Dangerous Dancer

I blinked rapidly when I felt Max’s hands squeeze my shoulders snapping me from my day-dreaming. “You going to share?” He asked with a smile into the mirror, as he stood behind me.

“Share what?” I asked. My hand reached for my foundation to make a start on hiding his handy work.

“Wherever that pretty little head of yours was,” he replied, placing his lips on top my head. I watched him take his jacket off and throw it onto the bed then he unclipped his tie and began to remove his shirt.

“I was just thinking about these dance classes. Max, there’s something-” I began mentally preparing myself at his expected eruption over Niki.

“I know I was harsh on you this morning about our wedding and your dancing but this is the perfect opportunity for you to learn. I didn’t dance at any of these functions we’ve attended over the last few years because you can’t dance, so it will benefit us both,” he said as he walked to the closet and retrieved a towel then slung it over his shoulder.

“Yes, I understand that Max and I’m honestly not trying to be obtuse, but—”

“Good, then don’t be,” he snapped over me, “I’m going for a shower, sort my clothes out will you? Oh, and by the way, I got you a present.” He smiled and I smiled back as my eyes followed him to the en-suite, as soon as he was out of my eye line, I dropped my smile and continued with my make-up.

I blew out a deep breath through puffed cheeks, then winced at the sharp throb that ripped through the right one. I could hear the water hit the floor of the shower stall when Max turned it on. Slowly, I rose to my feet to move Max’s discarded clothing. Placing his trousers, shirt and underwear in the wicker hamper sat at the foot of the bed, my eyes fell to his jacket, I picked it up to hang it and spotted a red velvet box peeking from his pocket. Glancing back towards the en-suite door, temptation got the better of me and I quickly pulled it free and opened it.

I gasped when my eyes fell to the pearl bracelet. It was a classically feminine piece with a delicate peach palette and scintillating crystals. I smiled at its beauty as my fingers lightly traced the circumference. Snapping the hinged lid shut, I carefully placed it back in his pocket and hung it up then slipped off my robe, and reached for my turquoise, A-line strapless dress.

“Raine, you’re not wearing that dress, are you?” Max asked from behind me as I sunk my body in to it and turned to face him.

“Well, yes. Why what’s wrong with it?” I asked, feeling perplexed that yet again he would pick fault with my choice, then insist on choosing something he deemed more appropriate.

He looked me over once before muttering something I couldn’t make out, then headed towards our shared walk-in wardrobe. “This would be classier,” he stated as he held up a black knee length Jersey dress that clung like glue with thin spaghetti straps. “This would be more suitable, it’s classy, elegant not to mention how fuckable this makes you look. If you play your cards right, I could even be tempted to drag you into the ladies’ room whilst we are out.”

My stomach automatically churned at his words, the thought of it made me feel physically sick. I’d never really been the sort of girl that acted on sexual impulse, I always preferred the seclusion of a bedroom squashing any chances of getting caught in a lewd act. Max had insisted I tried it once when we first started seeing each other, it was the first time that I had ever faked an orgasm, just so the nightmare could be over.

“What’s wrong with the turquoise dress?” I asked quietly, snatching the black one from his hands.

“You’re twenty-two not forty-two, it’s frumpy and hides your beautiful curves. Do as I’ve asked and put the black one on and be quick, the table is booked in half an hour,” he replied as he grabbed his jacket from the door and sat on the end of the bed waiting for me to get a move on.

*

I’d been wanting to come to The Crystal Star in Clent Hills for months, but now as fake Raine walked inside the restaurant hand-in-hand with her doting, loving husband, and smiling like I didn’t have a care in the world, the urge to come here had suddenly dissolved.

“Ah, Monsieur Peters,” smiled the man at the desk.

Max gripped my hand tighter and pulled me into his side, “Felipe, meet my wife, the gorgeous Mrs. Peters,” he drooled. I smiled widely and bowed my head slightly as I always do when fake Raine is out of the house. Felipe’s eyes widened ever so slightly as he glanced from Max to myself, and back to Max again. This little gesture of surprise didn’t go unnoticed by me. I turned my head in Max’s direction.

His face held a look of contempt for Felipe and his eyes narrowed to mere slits. I felt uneasy at the silent look that was passing between them, it lasted merely seconds but the memory of it seared itself into my brain, ready to torture me later down the line. We followed Felipe through the crowded restaurant to our allocated table. Max held out my chair for me, smiling a silent thank you as I sat, he turned his back to me and muttered something unintelligible towards Felipe before taking his own seat.

“Is everything okay?” I asked with a raised eyebrow, and placed my black clutch on the table.

“Yes, just the incompetent staff,” he mumbled. He pulled free the menu from Felipe’s waiting hand. “I’ll signal when I’m ready, thank you,” Max barked at him without sparing a glance his way.

“Shall we get a bottle of wine?” I asked, hopeful to get some alcohol in my system to get through the rest of the evening. The vodka I had drunk earlier had left me with a harsh craving for more. I hadn’t had a single drop of alcohol for over two years, and after feeling the warming effect of earlier, I suddenly felt like an alcoholic who had fallen off the wagon.

Max smirked as he raised his head from the menu, “You don’t drink,” he replied.

“Only because you forbid me to. One glass won’t hurt, will it?” I asked with a forced smile and grasped his hand across the table.

He snatched his hand back and straightened his tie, “Don’t beg, Raine. It’s not becoming. I will allow you a single spirit of your choice tonight but not half a bottle of wine.

Wow! That’s so generous. Not! I pulled my hand to my lap and widened my smile and thanked him like he was doing me a massive favor.

“What are you having to eat?” He asked signaling Felipe back to the table. Obviously, Max had made his selection whilst I still hadn’t even opened my menu, let alone chose. Quickly I flipped it open and selected the first thing my eyes landed on.

“I’ll take the steak Diane, please,” I said, when Felipe came to a standstill at our table, “and a glass of single Tia Maria.”

“Would you like the usual?” Felipe asked turning towards Max.