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"Welcome to the first practice for theSnow Queen. With Mrs. Hernandez out, I'll be taking over direction. Ms. Pendleton will be assisting us with sets. Crew, you'll report to her. Those of you with speaking roles, please grab your scripts, and we'll take it from the top. Our first show is in five weeks, so plan to be off script in three." I glanced around my herd of budding thespians, noting that Lissie Garter and Caleb Thornton were already flirting with all the subtlety of ungainly giraffes and sighed. "Places, everyone."
It was going to be a long fucking month.
It took every ounce of my willpower not to watch Eve's rounded backside as she gathered her flock and led them backstage. I'd give anything to be behind-the-scenes, working on sets, rather than being forced to listen to stilted dialogue, but I settled into my chair, nodding to the girl playing Gerda. She and Tia walked through the scenes between sisters, and other more minor characters added their lines, wrapping up the first scene.
We took a short break, mostly so I could be nosy. I found Eve in a circle with her students backstage. Eve seemed to have her small crew well in hand, sketching on her pad while they pointed at her page. The bird tattooed on the back of one elegant hand seemed to flutter around her notebook as her deft hands diagrammed set ideas. A strand of Eve’s dark hair had escaped her bun, partially hiding her expression. The urge to get closer to tuck it back, to restore order, was nearly overwhelming. Eve glanced up, as if feeling the weight of my attention. I froze, caught. Something about the gleam in her eyes made me feel guilty, like I’d been caught somewhere I shouldn’t be. Her dark eyes whispered of secrets and mischief, making me want to dig deeper, discover what made her smile. Be the reason for it. The woman was a damned witch. One of her students giggled, reminding me we weren’t alone, and I straightened, breaking the connection.
“Going okay back here?” I asked, my husky voice still sounding over-loud amid their soft conversation.
Eve nodded, and I slipped out of her sight, returning to the cast.
Shifting my attention back to my students, I cleared my throat.
"Places, everyone. Lissie and Caleb, your scene please."
Keeping my focus on Caleb and Lissie, who stumbled through their scripts, was a chore. My attention kept slipping to Eve, kicked back in a folding chair, flipping through her notebook as her team discussed scenes and set design. That hank of dark hair mocking me, nibbling at my self control.
Lissie held her hand against her forehead, drawing my attention. "I didn't mean to make a snow monster. If kisses were snowflakes, I'd send you a blizzard."
"I have a few inches I'd like to send your way too," Caleb announced grandly.
My gaze met Eve's across the auditorium. Her wide eyes and rounded mouth as Caleb's words registered signaled that I wasn’t the only one with a dirty mind. Her stifled giggle threatened my composure, and I shook my head, trying to get myself under control.Really. We were meant to be the role models here.The temptation to join Eve was nearly overwhelming. A few of the minor characters tittered from their seats in our circle, and I coughed to hide my laugh, forcing my expression into stern lines.
"Caleb, that'skisses, not inches," I corrected.
Either way it sounded naughtier than a high school play should. I flipped through my script, scanning quickly for any other potentially problematic phrases.What had Mrs. Hernandez gotten me into?Romance was supposed to be a minor aspect of the storyline.
When practice wrapped for the evening, I wished my students goodnight, calling out when I noticed Eve trying to slip out the back. "Ms. Pendleton – a moment?"
She grimaced, mangling my pride when she seemed irritated that I held her after practice, but at least she waited until I reached her at the back of the auditorium instead of sneaking out and ignoring me altogether.
It was impossible not to feel a new kinship with her after suffering through our first play practice together. Part of me had thought she’d flake out or half-ass our deal but judging from her crew’s excited chatter as they left for the evening, Eve was taking her new responsibilities seriously. I could only applaud her commitment.
Up close, I could see the catlike sweep of her eyeliner, adding a mysterious allure to her dark eyes. Her ruby red lips pressed into a more neutral pout.
"How did it go?" I asked, searching her expression.
Up until now, I’d thought of her as a thorn in my side, another obstacle to navigate. She’d accosted me for weeks about using the gym for her auction, ambushing me at every opportunity. Maybe I hadn’t been graceful in turning her down, but her doggedness slowly won me over. Eve had grit. But that didn’t mean I’d just roll over and give in. Asking her to help with the play had seemed like a stroke of genius when the project landed in my lap. But I hadn’t factored in that I’d be spending weeks with a woman who barely tolerated me. One who I found alarmingly sexy. Keeping my distance by calling her Ms. Pendleton had been the saving grace for my sanity. If I put her firmly in the ‘work’ box, maybe I wouldn’t be tempted.
She flipped a hand. "The kids are fine. We've got a plan to repaint last year's sets to fit theSnow Queen."
"Good, good," I said huskily, unsure what else I could add.
Her eyes darkened at my throaty praise, and I cleared my throat.
Had I been that much of an asshole that she found even the mildest compliment surprising? Guilt washed through me.
"Do you want to grab dinner and go over the rest of the schedule, the prop budget, that kind of thing?"
Eve paused, and I held my breath. My invitation had been as transparent as glass, but I couldn't resist asking. Eve seemed to have an axe to grind with me, and I needed to make amends. Maybe we didn't exactly see eye to eye when she first came to me asking to use the high school for Gwen's hare-brained bachelor auction, but I hadn't set out to make her an enemy. She seemed to take my reluctance to offer the school personally. Maybe it had something to do with me extracting my pound of flesh, arm twisting her into helping me with the play when Mrs. Hernandez needed leave, but I couldn't be sorry for asking her.
She was perfect for the job.
"I think we can handle the rest via email, don't you?"
Her cool dismissal pricked at my ego, but Eve didn't owe me anything. She'd already more than saved my ass, helping with the play.
"Sure, if that's what you prefer. I was just hoping to extend the olive branch, albeit in the form of a pizza."
