stumbled away. A man glided up to her side, and the two walked from the room.

Not long after she was gone, La'Shia was at Ben's elbow at the bar. Brooklyn rushed up to her side.

"They just drove away. They're finally gone," the choreographer sighed in relief.

La'Shia looked at Ben. "I'm so sorry I was acting so cold all night. We couldn't let Arialla see how important you were to us! She couldn't be allowed to see your dance moves. She'd steal them for herself."

"Oh! Why did you invite her to the party then?" Ben asked in surprise.

"I didn't. She crashed it," La'Shia growled as she thought of her nemesis.

"Killah and his crew are ensuring the rest of Arialla's people have left," Brooklyn said. Just then, the big man walked through the entrance way and nodded to his woman.

Ben shook his head in disbelief. This was drama beyond his comprehension. "Are you ready to do it now?" Both ladies grinned excitedly and nodded. "Where are we going to dance?"

La'Shia pointed to the space he'd been dancing on all night. He noticed the crowd had diminished significantly. Perhaps Arialla began the exodus? That and Killah's purge. He spotted the faces of a few celebrities Phil had introduced him to earlier and some remaining music types, so he was going to have an audience. He shrugged that thought away.

The excited singer took his hand and led him onto the floor as she raised her hand. The music faded to silence as a spotlight focused on them.

"If I could have your attention, please! Could everyone move to the outer edges of the dance floor? We have a special treat for everyone," she said with an excited smile.

Killah's crew was moving to the four corners of the big room with high-resolution video cameras on tripods. They weren't taking any chances of missing any of the action this time.

"Can I see the playlist? There are some songs I... won't dance to," Ben asked. She looked at him in surprise then walked him over to the DJ's booth. La'Shia asked to see the playlist, and the man turned his laptop's screen towards Ben who read through the list. As his eyes went down the screen, his mind picked up the titles with little jumps of his heart. He stopped on one as the pressure was too much. He turned his eyes to the DJ. "Please don't play this one," he said pointing to the song. The man looked to La'Shia, and she nodded, so he removed it from the playlist.

"Are you ok?" La'Shia asked Ben as he closed his eyes for a moment. He opened them to look at her and nodded with a slight smile. He gestured for her to return to the center of the floor.

"For the first dance, your partner will be Tilisha, if you don't mind. She danced with you to this song," La'Shia said as she nodded to the lovely woman waiting for Ben.

He nodded and walked out to meet her. When he stood before her, he could see she was trembling slightly.

"Deep breaths," he teased gently.

Her responding smile was huge and lit up her face. The first notes of Lena Horn's Stormy Weather began and Ben took Tilisha's hand in his as his other rested on her hip. A shiver ran down her spine to feel his big hand on her.

Then they were moving, and she had no time to think of anything. She was watching his face, and his eyes had a dreamy quality to them. Once more she naturally flowed with his motions and felt herself becoming light as air in his arms. The dip took her by surprise again, but her heart soared. His hand on her lower back shot tingles throughout her body. She gasped, then she was back on her feet once more, momentarily braced against his large frame. Sparks flew between her intimate places as another gasp was pulled from her, then the dance continued.

They moved slowly, sensuously, swirling and gliding across the floor effortlessly. Then, as the song reached its end, he surprised her by lifting her against his chest, his mouth almost brushing hers as her eyes widened and locked on his, seeing the heat there. Her lips tingled with her need to feel his kiss. Before she could, he spun gracefully to set her back on her feet, stepping back as he bowed over her outstretched hand, his lips poised to caress its back but never quite touching.

The guests burst into enthusiastic clapping and cheering as the spell was broken.

Tilisha gaped at Ben as he seemed to come back to himself. "You- you didn't dance like that at the resort. I mean, you did, but there was much more heat to it this time." She touched her lips unconsciously. They were still tingling even though he hadn't actually kissed her.

He held her eyes with his as he thought about that. He realized it made a certain sense to him. Now, he was more aware of bringing those skills to the front of his mind. Before, he'd just been reliving the moment from the perceptions of a twelve-year-old Ben.

"I'm... different now." It was all he could say.

La'Shia joined them out on the floor, and she was grinning excitedly. "That was beautiful!" She glanced at Tilisha and saw something in her eyes. "What? What's wrong? That looked perfect!"

The dancer glanced at her boss and smiled faintly. After a deep breath to calm herself, she fixed her eyes on La'Shia's. "Yes, it was. Better buckle up, baby. This ride ain't for kiddies anymore."

She prowled off the dance floor, enjoying the deep tingle running through her body.

La'Shia blinked at her dancer then put the odd words out of her mind as it was her turn. She smiled at Ben. Julie London's 'Cry Me a River' began and Ben glided forward to take her hand in his. Then she was pressed against his body, and they were moving. She was once more thrilled to experience their perfect synchronicity. Quicker than last time, she was able to match her motions to his until it felt like Ben was controlling both of their bodies.

