Mountains of Dawn

"You're not wearing your new dress, Judith. Don't you like it?" Brian asked with a little-boy pout.

"I sent it to the cleaners," she said, a small grin on her face. "I certainly do like it." She wore a pair of black pants and a long-sleeve yellow top.

"Well, I thought we'd take up where we left. The rugs are rolled up, the floor is polished…perfect for dancing, and I need more than just one dance with you." Brian took her hand and led her toward the center of the sitting room.

"You know I shouldn't mix business with pleasure, Brian."

"Thank you for that. Pleasure, eh? But must I suffer because you follow the 'rules' so closely?" He turned on the stereo, then, holding his arms out before him as if he held a partner, he began to whirl around the floor. "If you won't dance with me, then I'll have to dance alone."

Judith hesitated, then, with a laugh, joined him. She slid into his arms as if she belonged there.

"You've probably guessed I think of you as more than a bodyguard," he said, his voice a tickle of a whisper in her ear. "I'd like you to be my girl, whether the rules of the Invicta allow it or not. I'll use any means to achieve my goal." He pulled her closer, then drew back and looked at her. "Any means, that is, except hurting you."

Judith drew a deep breath and stepped away from him. "I think it would be a good idea to call it a night."

"All right. Good night, sleep well." He kissed her on the forehead.

The following day, after supper, the music turned on automatically; Brian rose and so did Judith, ready to leave.

"Judith, are you trying to avoid being alone with me? I just want to dance. Please, you don't need to be worried. We're just exercising. Good for the body, good for the soul. Even Malcolm would approve." He laughed as he drew her closer, then spun her around in a twirl. "Listen to the music, enjoy it. Move with it, and move with me. Relax. Think of me as your teacher, not your client."

The music spun her into the dreamy waves of the waltz, then the dizzy spin of the polka. Judith began to enjoy herself, appreciating the total absence of advances. For each of the next five nights, he simply kissed her forehead at the end of the evening.