stopping now and then to murmur something to each of the couples in turn. As Harper stood in front of William, he reached their side, speaking softly.
“Welcome, lovelies. Enjoy the ambiance, get close, and let the music guide you. All we ask is that if you must talk, you whisper.”
Then, silently, he moved off.
William was at a loss for what to do next, but Harper seemed to know exactly what was needed. He stepped closer, taking William’s hands and guiding them to his waist before placing his own hands on William’s shoulders.
At first they stood there motionless, with Harper murmuring in his ear.
“Just breathe, feel my body under your hands, my hands on you. Listen to the music, let it in. When you’re ready, you’ll know.”
William tried to do as he was told. Harper was warm beneath his hands, the omega’s shirt silky to the touch. Harper’s hands were light where they touched him, as if the omega’s delicate balance was all on his shoulders. The music drifted around them, slow and sensual, the underlying bass like the beat of a heart.
Instinctively, he moved closer to Harper, narrowing the gap between them until their bodies were almost pressed together. Harper’s heat felt good under his hands, the omega’s scent heady and exciting, and there was a tremble of anticipation from him as if the animal beneath Harper’s skin was calling to him.
Harper sighed and tucked himself closer, curling his hands below William’s shoulder blades as they began to move. Slow, swaying motions to start with as they gave each other the chance to find their feet. William glanced around the room once, but everyone else was wrapped up in their partners, so intent on what was right in front of them. He envied them that, until he realized he could have it. Harper was here just for him; to touch, to scent, to enjoy. He drew his attention back to the omega, moving them into a slow turn, and the room beyond faded. There was nothing but the two of them, the beat of their hearts, and the melody of the music.
Time passed uncounted, Harper’s head on his shoulders, his arms splayed across the omega’s back. Now and then, a murmured word passed between them, but nothing disrupted their flow. It was as if they were one body, flowing seamlessly through the world. William would have stayed like that forever, contented and whole.
The lights slowly grew brighter, and the music shifted to a faster tempo. It was like waking up after the best nap he’d ever had when he came to find himself standing opposite Harper, the omega smiling happily at him.
“You look like you enjoyed that.”
William grinned back at him.
“That was perfect. How did you know?”
A lot of thought and effort had gone into finding this little gem of a studio, which led exactly the kind of class that would let William relax into it and actually enjoy the experience.
“You’re no different from most people,” Harper said softly. “You just need the right environment to thrive. I’m glad you got what you needed from the experience.”
They walked to the door, thanking the facilitator as they left, and headed downstairs to pick up their things.
“What about you?” William wondered. “Did you get anything out of this?”
He felt uncomfortable with the idea that he was the only one deriving pleasure from it, despite knowing that he was paying Harper to provide these experiences.
“I wouldn’t want to do it again if you didn’t enjoy it on some level,” he added.
Harper’s smile was different this time, softer somehow.
“I enjoyed it a lot, William. Thank you. You were a lovely dance partner. You move very instinctually when you think no one’s watching. And you lead well. I like an alpha who knows how to guide rather than drag. Plus, you didn’t step on my toes once.”
William frowned, and the omega laughed at his consternation, patting his arm gently.
They donned their coats and hats, heading out into the cold evening.
“We’re eating just around the corner,” Harper said, raising his voice above the howl of the wind. “It’s sort of a bar-cum-restaurant.”
It was a relief to get in out of the chill, and they were seated quickly. The restaurant was busy enough for them to be fairly anonymous. And the bar was noisy, the crowd bustling. William found it easy to relax as they ordered and ate their way through two courses.
“Ready to head home?” He was reluctant to end such a perfect evening, but they