They swept across the dance floor dipping and swaying to the sultry voice, and La'Shia began to feel a little faint. Her breath was coming in gasps, yet her steps never faltered. Ben guided her effortlessly and smoothly as they moved together. She bit her lip as she realized she was getting turned on. She never wanted the song to end, but she was becoming desperate for a release. Ben wasn't blatantly grinding himself against her as they danced. It was subtle touches of his hip or thigh to hers, his hands touching her. He dipped her, and for that glorious moment, his pelvis was pressed tightly against hers and bliss flared in her body. Then she was pulled close, her breasts squeezed against his muscular chest, and she felt her nipples stiffen with the tingles coursing through her. He spun her then slowly dipped her again, almost to the floor. The pressure against her pelvis caused her to moan and bite her lip as her eyes fluttered closed. He lifted her, and she felt the hint of his lips close to hers then her eyes opened to see him stepping back from her slowly. She blinked in confusion as the thunderous applause rolled through the room. Her hands were clasped together before her as her arms squeezed her tits. This also hid the visible points of her nipples pressing against the fabric of her slinky dress. Fuck, she was so turned on! SO close too! But the song was over.

Brooklyn joined her on the floor, giggling with glee. "Holy fuck, that was sexy! Kind of old school but hot!"

La'Shia nodded, but she couldn't speak, and Brooklyn finally caught on as she saw the heat on her friend's face. She looked over to Ben. "Did you-"

"NO! Uh, no, he was a perfect gentleman... but there was something in his dancing this time." Her eyes found Tilisha's looking back at her from the side of the room, and they nodded to each other. La'Shia understood now.

"Are we done? Did you get what you needed?" Ben said, his voice a deep rumble as he calmed himself.

La'Shia squeaked as she turned to look at him. Brooklyn gave her friend a closer look then turned to Ben.

"Where did you learn to dance like that? The economy of motion. No wasted movements, yet such elegance, grace, and so much passion... I've never seen anything like it!" Brooklyn exclaimed to Ben.

He looked to the two women, and his smile cracked a little as his heart remembered the loss too sharply. He pushed the pain down and looked into Brooklyn's eyes. He imagined how it might have been if a young dancer from France had been able to live her dream of stardom as La'Shia had. The injustice of Marguerite's anonymity and the brutal extinguishing of her bright promise cut through him. He felt the need to do something to repay the debt he owed the woman.

"Her name was Marguerite Durand. When I met her as a young boy of twelve, her name was Margaret Cosburn. She was my foster mother and the most beautiful woman I'd ever met in my life. It wasn't her looks that captured your eye. It was how she moved. Every step she took, every gesture she made, was an exquisite celebration of motion." He sighed.

"She'd been a young dancer in France, just beginning to spread her wings when the war came. She was forced to flee her country. To get on a ship bound for the states, she married a man she didn't know. Her new husband was a jealous brute who forbid her the one thing that gave her joy. So, she learned to dance with every movement. I'd never seen anything so graceful, yet so sad. One day, when she thought she was alone, I saw her dancing. It took my breath away. She decided to teach me in secret. I was beginning to grow into my current size and was awkward... but not with her. She reached something inside me that was able to match her movements. We danced every day. It was exhausting, yet so exhilarating. She pushed me to learn everything she knew... until one day, I did."

Ben's throat closed up with the pain of his memories. Tears ran down his cheeks, unfelt.

"What happened?" La'Shia asked, and fresh pain ripped through Ben's heart.

"He killed her."

The women gasped.

"Drunk. Jealous. Vicious bastard. He beat her to death with his fists. Just because she wanted to dance," he growled.

Catherine was suddenly at his side and pulled him into a tight hug. "Enough!" she said, head turned to face the two women. Her voice sounded too loud in the now silent room.

Ben hadn't realized he'd had everyone's attention when he'd told them of Mrs. Cosburn.

Catherine led Ben off the floor into the arms of the other women waiting for them.

"I have to get past this," Ben said quietly to Catherine as his muscles trembled with unspent adrenaline. His reactions felt exaggerated and overpowering, like those of a twelve-year-old.

"You don't need to do it here and now. Take your time," Cat replied gently. "Maybe you should speak with Dr. Granger again when you get home," she said, and Tina held his other hand.

He nodded. "I think I'd like to head back to the hotel if it's ok with you. You're welcome to remain at the party-"

His friends loudly set him straight on that. They went where he went.

His emotions were off the rails, so he pulled them in for kisses which they returned with love.

