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  “Betty, what’s this all about?”

  “You’re going to the dance.” Betty announced nonchalantly.

  “No, no, no,” Jenny gasped. “I can’t go, my mam will…”

  “Your mam thinks you’ll be here helping me. Now, I know for a fact that I’m not going to tell her. Are you?”

  “But I don’t want to go.”

  “Don’t try and kid me Jenny. I saw your face earlier and you’ve been sulking like a baby that’s just lost its dummy.”

  “But, I can’t go on my own. Nora doesn’t…”

  “Nora’s meeting you here at half past six, so,” Betty checked the pretty little watch on her wrist. It’s the only item of jewellery she wears, other than her wedding ring of course. Both given to her by her beloved William. “We’ve just over an hour to fix your hair and get you ready.”

  “We?” Jenny giggled, partly with excitement but mostly with nerves.

  “Well you don’t think I’m going to let you out, looking like a cheap floosy do you?” She tutted. “I don’t know why you didn’t just accept the GI’s offer.”

  “What?” Jenny gasped.

  “Oh, I heard him asking you to the dance. I ain’t deaf and I ain’t blind either. I’ve been watching you mooning around over him.”

  “I was doing nothing of the sort,” Jenny tries to defend herself.

  “Pfft! Not that I can blame you, he’s a handsome boy and quite the gentleman. Oh, and by the way, I saw the kiss too.”

  Jenny shuffled uncomfortably from one foot to the other, before blurting out, “it’s a pity it wasn’t on the lips.” Betty looked at her with raised eyebrows and mouth agape, then they both fall back onto the bed in a fit of giggles.

  Chapter Five

  When Jenny walked into the village hall with Nora, she was shaking like a leaf. It was crowded, noisy and her heart was drumming faster than the beat of the up-tempo music. It was exciting and scary all at the same time.

  Nora had been shocked and a little jealous when she first clapped eyes on Jenny in her stunning outfit. Betty had done wonders with her hair. Dark soft curls fell over her shoulders and down her back. The victory roll at the front gave it a little height, making it perfect. Her make-up consisted of a touch of powder, a little mascara, and a burst of red colour to her lips. It was just the right amount, so as not to cover her natural beauty. Neither did it hide the sprinkling of freckles and the soft pink glow of her cheeks.

  Jenny felt like a movie star, and as nervous as one doing her first audition. That’s how it felt. Her first dance, her first time out, with men, soldiers even. No, scrap that. GI’s. The forbidden fruit in her mam’s eyes.

  A pang of guild hit her, but she quickly pushed it away, determined that now she was here, she was bloody well going to make the most of it.

  It was mere minutes before they were approached by two young GI’s, who introduced themselves as Bud and Harvey.

  “So, are you going to ask me to dance or what?” Nora says, turning her attention to Bud, hand on hip, as precocious as ever.

  Bud simply smiled, grabbed her hand and led her into the crowd of swaying couples in the centre of the room.

  Jenny stood nervously, cursing Nora in her head for leaving her.

  “Would you like to dance?” Harvey shouted over the loud music.

  “No thank you,” she replied.

  “You don’t like to dance?”

  “I don’t know how to?”

  “Me neither,” he laughed, scratching his head.

  The silence that fell between them was awkward, but while he fidgeted, looking everywhere but at her, it gave her the chance to get a look at him.

  His brown hair had a curl that made it look unruly. His eyes, when she did manage to catch a glance, where a soft green. His lips thin, teeth a little crooked. He was… nice, but he wasn’t Teddy.

  “Hello Jenny.”

  The voice behind her, had her spinning around. Forgetting that she was in heels, she lost her footing, but was quickly up righted, thanks to Teddy’s strong arms.

  What was it that her grandmother used to say… ‘Speak of the devil and he will appear.’ Although Teddy looked nothing like the devil. Not one single bit. His fringe flopped over his eyes, but not enough to hide the beauty of the blue,

  “Hello,” Jenny eventually managed to say.

