Master of My Body

by Marissa Honeycutt

  Martin Pierce, the artistic director of the company, had even personally spoken to her about joining the program, but understood her reluctance. He assured her the position would be available whenever she was ready. He’d even said he didn’t want some other dance company snatching her up.

  The memory made her smile. At her age, it was nice to be wanted by a professional company, and Martin made her feel so comfortable, she decided Boston would be her first choice after graduating high school.

  Beth grabbed her hand and pulled Sabrina up the gangplank to the awaiting ship. “C’mon. I’m starving!”

  Sabrina followed her friend onto the pristine ship that glowed a golden yellow in the setting sunlight. She didn’t know many of the attendees by name, aside from the girls and a handful of the older boys whom she’d spent the last few weeks with. The adults all wore tuxedos or elegant dresses and smiled at them as they passed by. These were the donors to the ballet company and school. Some of them had donated to the scholarship fund that had allowed Sabrina to attend, and she was eternally grateful for the opportunity. She wished she could hug each and every one of them to say thank you.

  Beth and Sabrina found seats at one of the many round tables in the enclosed middle deck and watched people arrive. Through the large windows, she could see the lights on the other side of Boston Harbor. Many of the other students wandered around socializing, but Sabrina preferred staying on the sidelines and watching. Couple after couple descended the staircase in the center of the deck, and she loved studying the elegant women with their pearls and diamonds. How wonderful would it be to be able to wear such glamorous clothing? Her chiffon dress was of a simple design and she had no sparkling jewelry to wear, but she was content with what she had. Her mother had helped her pick out the dress and she felt like a princess in it, in spite of the simplicity of the cut.

  She’d been studying the harbor out the window when something made her look back to the staircase. Her breath caught in her throat.

  It was him.

  Christopher Ralston paused at the bottom of the stairs. He wore his uniform, just as before, but now carried a white cap and wore white gloves. At his side, her arm hooked through his, stood his mother wearing a simple, yet elegant silver-gray gown. She looked like a dancer herself with her slim figure and dark hair up in an elegant chignon.

  Angie, the director of the summer program, hurried over and greeted Mrs. Ralston with a warm hug and kiss on the cheek. After greeting Christopher, they spoke for a few minutes. Mrs. Ralston said something to Angie, who turned and looked around the room for a moment before her gaze stopped on Sabrina.

  Sabrina’s heart skipped a beat as Mrs. Ralston appeared to smile at her and the trio began weaving their way around people and tables in her direction.

  *****

  Chase greeted Angie politely, ignoring the flirtatious look. She was almost his mother’s age, and while he appreciated the maturity of older women, he preferred someone a little closer to his own age.

  “Where is that young dancer we spoke of the other night?” Grace asked.

  Young dancer?

  It wasn’t unusual for his mother to take an interest in one or more of the students who came to the programs. She had been helped by the scholarship program when she was in high school and enjoyed passing on the blessings. But the way she asked...

  Chase looked in the direction Angie nodded and his breath caught in his throat. “Mom!” he exclaimed. It was the girl from the festival weeks ago. “How did you-”

  Grace laughed and patted Chase’s hand. “I saw her at the final performances last night and recognized her.” She grinned up at him. “Why do you think I insisted on you coming tonight?”

  Before he realized it, Angie and his mother began walking in the girl’s direction and he had to hurry to catch up.

  He’d been dreaming about meeting this girl for weeks, but now that he was in the same room, he didn’t quite know what to do with himself. Try as he might, his various dates over the past three weeks had done nothing to erase the impression that girl had made in his heart. Now she was here. And he was about to meet her!

  She was as beautiful as he remembered. She wore a simple pink dress, and her hair was partially swept back away from her face with loose tendrils kissing her cheeks. He could now see her eyes were a pale green, an enchanting shade he’d not encountered before. When her gaze locked on his, her eyes widened in surprise as she grasped the table in front of her.

  Angie stopped by her table. “Sabrina, I’d like to introduce Mrs. Grace Ralston, a valued patron of our school and company. Grace, this is Sabrina Mansfield.”

  Sabrina looked away from him and stood gracefully to greet his mother, her soft voice shooting straight to his heart. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Ralston.”

  His mother smiled. “Likewise, Sabrina. I enjoyed your performance last night. It was truly breathtaking.”

  Sabrina’s cheeks turned a pretty shade of pink. “Thank you.”

  Grace turned slightly and motioned toward him. “I’d like to introduce my son, Lieutenant Christopher Ralston.”

  Chase stared for a moment as their eyes met once again, then shook his head. “Miss Mansfield,” he said with a slight bow.

  She blinked several times before giving an uncertain smile. “Lieutenant Ralston.”

  His mother frowned at him and he cleared his throat. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said, trying to keep his voice from betraying his emotions.

  Sabrina nodded, then looked down at her hands clasped tightly in front of her.

  Grace’s frown deepened as she looked at Chase, then turned back to Sabrina with a warm smile. “I understand you were invited to join the pre-professional program this upcoming school year.”

