After the show, she and Aimee waited at the stage door as Harry had instructed. A group of scantily clad girls walked past, giggling. The cool night air hadn’t deterred them from wearing next to nothing. Eddie shivered and wished she had a coat.
‘You sure I haven’t overdone it?’ she asked, running her hands down the length of her dress. She was having visions of disastrous wardrobe malfunctions. ‘The last thing I need is to bend forward and have my boob pop out onto the table.’
‘That’ll keep everyone interested and give Ashleigh something else to focus on.’
Eddie glared at her.
‘Relax. It’s going to be all right. Harry’s the only one interested in you and he’s not really going to care what you’re wearing.’
‘Then why did you make me get dolled up?’
‘Because Ashleigh needs to see you’re not from Hicksville.’
Eddie sighed. ‘When have I ever felt the need to prove myself?’
‘There he is,’ Aimee said, just as Eddie was starting to worry that he’d forgotten.
Harry stood in the doorway waving at them. A fluttering started in her belly. She hugged Aimee tightly.
‘Do you have your room key?’ Aimee asked.
Eddie patted her purse. ‘Yes. And money for a taxi.’
‘You won’t need it. I guarantee you won’t be coming back to the hotel tonight. Do you have protection?’ Aimee winked. ‘In case.’
‘Aimee!’
‘Just checking.’ She gently shoved her forward. ‘Now go and have fun.’
Eddie’s knees wobbled as she made her way through the people gathered around the stage door waiting for other performers to appear. Harry didn’t take his eyes off her and her mouth went dry and her breath quickened in response to the look on his face.
‘Wowsers. Look at you,’ Harry said, holding her briefly at arm’s length to admire her outfit after he’d greeted her with a long, passion-filled kiss. ‘You look stunning. That dress is so elegant.’ He pulled her into a dancing position and made her spin under his arm before catching her and slipping an arm around her waist.
His body was warm and she was acutely aware of the hardness of the muscles in his chest as he held her close. She swayed slightly and they separated.
‘What did you think of the show?’ Harry asked after he’d kissed her again. ‘It’s a bit different from the concert version isn’t it?’
She shook her head in wonder. ‘Incredible. I loved it. And of course you were phenomenal,’ she gushed. ‘Even better than last time.’
‘Thank you. That means a lot.’ He pointed to the door behind him. ‘It’s a mess behind the scenes but I thought you might be interested in seeing the sets and what it’s like from our viewpoint behind the curtains before we head off to the party.’
Her eyes widened. ‘Really? That would be so cool.’
Harry held open the door for her and as he brushed past her in the narrow corridor her skin tingled. For the next half an hour, he gave her the kind of backstage tour people paid money for. When he showed her his dressing room and costumes, her mouth dropped open.
‘There are 392 costumes in this show,’ he explained. ‘Over five thousand individual items of clothing.’
Eddie touched the sleeve of his red coat. ‘How do you remember which costume to wear for which scene?’
‘If I didn’t have a dresser to help me, I’d be in trouble. You should see my wardrobe at home.’
She spotted his mirror and laughed out loud. ‘What are all these?’ she asked, touching The Lion King key ring.
‘I collect them. A new one for each show. This is Mufasa from The Lion King, and the Eiffel tower key ring is for Les Mis.’
‘And the dog tags?’
‘For Dogfight – it’s a musical set in Vietnam in 1963.’ He held out his hand. ‘Come on, I’ll take you and show you the stage.’ They wound their way through a myriad of passageways to the wings then onto the stage.
‘Am I allowed to walk on it?’ she asked, almost reverently.
He laughed. ‘Of course.’
She walked into the centre of the stage and gazed up and around and out. ‘Wow,’ she breathed. ‘I can’t believe how small it is. It looks so much bigger when you’re sitting in the audience.’ She pointed to the ceiling. ‘What’s that?’
‘They’re all the sets. They suspend them on ropes and pulleys out of view of the audience.’ He led her over to the barricade and showed her how it joined together. ‘And there’s a trapdoor here, too,’ he said, pointing it out.
