Nothing On But the Radio

Two lovers lay atop soft, silken sheets. The man lay on his left side, his right arm draped across the woman's bare stomach. The woman lay on her back, her hazel eyes peering up at him lovingly. But there was something else in them as well. He couldn't quite make out what it was. He propped himself up on his left elbow and studied her for a moment.

His dark, blue eyes surveyed each curve of her pure, white skin. Skin that had not yet been touched in a way akin to this. His lips curved into a grin as his eyes found hers, and he leaned forward to kiss her pink lips gently, feeling his upper body meet hers. She sighed lightly, dreamily, as he pulled his lips away. He touched his forehead gently to hers and stared directly into her eyes.

A strange mix of emotion was still evident in the deep golden brown of her eyes. There was some form of hesitation, some insecurity that was buried beneath the love that shone through on the surface. He pulled away and dipped his head low, so that his lips were positioned mere centimeters from her ear.

"You sure you're okay with this?" He whispered, kissing her earlobe lightly before pulling back to judge her reaction.

Her beautiful, gold eyes now betrayed how insecure she really was about the situation. An innocent, pink blush spread from the apples of her cheeks to the tips of her ears. A tear glinted in the corner of each golden eye, and her small, pink lips were pushed together and flattened in a thin line.

"No." Her soft voice was so low that he had to strain his ears to hear. "I-I-I..." She closed her eyes and the tears began to escape, rolling slowly down her cheeks and dropping down onto the pillowcase.

Regret instantly washed over him. He pushed himself up and into a sitting position, crossing his legs Indian style on the bed. He reached out and slid an arm beneath her shoulders, pulling her up and towards him. He brought his other arm around to support her and pulled her to him, sighing as she buried her face in her shoulder.

Why did I have to say that?

He rocked back and forth slowly as she continued to cry. He held the back of her head gently, stroking her long, black curls and shushing her soothingly. She whimpered quietly and shuddered as more tears began to flow. He felt their warmth as they rolled across his shoulder and longed to take away whatever this was that she was feeling.

Say something, you idiot! Fix this mess you made!

"Hey," he whispered into her ear, removing his hand from behind her head and placing it under her chin, "what's the matter, love? Was it something I said?"

She pulled back slightly and gave a small sniff. Her eyes were red around the edges, and her nose was a bright pink. Yet, even now, her beauty was astounding to him.

She dragged in a few deep, ragged breaths.

"N-n-no. I-i-it is-s-sn't y-y-you." A hiccup escaped her mouth after "you". He had to fight to keep the smile from his face.

"Then what's the matter?" He traced up and down the side of her face with his index finger and she closed her eyes, leaning into his gentle touch.

"I-it's just," she stopped and sighed, "I'm... nervous."

This time, he did smile.

"Why are you nervous?"

"What if..." Her voice grew ever smaller. "What if I'm not... good enough."

He felt his eyes widen in shock. He placed both his hands on her slim, white shoulders and gently moved her back, so that he could study her whole face. She blushed again as his eyes met hers and dipped her head, letting her long locks fall forward to conceal her face.

"Why in the world would you think that?" His voice grew husky as he spoke. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

He reached up and gently moved a portion of hair from her face, dipping his head so that he was face to face with her.

"I... don't know." She whispered back, wrapping her arms around her bare midriff as if she were cold.

"This is my first time doing anything like this. I-I don't know what to expect. Well, not really. And I don't know what you..." She choked on her words as the tears began to return. "... what you expect."

He pulled his hand away, a feeling of helplessness beginning to wash over him. He stared at her, her exquisite white frame sitting across from him, folded in on itself in embarrassment and insecurity.

This was supposed to be special.

The best night of our lives.

Her words echoed over and over in his mind.
I don't know what to expect.
He wracked his brain, trying to think of something he could say or do that would take all her worries away.

He looked around the room, trying to collect his thoughts. He glanced over her head at the high-backed dresser that stood against the wall. His eyes centered on the old-fashioned, pale blue Emerson radio that sat atop it in front of the mirror.

And something in his mind clicked.

"You know," he slid backward slowly, unfolding his legs and swinging them over the side of the bed. "My dad told me once, that it's kind of like dancing."

He watched her as he padded across the carpeted floor toward the radio. She turned her head and followed him with her eyes, which were filled with curiosity and a bit of confusion.

When he reached the ancient radio, he grasped the power knob between his thumb and forefinger and twisted it slightly, praying that the old thing still worked.

With a click and a whir the little radio lit up and came to life, the soft strains of Loretta Lynn's "Feelings" filling the room. He reached across the radio's face and gripped the volume knob in much the same way, adjusting it so that the music seemed to trickle softly from the radio and hang sweetly in the air. Satisfied, he turned around to face her, a big, goofy grin spreading across his face.

"Maybe doing some actual dancing'll give us a feel for it?" He padded back to the bed, his hand outstretched.

"May I have this dance?"

She stared at his hand for a moment, her eyes wide and unreadable. He held his breath.

"Feelings just lead us on till we know where we're goin'... " The radio sang happily from its place atop the dresser.

She looked up and scrutinized his face. For a brief moment, it seemed that she would refuse. Pick up her clothes from the floor, and storm out of the room. He felt his heart begin to sink as he stood, frozen.

"If I told you that I loved you could we slip away where the lights're low..."

He closed his eyes and sighed, feeling defeat wash over him.
You blew it. She doesn't want anything to do with you anymore..

And then he felt it.

A slight, warm pressure in the palm of his hand. He heard the rustle of silk and the creak of the bed-frame as she moved. He opened his eyes and saw her standing before him, a small, shy smile on her lips. Her hand placed in his.

"You may."

He grinned down at her and pulled her hand back, placing it atop his shoulder. She moved closer and placed her other hand in much the same position. He reached around her waist with both arms and clasped his hands at the small of her back. She began to rock back and forth gently to the tune of the music.

"And if I put my arms around you and held you close could you tell me no?..."

They swayed gently back and forth, starting out with space between their bodies, simply enjoying the dance. But they soon found themselves moving closer and closer, until there was no space. Their skin touched and chafed, one layer against the other, as they moved in sync with each other and the music.

"You don't know how long I wanted to have you where you are right now..."

He looked down at her as they swayed. Her face was buried against his chest, her cheeks flushed in a deep crimson, her dark-lashed eye lids half closed. Her body pressed farther against his with every movement. It seemed as all inhibitions had been stripped from her with this one simple change in mood.

"Now here we are together too close with talkin' I can't tell you no..."

He felt her heart hammer through her chest. The beat crashed against him, and his heart raced to match it. He began to feel a fire build somewhere deep inside him. A deep desire to give her everything, in the way she deserved.

"Yes love take us where we've never been before..."

He pulled back slightly and tilted her in his arms. She let her head loll back and he bent to meet her, his lips connecting with the soft skin of her neck, gently making their way lower and lower as she lay suspended in his arms, sighing with pleasure.

"Feelings. Mmhmm. Feelings..."

He lowered her gently to the floor, molding his own body further into hers as he followed, wanting more than anything to become one and the same with this beautiful woman.

For what is love, but the passionate dance in which one merges with the other?