As she walked unsteadily toward the stage she hastily skimmed over the script for Lola’s part, deciding she’d do better by drawing on what little she’d seen on TV. It was still unclear if she was supposed to play a sleazy prostitute or a funny one but going by her costume it was the latter. She joined the rest of the costumed actors who were already situated at their perspective places on stage, waiting for the curtain to go up for the first act with a feeling of doom churning in the pit of her stomach. She was a fool for letting Teresa talk her into this.
Finally the lights came on and Teresa gave the signal to raise the curtain. Emma took several deep breaths to steady her nerves as the audience gradually came into view. It was a small theater and it didn’t take long to see that all two hundred and seventy-five seats were filled with some of Stratton’s finest citizens. However, none of that mattered because the first one her eyes landed on was none other than Mike, sitting in the third row directly in front of the stage. What was he doing there and how was she supposed to act with him watching? With a little luck and a lot of praying maybe he wouldn’t recognize her.
But Emma knew she’d need more than luck on her side, and the only way she was going to get through the play was pretend he wasn’t there.
* * * *
Mike’s mind was a thousand miles away when the heavy curtain was drawn back and the audience quieted down with anticipation. He made a half-hearted attempt to straighten up in his seat and look excited when Melissa glanced his way, an eager grin on her face and a bright look in her eyes that promised he wouldn’t be sorry he came. Once she turned her attention back to the stage he released a deep breath, trying to get comfortable but there was no place to stretch out his legs.
What lacked in comfort was made up for in décor. Mike had to give the Historic Society credit, they’d done a good job renovating the inside of the theater back to it’s turn of the century look, obviously going by the many old portraits on the walls as resources to copy the Victorian style. The seats, though small, were done in plush red velvet, the same velvet as the heavy drapes on stage. The woodwork had been refinished back to its rich, dark mahogany. Brass fixtures had been polished. It was a shame the town was considering tearing it down.
The audience’s laughter pulled him back to what was happening on stage. His gaze riveted there in time to see an actress stumble and make a grab for one of the barstools. Even without glancing at the program given at the front door it was obvious by her attire she was playing the part of a prostitute. The audience laughed again when she cautiously released the stool to balance herself, before continuing in the direction of the man sitting at the end of the bar. Her attempt at a seductive glide across stage turned into crooked, unsteady sway.
Mike grinned. She was wearing four-inch heels, which accentuated her shapely legs. Like any appreciative male would, he followed the line of her legs until they disappeared beneath the short, pink skirt she was wearing. His smile widened when she tried to sit on the barstool and couldn’t. Something in the way she tugged on the too short skirt caused a frown to appear between his eyes, triggering a memory that eluded him.
Curious, he opened the program, glancing down the list of actors to see who was playing the part. Sandy Dennison. He quickly glanced back at Lola. There was no way that was Sandy because word was out she’d left town that afternoon to get married. Besides, she was a buxom blonde, almost six feet tall. So, who was filling in for her? His gaze ran over Lola more thoroughly and the answer came to him immediately when he saw her unconsciously tug her blouse up where it had fallen off her shoulder. Chuckling, he began looking on with more interest.
Suddenly his cramped position didn’t seem so bad anymore. However, the quirk on his mouth quickly vanished when he watched Emma slither up against the man at the bar, who in turn pulled the boa from around her neck in one smooth move. Words were said, there was an exchange of touches and lingering looks and then the man grabbed Emma to him in a lusty embrace. Her throaty laugh echoed through the room as she leaned away from his approaching lips, teasing him by running her tongue over the bright red lipstick covering her mouth. As she turned her face towards the audience, it was then their eyes met full on.
Even beneath the layers of makeup Mike could see her blush when she realized that he knew who she was. He responded to the glimmer of humor dancing in the depths of her eyes until she turned her face back to the man intent on kissing her. He tugged her closer and Emma laughed gaily, dropping her hands on his shoulders, teasing him, whispering promises. It was just a part, Mike reminded himself, ignoring the jealousy eating away in his belly. He supposed she had no choice in letting the man kiss her but at the last second she turned away, his mouth grazing her cheek instead. Mike didn’t know what was worse, seeing her get slapped around or watching another man kiss on her.
There was one thing he did know though; it was going to be a long night.
* * * *
As soon as the curtain fell for the last time, Emma said a silent prayer the play was finally over, turning to make a hasty retreat to her dressing room. It had been the longest two hours of her life and she couldn’t wait to get out of her costume and shower. She’d been slobbered on and manhandled but if the roaring applause was anything to go by it had been worth it. The first play of the season had definitely been a huge success.
“Will you just listen to that applause? We’re bringing down the house!” Elliot beamed backstage, giving Emma a brief hug. “This is just the beginning, kiddo!”
“Don’t go running off,” Teresa gushed, before Emma could respond to Elliot’s enthusiasm. “The audience is expecting a curtain call. Then there’s the group photo with the mayor and a reporter…” The applause and cheers drowned out the rest of her words.
“We’re going to be famous,” Elliot joked, leaving Emma to follow the line of performers heading back to the stage.
Rolling her eyes, Emma hesitated, watching them walk away. She was going to be famous all right, for playing a clumsy prostitute who couldn’t make up her mind if she was supposed to be sexy or funny and aiming for something in between. In spite of that, she couldn’t fault their enthusiasm. They’d accomplished what they set out to do: proving to the mayor the money spent so far for refurbishing the building had been worth it. Now maybe he’d dig a little deeper in the city’s pockets so they could finish the project.
