“I would offer you refreshments but all wehave is water.” Juliette gestured to the small table where pitchersof water sat beside several glasses. It was not unusual for her orher students to be thirsty after working all afternoon.
“I’ve had enough water for one afternoon,” helaughed.
Juliette returned his smile and gesturedtoward the chairs. “Would you care to sit?”
Acker simply stood there staring at her.“Dance for me,” he said after a moment, his voice low and warmthspread through her body as heat stole into her cheeks. It was onething to dance upon the stage before a crowd and with others and anorchestra feeding her movements. It was quite another to give aperformance to a soul individual in silence.
“Dance with me,” she countered.
He chuckled and shook his head.
“I’ll teach you the art of ballet,” Julietteoffered. What would it be like if Acker could dance like Carlo? Howwould it feel to have his hands about her waist, lifting, turningand spinning?
He looked down at his clothing, “I don’tbelieve I am properly attired.”
His clothing was a bit confining, butJuliette was not about to let that stop her. “Remove your jacketand waistcoat,” she suggested and then glanced at his feet. Thoseboots would never do, at least not at first. “And your boots.”
Acker tilted his head and studied her as ifhe were considering the option. A moment later he slid the jacketfrom his shoulders and tossed it onto a chair before he unbuttonedhis waistcoat. It was placed on top of the jacket and Acker sat toremove his boots. He was actually going to learn to dance.Juliette’s mind flooded with lessons. What should she teach himfirst?
He placed his boots beside the chair andstarted walking toward her. The stockings on his feet were thin andshe hoped he didn’t earn a splinter for his effort. This was an oldbuilding and many of the floorboards were in need of replacing. Butsince the dancers wore slippers suited for the ballet, splinterswere not a concern, unless one fell. She had gotten a few in herpalms, but not in some time.
When he stopped before her, Juliette lookeddown at his feet. “Shall we start with the first foot position?”She pressed her heels together and turned her feet out so that theyformed a perfect line from one toe to the other.
Acker attempted the same, but his feet didnot turn nearly as far as Juliette would like. “Can you not dobetter?” She asked as she glanced up.
“I am afraid this is the best I can dowithout it becoming painful.”
“Where does it pull?”
His face developed a rosy hue and Juliettetried not to giggle. It wasn’t unusual to discuss legs, backs,arms, feet and even the bottom with her students. How else was oneto know if there was an injury or they needed to stretchfurther?
“Here.” He gestured to the inside of histhighs, slightly above the knees.
Juliette nodded. “Come with me.” She led himto the barre. “You need to stretch.” She turned her back to him.“Now, do what I do.” Juliette lifted her right leg and placed it onthe barre and turned to look back at Acker.
He was focused on her ankle and calf. If shedidn’t expose this part of her anatomy nightly to an entireaudience she might be embarrassed. It wasn’t as if he could see allof her leg.
“Lift your foot and place it on the barre,”she said when he didn’t move.
Acker took his focus from her leg andattempted to do as she did. He winced when his ankle finallysettled in place.
“Now, bring your arms above your head.” Shedemonstrated by curving her arms up and out, bringing them aboveher until her fingers almost touched.
He did the same, though his arms were morestiff and straight. In time he would learn the proper position.
“Now, bend at the waist and try to touch yournose to your leg.” Juliette demonstrated the movement thenstraightened and looked at Acker’s reflection in the mirror. Theman could only partially bend. This was going to be more work thanshe was used to. Her students were young girls and more limber whenthey first began to dance, but she was not about to give up on thisgentleman. “Straighten and do it again.”
They repeated the exercise five more timesand though he was stretching the muscles, Acker could not bend far.Juliette removed her foot from the barre and turned. “Now, theother side.”
Acker had to physically lift his leg off ofthe barre before he could straighten and stand on it. He turned andrepeated the exercise. This time Juliette was behind him and sheenjoyed the sight of his bottom as the breeches tightened each timehe bent. As she wore a skirt, she knew he could not see her bodymovement nearly as well. He had a very nice posterior. Firm fromwhat she could tell, despite his inability to stretch very far. Itwas interesting. She had been in similar situations with other maledancers, but barely noted their behinds and she certainly didn’tadmire them as she did Ackers.
The room was growing warmer and she glancedin the mirror to watch him stretch.
He began to bend for the third time butgroaned and stopped. Juliette quickly righted herself and rushed tostand before him. “Are you hurt?”
“Not yet, but I cannot do this again. As itis, I am not certain I will be able to walk tomorrow.”
She couldn’t help herself but giggled andhelped him take his foot from the barre. Perhaps that was enoughfor one day. Though he was tall and fit, if the muscles stretchinghis shirt each time he bent was any indication, he was not inphysical condition to attempt ballet. It took years of training tobe able to move as she and Carlo did. “I am sorry,” she offeredwhen he winced once he planted his foot on the floor andstraightened.
“I now have much more appreciation for theballet.”
“You should probably sit.”
He took a step closer to her. She could feelhis breath on her cheek. “I will if you dance for me.”
She stared up into his eyes wanting to granthis request, despite how uncomfortable it would be to dance for himalone, but
