"It's great here, you'll love it!" Paul pulls Lena through the door of the loud, smoky club. Lena and Paul sit at a table while the house band plays like they'll never have the chance to again. Lena scopes out the club, all the beautiful, psychedelic people swaying and trembling in time with the music. Bright, ferocious colors splash about resembling what would happen if a tornado ran through a rainbow.
Lena wriggles out of her coat and hangs it on the back of her chair. Paul leans close to her ear, "Do you want something to drink?"
Lena yells rather loudly, "Club soda will be fine!" Paul nods and heads off to the bar.
While she waits, Lena reflects upon all the things she has done with Paul McCartney. Besides Buckingham Palace and Abbey Road, she had seen Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and the Royal Albert Hall. She really wishes that she had a camera, because if and when she gets home, no one is going to believe her.
She really can't believe herself as it is. But Lena is allowing herself to wallow in her own craziness. She might as well enjoy herself while she's here. Lena snaps out of her thinking frenzy to see Paul coming toward her with the drinks in his hand.
"Thank you," Lena says happily as she accepts her club soda. Paul sits across from her and sips his drink casually, "So, uh, Lena. Would you like to dance?"
Lena's head snaps with the recognition and processing of those words. The only time she dances is in her room. Usually, the thought of public scrutiny would not bother her, but this is completely different.
Lena sucks up and summons all the bravery lying dormant in her bones. She takes a swig of her club soda and stands up, "Let's go."
Paul smiles and leads her by hand amongst the dancing crowd. Fortunately for Lena, the song was up-tempo. Once out on the dance floor, Paul and Lena wiggle and shake in time.
The house band slows down, the rythym changing drastically. Lena looks nervously to Paul, "Well, I'm beat." She turns to the table, trying to mask the awkwardness of the moment. Before she could escape, Paul grabs her by the wrist.
"Hey. Where do you think you're going?" Lena looks to Paul, who has a questioning look in his eyes, "Come here." She steps forward unsure, knowing what is coming and having the horrible feeling of not being able to trust her own actions.
Paul's arm encircles her waist while his other takes her hand. Lena's bottom lip quivers due to anticipation or the unwavering bout of fear that had just encompassed her. "There. That's not so bad is it?"
Lena looks into Paul's liquid brown eyes, completely astonished by how close they had suddenly become. She summons everything possible to produce some sort of response, "N-no. Not at all." She smiles her bravest smile and tries her best to ease into the situation.
They sway in time to the music and Lena opens her mouth to speak, but Paul just pulls her closer. Her hand creeps up his back, resting squarely in the hollow of his spine. Lena breathes heavily and her pulse quickens. She can't deny herself; his closeness feels wonderful. She leans her head forward and lands between his neck and his shoulder.
Lena relaxes and inhales, taking in the sweet smell of his jacket. Paul hums softly in her ear and she feels his hands tangle in the ends of her waist-length hair. Lena is lost. She's forgotten her self-imposed promise of non-involvement.
"Lena," Paul says softly.
Lena awakens rather dreamily, "Mmm-Hmm?"
"The song's over, luv." Paul smiles sheepishly as Lena jumps and looks around as other couples dance in frenzy to a fast paced song. Lena smiles completely embarrassed and retreats back to the table.
She sips her club soda and avoids Paul's gaze. During a rough session of scolding herself mentally, Lena notices Paul checking his watch, "What time is it anyway?"
"Almost two. Are you tired?" Lena shakes the ice cubes in her empty glass, "Sort of. Are you?"
Paul shakes his head and smiles, "Are you kidding? Some nights I don't sleep at all!"
Lena smiles and brushes a few hairs out of her face, "Do you mind if we go? I'm getting a little tired."
Paul stands up and helps Lena on with her coat. He smooths the hair that falls gracefully down her back. He offers Lena his arm, which she accepts gratefully. They walk down the street silently in the foggy London night.
They reach Lena's hotel room door around two thirty. Lena puts her key in the lock and opens the door. She turns to Paul and smiles, "Thank you for everything. I had such a wonderful time."
Paul shrugs, "It was nothing. You did me a great honor by coming out with me tonight. I'm just sorry it went by so fast." Lena blushes slightly and murmurs, "Goodnight, Paul," and turns to open the door.
"Lena," Paul stops her before she could escape.
She turns around slowly, "Yeah?" He looks at her for a brief moment and leans his face close to hers. Before she could refuse, he was kissing her. She stands there shocked. It was a small kiss, rather chaste.
He then pulls away with a concerned glint in his eyes, "What's the matter?"
Lena gapes at him, speechless. "Oh. Um, nothing. I really…"
Paul runs a finger down her cheek and then down her neck. "You are so amazing, you know that?" Lena shrugs and opens her mouth to answer.
She never got to, however, because Paul catches her mouth in another kiss, this one much deeper than the last. The kiss clears Lena's mind of all protest and she can't control herself anymore. She kisses back, her mouth moving against his in a sort of tug of war. She presses herself against him, her arms loop around his neck.
They stumble backwards into the unlocked door and push through into Lena's room. Paul's lips graze her neck and then return to her mouth. She has succumbed to this feeling, this seduction, and even though she knows she should, she can't stop. She strips him of his jacket, which lands in a heap at her feet. She kicks off her shoes and shrugs out of her coat, then begins unbuttoning Paul's shirt.
Lena trails kisses along Paul's throat while he nuzzles her ear and she sets about her task. His hands slide up her back to undo her dress. Her fingers are moving hastily at his belt buckle when he purrs, "I've been wanting this all night."
Lena stops, dead in her tracks. This was the wake-up call she needed. She had just nearly escaped a huge mistake that she could pay dearly for. Lena takes a step backwards and zips her dress back up.
Paul looks at her quizzically, "Is there something wrong, luv?"
Lena smooths her hair and stammers, "I'm sorry. I didn't know what I was doing."
Paul takes a step forward and plants gentle kisses along her jaw, "Don't worry. It's easily fixed."
Lena grabs his hands and steps away, "Paul, I can't." Paul's hands drop to his sides and he says, "Why not?"
Lena sighs and falls into the overstuffed chair, "I usually wouldn't do anything like this. I don't know what happened to me. I'm so sorry."
Paul kneels beside her, "Are you sure?" Lena avoids meeting his eyes, "Yeah, I am. For heaven's sake, I hardly know you! You're a lot older than me, too!" Paul looks at her rather confused, "What are you talking about? I'm only three years older than you are! Besides, I thought you felt something!"
Lena bites her bottom lip. She had made him suspicious of her and her intentions, "I do Paul. I feel very strongly, It's just…we just met yesterday. Don't you think that's a bit soon?" Lena regrets the words as soon as they came out of her mouth. This was the sixties, the age of free love and "casual" sex.
He looks at her in dismay and she rises and picks up his jacket, "I'm tired Paul, and I'm sorry." Paul takes his jacket from her and buttons his shirt as he inches to the door.
Lena senses his confusion and anger. She fears that she may have damaged their potential friendship. She follows him to the door as he puts on his jacket, "I'm sorry Paul. I had a really good evening."
Paul walks over the threshold and looks at her rather oddly, "Goodnight Lena." Paul stalks off and Lena sighs, "Goodnight."
She locks the door and slides down beside it. She
had completely fouled things up and made a fool of
herself by going too far. Lena rests her head in her
hands and then throws her head back. It thumps
against the door as she cries distraughtly, "Damn!"
Written by Cinder Whittier. May not be reproduced in any form, by any means, without the permission of the author. Permission may be obtained by e-mail.