Valentines for Cinderella

1.

There was something about her, but Ray wasn't sure what it was. He watched the numbers on the gas pump count up and tried not to be obvious, but he couldn't stop himself from listening.

"I'll be there in a few," she said, "I'm putting two dollars in my gas tank. I hope that'll get me to the next check."

Her bearing was erect but her movements were still fluid. Her skin was pale but her eyes, like her hair, were dark. She seemed a little taller than most women, and she was thin but the muscles in her legs defined long, clear lines. She wore a sweatshirt and shorts—odd attire for early October.

Ray stepped between the pumps and took the nozzle out of her hand. She stepped back in surprise and looked up at him.

"I'll fill your tank for you, if you'll tell me your name." Ray said. He held his credit card up so she could see. Her hair was pulled back into a tight bun. Her neck was long and graceful, her facial features were refined and perfectly symmetric.

She stepped back and, with her arms crossed under her breasts, she studied him up and down. He didn't look threatening. His sandy hair was a little messed by the breeze. He wore a dark suit; his tie was loosened and his collar was open. "Probably not thirty yet," she thought to herself. She glanced around him at the dark blue sedan he had been fueling, then accepted the business card that he offered.

"Ray Ellison—Sanford, Casals and Levine PA," it said. She tried to hand the card back to him, but he said, "Keep it, please."

She had something to gain and probably not much to lose, so she relaxed and said, "I'm Melissa White," then added self-consciously, "Friends call me Mel."

Ray ran his credit card, then inserted the nozzle into her old Dodge and latched it on. "What do you do?" he asked.

"That wasn't part of the deal." Mel said. His face must have fallen visibly, so she gave in, "I'm a principal dancer for Franklin Ballet." She watched his expression for signs of recognition and found none. It wasn't that she expected it, but she always felt good when people recognized her name.

Ray caught his breath. "She's a ballerina," he thought, "I guess that explains the look."

"Do you have dinner plans?" Ray asked. The afternoon was fading to evening, and he needed to eat. He couldn't expect her to accept his invitation, but if he could face Mel across the table then it would make dinner so much better.

Mel laughed. "I've eaten. We have a show tonight; seven o'clock at the Performing Arts Center. Why don't you come?" She had no expectation that he would go to the show.

The gas pump shut itself off and Mel backed away while he put the nozzle back in the pump. To Mel's surprise he said, "I'll do that."

Ray knew almost nothing about ballet and even less about dancers, but he suddenly wanted to learn. He stopped at home to change clothes and ate at the diner across the street from his condo, where he formulated an ill-conceived plan over a plate of pasta. He stopped at a flower shop on his way to the theater and bought a bouquet of red and yellow roses and a card to go with them then wrote, "I'd like to get to know you better. Text me. Ray."

He walked around the theater looking for some way to get the flowers to Mel. The stage door was ajar, but guarded by a gruff-looking hand. He held the bouquet up and asked, "Is there some way to get this to Melissa White?"

The stage hand laughed, "Not a chance."

A lean and sinuous blond woman dressed in a leotard and tights pushed the door open when she heard Mel's name. She looked at Ray then said, "Mel said she met someone on her way here. Are you the guy that bought her a tank of gas?"

"I am." Ray said.

She extended her hand and offered, "I can take those to her."

Ray settled into a balcony seat with the Don Quixote program on his lap. He watched the seats slowly fill with people until his phone buzzed in his pocket. Mel texted, "Are you in the house?"

"In the balcony," Ray replied, unsure of what she meant. "I'd like to talk to you again."

"I have a thing in the lobby after the show," Mel said. "If you wait for me there then we can talk."

According to the program, Mel danced the role of Mercedes. That was meaningless to Ray until she entered the stage on the arm of a matador. The rest of the cast stepped back into the scenery, then her red dress flew around her legs as she danced among the men. Her movements were subtle and erotic at times, spectacular and athletic at others.

Ray tried to find the woman from the gas station in the fiery dancer on stage. He succeeded when she lifted her chin, and her dark eyes flashed in the stage light. She had the same pale skin but her dark hair was decorated with a comb, and she had curls glued to her cheeks. In Ray's mind, Mel floated above the stage as if she were somehow immune from gravity.

He waited in the lobby after the show where groups of kids—mostly young girls—talked and chased each other, and he tried to fight off the feeling that he was hopelessly over his head.

