Saving Me

DISCLAIMER:
This is my story, completely, totally. The characters are mine and it is purely fiction. No truth whatsoever. Lemme know what you think.
I"VE CHANGED THIS CHAPTER A LITTLE 1/18/07


The music flowed around her like water, holding her up. Making her weightless, a creature of the deep. It ebbed and pulsed like the waves against the shore. Every fluid movement of her arm graceful, controlled. She lifted her leg into a seemingly effortless arabesque, her arms extended in front of her. She whipped her leg around and turned into a slow pirouette. She dipped and turned gliding across the floor en pointe, her face held nothing other than concentration. But she knew she was being watched, and by someone other than her instructor. She could feel the eyes following her every move, could feel the weight as she danced. But because of the two sided mirrors, she could see only herself reflected. But she ignored the watcher as the music peaked to a crescendo. She became the music, the sea. An untamable beauty, with fathomless depths never meant for mortal eyes. The song faded away and she lowered herself to the ground, one leg stretched before her, the other bent beneath her. She raised her arms over her head and bowed low over her outstretched leg. She raised her head to her teacher’s clapping. “Wonderful Eva, magnificent.” Eva rose to her feet smoothly with a smile. “I thought so too. It felt good.”

From behind the glass two men stood with their arms crossed. Both awestruck, neither wanting to look away from the dancer for fear they might miss even one movement. One Bright and shining as the sun, the other dark and forbidden as midnight. “So,” The bright one asked. “What do you think?” The other shook himself slightly. “Lets get on the ice and find out.”

When Eva entered the rink, she was filled with a quiet calm. She loved to skate, to feel the freedom it brought her to dance on the water. Even though it was frozen she still considered it miraculous. She smiled when she saw her coach waiting for her. His stunning good looks never ceased to amaze her. Blonde and golden as a ray of sunlight. More leg on him than a bucket of chicken, well muscled where it counted and a smile to die for. Damn the man for being queer as a two dollar bill. His blue eyes were shining as she neared. She smiled in greeting and he shifted to the left, revealing another man bent over tying the laces of his skates. His hair was black as sin, curling slightly in a boyish manner. She raised a brow at Adrian, but the Adonis merely smiled. “Nice of you to join us Eva.” His voice held none of the characteristically gay lisp. Only a deep tenor filled with humor.

Eva felt her heart drop to her toes when the new man looked up at her. She felt rooted to the spot as his green eyes pierced her through to the soul. He was devastatingly handsome, full lips that curled into a cocky smile. The kind of smile that just oozed sex and trouble. His jaw was square and clean shaven, a plus, his nose an aristocratic line that spoke of Norman ancestry. His sooty lashes long enough to make any woman jealous and two perfectly separated eyebrows that winged arrogantly over his cat like eyes. “Glad to be here I think.” She answered lifting both her brows at her coach. “Eva, this is Gabriel Hunter. Gabe, Evangeline Page.” Eva extended her hand as he stood. “Eva.” She corrected. The man positively towered over her, without his skates on he would be about six five, impressive. “Hi Eva.” He said those lush lips twisted in a sensual smirk. He probably didn’t even realize he was doing it either. He was wearing black warm-ups and a t-shirt that read ‘bite me.’ Interesting. His voice was accented with something she couldn’t quite place, but it was sexy as hell. Two tiny gold hoops sparkled in his left ear and she had the sudden urge to reach up on her tip toes and nibble at them. Her thought train was interrupted at Adrian’s cough. “Gabe is going to try out for the esteemed position as your couple’s partner.” Eva blinked. “You want me to work couples? Wicked.” She sat down and took her skates out of her bag. “I’ll be a minute.” Adrian shrugged and turned to Gabriel. “Warm up please, Eva’s already there.” Gabriel nodded and stepped out onto the ice. Eva stood and took off her pants to reveal the tights she wore underneath. She pulled on thick socks and slid her feet into the red skates that were her trademark. After lacing them she pulled on her leg warmers and stood to pull on a flowing red chiffon skirt. Off came her jacket to reveal the skintight black leotard. Her arms were toned with muscle, her legs long and corded with strength. Despite her being a skater she retained her breasts and hourglass figure, unlike the majority of girls who were either stick thin and boyish or downright manly. She looked up to find Gabriel regarding her with an appreciative gleam in his eyes. She realized it had been he and Adrian watching her earlier in the studio. Cheeky gits.

