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“You need distracting, do you?” Jeremy said and inched his chair toward her. The closer he came, the more Sophia’s breath hitched, wanting him nearer. She rather wished the box had a curtain in that moment, so that she could close it, and have no one see what she wanted to do with Jeremy.
He has invited me to the theater… he has not offered anything else.
“Very much so,” she whispered. Down in the theater, people’s voices were beginning to quieten, as the deep red velvet curtain on the stage was lifted.
“Well, if the show is not enough to do that for you, I am sure I can think of some ways to distract you.” Jeremy murmured the words in her ear, so close that she could practically feel his lips at the top of her neck.
This is what excitement should feel like!
They shared a smile, before Sophia turned her focus on the performance that began. She had never seen ‘The Rover’ before, though she had heard much about it. The whole idea of the carnival, and the pursuit of pleasure was rather reminiscent to her. She found she sympathized with a character called Helena a lot. Helena wished for one night of passion before she took holy orders and became a nun. She found her opportunity at the carnival to indulge in such pleasures.
During these scenes of Helena chasing down her passion, Sophia kept glancing at Jeremy beside her, longing to know what he thought. When she found he wasn’t watching the play at all, but looking at her, she turned to face him completely.
“The performance is that way, Jeremy,” she whispered, watching as he chuckled under his breath. They were quiet as they spoke to each other. Despite the fact they were in this raised balcony box, far away from the stalls and where the rest of the audience sat, they clearly did not want to risk being overheard or disturbing the play.
“I was distracted.” He shrugged, as if it was an easy thing. There was something Helena said that rather reminded me of you.”
“What was that?”
“I love mischief, as most of our sex do.”He repeated the line, leaning toward her all the more. “You certainly seem one for mischief, Sophia.”
“How can you say that when I am sat beside you of all people?” Sophia laughed under her breath. “You? The King of Mischief?”
“The King of Mischief? I rather like that title. Shall I have a little crown made?” At his words, Sophia had to place a hand over her lips, trying to stop her laugh from being any louder. “I wish you would not hide your laugh.”
“I do not want to disturb the audience!”
“I rather like your laugh.” He took her hand down from her lips, yet he did not release it. Instead, his fingers entwined with her own. Sophia grew distracted from the play, watching only how their fingers slotted together.
“Jeremy…” she murmured, uncertain how to phrase the question that was burning her mind.
Why are you doing this to me!? You drive me made for wanting you, for caring for you, yet why?
“Yes?” His fingers continued to move against her own. It was an intimate hand hold.
“I could have swornthiswas breaking your rules.” In emphasis, she held up their entwined hands. He smiled a little when he saw their hands together, then lowered it again.
“I guess I am. I have already bent my rules once though, have I not?” His eyes flicked down to her lips. She saw it all, and it made her breath hitch, wondering if he would kiss her again.
“The way you talk makes me wonder if you intend to bend your rules again?”
“You are tempting me to.”
Sophia longed to say more. Her heartbeat in her ears was now competing with the play. The play became louder as music began, and they both drew their attention back to what was on stage, but neither one of them let go of the other. Sophia was too aware of the warmth of his hand against her own, and how he would occasionally offer more touches, his thumb resting on the back of her knuckles, or a brief touch to her wrist. Each movement made her look down at their hands together.
“Are you concentrating on the play?” Jeremy said after some minutes, prompting Sophia to try and stifle her laugh.
“I am enjoying it, though I will admit, you are rather testing the limits of my ability to focus at this moment.”
“Wonderful. At least I am not alone in my distraction then.” His words made her snap her gaze toward him. “Shall I remind you as you did me, that the play is that way?” He pointed to the stage.
“Go on with what you were saying before. About the fact you are distracted.” She needed to hear it, watching as he shifted in his seat, apparently a little uncomfortable. He kept his eyes on the stage, even as he spoke to her. The shifting off his face in the dim candlelight had Sophia tracing the features of his face. She admired those handsome looks and the lips that had pressed to her own before, and to much more intimate places.
Oh, to feel that again!
“I guess what I am trying to say is yes, I am bending the rules here, yet I do not seem to be able to shake you from my mind, Sophia.” His tone was quiet and deep, though he still didn’t look at her. “You are in my mind night and day. Is it so wrong to want another night with you?” At last, he looked at her.
She was certain her cheeks had blushed red, and she was glad of the dim candlelight to hide it.
