Black Burlesque

by L. C. Castillo

  He opens up the Red Vines. He offers me one without looking at me. I take it with my mouth, and bite into it. He proceeds to open up my water and hand it to me. I take a drink and put it in my cup holder. I pull my legs up and settle in. He seems so calm and oblivious to the fact that I am practically squirming with delight. Why is it so exciting to be in a dark theater with a man? This must be why going to the movies is such a popular place to bring a date.

  I’m reminded again that I shouldn’t be doing this…I said I didn’t want this after all. But—why am I enjoying it so much?

  I take a Red Vine from his lap and offer it to him. He opens his mouth and leans in to take a bite, but I pull it away and take a bite instead. I smile at him playfully.

  The feature begins and the theater darkens even further. My heart hits double time. It’s so thrilling and normal at the same time, being with Vincent.

  I offer the Red Vine to him again, and he goes in for it, quickly this time, but I’m faster and I pull it away again and stifle a giggle. He grabs my hand and tries to bite the Red Vine again. I pull it away and bring my mouth to his instead. Our teeth clash, but he wastes no time. He rolls his tongue around mine. As always, he tastes sweet and utterly divine. I wrap my arm around his torso and pull him closer to me.

  Making out in a movie theater!

  The film goes by in a blur, we’re all hands and tongues, our popcorn scattered across the floor. His hand dives into my leggings and he rubs that sore and tender part of my body.

  “Ah,” I gasp. He quickly clasps his other hand over my mouth and grins proudly.

  Slowly, and carefully, he dips his finger inside of me. I’m wet, and he sinks in deliciously slow and pulls out and up, circling dexterously over my engorged clitoris. I pull my leg up over his and arch my back. His thumb presses against my clit again and again, rolling and circling as he sinks two fingers inside, and then out. Fuck, this feels good. I’m in agony.

  I grab his forearm to steady myself, careful not to dig my nails into him. I pant and groan into his mouth. I can feel myself about to let go. My body quivers, and my legs tense, he takes my earlobe in his mouth and bites, hard. I try my best to contain myself, but his fingers are magic. I’m his puppet, and he is the master, and so I detonate.

  I sink my teeth into his shoulder in an effort to mask the sounds emanating from me. Ah, it’s never ending. I’m like a tightly bound coil, unwinding ever so slowly. He withdraws his fingers and brings them to his mouth, with his eyes fixed firmly on mine; he sucks my orgasm off of his fingers. He moans and closes his eyes, clearly relishing my taste. Damn, he is so fine. The look on his face is RAW.

  The lights slowly come to life in the theater and I’m vaguely aware of people departing. That was a mercifully short movie...I sigh in disappointment and Vincent smiles down at me. I look down at his pants, his erection clearly visible. He stands and my eyes go from his zipper back up to his amused eyes. He lifts me up out of my seat. My legs are weak and I collapse onto him, wrapping my arms around his waist, we walk slowly out of the theater.

  “I’m going to take you on one of my favorite drives, then I want to take you to an early dinner, I’ll drop you at Kazumi’s after that. Okay?”

  I stretch, and yawn in response. Apparently orgasms can be quite draining. I’m exhausted.

  Vincent grins. “I’ll make sure to get you some coffee before we get on the road. I don’t want you falling off the Triumph.” He’s right; I do need some more caffeine. He’s worn me out.

  We take Sunset all the way up to Malibu. It’s a scenic, beautiful drive I’ve ever been on. Especially when we’re coasting through the canyons. It is incredibly gorgeous. The homes, the road, and then the ocean; they all form the most lovely picturesque images. It’s like a painting come to life. I can’t remember the last time I saw ocean water, and I live in California! That shows how often I leave the confines of my shop. I really do live a cloistered life.

  I’m mesmerized as I stare out at the waves of roaring water. Vincent parks his bike in a residential area and helps me off. Unclipping my helmet, he takes my hand in his and leads me down an obscure pathway.

  We stop into a small shop and pick up a bottle of wine, and begin our walk to the beach. It’s so beautiful it just doesn’t seem real. I take off my shoes, lace them together and throw them over my shoulder and take in the feel of the warm sand wedging itself between my toes. The wind blows in my hair; it feels cleansing, spiritual almost.