She shook her head in wonder. ‘It’s incredible. I had no idea it was like this.’ She smiled. ‘Thanks for showing me, Harry.’
*
Fifteen minutes later Eddie entered the nightclub on Harry’s arm. She scanned the room. She’d never seen anything like it. Rugs covered timber floorboards and mismatched lamps replaced traditional lighting. It might have been art deco, but in Eddie’s opinion it was tacky.
‘Can I help you guys?’ a deep voice asked.
Eddie put a hand to her mouth to stop from crying out in surprise. The woman in front of them had more tattoos and piercings than Eddie had seen in one place or on one person.
‘We’re here for the afterparty for the Les Mis cast,’ Harry said, gripping Eddie’s hand tightly and giving it an encouraging squeeze.
The woman pointed to a set of stairs. ‘They’re all down in the piano bar.’
They navigated their way slowly down the steep steps and Eddie prayed she wouldn’t trip in her heels and make a fool of herself. She immediately caught sight of Ashleigh who beckoned them to join her. They headed towards her, Eddie’s throat threatening to close over with anxiety.
Harry squeezed her fingers again and leaned close to her ear. ‘You okay?’
‘Bit nervous,’ she replied.
‘Keep smiling. We don’t have to stay long, I promise.’
Someone, somewhere, was playing a piano. It may have been live or coming through speakers, Eddie couldn’t tell. They weaved their way through a crush of barely clothed bodies to the back of the club where other cast members sat on couches and chairs that looked like they belonged in an op shop. The next few moments passed in a blur of introductions. Harry was in his element, face beaming as he was congratulated on the show. Everyone was buzzing. And why not? They’d received a standing ovation after the final curtain came down. Eddie had been one of the first to stand.
Someone wriggled over a fraction of an inch to make room on the couch. Eddie managed to get half her butt on the cushioned seat. She perched awkwardly, muscles tense, and let the conversation – what she could hear of it above the music – ebb and flow around her. She joined in occasionally, but she didn’t know who or what they were talking about and by the time she’d caught the connection or thought she had an idea what was going on, they were off on another topic, another tangent. It was hard not to feel like an alien in a strange new world.
She glanced at Harry at one point, deep in conversation with the guy beside him. He looked so at ease that for a moment Eddie was jealous of him. This was what Ashleigh had been talking about when she said Eddie would be out of her depth with this crowd. When Harry looked up and smiled at her she swallowed past the lump in her throat and put her fears aside.
The girl sitting beside her turned and asked her something. Eddie didn’t catch the question and prayed she’d repeat it. It was hard enough to think, let alone hear anything over the music.
‘What did you think of the show?’ the girl asked again.
‘It was fabulous.’
‘And Harrison? What did you think of him?’
‘I have no words. He took my breath away.’
The music changed and a combined shout rang out from the cast. Eddie glanced over to see a man sitting at an upright piano on the other side of the room. Everyone except Harry jumped up, crowded around the piano and started singing.
Someone tugged at Eddie’s arm. ‘Wanna dance?’ he asked.
> She shook her head and mouthed ‘no’ just as Harry came to her side. The man shrugged and moved away, wiggling his butt in time to the music.
‘Sorry about that,’ Harry shouted. ‘They’re a crazy mob.’ He jerked his head towards the door. ‘Want to go?’
She nodded.
‘This is not really my scene,’ he said as he grasped her hand and pulled her up the stairs, across the timber floor to the exit.
‘Really? You looked like you were having a ball.’
He winked. ‘I’m an actor remember.’
Outside, Eddie leaned back against the wall and dragged a deep slow breath into her lungs until the hard block of tension in her chest dissolved. Even with the traffic and city sounds it was almost quiet after the noise from inside.
‘Coffee first, or do you need CPR?’ Harry asked with a laugh.
‘Very funny.’
‘Coffee it is then. But first, this.’