It was the children who announced Mel's arrival. She came from a side door, still dressed as Mercedes and still on the arm of her matador. The kids bounced and jostled around them. She grinned and tried to calm the kids down, then looked up to find Ray waiting.

"You made it!" she said. "I'm surprised." She turned to the matador and pulled him forward, "This is my partner, Julio." Disappointment must have been plain on Ray's face, and she hurried to clarify, "My dance partner, not my, you know... partner," and that made Julio laugh.

Mel knelt among the children and left Ray standing with Julio. Ray was fascinated; her red lips parted in a bright smile and her eyes sparkled for the kids as she told them the story of Kitri and Don Quixote. Ray hardly took his eyes off from Mel when he asked Julio, "Does she do this all the time?"

"Whenever Lovato isn't watching," Julio said with a shrug. "The kids are her thing, not his."

"Lovato?" Ray asked.

"Paul Lovato, the Artistic Director," Julio answered. "His way of doing things and Mel's way of doing things are pretty different."

The kids' mothers and fathers started pulling them away after Mel finished her story. She hugged a few and kissed a few and sent them all away before she stood again. She looked from Ray to Julio, then squeezed Julio's arm. "Thanks for coming out with me," she said, and sent Julio away before she turned back to Ray.

"I liked the flowers. They were beautiful, and they made all the girls talk," Mel said. She stepped closer and asked, "Did you like the show?" She smiled and seemed to rise toward him while she waited for his answer. Her animal scent tickled Ray's senses—warm and somehow exciting.

"I did," Ray said, but then was nearly lost for more to say. "I... I, especially liked Mercedes, but the story was kind of hard to follow."

Mel laughed, "Ballet isn't that good at telling stories." She backed up as she went on, "I'm glad you came. Now I need to go change."

Ray followed as Mel retreated, "Can we go someplace?" He asked. "A movie? A restaurant? A bar? I don't care."

Mel stopped and studied Ray's face then said, "This was our last show, so some of us are getting together at Sammy's. It'll take me about an hour to get there. You can hang out with us if you don't mind being with a bunch of underpaid dancers."

Sammy's was a popular restaurant and bar on the periphery of downtown that served food late; it wasn't far from Ray's place and he knew it well. He waited at home to give Mel time to get there and the longer he waited the more his shoulders tightened in anticipation.

The restaurant was lit with a golden glow. He stepped past the hostess and before his eyes could adjust to the light he heard Julio call, "She's over here!"

The dancers sat at a large, round table with Mel's roses in a beer mug at the center. Other dancers sat at smaller tables nearby. Julio and the other men arranged themselves on one side. Mel was on the opposite side flanked by two blond women. Her hair was still pulled back into a tight bun, but she wore a short dress that fit her form instead of the sweatshirt that Ray first saw her in; her eyes were dark mysteries in the restaurant lighting.

Ray worked his way around the table, shaking hands first with Julio and then with the other men. While he circled the table, one of the blonds gave up her seat next to Mel and found a new seat beside Julio.

"This is Jill." Mel said, and motioned to the blond beside her. She pointed to the girl who got up so Ray could sit with Mel and said, "That's Jenn. They're my roommates."

"They're the bookends," Julio added with a laugh, "And Mel is the book."

Ray reached behind Mel to shake Jill's hand and said, "Aren't you the one that took the roses to Mel? Thanks. I didn't think your guard there was going to help."

"He's an ass," Jill said, "And he has a crush on Mel." Mel rolled her eyes and Jill added, "Mel has

all

the luck with guys!" Ray laughed, but had to wonder if Jill was cautioning him.

Ray bought appetizers for the table and martinis for Mel. He traded stories with the dancers about protein supplements and workout routines, injuries and physical therapy and felt like he was in the familiar company of jocks. As they talked, it became clear to Ray that the men and women around him were lean and taut, and he was not. He became awkwardly conscious of his expanding waistline.

Mel got louder and more affectionate as the drinks took effect. "Oh, I know what to do with these!" she said, and lifted the roses from the beer mug. Ray watched while she dodged the wait staff and weaved through the tables to visit all the dancers; she gave red roses to the men and yellow roses to the women. The last red rose she saved for Ray.

