A few weeks after my conversation with Sheila, I discovered a hotel near Chester that held residential weekend ballroom classes. Some times they were even hosted by a couple of the professionals on 'Strictly come Dancing'. I mentioned this to Ally, wondering if she would like to go.
"With you?" I nodded.
"Yes, with me."
"Separate rooms?"
"Yes. In keeping with our agreement, separate rooms." Ally was thinking about that.
"You're right, it has to be separate rooms, although I would wish otherwise. I made the rules so I have to keep to them. I would love to go, Jack."
"Then we shall go. I will make a booking."
The first weekend I could get a booking was three weeks away, and although the classes were being held by another professional couple, who did not appear in 'Strictly' it was no matter. We drove up on the Friday evening and checked in, arranging to meet for Dinner at eight o' clock. Even as we sat down to our meal, the orchestra was playing in the ballroom, and Ally was impatient to get to the dance. That evening there was no tuition, so we were able to dance and enjoy ourselves. We changed partners for a couple of dances, with another couple, Matthew and Lizzie. Ally was concerned at first and I explained that changing partners from time to time was important for developing our skills.
Saturday was all about tuition, with the professional dancers there from midday. They would demonstrate steps, and then allow the pupils to practice, incorporating the new steps in their routine. The professional dancers would wander around watching critically, and stepping in to demonstrate, also splitting a couple up and dancing with them separately for a few minutes. That was a hard afternoon from midday until five o' clock, the only respite was tea at three-thirty. In the evening it was a grand Ball, Dinner jackets for the gentlemen and ball gowns for the ladies. Ally didn't wear her gold ball gown from before, and had opted for another in a very pale green, It covered her more completely, but the bodice was so tight it only served to accentuate her allure. I had to ask myself again, why was I resisting her? Our dancing had affected us both as much as the first time we really danced together. There is something about the constant body contact and two bodies moving in unison that stirs the libido. We were on a large floor and the other dancers were just as proficient as us, therefore we could expand the envelope a little and dance the more complicated steps. Twice the flor was cleared for the professionals to dance a showdance. They were superb, but it was not the dance that ordinary couples would ever attempt. Towards the end of the evening, we were dancing a very slow fox trot, ignoring the steps but basically hugging in time with the music.
"Jack. Could we suspend the agreement, just for tonight?" She raised her eyes to mine. "We don't have to make love, just sleep together. I want to go to sleep in the arms of the man I love, and wake up in the morning next to him. Please, Jack." Ally was trying to square the circle. I could not immediately give her an answer. We made our way back to the table and I was still in conflict. My deepest desire was to say yes, take this lovely woman back to her room and make love to her. That was my loins speaking, yet at the same time my logic was telling me that would be wrong. But it couldn't tell me how to explain that to Ally without making her feel rejected. I just opened my mouth and my heart, and hoped she would understand.
"Ally, if you could see inside my heart, you would know how much I am tempted. How much I want you. I am not being cold and heartless when I say that we cannot suspend our agreement. If we do it makes a nonsense of all that has happened over the last six months, why did we punish ourselves, and believe you me it was painful, except to find out if we could commit permanently to each other in time. Denying ourselves was part of the agreement, you said it, that you would go to your chaste bed, and I would go home to my cold bed. If we now say that for one night it suits us to ignore that, then the agreement is a mockery." She looked miserable hearing my words. "My sweet, Ally. You must have realised how my feelings have changed over the months. I know that not being able to see you often will leave a great aching chasm in my life. I enjoy your company more than ever, and my feelings towards you are growing warmer every day. Let's keep travelling this road, please?" The look of misery was replaced with one of hope.
"OK, Jack. I suppose you are right." We were walking towards the lift when she said. "I'm glad it has been painful for you." She grinned at me. "It means I am getting to you, Jack." Was I right? I think so, much as I was coming to the conclusion that Ally would be steadfast, there was still that little Gremlin that reminded me that I could still be deserted some time in the future.
We were travelling back the next day. Ally had been very thoughtful for most of the morning. I did wonder what that was about. She cleared the air when she turned in her seat.
"Thank you, Jack." I may have looked surprised, wondering why she was thanking me. "You were right last night, our agreement has to be seen through to the end, whatever that may be. I was wrong, but you couldn't know, my Darling, how I wanted you. I was lying, when I said I wanted to go to sleep in your arms. I did but I wouldn't have let you sleep until you had made love to me." I was smiling then.
"Ally. There would have been no doubt about that." She had a laugh in her voice.
"Well all you had to do was say yes." There was a moment of silence. "I called you darling, you didn't react to that." I shrugged my shoulders as well as you can when driving.
"I called you my sweet Ally, last night."
"I know. A girl remembers things like that and it thrilled me. Is it alright if I call you darling?"
"No problem."
"Good. I have wanted to call you that for a long time, you don't know how often it almost slipped out."
"Well it bloody well almost slipped in last night. More than once I almost got up and came to your room."
"No, no, Jack. Remember the agreement and my terms." I could hear in her voice the teasing tone. Then it changed. "If you had my Darling you would have discovered me doing something that may have got you really hot. My fingers were very busy." This conversation was getting too much for me.
"Let's talk about the weather. It can be very uncomfortable, driving with an erection." Ally giggled, happily.
"Well you may have to wipe this seat after I get out."
"Oh look!" I said. "The Sun's starting to shine."
Looking back on that weekend it proved that Ally and I were becoming more comfortable with each other, and with our sexual desire for each other. It was also becoming apparent that Ally was determined to stay the course. For me in particular I realised that I eagerly anticipated her joining me for workout's. It wasn't that I saw her in very skimpy clothing, although that was delightful, but our habit of sitting down afterwards and having breakfast. Ally knew her way around my kitchen well, and we worked as a team, our individual activity slotting seamlessly to produce the drink and food. Conversation was always bright, cheerful and interesting. She would tell me of her work; without mentioning clients names of course; and I would discuss the plot lines I was developing in my latest story, and listen carefully to her observations. Some of my stories had been published on the internet on free sites, and Ally brought up the topic of my being paid.
"I don't write to be paid. I enjoy the writing and the reward I get is the pleasure I can hopefully give to other's by reading them."
"But what about your novel?" I had mentioned that to Ally some time ago, and she had read quite a lot of it. "You haven't done anything with that for some time."
"I'll get back to that soon, I promise. I know how the ending will be, it's just how to get there which is a problem at the moment."
"Will you put that on the internet?"
"No, Ally. If I think it good enough, I will find a Literary Agent to see if it can be published properly."
"See that you do. It's good, and I want to find out how it ends. And I will look after the contract for you."
"Solicitors are expensive aren't they."