  “So, that’s why you turned down my invitation. You already had a date.”

  “No, I… this is not my doing. Betty, I mean Mrs. Armitage, she… well let’s just say, she convinced me to come.”

  “You came on your own?”

  “With my friend Nora. She’s over there. The one in the red dress, dancing with the GI.”

  “And what about your GI?” he flicked his gaze over her shoulder. Jenny turns to find Harvey already making a hasty retreat.

  “Seems like you’ve scared him off.”

  “Good.” The intensity in his eyes when he looked at her made her skin tingle. “Let me get you a drink.” Teddy glanced around the room and decided that he wasn’t willing to risk leaving her there, a sitting target for all the other horny soldiers. “Why don’t you come with me?”

  Gently he placed his hand in the centre of her back, and led her to the back of the room. Her body reacted instantly to the warmth of his touch through the fabric of her dress. When she felt a soft throbbing between her legs, it took her by surprise. If this was how her body reacted now, god only knew what sensations he could ignite if he touched her in other places.

  Holding two glasses, Teddy gestured for Jenny to follow him. Walking out of the main room, the noise subsided once the door swung closed behind them.

  “That’s better, I can hear your pretty voice now,” he smiles, handing Jenny one of the glasses. Not sure how to react to his compliment, she took a big gulp of the brown liquid.

  When Jenny started to cough and splutter, Teddy quickly removed the glass from her hand before it spilt on her dress.

  “Oh, shoot. Don’t you like beer?”

  “I’ve,” cough… “Not had if before,” she confessed.

  “Damn, I’m sorry. I should have asked first. Let me get you something else instead.”

  “No, this will be fine.” She gave him a soft smile and took the glass back from him.

  “It is an acquired taste,” he laughed. “And the beer over here, is nothing like back home.”

  “Do you miss it?”

  “The beer?”

  “No, home silly,” she batted his arm, then dropped it to her side, fiddling with the fabric of her dress, when she realised what she’d done. Teddy found it funny, but held back his laughter.

  “Sometimes, yes.” He looked deep into her eyes then added, “but right at this moment, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”

  Jenny dropped her gaze, her thick lashes almost rested on her cheek bones. Teddy placed a finger under her chin and gently lifted it, until she had no choice but to look him in the eye.

  “You’re very beautiful Jenny.”

  He’d watched her earlier, for a little while anyway, so he could look at her. When he had seen her stood with another man, the sharp pang of jealousy had surprised him. He just had to intervene.

  Now, standing so close, he could really look at her, take in every inch of her. From her thick dark, almost black, shiny hair, big brown eyes full of innocence, and the soft pout of her red lips.

  Damn, that mouth, what he would like to do with her mouth.

  The neckline of her dress, that sat slightly off her shoulders, displayed her slender neck, collar bone and soft peaks of her breasts perfectly. Classy, not slutty.

  God damn, how he ached to get his lips on her skin.

  The way the fabric nipped in at the waist, skimmed her hips, flared out a little, until you got to those legs. Fuck, how he would like to get between those legs.

  The slimness of her ankles, her delicate feet, that looked so small in the sexy black heeled shoes.

  Holy fuck, how he wanted to
sweep her off her feet, lay her down and screw her.

  He couldn’t hold back any longer. With his free hand, he firmly cupped her chin, bringing his lips down to hers.

  At first, her response was a muffled gasp, but soon it turned into a completely different, more encouraging one, as she began to return his kiss.

  “I’ve wanted to do that since I first saw you.” His words were hushed but perfectly clear, mouth hovering just a fraction from hers.

  “Have you really?”

  “You’re gorgeous Jenny, and the sweetest thing is, you don’t even realise just how stunning you are.” Taking the glass from her hand, he put them to one side.

  Jenny, still a little dazed by the heat of his kiss and the whirlwind of sensations that are coursing through her body, stood rigid, but internally, she felt like jelly.

  “Jenny.” Teddy slid his arm around her waist, his hand went up to her face, brushing his thumb along her flushed cheek.