Adrian took her hand and stepped onto the ice with her. Her blood hummed with pleasure at that first glide across the glassy rink. “So Eva, Gabe what mood are we in today?” Eva looked at her would be partner who shrugged. “I’m open.” Eva turned back to Adrian with a grin. “The way you make me Feel.” She stated clearly. She caught Gabriel’s smug look. Eva winked as Adrian took the remote to the stereo system and pressed a button. The beat was fast, and horribly sexy. She let the music paint her a picture, let it take her over and fashion her as it would. She could picture Gabriel as a naughty, smooth talking biker boy, chasing her down. She circled him and smiled a sultry come get me smile. He swiveled in a smaller circle, pacing her, and answering gleam in his eyes. “I just want the two of you to get a feel for each other, see if this could work.” Adrian said stepping back onto the concrete, giving the two skaters room to play and explore. With video camera in hand he continued. “After a while we’ll work on some paired movements and go from there.” Eva nodded and circled to a stop, she let the song paint an image in her head. And she let herself fly with the sultry feeling it evoked. Eva could see the bad boy in Gabriel, it bubbled from him. A tidal wave of sensuality.

Gabriel watched as a new began to take over Eva’s body. She was transforming before his eyes, becoming a vision of red flame. She was five seven give or take, a heart shaped face, flawless alabaster skin, huge eyes bluer than a star sapphire. Her hair flowed in a rich amber wave down her back, held back by a simple black headband. Flirty little bangs swept her forehead accenting the way those blue eyes tilted at the corners. She moved slowly back away from him, an S shape with a look on her face that dared him to follow. He did, matching her slow footwork. He executed a swift shift of his body, turning his back to her and sliding to her left. He slid into place beside her, matching her stroke for stroke, moving with her watching for the slight shifting of her feet and body to let him know which way to move. She nodded her approval and turned in a circle, pleased when he turned with her. They were perfectly in tune, her sultry movements calling to his baser, darker side making his blood boil. He saw her prepare for a simple spin that didn’t require air and followed her lead.

They came out of the turn together, and with a challenging smile of his own he held his hand out to her. Eva felt her stomach quiver as she placed her hand in his. Such strong hands, and felt…something…a fission of heat and something else. What was it? And then as he pulled her into his arms, guiding her around so her back was to him, their arms crossed together over her chest. She felt safe. Safe in his embrace, something vital to paired figure skaters. They backpedaled together in sync and then he was turning her again, instinctively she let herself slide out farther as she bent forward slightly and lifted her leg into the air behind her. He pulled her back in and she let her foot fall slowly. He took both her hands and eased them in the air. His eyes held her spellbound, she barely noticed when he let her hands go and grasped her waist. Effortlessly he raised her into the air and she gasped with joy. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back. Her arms floated down in front of her face and out to the side. She was flying. She felt so free; she opened her eyes as Gabriel slowly lowered her down his body. She rested her hands on his shoulders as her feet touched down gently and twirled with her, pulling her back to his chest. Eva leaned back against him, her hand curling around his larger one. It felt so right to be in his arms. Her bad biker, dark as sin.

Gabriel wrapped his arm around her waist, smiling when her hand covered his. His other hand lifted her arm back to curl around his neck. Then he skimmed his fingertips down her side bringing into play some Dirty Dancing moves. His hand moved lower to her hip, he felt the muscles in her thigh quiver as her leg lifted and extended in time with his. They were gliding in an easy loop, moving like they’d been skating together forever. “Care to do a few jumps?” He said in her ear, her head turned up to his and she smiled, and he could swear his toes curled. “Sure.” Reluctantly he let her go, and they circled the ice together, turning as one preparing for their jump. “Single or double?” She asked. He inclined his head. “Lets keep it simple, singles will do for now.” He watched for her signal, saw her nod and as one they leapt into the air, they flung out their arms as they landed perfectly in time. Foolish grins on both their faces. Eva skated circles around him, her arms moving through the air like smoke. Gabriel hadn’t ever seen anything more enchanting before in his life. He spun slowly around on his toe guard and just watched the serene joy on her face. It intrigued him, beguiled him. This could most definitely work.


The music faded slowly to an end and they turned to look at Adrian. His eyes were glued on them his mouth hanging open in the most undignified manner. An expression on his face Eva had never seen before. He held the video camera in front on him still taping them. They skated closer and while his mouth worked to find words he stopped recording. “Spit it out Adrian you look like a fish.” Eva said with a frown on her lovely face. “Holy shit.” Adrian managed. Gabriel looked down at Eva. “Is that a good thing or bad?” He asked, humor coloring his voice. Eva finally placed his accent. He was a Scot, a really gorgeous one too. “Holy shit.” Adrian repeated, drawing her back. “You said that already hon.” Adrian blinked and looked back at his camera. “Gold medal here we come.” He held the little silver box like a priceless treasure. “I take it we’re compatible?” Eva asked with a wink for Gabriel. Adrian laughed almost hysterically. “Never seen anything…anything like it in my life. And I got it all on camera.” His voice held the awe of a boy at Christmas who’d got the jackpot of all presents. “You two have to watch this. Wait here, I’ll put it up on the score board. God damn amazing.” He was saying as he left.

