"In Between The Lines"
'The Greatest Thing You'll Ever Learn'
Part 3 Chapter 5
Satine slowly awoke to a repetitive muffled sound in the distance.
‘Ugh, if that’s Toulouse, I’ll kill him!’ she thought, knowing what odd hours he kept tinkering away in his studio.
Eyes still closed, she rolled over to seek comfort in the warmth of Christian’s body. She outstretched her arms, but the space in the bed beside her was empty. Satine groggily opened her eyes, saw this for herself, and momentarily her ever-present fears of abandonment raced through her mind. Had he left? As the sound brought itself to the forefront of her mind, Satine, once again remembered that she had spent the night at Christian’s garret...he couldn’t have gone far.
Satine half raised herself on her arms, and sat looking toward the sound, which had roused her. She smiled, seeing Christian in action at his typewriter, madly typing his thoughts. He had put on a pair of trousers, with suspenders stretching over his bare shoulders; shoulders she had caressed so intimately last night, Satine thought as she breathed a sigh.
Christian noticed Satine stirring and glanced in her direction. He held out his left hand; index finger raised, indicating to give him one more moment.
Bringing his hand back to the typewriter, his fingers quickly glided over the keys, as if his thoughts were simply pouring from his fingertips. Abruptly he stopped, pulled the paper from its perch, glanced over the print and then placed it on the table beside the typewriter.
Christian now drew his attention to more important issues, glancing over to Satine he smiled, “Morning.”
Satine yawned, and glanced out the window. It was still dark outside and the sun was only just beginning to rise.
“...Barely,” she said smiling back at him.
She pulled the bed sheets up to hold them under her arms, and then outstretched her hands to Christian.
Christian stood up from his wooden chair and took Satine in his arms, sitting on the bed beside her.
Hugging her he said, “Sorry...did I wake you?”
Silently, Satine nodded and grazed a soft, lingering kiss across his lips.
“Are you coming back to bed?” she asked hopefully, her face just millimetres away from his.
Brushing hair from her face, Christian responded, “Yes. It’s just...when inspiration strikes, you have to take full advantage of it.”
Satine smiled, “So you were...inspired?” she said cheekily, with an eyebrow raised.
Christian grinned, pulling back to look at her whole face, “Mmm, very much so” he said.
He stood up and Satine lifted the blankets, welcoming him back to bed, and back into her arms. Christian lay down and held Satine to his chest, relishing the feel of her bare skin against his. Snuggling close, Satine wrapped her leg across Christian’s waist and began drowsing off once more.
She dosed off in seconds, content once more with Christian beside her, however, being wrapped in a naked Satine made Christian want to do anything but sleep.
***
Once more Satine awoke, however this time it was much more to her liking.
Still wrapped in the warmth of Christian’s arms, she opened her eyes and happily sighed against his chest.
Christian was already awake, and she suspected that he had been for some time. She momentarily rested her chin on his chest, to look into his gleaming eyes, and then flopped her head back against his chest.
Out loud Satine voiced her thoughts, “...I love this...just waking up in your arms, starting my day with you.”
“...what about ending your nights with me?” Christian grinned.
He was joking, but nonetheless eager to hear Satine’s thoughts about last night. Neither had mentioned it until now.
“Mmm” Satine said almost purring like a kitten,“...the nights are not without their charm” she casually finished.
Christian smiled, but was hoping for a more enthusiastic response.
Taking Christian by surprise Satine splayed her body across his, giving him more than his desired response.
He laughed and encompassed his hands around her waist. Satine deeply kissed him, her tongue seeking entrance and his mouth automatically complying. Christian let his hands wander to her rear and then slid them all the way back to her bare shoulder blades.
Satine drew back, “...but this” she said kissing him again, “this, I love…you, I love.”
Nightly, Satine had been forced to sleep with other men. It was waking up beside a man who she truly loved that was something new and exciting for her.
It was Christian’s turn to happily sigh. As usual, she had a point. At night it pleased him simply to be lying beside her, just having the touch of her soft skin against his would send a renewed spark through his body.
“Are you going to stay with me today?” Christian asked, anticipating her answer.
Satine began to nod, but paused mid way remembering her promise to Harold.
“...No,” she said dejectedly, “...I can’t. I almost forgot that Harold arranged for The Duke and I to have a lunch outing.”
Possessively holding her tight, Christian practically pleaded, “Do you have to go?” and then proceeded to kiss along the hollows of her neck, as an enticement to stay in his company.