  “Teddy?” when her eyes met his, she saw the fire in them, that took her breath away.

  “I want to kiss you again.”

  “Then kiss me.”

  Teddy, not needing to be told twice, drew her into his arms, his lips crushed against hers, with a passion second to none. Jenny shivered as his hand moved down the centre of her back, following the line of her spine through the silky fabric of her dress. His hands circled her waist, holding her tightly.

  If Jenny thought that the first kiss was special, then this was exceptional.

  “Jenny,” he growled into her open mouth, as they both caught their breath. “I want to touch you, feel every inch of you.” He murmured against her ear. His hands began to move again, one of them palm flat against her ribcage, just under her left breast. When he slid his thumb across the round, skimming the nipple that was already pushing the fabric, a surge of electricity shot through her body, straight to her most intimate part. It’s enough to shock her back into reality, making her realise that things were getting a little too heated.

  Jenny pushed against his chest, and immediately, feeling her pull away, he relaxed his hold.

  “I can’t do this,” she cried. “I need to go.” When she tried to turn away from him, he released her, but grabbed hold of her hand.

  “Jenny, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. Please, don’t go. Look, if you really must go, then at least let me take you home.”

  “I don’t know. I need to find Nora.”

  “Let me help you find your friend, then I’ll take you both back to the village.”

  “Okay,” she agreed.

  They searched the main room and hallway, but it isn’t until they stepped outside, that they found Nora clinging onto Bud like a winkle.

  “Looks like your friends a little busy at the moment,” Teddy pointed out.

  “Nora,” Jenny hissed quietly. “Nora,” she hissed a little louder. “NORA! I’m going home.”

  Nora just waved her hand in the air, making it clear that she wasn’t going anywhere.

  “Hey, Bud,” Teddy shouted over. “Can you make sure you get Nora home safely?”

  Bud gave Teddy a ‘thumbs up’ without letting go or breaking the seal, he had on Nora’s lips.

  “So, will you please allow me to escort you home Jenny?” he asks turning to her. “Trust me, your safe with me.”

  Jenny fidgeted, unsure what to do.

  “I promise, I won’t touch you. I won’t even hold your hand, if you don’t want me to.”

  “I’m not sure what time the bus comes.”

  “Then we’ll walk.”

  The first few minutes they walked in an awkward silence, but it’s not long until Teddy breaks it.

  “Have you known Nora long?”

  “We’ve been friends since school.”

  “Really?” Even though the natural light was dimming, as night began to fall, Jenny still caught site of his raised eyebrows.

  “Yes, why is that so hard to believe?”

  “You’re total opposites. Nora seems to be a bit of a wild one, whereas you, you’re…”

  “Dull?” Jenny filled in the hesitation. That’s how she felt most of the time, compared to Nora.

  “That’s not what I was going to say. I was going to say reserved, unassuming and demure.”

  “Isn’t that the same? Boring?”

  “If that’s how you want to perceive yourself, then fine. Although, I strongly disagree. But if it is, then I must happen to like boring. In fact, I like it very much.”

  Jenny bit her bottom lip, trying to disguise the smile that was forming on her lips. “She’s not always been like that. When we were younger we were like two peas in a pod.”

  “What made her change?”

  “Her mam going. Nora got up one morning for school and she wasn’t there. Gone, just like that. At first, she just went really quiet. I knew straight away something was wrong, but however many times I asked her, she wouldn’t tell me. Then one day, she just broke.”

  “Poor girl.”

  “Since then, what Nora wants, Nora gets. Been that way ever since.” Jenny stopped and span around to look Teddy in the face, feeling the need to defend Nora. “But she’s my best friend and she has a heart of gold. Her and Betty, I mean Mrs. Armitage are like family to me.” As quickly as she’d stopped and faced him, she turned back around and began walking again.

  Teddy fell back in step beside her. On doing so, the leather of his jacket sleeve brushed her bare arm causing her to shiver.