Jenn moved around the table and sat in Mel's seat. She whispered to Jill and then told Ray, "Mel is getting drunk." Ray watched and had to agree. Jenn went on, "She made us promise to take her home when she got drunk. Nothing personal, you know. You could be the best thing that ever happened to her, but she's going to be sober when she figures that out."

Ray stood to meet Mel when she came back to the table. As giddy as she was, she still walked with her back straight and her head up. Her smile focused on Ray and when she was still a couple steps away she extended the last red rose to him. Maybe it was because her head was up and her eyes were on Ray that she tripped over a chair leg and fell with a whoop into his chest.

Ray caught Mel and the red rose then stroked his hands down to her hips to steady her. She buried her face against his shoulder while the dancers laughed. Ray could hear her muttering "God, I'm so stupid. I'm so drunk." Her touch and scent—now a little boozy—sent a thrill through Ray's body.

"Good catch!" Jill said, and pried Mel off from Ray. He only protested a little while Jenn and Jill wrapped Mel in her coat and tugged her toward the door. They almost had her out of the restaurant before she turned back to Ray. Mel held her hand up beside her face with her thumb and pinky finger extended. She called across the restaurant, "Ray, call me tomorrow!"

Jenn scowled at Mel and then called to Ray, "After one. Don't you dare call before one."

The men at the table all started laughing. Ray looked at them curiously and Julio asked, "Mel really got to you, didn't she? Your interest is showing."

Ray's hard-on bulged the front of his pants. He couldn't sit down fast enough then when he finally stood up again he had a plan. He'd eat a healthy breakfast in the morning then go for a run. If there was time, he'd see about renewing his membership at the gym on the ground floor of his condos. Then he'd call Mel and hope for the best.

"Have you recovered?" Ray asked when Mel answered her phone.

"Look, I'm really sorry about last night," Mel said. "I guess the martinis went straight to my head. I should have eaten more."

"Why don't you make it up to me over dinner?" Ray said. "We'll make sure you eat enough this time."

Mel wasn't hard to convince but she still wasn't ready to trust Ray. She arranged to meet him at a coffee shop and from there they went to a noisy brew pub that served good steaks with their beer.

Ray was proud of his healthy morning, but when he told Mel about it she laughed and touched the rim of his beer glass. "Keep it up," she said, "But If you want to lose some fat and get back in shape you might start by drinking less of this."

"I have a lot to learn," Ray admitted, then pointed to Mel's glass, "But you're drinking beer, too."

"Ray, between classes, rehearsals and performances I work out at least six hours a day, five or six days a week most of the time. It's what I do for a living. I can get away with a few things that you can't, but I still have to watch what I eat. You know, high protein and no extra fats."

She sat back and watched Ray for a second then changed the subject, "The J's all thought you were okay. Jenn and Jill liked you. Julio thought you were too straight, but that's not a bad thing for me." Mel's eye sparked in the light from behind the bar and she smiled when she said, "He told me how impressed you were."

If the room hadn't been so dark, Mel would have seen Ray blush. She reached over the table and touched his hand. "And you made me feel comfortable, and you make me feel comfortable now."

Ray folded his hand over Mel's and admitted, "You make me excited. I'd like to get to know you better."

Mel looked around to see if anyone was about to interrupt, then leaned to Ray. She said, "Euphemisms aside, if you want to 'get to know me better,' then I'll give you that chance. You would be surprised how hard it is for a girl to get well-laid around here."

The grin that spread on Ray's face was so wide it made his cheeks hurt. "Why would a woman like you have ever have that problem?" he asked.

"Ray, you have no idea," Mel said. "We don't get out all that much. Not every guy wants a dancer for a girlfriend, then travel, long hours, and jealousy—they all make it hard to meet guys and keep it together."

"Then I'll do what I can," Ray said. He still couldn't wipe the grin off his face, but he was serious; it was a contract. He waved to the server, suddenly anxious to leave. "My place?" he asked.

"Mine," Mel answered. She was comfortable with Ray, but still not ready to give him full control. The server leaned over her shoulder to talk to Ray, and Mel interrupted, "Can you box our leftovers, please?"

Ray barely let Mel settle into the car before he tugged him to her, first with his hand on her arm, then behind her neck. They were still at the gas station where they met when he first started wondering how Mel's mouth might taste, and he found out. His lips brushed hers and she parted them. Her tongue met his and her breath warmed his cheek. Mel clutched the front of Ray's shirt, and she did nothing to slow his exploration. His hands cupped her breast and he felt her nipple harden under her bra. His fingers traced up the inside of her thigh and he felt the crotch of her jeans grow warm and soft.