“Christian...” Satine said, suppressing a giggle, “you know I have to,” she finished, attempting to ‘lay down the law’, but her whimper in response to his caresses would suggest she wanted otherwise.
Satine snapped out of her present blissful state when she looked toward the small bedside clock.
“It’s 10:30...I should get dressed” she said lifting herself from Christian.
Christian groaned, voicing his displeasure at her choice. Then almost mesmerised, he watched Satine’s uninhibited, bare frame, as she retrieved her clothes from the top of a wooden box. Christian had carefully folded and placed them there after she changed into the silk robe he gave her last night.
She pulled on her corset loosely, and went to put her lace panties on, but halted, remembering they had been removed at a later stage in the evening.
Satine glanced to the floor; her robe was still in a pool on the floorboards with various other garments and a flood of papers, left where they had been hastily discarded in last night’s passion. After a brief search she found her underwear, and slid them on. She smiled, feeling, and out the corner of her eye, seeing Christian’s heated gaze upon her.
Satine placed her foot upon the wooden box and sensuously began to roll a single stocking up to her lower thigh where she attached it to her garter belt. With this done, she slowly repeated her movement with the other stocking.
With a smirk, she glanced over to Christian to see his reaction.
“Tease” he laughed, and Satine joined him with a giggle.
Satine stepped into her heels and moved over to the bed.
Christian was still in awe of her beauty and looked at her expectantly.
Satine responded to his expression, “Well, you helped me out of this thing, I think it’s only fair that you help me back into it.”
“I don’t think that’s fair at all,” Christian responded, “fair is me taking this thing off you right now and you staying with me this afternoon” he said smiling sweetly.
“Oh, just do it, sitar boy!” Satine said playfully, deflating his argument.
Christian resigned, “Yes, my Hindu Courtesan, whatever you say.”
Satine stood and Christian knelt upon the bed, using all his strength to tighten her corset. He hated doing it, no matter how much she said she was used to it, each time she flinched in pain as a result of his actions, he felt terrible.
To ease both of their minds, Christian took pleasure in kissing her soft shoulders as he continued to work.
Satine lightly moaned, but this time Christian was happy. He knew what elicited that sound and it had nothing to do with her corset.
“There, done!” he exclaimed.
Satine turned round and said, “Thank you.”
“You’re quite welcome,” he said, placing several kisses along her collarbone.
Satine lifted his head and gave him a quick peck, “But now, I have finish getting dressed.”
Despite Christian’s distractions Satine managed to get fully clothed, and much to her own displeasure, she had to leave.
Satine was fastening the last button on her fitted jacket when Christian approached her from behind and clasped his hands around her waist.
Satine giggled, “Chriiis!”
He kissed her behind her ear and said, “What?! I can’t help it, you make me crazy.”
“I think you were already crazy before I met you” Satine laughed, leaning back into his arms.
“Perhaps,” he smiled, and then moved on to what was really on his mind, “Satine?”
“Yes” she responded cheerily.
“Can I see you this evening?” he asked.
Satine turned in his arms, “I think that should be okay,” she said, running her hand through his messy bed head.
‘I hope so,’ she thought.
As much as Christian didn’t want her to leave, she wanted to stay, but that just wasn’t an option for her.
“Good” he beamed, “can you be here by 7:30?” he asked.
“...yes...why? What did you have in mind?”
“Oh nothing fancy, it’s just that last night Toulouse said a few of the bohos were going to Bar Absinthe, and I thought it sounded like fun,” he responded.
Satine sighed, Bar Absinthe wasn’t somewhere she particularly liked going, but she looked to the man in front of her, and thought, if he was there, it couldn’t be all that bad.
“Sounds great,” she said, briefly kissing Christian, “but now I really have to get going.”
“Do you want me to walk you back?” Christian asked.
Satine chuckled, “I don’t think that’s a good idea. I’m going to have a hard enough time trying to explain where I’ve been. I don’t need the added challenge of explaining the handsome poet by my side” she said, drawing a smile from Christian.
She parted his hands behind her back, and moved to the door.
Christian hated that she had to leave, and for some reason, leaving to be with The Duke made it even worse.
“Satine...” he called.
“Yes?” she said turning.
“I love you...be careful” he said sincerely.
Satine released a breath, and looked into his puppy dog eyes, “I know.” She smiled affectionately, “...and I will” she said, still gazing at Christian.
“Love you,” Satine whispered, and then closed the door behind her.
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