Gabriel and Eva looked at each other sharing a puzzled look. “It felt right to me; I think this could work for us.” Eva said seriously. Gabriel nodded and leaned back against the panel. “How long have you been doing this?” He waved his hand, indicating the ice rink. Eva looked down and Gabriel saw a flicker of something, a painful memory, and saw it clearly there in her fathomless eyes when she looked up. “Since I was eight. My grandmother took me skating for my birthday and I fell in love.” She shook the memory away and her eyes became a still pool again. “How about you?” Gabriel smiled and crossed his arms. “Six years, I was a hockey player before that.” Eva nodded. “Should have guessed.” His black brows rose in question. She colored slightly. “You lifted me so easily out there, like I was a feather. That takes a lot of strength. You didn’t have to brace or prepare me for it, you just grabbed my waist and up I went.” A shout above them had them looking up. “Watch the screen, this is brilliant.” Adrian shouted from the sound booth. And they did, turning to the huge score board. Eva’s jaw hit the ice. She watched herself on the screen and hardly recognized herself. Her facial expression was that of a temptress and Gabriel looked like he was more than willing to give in to temptation. And when he lifted her, she saw the pure rapture on her own face as her head tilted back. They had an air around them that said they were lovers. Eva thought they looked amazing together, a striking couple most definitely. She just couldn’t believe that was her on the video.

Gabriel was thinking along the same lines, the look on her face when he had raised her up was indescribable. Joy, rapture, sensuality, freedom. Freedom. He grinned when he watched the jumps they’d done in perfect harmony. “I really hope this means I’ve got the esteemed privilege Eva.” She blinked up at him. “I have to kill Adrian if he said no, but I really doubt that’ll be the case. God we’re good.” She said looking back up at the screen. “We look like…” She stopped tilting her head to find the right word. “Lovers?” He finished. She gave him a sly smile. “Winners.” He nodded loftily. “Uh-hum. That too I suppose.” Adrian replayed and froze the moment during the lift when Eva had extended her arms behind her. She saw the raw lust in Gabriel’s face, the happiness on hers and knew this was going to be one hell of a ride. She swallowed a lump of nervousness. How much of herself was she going to have to give him? Was she willing to let him see her, really see her?

Adrian came bounding down the stairs and interrupted her trip down panic road before she could get on a steady roll. “Eva please tell me you’ll do this? I’ve never seen a better suited pair. The two of you could take Nationals, hell the freaking Olympics.” Eva looked up at Gabriel and lifted a brow. He mimicked her with a sardonic twist of his lips. She looked back up to the picture of them on the board. She shivered inside, mixed feelings of fear and longing. Her dreams were in reach, all she had to do was take Gabriel’s hand and he’d help them come true. She looked back at him and smiled slowly. “Lets start with regionals Adrian.” Adrian whooped and kissed her full on the mouth. She laughed at the hilarity when he picked her up and twirled with her. “Thank you god. You guys have this raw sex appeal, it’s a living thing and we’re going to totally amp it up. I want more of it, the technical stuff can be more PG, but the free dance…” He let the suggestive waggle of his eyebrows speak. Gabriel grinned at her, pulling at his bottom lip with his teeth.


Eva’s hormones shuddered with nervous anticipation of that man’s big sexy hands being all over her. Adrian rubbed his hands together excitedly. “Gabriel, babe, you’ve got that rough biker thing going for you, but I want some elegance thrown in there for some depth.” Gabriel blinked. “Biker thing?” Adrian waved a hand at him. “Yeah, all I see is leather but I want some silk.” Still not comprehending gay-speech he crossed his arms and looked to Eva for help. She smiled sympathetically and rested her hand on Adrian’s shoulder. “You’re amazing, which you know, and an edge that results in that.” She pointed to the screen, but his bottle green eyes stayed on her. “Have you taken any other dance classes besides ballet?” Gabriel shook his head no. Eva nodded and looked to Adrian. “Kay, then we’ll start with some ballroom and Latin then go from there.” She said gauging his reaction, expecting distaste she found him nodding agreeably. Adrian looked at the pair of them with wild excitement in his eyes. “Gabe whens the soonest you can be available?” Gabriel shrugged. “Tomorrow soon enough?” “Nope but it’ll do.”