  We find a nice secluded spot and sit down. I dig my toes into the sand and untie my braid, my hair flies around wildly. It whips against my face, and neck. Given that it is now November, it’s a bit cold. Neither of us is at all prepared for the weather, but I don’t mind. Vincent removes his jacket and drapes it over my shoulders. I smile up at him. There’s something so calming about the ocean. All the tension, anxiety and apprehension I constantly feel have gone. My body feels free and clean.

  “You’re so quiet,” Vincent practically whispers.

  I smile softly in response, and then turn back to the waves. I watch them rise and fall…they’re hypnotizing.

  Vincent pulls out a pocketknife and pops the cork on the wine. He offers it to me and I take it from him. I take a slow, small sip. It’s good, sweet and crisp. I take another drink before I pass it to him. He scoots closer to me, kicks off his shoes and rolls up his jeans. He digs his toes into the sand and leans back. The wind whips around us. It’s nearly four o’clock, and the sun is making its slow descent across the sky. I love a fall sunset, I wish we had to time to sit here and watch the sun sink into the horizon. We finish the bottle of wine in perfect silence, both of us absorbed in our thoughts and the gorgeous blue ocean surrounding us. The sky changes color so quickly. A spray of pink, orange and pale violet spread across the horizon.

  I lie back on my elbows and close my eyes. What is happening to me? I feel so relaxed, so comfortable in Vincent’s presence. It’s unsettling. What do I want? Really? I flick my eyes open, I can feel him looking at me. When I turn to face him, he’s regarding me intently. He doesn’t blink; his expression, difficult to read. He looks fascinated, intrigued, mystified even. As if he were looking at a mythical creature.

  I turn and crawl over onto him. I wrap my legs around his tight, toned torso and stare into his face. I’m trying so hard to understand what he sees in me. This man, this handsome, sexy stranger, what could he possibly want with me? I’m nothing special, and he is.

  Desire blooms from deep inside of me as I watch his expression change. The charge between us is palpable; it can almost be heard over the crashing and breaking of waves. His eyes darken, and his brows furrow slightly, almost as if he is pained. I cradle his face in my hands and trace his lips with the pads of my thumbs. He leans into me and I into him, and we explore one another’s lips.

  It’s an electric kiss. I can feel every fiber in my body responding to him, coming alive. Every time our lips part and our kiss slows down, it is ignited again in an instant. I can’t let go of his mouth, his lips, or his tongue. My hand softly strokes the stubble along his jaw. I don’t want to let this go, let him go. When the tide begins to rise, we reluctantly get up and he relinquishes his hold on me.

  We slip our shoes back on and walk hand in hand, across the street, to a small restaurant.

  I’m ravenously hungry as soon as we enter. The restaurant in suffused with the smell of onions, garlic and unfamiliar spices. The walls are painted a dark shade of blue and there are framed photos of jazz musicians placed artistically throughout. A band is quietly playing soft, contemporary jazz in the corner. We’re seated quickly and Vincent puts in our order. Gumbo. I don’t think I’ve ever had it. I arch my brow at him.

  “Sorry. I know we’re short on time, and it’ll take us a while to get back. The gumbo here is always hot and ready.” He reaches across the table and takes my hand in his. I take advantage and glance at his watch. It’s a Rolex, vintage, too. It reads 5:15 p.m. We are going to need to eat fast. The wai
tress arrives with our water and bowls of hot gumbo. It’s just what I need. It’s starting to cool down at night so something warm in my belly will be perfect for the drive home. Fortunately the gumbo isn’t too spicy, but it does make my nose a little runny.

  “This place is nice. Do you come here often?” I ask between mouthfuls. Gosh, the gumbo and the garlic rolls are delicious!

  “Yes. I’ve played here, just twice. My brother told me about it. He’s always out and about. He’s the man to ask about a good place to eat or a good bar to go to. He’s handy like that.” He smiles to himself.

  So he has another brother? That’s news. I raise my brows at him.

  “My younger brother is a bit bohemian. Pisses my parents off, but for some reason, not as much as it pisses them off that I’ve applied for that position at the University I was telling you about.” He furrows his brows.

  What?

