River snuggled close to Jayne, her head on his chest, her fingers making curls from the hair across his pectorals.

His heartbeat was returning to normal, and he tried hard not to fall asleep after their first love-making session in their new home. So far they only had a couple of mattresses on the floor, but it was theirs.

“Ballet.”

“What?” He looked down at her.

“You were wondering how I became so supple.”

He grinned. “Was I?”

“When I lifted myself around and -”

“Yeah, well, maybe I did.” He chuckled, the sound vibrating through his skin.

She felt it touch her. “I was three when I started classes. I loved it, learning all the new dances, and I wanted to …” Her voice faded and her fingers stilled.

“What, moonbrain?”

After a long pause, she said, “I wanted to be a ballet dancer. To twist and turn, and arabesque …”

“Ara-what?”

She slid from the bed and his embrace, leaving him feeling cold. As he watched, she went up onto her toes, her body seeming to lengthen, tauten, and she reached out. Then she danced, just for him.

Dipping low, one leg stretched high out behind her, her naked form catching the small light and making it special, sweeping her arms across at waist height, palms upward, dancing to music only she could hear.

He felt his body tightening, despite the exertions of just a short while ago, his eyes raking across her form.

Around the interior of the small shuttle she moved, creating shapes that should have been impossible as she executed plies and entrechats, the smoothness of her body glistening in his gaze. Finally she sank to the deck, one leg bent gracefully under her, the other stretched out, her torso leaning over it, arms laid elegantly along her calf.

“River,” he groaned, getting to his feet. He held out his hand.

She grasped his fingers and allowed him to lift her to her feet. She was barely breathing hard. “Did you like it?”

“That … that was gorram beautiful.” His voice caught in his throat as he pulled her into him, pressin