  Chase tilted his head. He knew what an honor that kind of invitation was. Very few were invited. He was both impressed and intrigued.

  Sabrina looked up, a mixture of pride and sadness in her eyes. “Yes, I was.”

  “But you didn’t take it?” Grace asked gently.

  Sabrina gave an almost apologetic smile. “I have another year of high school. I...” She paused, looking back down at her hands. “I’m very close to my parents. We decided to wait until after I graduate to make a huge change like that.”

  Grace nodded. “I can understand that.” She looked back at Chase with a fond smile. “It’s hard letting our children go.”

  “Oh, my parents encouraged me to take the offer,” Sabrina added quickly. “They let me decide. But...” She shrugged. “I’m not ready to be alone in a big city.”

  Grace took Sabrina’s hand. Chase could see his mother had taken a liking to this girl. “If you change your mind, I have a big empty house and would enjoy the company.”

  “I...” Sabrina’s eyes grew wide. “What? But you don’t know me. Why would you...?” She looked at Chase, then back at his mother. “Why?”

  “I came to Boston not knowing anyone, either, but it was the best decision I ever made. I’d hate for you to not do it just because you were...concerned about being alone. And your parents could visit and stay with you whenever they wanted.”

  Sabrina blinked, eyes still wide. “Thank you,” she said after a long moment.

  “Think about it,” Grace said, squeezing her hand. “Absolutely no pressure. I just wanted to offer. Angie knows how to get in touch with me.” She leaned forward and kissed Sabrina on the cheek. “Enjoy the dinner.”

  Grace gave one last smile, then turned and walked away. Chase watched as Sabrina sat down hard in her chair, staring at the table in front of her. Realizing he was staring, he turned quickly to follow his mother.

  “Mom!” he exclaimed as he caught up. “What are you doing?”

  “Helping an extremely talented dancer.” She looked up at him, the same twinkle in her eyes that had been there earlier. “What else would I
be doing?”

  “She really is quite extraordinary,” Angie said as they walked across the empty dance floor. “Martin is determined to get her into his company before she’s snatched up by New York. Or even somewhere in Europe.”

  “She’s that good?” Chase asked, looking back. Sabrina still stared at the table.

  Grace put her hand on his arm. “Then you won’t have to go searching for her.”

  Chapter Seven

  Sabrina could hardly stay focused as she ate dinner on the elegant yacht. Her head and heart were full of new thoughts. She thought she’d made the right decision about waiting until after graduation to come to Boston, but after Mrs. Ralston made her offer... Well, now she wasn’t so sure.

  The thought of living with some strange woman made her pause, though. Angie had spoken to her before dinner, explaining that Mrs. Ralston was a highly respectable woman and Sabrina would be completely safe in her care. The woman also seemed completely genuine in her interest.

  And then there was her son, Lieutenant Ralston. Sabrina had seen him watching her a few times throughout the evening, but when his mother had introduced him, he seemed so...standoffish. She didn’t understand why he kept watching her. Maybe he was protective of his mother and didn’t want some strange girl in his home.

  A band began to play as the waiters made their way around the room, collecting the empty entrée plates. By the end of the first song, the dance floor was mostly full.

  “Sabrina,” Beth exclaimed in a hushed voice. “Sabrina, that Army guy... He’s coming over.”

  Sabrina blinked, looking in any direction except the one she knew he would be coming from. “There are other girls around here,” Sabrina said, trying to sound nonchalant as she studied the soda bubbles in her glass. The other girls at her table all tried fancy drinks, like virgin daiquiris. Now she wished she’d tried one. Beth’s place setting looked so much more sophisticated than hers.

  “Then why is he staring at you?”

  “He’s not,” she said to the glass. Beth huffed.

  Not thirty seconds later, Sabrina could feel him standing next to her. She studied his highly polished shoes without turning her head.

  “Miss Mansfield,” he said, sounding far above her head.

  Sabrina took a deep breath and looked up. She opened her mouth to speak, words failing her as she became lost in his gray eyes.

  His face softened into a smile, and her heart started fluttering. “Would you care to dance?” he asked in that deep voice of his.

  “I...” Her voice caught and refused to work. She simply nodded, his smile expanding as he held out a hand that dwarfed hers by comparison. When she took it, he helped her stand, then confidently guided her hand through his proffered elbow. With a nod to Beth, he turned and expertly navigated them around tables and chairs and onto the dance floor.

  *****

  Chase slid his hand around Sabrina’s tiny waist and swallowed hard. What the hell was he doing dancing with a sixteen-year-old girl? And why did he feel like an awkward sixteen-year-old boy while he was doing it?

  This is ridiculous, Chase. Just finish the dance, thank her, and send her on her way.

  When he looked into her eyes, though, he knew he couldn’t do that. He had a feeling he could never send her away. He wasn’t the romantic type. Certainly didn’t believe in love at first sight. But ever since he’d seen her across that stage...

  “Why did you ask me to dance?” she asked softly, gazing up at him with wide eyes.

  “Why do you ask?”

  “You don’t seem very happy to be doing it.” She glanced to the side of the room. “Did your mom make you?”