  “I applied the morning after our date at The Speak Easy. You bolstered my confidence,” he adds with a modest smile. “I’m at their mercy now.”

  “Wow! That’s—great! Good luck. I hope you get it.” I don’t know what to think or feel about that. Vincent? In Uptown? The thought makes my blood rush faster.

  “So you told them then—your parents, that you’re going to teach?” I smile and try to keep my tone casual.

  “Actually no. I didn’t tell them. My mother, she has her ways. I swear the woman could work for the FBI,” he laughs and I try my best not to look too horrified. He only just applied! How could she possibly know?

  “She’s over protective. Our family has had its fair share of bad luck.” His expression changes, it grows tighter and he imperceptibly shifts in his seat.

  “Yeah, that’s something I can definitely understand.” The words are out of my mouth before I can take them back, a momentary slip up on my part. I told myself I wasn’t going to impart any more personal information.

  He softens but doesn’t remark.

  We finish our tasty gumbo and practically run back to his bike. The drive isn’t as quiet on the way back; there’s a lot of traffic. I’m glad he brought the Triumph. We wouldn’t have made it back in time for practice otherwise. The Triumph glides through the traffic as we carefully dart between and around cars. There is no time to stop at his place to get the Mercedes or my night bag so we continue driving down the jam-packed freeway.

  I replay the day on the drive back; it was an unexpected surprise. But I’m glad I decided to join Vincent in his spontaneity, even if it did cost me money to close shop today.

  As soon as we arrive in Uptown I feel empty, sad...and I don’t know what else. As much as I hate to admit it, I don’t want him to go. I don’t feel like going to practice. It’s been such a perfect day, my first day playing hooky, my first time kissing in a theater. I don’t want it to end.

  We pull into the parking lot of Kazumi’s studio. There are a few other cars parked, one them Jordan’s. I get off and Vincent takes off my helmet. It’s 6:58. We made it right on time. I’m quiet, and so is he. He doesn’t get off his bike as he pulls me to him.

  “I can drop your bag off to you after practice, if you’d like.” My eyes don’t leave his.

  “Yes,” my voice is a whisper. I want him to come back. I don’t need anything in my bag at all, but I want an excuse to see him again.

  “I’ll see you in a couple of hours?”

  I nod. I’ve gone mute.

  Wrapping his arm around my waist, he pulls me toward him and kisses me gently. His lips are incredibly soft. I pull back and hand him his jacket. He slides it on smoothly, revs the engine and drives away. I watch him as he disappears down the street.

  I open the doors to Kazumi’s studio in a daze. The Mercuries are already there.

  “Who was that sexy thing on the motorcycle?” Ginger roars at me and they all laugh.

  I roll my eyes and smile feeling my cheeks heat with embarrassment. They greet me with side kisses and I’m pulled away brusquely.

  Jordan drags me into Kazumi’s office and closes the door behind us. Kazumi is seated at her desk, serious as ever, and looking gorgeous. I take a seat quietly. I revert back to childhood for a moment. Kazumi gets up and goes to the door.

  “Jill, why don’t you girls get warmed up, we’ll be out in a minute.” They all scatter and stop staring. I feel like a child about to be grounded. Not good.

  I glare at Jordan and he glares right back.

  “What’s your problem?” I ask, seriously interested.

  “Me? I don’t have a problem.”

  Kazumi sits down and Jordan chews his bottom lip a moment before continuing.

  “Ok, maybe I do have a problem.”

  I thought so.

  “I don’t want you throwing yourself at this guy you don’t even know. That I don’t even know. Changing your whole life, taking days off from work when you don’t make enough money as it is. And all just for the first guy who walks in the door! It’s dumb, Lenore.” Another pause, “No matter how good looking he is, he isn’t worth you losing business.”

  I stare at him, my best impassive look doing work. He better rein all that shit in. I look to Kazumi. She has a blank expression, but I can feel her quietly deciding how best to diffuse this situation. A rush of blood prickles the back of my neck. I look back at Jordan and he squirms uncomfortably under the heat of my stare.

  “Are you done?”

  “Yes?” he murmurs, like it’s a question. I think he’s nervous.