In his emotion-driven confusion, he found himself planting a solid kiss on the surprised lips of the Sergeant who'd approached to find out what was happening. She didn't resist, but her face went bright red when he released her from the hug.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry!" Ben blurted after he realized what he'd done.

Evelyn couldn't speak, so she just shook her head as she touched her lips which tingled madly. Her eyes were locked on Ben's lips as he'd taken her first kiss! Her body felt so hot, yet she was shivering!

"Are you ok?" Ben asked gently, and she nodded rapidly. "We're, uh, going back to the hotel now."

Tina was on her cell ordering the stretched limo as he spoke.

Lawrence Manning approached Ben once more, this time with a determined expression. "Sorry to interrupt but after what I just witnessed, I'm convinced we should insist the studio makes your movie a musical. I would love for you to teach me how to move as Madam Durand taught you! That was truly inspiring!"

Ben scowled. "It's not my movie! I don't want to be involved in any way! I'm also not a dance instructor."

"Told you," Ron Leopold said as he walked up to their group. Another of Hollywood's hottest and sexiest leading men and a friend of Lawrence, he turned to face Ben. "I'd still like to offer you a role in my next movie. You could play someone whose super power is..." He looked deeply into the Sergeant's eyes, his voice deep and sexy. "...he loves too much!"

Her face threatening to burst into flames, Evelyn stiffly marched away towards the front door.

Ben looked at the actors in frustration then moved to follow the Sergeant. The ladies went too, glancing back at Lawrence's unhappy frown and waving to Ron who grinned and waved back.

La'Shia and Brooklyn rushed to meet them at the front door. "I'm sorry, Ben! I had no idea!"

He turned to the singer and her choreographer and sighed. "I know. It's ok. The memories of... that night, of all of it, were buried deep in my mind for so long. Decades. When they finally came out, it felt like it just happened. The pain hasn't had time to dull. Again, not your fault. Thank you for inviting us to the party. We had a lovely time."

La'Shia kissed him on the cheek as did Brooklyn. Their eyes still looked sad.

Ben shook Killah's hand when the rapper came to see him off.

"It was good to see you again, Ben. Don't be a stranger," the big man said to him.

"It was great seeing you too. Same goes for you. If you ever want to escape from under the microscope and get a little peace and quiet, you're welcome to visit us," Ben responded.

The rapper laughed and patted him on the back as they stepped outside. The limo was waiting, so they piled in and, with a final wave, headed back to the hotel.

When they got back, they went up to the rooms and ensured the proper distribution of their purchases. Ben gave everyone kisses good night, except the Sergeant who beat a hasty retreat to her room. He shared a look with Trish as she followed Evelyn.

Lisa and Lori took his hands when they closed the door to their room.

"If you'd rather have Catherine with you tonight, we'd understand," Lori said.

Ben froze and looked into their eyes. Both were hiding their nervous expressions. This wasn't good! His earlier sadness and melancholy was wiped away by a wave of distress. "Where did this come from?"

Lisa squirmed. "Catherine was the first one to recognize you were having an emotional reaction to the dancing. She came to your aid first."

Ben stepped closer to them and wrapped his arms around them pulling them tight to his chest. They rubbed their faces against him. He knew what he had to do to restore their confidence.

"I love Catherine. I love you. I recently told this to Tina and Lucy, and I'm telling you as well. You're mine, but I'm yours too. Let's get ready for bed."

He released them after giving them each a kiss, and they went to their bags to collect their sleepwear. Ben undressed and folded his clothes as he went. He left his black silk boxers on as they would suffice for sleeping. The twins had disappeared into the bathroom to dress and brush their teeth but returned shortly in sexy white satin baby doll nighties. They purred when they saw Ben's choice of sleepwear.

Ben approached them and ran his hands over the smooth fabric as he smiled approvingly. He stepped into the bathroom to brush his teeth; then he joined them in the bedroom. The ladies were sitting on the bed, and he noticed they'd added collars to their outfits. They were white leather straps with silver metal loops on their front. He wondered if his claiming them as he had anything to do with this. They were smiling at him as they'd noticed his attention on their necks. He prowled closer, and he saw them tremble with excitement. He stood before them and admired their beauty for a moment.

Then he reached out to grip the loop on Lisa's collar. She made an involuntary happy squeak and looked up at him in amused embarrassment. Ben pulled, and she moved to follow, but he tugged down, so she had to move to her knees before him. He released her collar and stood tall before her.

"Pull them down."

Lisa's eyes flicked up to his then back down to his underwear. She slipped her fingers under the waistband and tugged them down to his ankles. His adolescent-minded cock was already waking for a little fun.

Lisa's eyes locked on the movements of his heavy cock.

"Take me in your mouth."

She immediately moved forward to begin licking the length of him. Ben rumbled his approval, and she slid the head of his cock between her lips and into her mouth.