She was broke. He had infinite amounts of cash on hand. She was waiting for the payment. He had all the time in the world. She was playing a part. He was living his life.
Yet she had to wonder how many other girls had filled this role.
Cassandra wanted to be the last in the line.
Oliver touched her face, smoothed her hair. She understood contentedunder his hands. There had been other girls. Cassandra wasn’t a fool. But maybe her feet could reach the next step. It was a place that the tall lady could only dream of. And now Cassandra was approaching the threshold.
“You… you are supremely lovely,” he said.
That was enough.
Cassandra folded her arms around his neck and pressed him even closer. Oliver seemed eager for the next step, and Cassandra wrapped him into a kiss and tried to show him that he was lovely. Lovely because he was stunning in every way. More so because she he needed someone close. Cassandra wanted to be that someone.
His kiss was light and short. Cassandra was surprised that he turned his head away so quickly. But why ? He had told her that she was lovely; he had found excuses to touch her. So what had gone wrong?
She started to speak as he took her hand and turned her face towards the stage.
“Just listen to the music, Cassandra.”
“I…”
“Isn’t it beautiful?”
There was no arguing about that. The tenor rhapsodized about the virtues of his lover with a fervor that made Cassandra blush. She could still feel Oliver’s fingers curling about her hand. Beyond that sensation, she was transported to another place. It was a world of desperate desire with the danger just lurking in the wings. But Cassandra wasn’t afraid. She welcomed whatever dwelled on this new terrain.
As the audience applauded the tenor’s efforts, Cassandra could feel Oliver’s eyes focused on something else entirely. She turned her head. He might be listening to the music as well. But he was only watching the action at his side.
“Is something wrong?” she breathlessly asked.
His lips unfolded into a soft smile.
“Not a thing.”
“But why aren’t you—?”
“I want to see you enjoying it.”
Cassandra struggled to leave his gaze. But she did as she was told and turned her attention back to the performance. To enjoy it now was not the easiest of feats when she felt as if she was performing for him. It was a kind of acting. Cassandra realized she had the talent. And she silently vowed not to let him down. Under any circumstances.
The act proceeded under her anxious eyes. A lovers’ duet and a villain’s solo passed before her in glorious chords. A small part of Cassandra couldn’t help but be transfixed. But most of her soul was wrapped up in Oliver’s eyes and the mystery of just what he wanted. It couldn’t just be to expose her to the music.
The act ended to more applause. As the house lights rose, Oliver left her hand. Cassandra felt as if she would faint at the loss of his touch, and she thought she would shatter when he turned all of his attention from her and looked to his phone. He slipped it back into his pocket and smiled again.
“You are enjoying it, aren’t you?”
She weakly nodded.
“Good.”
He seemed to search her face in an effort to believe. Cassandra flashed her teeth. She was enjoying everything about the night. But she wanted the promise of the after show.
Oliver sighed and watched the other spectators move towards the lobby.
“A wonderful production,” he started, “but the party’s bound to be a bore.”
He looked to her again. Cassandra was literally on the edge of her seat.
“We could make a quick exit and find a quiet spot. Would you enjoy that?”
He didn’t have to ask her twice.
Chapter Nine
They walked from the opera house to Oliver’s waiting car. He had to rap on the window to pull Jeff away from his iPhone. Jeff leapt from the car and held the door open for his the boss and his lady .
“Thank you,” Cassandra murmured as
Yet she had to wonder how many other girls had filled this role.
Cassandra wanted to be the last in the line.
Oliver touched her face, smoothed her hair. She understood contentedunder his hands. There had been other girls. Cassandra wasn’t a fool. But maybe her feet could reach the next step. It was a place that the tall lady could only dream of. And now Cassandra was approaching the threshold.
“You… you are supremely lovely,” he said.
That was enough.
Cassandra folded her arms around his neck and pressed him even closer. Oliver seemed eager for the next step, and Cassandra wrapped him into a kiss and tried to show him that he was lovely. Lovely because he was stunning in every way. More so because she he needed someone close. Cassandra wanted to be that someone.
His kiss was light and short. Cassandra was surprised that he turned his head away so quickly. But why ? He had told her that she was lovely; he had found excuses to touch her. So what had gone wrong?
She started to speak as he took her hand and turned her face towards the stage.
“Just listen to the music, Cassandra.”
“I…”
“Isn’t it beautiful?”
There was no arguing about that. The tenor rhapsodized about the virtues of his lover with a fervor that made Cassandra blush. She could still feel Oliver’s fingers curling about her hand. Beyond that sensation, she was transported to another place. It was a world of desperate desire with the danger just lurking in the wings. But Cassandra wasn’t afraid. She welcomed whatever dwelled on this new terrain.
As the audience applauded the tenor’s efforts, Cassandra could feel Oliver’s eyes focused on something else entirely. She turned her head. He might be listening to the music as well. But he was only watching the action at his side.
“Is something wrong?” she breathlessly asked.
His lips unfolded into a soft smile.
“Not a thing.”
“But why aren’t you—?”
“I want to see you enjoying it.”
Cassandra struggled to leave his gaze. But she did as she was told and turned her attention back to the performance. To enjoy it now was not the easiest of feats when she felt as if she was performing for him. It was a kind of acting. Cassandra realized she had the talent. And she silently vowed not to let him down. Under any circumstances.
The act proceeded under her anxious eyes. A lovers’ duet and a villain’s solo passed before her in glorious chords. A small part of Cassandra couldn’t help but be transfixed. But most of her soul was wrapped up in Oliver’s eyes and the mystery of just what he wanted. It couldn’t just be to expose her to the music.
The act ended to more applause. As the house lights rose, Oliver left her hand. Cassandra felt as if she would faint at the loss of his touch, and she thought she would shatter when he turned all of his attention from her and looked to his phone. He slipped it back into his pocket and smiled again.
“You are enjoying it, aren’t you?”
She weakly nodded.
“Good.”
He seemed to search her face in an effort to believe. Cassandra flashed her teeth. She was enjoying everything about the night. But she wanted the promise of the after show.
Oliver sighed and watched the other spectators move towards the lobby.
“A wonderful production,” he started, “but the party’s bound to be a bore.”
He looked to her again. Cassandra was literally on the edge of her seat.
“We could make a quick exit and find a quiet spot. Would you enjoy that?”
He didn’t have to ask her twice.
Chapter Nine
They walked from the opera house to Oliver’s waiting car. He had to rap on the window to pull Jeff away from his iPhone. Jeff leapt from the car and held the door open for his the boss and his lady .
“Thank you,” Cassandra murmured as
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