  “First, I’m not a child, nor am I an idiot. What happens in my private life is for me to know, and you not to be concerned with. Secondly, I would never ‘change my whole life for the first guy who walks in the door’, but I’m glad you think so much of me. And I’m not taking days off, I took a day off.” My voice is slightly raised. I’m seriously pissed. How fucking stupid must he think I am? And why does he think it’s his business?

  “That isn’t how I meant it. I’m just worried, so cut the attitude. And…we want to meet him,” he glances at Kazumi for support. “Get to know him, he’s a stranger who has suddenly invaded the life of my best friend.”

  He looks from Kazumi to me; clearly trying to get her to speak up, team up with him, I should say. She doesn’t even blink. She has a great poker face. Her eyes bore into me. I look away from her and back to Jordan, shaking my head in exasperation.

  “No. It’s not like that. I’m not in a relationship with him, so there is no need for him to meet my parents. Oops! I mean, friends.” Disdain and sarcasm drip from my voice. These two, I love them, but they know I am a private person. Right now, they are treading all over my privacy, I don’t care how concerned they are; they need to back off. Well, Jordan needs to back off. I don’t even know what Kazumi is thinking.

  “Oh, you’re not in a relationship with him? But you’ll close up shop for a whole day and then make out with him in the parking lot of Kazumi’s studio?”

  I stand. I’ve had enough. I don’t need to explain anything to anyone. Kazumi stands with me.

  “Jordan. Back. The. Fuck. Off!” I don’t normally get angry, but when I do...watch out. He flinches and looks at me as though I’ve just slapped him. I know how monumentally confused he must be. I am too. I just need time and space to sort myself out. I do not need my best friend breathing down my neck. I need him in my corner.

  “Lenore, I feel like I don’t even know you right now.”

  I shrug, trying to appear as indifferent as possible.

  “Jordan, I need to talk to Lenore.”

  Oh, finally Kazumi speaks! Jordan gets up and walks out quickly. He heads straight out into the parking lot and gets into his car.

  And now I feel like the most terrible person in the world, I really don’t want to have a fight with Jordan. My nearly perfect day just got shitty in a matter of 5 minutes.

  Kazumi sighs and sits back down. I turn and look at her, ready for her assault. She smiles patiently instead.

  “So, I spoke with the owner of The S
peak Easy, he isn’t totally sold on the Mercuries performing Monday’s. He had me book a group of aerialists; he’s going to give them a trial as well. He’s just trying to add a bit more diversity I guess.” She shrugs, but I can see she is disappointed. It might actually be better that we stick to only performing on Friday’s. Kazumi has a lot on her plate as it is.

  “Is that all?” I ask, my tone softening.

  She looks up at me, “Yes. Now get your sexy butt out there. We need to practice.”

  We both walk out and she gets everyone’s attention and begins directing the girls immediately. I kick off my oxfords and grab a stray pair of ballet slippers from the locker room as quickly as I can. I don’t want to make her wait.

  Practice goes smoothly, a few witty jokes pass between the girls at my expense, but I’m in a better mood now that my body is warmed up and we have good music playing.

  We go through the next week’s routine. Apparently sweet and lovely Allison is a knife thrower! We will all be dressed in circus theme for our next performance. It’s going to be quite a show, all of us acting out a certain role; it’s almost like a play.

  Jill is going to do a flame act with Ginger, and Kazumi wants me to do a quick and easy ballet solo. Nothing grand. Just something of an in between while Allison does a wardrobe change. I’m to appear doll-like, like a marionette doll that is. Our wardrobe and makeup girl is going to help me to achieve that.

  Dancing burlesque ignites an exhilarating feeling that I’ve come to treasure and embrace. I surrender myself completely and am learning to welcome the calm it brings in its wake.

  I’m glistening with sweat a couple of hours later. I really want to get home and shower before Vincent comes over. Kazumi has some work to do before closing up, so I walk home, enjoying the fact that I finally have a moment to myself.

  It’s a fresh night, I regret giving Vincent his jacket back. A chill sweeps through me. I quicken my pace and get home in record time. I slide my door open in a hurry and lock it shut from the inside. I leave a note under the door for Vincent so he can find the hidden key. I don’t remember what I did with his phone number, but a note should do.