He stepped close to her against the wall, brushed the hair from her face, then kissed her. When he raised his head he looked deeply into her eyes. ‘I’ve been waiting to do that all night.’
‘Don’t stop now then,’ Eddie said, reaching for his head and bringing his lips back to hers.
When they drew apart, they were both breathing quickly. Harry took her hand and they started walking down the street.
‘I feel so out of place in the city,’ Eddie said when they stopped at the traffic lights to wait their turn to cross. A car horn tooted and she jumped.
Harry laughed. ‘I felt like that too when I first moved to Sydney.’
‘But not anymore?’
‘No, I love it now. Cities are so vibrant, always changing.’
‘I’m not a fan. My heart was in my throat driving in this afternoon. I managed to survive the hook turns and trams, but by the time I arrived at the hotel I was ready for a stiff drink. I should have let Aimee drive.’
Harry chuckled. ‘It gets easier.’
‘Do you go to that nightclub often?’ Eddie asked.
‘Not that often.’
‘It’s . . .’ She searched for a description. ‘Eclectic,’ she concluded lamely.
‘That’s one way to describe it.’
‘I’m more a country pub kind of girl.’
‘Amen to that.’
She tilted her head to look at him. ‘Why did you go tonight if it’s not your thing?’
‘No choice. It’s tradition to go out with the cast after the show.’
‘Will they be upset you’ve left early?’
‘They won’t notice. Besides, I’d prefer to spend the night with you.’
Warmth flooded her core.
‘You happy to walk for a bit?’ He glanced down at her feet.
‘How far?’ She wriggled her cramped toes and winced. ‘I don’t know what I was thinking wearing these heels.’
‘Let’s Uber it. I want you to be able to walk tomorrow. I have lots of sightseeing planned.’ He already had his phone out, fingers flying across the screen.
‘My feet thank you,’ she said.
Moments later a car pulled up and Harry held open the door for her to climb in. Eddie smiled politely at the driver.
‘Where do you want to go for coffee?’ Harry asked. ‘My place or your hotel?’
‘Your place,’ Eddie replied quickly. The hotel seemed too impersonal and possibly sent the wrong message. Besides, she wanted to see what Harry’s place looked like.
He reached for her hand and a fizz went through her entire body. ‘Good choice. My place isn’t exactly a palace – plenty of mismatched bachelor-pad furniture – but it’s not as eclectic as the club.’
The car trip was shorter than Eddie expected and soon they were at Harry’s apartment which was part of a renovated warehouse in the heart of Fitzroy. Eddie climbed out of the car and waited on the footpath for Harry to join her. There were few streetlights but a silvery moon offered enough light. She hugged her body and shivered. Was it too soon in their relationship to be going back to his place?
The car drove away and it was too late for Eddie to change her mind. In two strides, Harry was at her side. He cradled her head in his hands and kissed her again. This time it was a kiss filled with expectation and longing. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her so close there was barely a breath between them as he kissed her again, longer and deeper. A frisson pierced her core right before her stomach went into freefall.
He pulled back, breathing hard. ‘Are you sure you still want to come in?’
She nodded, and he kissed her again while unlocking the front door without looking at it.
*
They scarcely made it through the door and up the stairs to his apartment. From the moment he’d seen her at the stage door Harry had struggled to contain himself. He couldn’t wait a moment longer. He was impatient to feel her skin against his. Spinning her around, he scooped her up into his arms.
Eddie squealed. ‘What are you trying to do? Carry me over the threshold?’
She squirmed in his arms but he refused to put her down. Her warm breath tickled the side of his neck and he inhaled deeply, taking in the sweet floral scent of her perfume. He sighed with pleasure. She didn’t seem to have any clue how stunningly sexy and beautiful she was.
‘Maybe one day.’ One day he would carry her over a threshold. If she said yes.
‘How very old-fashioned of you,’ Eddie said.
‘I prefer to think I’m a traditionalist.’
‘Does that mean you have to wait until you’re married?’ she asked. Her voice was hoarse and her eyes flashed with meaning.
