Without You I Have Nothing by J A Scooter

conscious of the words enough to allow Jennifer to stand upright.
    “Steady on, Peter. That
kiss would have scorched the rafters. That’s not suitable for a melodrama. Jennifer,
if he does that again, kick him.”
    Peter could only nod
and pray that the trembling in his body wasn’t visible to Jennifer.
    She was white-faced
and a determined glint shone in her eyes. “Don’t you ever dare kiss me like
that again.”
    In the car after
rehearsal, turning to Peter, she looked down at her lap and quietly murmured,
“I don’t think it would be a good idea for you to take me to your flat. I want
to go straight home.”
    At least Peter was
sure that Jennifer had felt something in his kiss.
    Saying nothing, he
walked with her to her door. When she turned, her head lowered, to accept the
usual light brushing of his lips through her hair; Peter slipped his arm around
her waist and effortlessly lifted her until she was on her toes. Then, as her
face lifted in surprise, softly he began to laugh.
    Jennifer’s lips
opened as if she were about to speak and Peter kissed her words away, again
rejoicing in the sweet softness of her mouth as his tongue slid in to plunder
her treasure.
    Her tongue battled
Peter’s as her body strained against his.
    He bathed them both
in the extreme depth of his feelings, which had so long lain dormant and so
strongly suppressed. Beginning to tremble, he slowly released her.
    Quickly Jennifer spun
about and moved through her front door. Peter heard the door slam and she was
gone. Inside she leant against the closed door.
    Then Jennifer, inside
her head, was talking again. ‘Peter, smash the door down. I want more of those
delicious kisses but I'm so frightened. My body wants you so much but my mind
is terrified. My body says 'Yes' but my mind says 'No'. What’s to become of
me?  Would I have known what to do if my brother hadn’t arrived that dreadful night
of the attack?’
    She struggled off to
bed weeping profusely.
    The following
afternoon she rang Peter. “Don’t worry about collecting me for rehearsals next
week. I’ll get myself there and home.”
    Peter’s mind exploded
and his thoughts were blunt. ‘Damn the woman. She’s behaving as if I’ve raped a
Vestal Virgin. For God’s sake, why shouldn’t I take her to rehearsals and
home?’  He was bitter and he hurt.
    “I didn’t appreciate
your behavior...”  Jennifer added coldly.
    By now, Peter had
taken enough of the Prima Donna act. “What are you doing Saturday night?  There’s
a dance at the…?”
    “I'm sorry.”  Her icy
tones told him she wanted nothing more of him.
    “Right, if that’s the
way you want it...”  Peter’s roar into the phone reflected his white-hot rage
and his anger reflected his indignant frustration. “Who cares?  Ring the
Salvos, perhaps they care. Perhaps I’ll see you at bloody rehearsals!”  Peter’s
voice was icy and knife-edged severe as he slammed the telephone back into its
cradle.
    Eventually the
rehearsal night arrived
    Peter, wrapped in
anger and jealousy, was there early, waiting in the shadows to see how Jennifer
arrived at the hall. A taxi stopped and she stepped out but that did nothing to
ease his aching heart.
    The director took
control. “Let’s start at the top of Act 2.”
    Peter knew he had to
speak.
    “One moment
everybody!”  He paused until he had the cast’s full attention. “Unfortunately,
the other night, as villain, I got carried away causing the heroine
considerable distress so now I apologize to her in front of you all and say
because of my failure to behave as a gentleman I must resign from the show.”
    A cool silence seemed
to echo across-s the stage. Jennifer was ashen.
    The director broke
the silence. “You’ll do nothing of the sort. Rubbish!  Without you as villain,
we may as well all go home. Jennifer, I’ll see you in the green room now.”
    Turning, he marched
purposefully off.
    “Sit!”  He pointed to
the chair on the opposite side of