I gave Arthur a tight smile. It felt like the skin was stretched impossibly thin across my lips, and for a moment, I had the irrational fear that my mouth would burst open.

But that would spoil my make-up, and I simply couldn't have that.

"I suppose you would like a private lesson."

Arthur gaped at me in that ingenuous way of his, and I just knew it was going to be a long night. "Make-up, my little cherub," I added by way of explanation.

He looked crestfallen. That almost did my heart good. Of course, I couldn't help but attack. The best defense was a good offense.

"Did you do your own make-up? Your cheeks are so red, you look quite feverish, my dear."

He ducked his head down, and I had to strain to catch his next words. "It's my first time," he whispered.

Of course, it was. Trust the mean old queen to strike the poor boy down. He couldn't help it if he wasn't born to elegance the way I was. Looking good was a way of life for me. How could he possibly hope to compete with that?

"Would you like me to show you how beautiful you can be?" I was positively horrified by my own offer. I wanted to keep my distance. Not invite the boy into my bed.

"Would you?" he asked with just the right tone of awe in his voice.

A goddess always knows when to demonstrate compassion. It comes from having all those acolytes on their knees all the time. True genuflection is an art and something to be cultivated.

I could always use another disciple. The Gospel According to St. Jack was turning out to be quite a page-turner.

*****

Arthur followed me into my dressing room, so closely that he bumped his nose on my back when I stopped. "Ow!"

I turned slowly and surveyed the damage. "Are you hurt?"

Arthur rubbed his nose with his fingers and frowned. I was totally captivated.

And I wanted to hurl his skinny arse through the nearest window. I couldn't fall in love. I had a reputation to uphold. I had standards to maintain. I...

...thought he was absolutely adorable.

If he followed me home, could I keep him?

"Why don't you have a seat?" Always the clever hostess.

Arthur sat obediently in front of my dressing table, facing the large mirror that dominated it. He looked scared to death.

I knelt in front of him, my hands spread wide across his thighs. His dark brown eyes grew unbelievably round. I shook my head, sending the long silver filigreed earring I wore in my left ear dancing back and forth. "It's not that kind of a lesson."

Arthur blinked. "Is that sposed to be reassuring? Cause it's not."

Ooh, the puppy had sharp teeth. That was promising.

*****

He sat very still as I carefully removed his make-up. I could tell that he wanted to protest. His body felt tense and anticipatory.

When I was done, I painstakingly applied fresh make-up, using my own favorite brushes on his eyelids, cheeks, and finally, lips. He jittered under my fingertips like a children's wind-up toy that was ready to skate away the moment it was released.

I stroked his bottom lip with my thumb, spreading the plum-colored lip gloss from corner to corner. I was beginning to feel more than a little anticipation myself.

Suddenly, without any warning at all, Arthur seized my face between his roughened hands and kissed me.

"What the hell did you do that for?" I exclaimed crossly, not really expecting an answer.

Arthur smiled innocently. "I wanted to see if it would come off."

Cheeky little bugger. I had half a mind to spank him, but I was afraid he might like it.

"Ooh, sorry," Arthur apologized, without losing a bit of his earlier charm or his naivete. "Did I get any on you?"

"My dear boy," I said, capitulating at last. "I daresay you could get all manner of things on me, and I wouldn't mind one bit."

Arthur's eyes twinkled, and once again, I was treated to that impish half-smile that set my heart to fluttering.

"I'm...I'm looking for a room at the moment."

Oh. My. God.

End