Mel pushed herself back and panted, "Drive!" She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and tried to calm down. "Turn left at the light and go straight." She directed him through pools of lamp light to a townhouse on a cul-de-sac across downtown from his place, and then she gathered their leftovers and led him to the door.

Mel pushed the boxes of leftovers into Ray's hands and said, "Wait here. I have to make sure that Jenn and Jill are decent." When she came back she pulled Ray first to a small kitchen to put the leftovers away, then up the stairs to her bedroom.

She kicked her way through point shoes and leotards scattered on the floor and stopped beside her bed. Ray turned her around when she stopped. He opening her shirt, and unhooked her bra then looked down. Her breasts weren't large, but they were high and round and the streetlight that fell through her window highlighted the muscles in her belly. When he looked up again, there were two questions he needed her to answer.

"Do we need protection?" He asked, and when Mel shook her head he wondered, "How much control do you need?" If he were going to lay her well, then he needed to know.

"Some," Mel said. She unbuttoned Ray's shirt, opened his belt and looked up, "Don't overpower me, okay?"

Ray pushed Mel onto her bed and leaned over to kiss her mouth while he opened her jeans. He ran his hand over her belly, then pushed it into her pants and down into her panties. He slipped his fingers through her well-trimmed muff and farther down to explore the already-wet folds and creases between Mel's legs.

Mel pushed Ray back so she could pull her pants and panties off. She threw them into a corner then watched from the shadows while Ray shoved his pants down and climbed onto the bed beside her.

Ray laid down and pulled their bodies together. He searched for those things that excited Mel the most. He tasted her throat and felt her nipples grow hard in his mouth. He slipped off the bed to kneel on the floor, and kissed the inside of her thighs, then inhaled the feminine scents that rose between her legs. He dragged her pussy lips between his teeth, and lifted her to his mouth with his hands under her butt. Ray pushed his tongue deep into Mel to taste her, then he took her whole, soft mound in his mouth.

Mel knotted her fingers in Ray's hair and held him in place while his tongue flicked over her hood and around her button. She spread her legs around his shoulders and repeated his name. Her already-firm body grew tense as her excitement mounted, and then she screamed through her climax and thrashed in Ray's grip.

Ray could hardly breath, so when Mel's body relaxed again he let her go and laid his head on her thigh while they both gasped for air. It was only then that they could hear "Would you keep it down up there? Jeez!" coming from down the stairs.

Mel laughed, "I think they're jealous. God Ray, that felt good." She tugged him up onto the bed, then when Ray turned her over on her belly she protested, "What are you doing?"

"I can't believe how good your body feels," Ray said. He climbed over her and straddled her hips with his cock straining up between them and he studied the way the light from the street outlined the contours of her back. He leaned down to inhale from her neck then kissed her ear.

His hands caressed Mel's shoulders and her back. He touched her softly at first, then started to work her muscles. He sought out tight knots and smoothed them. He worked her back until Mel was moaning with each breath.

Mel's back was smooth and soft when Ray climbed off her hips. He pushed her knees apart, knelt between her thighs, and grasped her butt cheeks in both hands. Mel giggled while he rubbed her and spread her cheeks to see the fresh nectar gleaming on her pussy. He held her with one hand on her hip and slipped the other into her to wet his fingers, and then he found her clit again.

Mel lifted herself to welcome his touch while Ray opened her and toyed with her trigger. Her breath came in excited gasps. He coated his cock with Mel's juices, then leaned over her while he worked the head of his cock into her wet slit.

Ray panted in her ear. "Are you ready?"

"Past that!" Mel answered, then she pushed back against his thrust and gasped into her pillow while Ray's cock sunk into her. The sounds Mel made excited Ray and she grew louder as he fucked her. He grasped her wrists and held her in his arms while his hips slapped against her butt, then her felt her body tighten under him. She groaned into her pillow and her cunt clenched around his cock.

There was nothing more that Ray could do. He slammed himself as deep into Mel's perfect body as he could reach and he let himself go. Each of his ecstatic contractions pumped his essence into Mel then he fell off from her and rolled away.