  Chase frowned down at her. “Of course not.” Did he appear to be a mama’s boy to her?

  She chewed her lip and stared at his chest.

  He closed his eyes, scolding himself for his harsh tone. “I asked you to dance because I wanted to dance with you.”

  “Okay.”

  “You don’t believe me?”

  Sabrina shrugged. “Like I said, you just don’t look very happy about it.” She said it so softly, he could barely hear her.

  “Sabrina...” He swallowed, wishing his voice hadn’t betrayed his longing for her.

  She looked up at him, eyes curious. She started to smile, then pressed her lips together as her cheeks turned pink and she looked away.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked after a moment of silence. What the hell was wrong with him? He was usually so smooth when it came to the fairer sex, but with this girl... He just couldn’t do anything right. “Why are you embarrassed?”

  I’m the one acting like a complete idiot.

  She shook her head. He pulled his hand from around her waist and tipped her face up to look at him. “Tell me,” he urged in a soft voice.

  Her cheeks turned even pinker, which made his heart leap in his chest. “I...I liked the way you said my name.”

  A grin spread across his face, and for some stupid reason, he felt as if he could fly. Apparently, his expression was the correct one because she smiled up at him, eyes full of delight.

  *****

  Sabrina couldn’t believe how bold she’d been to ask why the man had asked her to dance. But he really didn’t seem pleased about it so the question just slipped out. He just stared down at her, his gray eyes hard, handsome face unreadable.

  Then he said her name and her heart started fluttering again. She’d never imagined that the sound of her own name could make her feel as if she were floating. But his voice... It just did something to her. Something she didn’t understand.

  After she’d admitted she liked how he said it, his whole face lit up and he grinned down at her. It made her want to do it again.

  “Lieutenant, how-”

  “Chase,” he interrupted. “Call me Chase.”

  “Chase? I thought your name was Christopher.”

  He made a face. “It is, but everyone calls me Chase.”

  “Why?”

  “I’ve always been called that. My mom says I didn’t learn to walk. I learned to run.” Chase shrugged, looking a little embarrassed. “My dad decided early on that the girls would chase after me all my life, and I guess the nickname just stuck.”

  She wondered how many had caught him, then banished the thought from her mind. He was dancing with her. “Chase,” she said softly, testing the name on her tongue. His face lit up again, making her feel as if her body was filled with golden light. “How long have you been in the Army?”

  “I graduated from West Point in May. I leave for training tomorrow.”

  The thought of him leaving made her sad, then she remembered that she was leaving, too. “Training for what?”

  He smiled. “My end goal is to become a Green Beret, like my father, but I have a few years before I can get there. I’ll work my way through training and combat experience until I can achieve my goal.”

  “Wow,” was all she could come up with to say. A Green Beret? “Sounds dangerous.”

  “It can be.” He shrugged. “But they make a difference. A big difference. Especially in today’s world.”

  Sabrina nodded. Her parents didn’t shelter her from reality. She knew there had been attacks around the world. More recently than before. It was scary to contemplate. But knowing men like Chase were out there, doing their best to protect her and the rest of the country, made her feel safe.

  “I think that’s very admirable.” She looked up at him. Her heart leapt in her chest when she saw him grinning again. “Why do you keep looking at me like that?”

  “Like what?”

  “You keep...smiling at me.”

  “Would you rather I frowned at you?”

  Sabrina shook her head and giggled “Not at all.”

  “Me, either.”

  She laughed, causing Chase to laugh, too
. Then they lapsed into a comfortable silence as Chase moved her slowly around the dance floor.

  *****

  “How long have you been dancing?” Chase asked as the next song began. He looked around and saw one of the male dancers looking at them, so he pulled Sabrina closer. Not close enough to be inappropriate, of course, but just close enough to let anyone else know he wasn’t done dancing with her. Petty? Maybe, but he wasn’t ready to give her up just yet.

  “Since I was four,” Sabrina answered, leaning back to look up at him.

  Had he pulled her too close? He released her slightly and nodded. “My mother is very impressed with your dancing.”

  Sabrina’s cheeks turned pink. “Your mom seems extremely kind.”

  Chase looked up to see his mom holding a drink and talking with friends. She caught his eye and gave him a warm smile, but his heart went out to her. He worried what would happen to her if something happened to him. Maybe he should have chosen some other career path. But she’d encouraged him to follow his dream. She was proud of him. He knew that without a shadow of a doubt. Still, he worried.

  “Chase?”

  Sabrina’s voice pulled him from his reverie. “I’m sorry. Did you ask me something?”

  “I asked if she took in dancers often.”

  Chase laughed. “We’ve had them here and there. She generally offers more financial support, although I suspect she has half a mind to open a boarding house for dancers.” He chuckled and gazed down at Sabrina. “As a young dancer, she was helped out, and ever since my dad died, she’s devoted herself to helping up-and-coming dancers live out their dreams.”

  “Your dad...?” Tears filled Sabrina’s eyes. “I’m so sorry, Chase.”