  “You must be cold,” he realised. This time it was his turn to stop, shrugging off his jacket.

  “I’m fine,” Jenny uttered, instantly realising what he was about to do. Yet, her body signalled otherwise with a sequence of judders. “You don’t have to do that.”

  Standing behind her, he placed his jacket across her back, his hands lingered a little longer than necessary on her shoulders. “I know I don’t have to Jenny, but I want to.”

  Jenny stilled for a second, instantly affected by his touch and the warmth of his body heat, still retained in the fabric of his jacket. As a distinctive smell that she immediately related to him hit her nostrils, she let out a soft, uncontrollable moan of delight. If she could only swop shoes with him too, as the soles of feet, not used to wearing heels, were beginning to burn.

  The conversation for the rest of the walk was light, and Jenny started to feel at ease with Teddy again. He even told her stories from his childhood, and the mischief he got up to with his two brothers, much to his parent’s disgust and his grandparent’s amusement. That was of course, until they arrived outside the shop.

  “Goodnight Teddy,” she said, coming to a sudden standstill. “Thank you so much for walking me back.” She added, before quickly turning away from him.

  “Woah! Slow down.” Catching her hand, he spun her back around to face him. “You live here at the shop?”

  “No, I…”

  “I didn’t think so. I’ll walk you to your home.”

  “Here’s fine.”

  “Now, I wouldn’t be much of a gentleman if I didn’t see you to your door.”

  “That’s not such a good idea.”

  “And why is that?”

  “Well, erm…”

  “Jenny. Is there a problem?”

  “My mam.” The words fell out of her mouth with a deep exhale. “She thinks I’ve been working late in the shop. She’s really strict you see, and if she sees you then…”

  “With all due respect Jenny, surely you wouldn’t be wearing that pretty dress, all made up, with your hair all special if you were working?”

  “Oh, hell’s bells. I’m going to be in so much trouble.” Jenny put her hands over her eyes and sighed. “I didn’t think of that. What am I going to do?” Teddy took hold of her hands with his and slowly pulled them from her face.

  “If I walk you to the corner of your street, watch you till you get to your door, do you think you can sneak in without being seen?”

  “Maybe. I’m goin
g to have to bloody well try, aren’t I?”

  “Sneaking around doesn’t come natural to you, does it?” the corner of his mouth turned up in a half smile. “Come on sweetheart, let’s get you home.”

  As planned, they stopped at the corner of the street opposite where she lived, but still in view of her door. If her mother did happen to look from a window, it was unlikely that she would be able to see them, as daylight had now gone, and they stood in the shadow of darkness.

  Turning to face Teddy with the intention of thanking him again for walking her home, the words got stuck in her throat. Although it was dark, she couldn’t miss his deep sensual breathing. When he stepped a little closer to her, she felt his hot breath against her skin.

  “I know I said I wouldn’t, but I need to kiss you again.”

  Jenny’s breathing faltered, as a pulse of arousal cursed its way around her body, causing goose bumps to prickle across her skin and an awkward shifting of her hips as she tried to squeeze away the sensation that she had between her legs. Just words. Just his voice and a simple request from him, could have this effect on her.

  “Can I kiss you goodnight?”

  “Yes,” she whispered, scarcely audible, but Teddy heard it as clear as if she’d shouted it out loud. Crushing his lips to hers, he brought her into his arms.

  Jenny’s hands gripped the fabric that covered his firm chest, needing something to hold onto, to steady her. When her hands moved up and around his neck, her fingers toying with the short-cropped hair at the back of his head, his jacket slid from her shoulders and fell to the floor. Neither of them noticed. Neither of them cared, as at that moment, they were utterly consumed with each other.

  Jenny could feel a hardness against her stomach. She wasn’t stupid. She knew exactly what it was, and although she knew that she should be shocked, it thrilled her that she had this effect on him. The temptation to put her hand there and explore was too strong to resist, but Teddy took a step back, breaking their connection. Jenny gave a deep whimpering sigh of disapproval.