He lowered her gently to the ground in the centre of his small apartment and stared into her eyes. ‘I’m happy to wait for the right person.’ With his foot he nudged the door closed and smiled at her.
She smiled seductively back and when her hands slid up his chest to rest on his shoulders and her mouth landed on his, she took his breath away. That was all the invitation he needed. As Eddie’s body moulded with his, pleasure coursed through him. He allowed his hands to roam over the smooth fabric of her dress from her shoulders to her backside.
‘This dress is so sexy,’ he murmured in her ear.
‘I’m glad you approve.’
‘Approve? I more than approve. But as much as I like it on you, I’d prefer to take it off you.’
In response, she wound her arms around his neck and ran her fingers up into his hair before parting her lips and teasing him with her mouth. They kissed until they both needed air.
He pulled back, held her at arm’s length and stared deep into her eyes again. ‘If you keep kissing me like that I won’t be responsible for what happens next.’
‘I’m happy to take responsibility.’
He ran his thumb down the contour of her cheekbone. ‘Eddie Campbell, you are the sexiest and most beautiful woman I know.’
‘Thank you, Harry.’
He kissed her again, and when she returned it willingly, he knew she was ready. ‘Give me a moment,’ he said.
He left her standing in the living room and raced into his bedroom, quickly smoothing the sheets and throwing the pile of dirty clothes on the floor into the washing basket. He wrestled with the lid then gave up, hoping Eddie wouldn’t notice. He’d wrongly presumed they’d go back to her hotel room, not to his place. He switched on the bedside lamp and cast an eye around the room. He would have preferred a candle, soft music. But this would have to do.
He returned to her and kissed her softly on the lips. Pulling back he captured her gaze in his, and her pupils widened. He gently led her into his room by the hand, their fingers entwined. Neither of them spoke but her breath hitched when he let go of her hand and slowly pulled his shirt from his pants. He forced himself not to rush. She watched his fingers as he carefully unhooked the buttons from top to bottom. When she swallowed and moistened her lips with her tongue his mouth went dry, a whooshing sounded in his ears and he almost lost all control.
H
e allowed his gaze to move slowly over her body again, from her face to her breasts to her tiny waist. Her chest rose and fell as her breathing quickened in sync with his own. He unbuckled his belt, stepped out of his pants and stood before her in his boxer shorts. He wasn’t imagining the need in her eyes and it fired something deep within him. It had been a long time since he’d had sex and nothing was going to stop them now. But he had to be certain.
‘Is this what you want?’ he asked.
‘Yes. Very much. More than anything.’ Her voice was low and husky, leaving him no doubt she was speaking the truth.
Then she was in his arms, pressed hard against his chest as he held her tight. He lowered his mouth to hers, moving hesitantly at first then with more urgency as he slid the zipper of her dress down her back.
‘I’ve been waiting a long time for this,’ he said.
‘Me too.’
Afterwards, they lay entwined in each other’s arms, catching their breath. Harry had never felt so sated in his life. He’d had plenty of good sex over the years, but this wasn’t a physical release like it was with Riley, this was something more. It was intimate. Tender. Perfect.
‘You are so beautiful, Eddie.’
When she didn’t reply, he raised himself onto his elbow to see her face. A lone tear ran down her cheek, and he wiped it away with his thumb. She tried to burrow her head into his chest but he tipped her chin so he could look into her eyes.
‘Eddie, what’s wrong? What is it?’
She shook her head. ‘Nothing.’ She sniffed.
‘Then why are you crying?’
‘Because I’m just so happy.’
‘So these are happy tears?’ He held his breath.
‘Very happy tears.’
Chapter 27
Eddie woke the next morning to the deep rumble of Harry’s contented breathing behind her. She opened her eyes and the unfamiliar room came into focus as the grey shadows of dawn turned to gold. The blind was up, the light bathing them in a soft glow.
They’d made love again and afterwards talked for hours. It was after one o’clock when he’d yawned a third time and it had hit her how tired Harry must have been.
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