“Come on, Lola, you’re going to miss the curtain call!”
That was the point. Her eyes followed Charlie, the bartender, as he rushed behind the rest. She bit down on her bottom lip, hoping no one noticed her lagging behind, wondering if Mike and his daughter were still out there. She recalled seeing Melissa grab his arm with girlish excitement during several scenes, scenes where Emma’s character had caused a laugh or two by messing up or stumbling ungracefully. The only thing that had kept her from walking off stage and not going back was the hope that the audience thought her flubs were part of the scene.
She saw Elliot and several others motioning for her to join them and with a frustrated sigh headed their way. But not before she slipped off the ridiculously high heels torturing her feet. Tossing them aside, she drew the boa around her neck and joined the line of performers just as the curtain rose. The audience gave them a standing ovation, loud cheers and applause thundered through the theater. Yet all Emma saw was the intense allure of electric eyes and a sexy grin that turned her world inside out.
She knew at that moment she was falling in love with Mike Denton.
Chapter 13
“Dad, please!” Melissa pleaded, tugging persistently on Mike’s arm. “I helped write Lola’s part. I want to meet her,” she implored, referring to Emma as though she alone was the cause for her mere existence.
They were standing in front of their seats waiting for the others in their row to move so they could exit. Gradually the noise began to die down and people started to leave. The actors on stage were posing for a group picture for the newspaper. Mike didn’t like the fact Em
ma was being prompted to sit on the lap of the guy who’d played her John. The smile on his face revealed he was a little too happy over it. But why wouldn’t he be…
His eyes doubled back to his daughter when her statement finally sank in, his expression growing serious. Suddenly the subject matter far outweighed the fact that Lola Parks had been sexy, if not a little bit clumsy and comical. A fact Mike figured was more Emma than the way the script had been written.
Melissa laughed on noticing his frown. “Relax, Dad, I’m not a child anymore. A group of us worked on it together and we researched the material at the town library. It was fun.”
Not a child? In his mind Melissa would always be a child, his child. He crossed his arms, giving her a long, hard look that didn’t so much a cause a glimmer of alarm on her young face. With a giggle that brought back images of when she’d been an energetic five year old hell bent on escaping after getting caught stealing a cookie, she whipped around to walk down the aisle without a care in the world.
After a slight hesitation, Mike reluctantly followed, realizing there was nothing he could do. It was done now. However, he intended on paying closer attention to what she was doing in the drama club from then on. A bright flash pulled his attention back to the commotion on stage as the photographer snapped a few pictures. Once he was done, he quickly gathered up his gear and proceeded to get out of the way of excited patrons intent on congratulating the actors on their success.
His gaze went back to Emma in time to see Elliot grab her for an over zealous hug, which caused his temper to rise almost instantly. He fought the feeling down as well as the thoughts of jumping over the row of seats in his way and knocking his teeth down his throat. When the other man finally noticed Mike watching them, he practically threw Emma out of his arms and disappeared into the crowd. Her eyes followed him for a second, a curious look on her expression, before she turned back to Mike.
His unreasonable anger dissolved the moment they made eye contact. A slow smile spread across her face and she gave him an impish wink with those ridiculous fake eyelashes. Pleasant warmth flowed through Mike, his heart jumping like a schoolboy experiencing his first taste of love. He knew then and there that no matter how hard he fought against it, she was rapidly becoming very important to him.
Before he knew it Melissa had fought her way to the front and jumped up on stage, calling out Lola’s name. At first Emma didn’t respond, until Melissa purposely stepped in front of her.
“Hi, my name’s Melissa. I thought you were terrific as Lola.”
Reluctantly pulling her gaze away from Mike, Emma glanced at the teenager before her, noticing they were almost eye level. The second thing she noticed was that Melissa had Mike’s eyes. She was a pretty girl in a woman’s body, her budding curves very evident in the sweater she was wearing. Emma had blossomed early too, much to her parents’ dismay. She could just imagine what was in store for Mike once the boys began to notice her.
She held out her hand, smiling. “Thank you, I think. I certainly added a bit of flare to the part trying to balance in those ridiculous heels. I’m Emma Stewart.”
Melissa’s eyes widened as she shook Emma’s hand. “You’re Amanda’s Mom?” she gasped in awe. “You don’t look that old.” Her face turned scarlet immediately after realizing her blunder. “What I mean is, ah, you don’t look old enough to, ah…”
Emma couldn’t control her burst of laughter, meeting Mike’s eyes over his daughter’s head. “Well, at least you didn’t call me chunky mama. Actually, Amanda and I are sisters. She calls me Mom because I raised her.”
“Please excuse my daughter while she takes her foot out of her mouth,” Mike joked, joining in. He placed his hands on Melissa’s shoulders and gave them a light squeeze. “She’s excited meeting the actress who played a character she helped create.”
“Really?” Emma met Melissa’s embarrassed eyes, her ready smile putting the thirteen-year-old at ease. “That’s a pretty sophisticated part. I’m impressed. I’m only sorry I didn’t do it justice. I was slated for filling in for the abused housewife.”
“Oh, I thought you were terrific!” Melissa piped up with excitement twinkling in her eyes. “We hadn’t intended it to be a funny part but you made Lola seem real, like, even though she was a prostitute she had faults and feelings too.”
A musical laugh escaped Emma. “Well, she certainly had plenty of faults,” she agreed. Her gaze shifted to Mike again, who appeared to be using his daughter as a shield.
“What did you think of the play, Mike?”
Melissa, being a bright teenager, immediately picked up on the fact that she hadn’t introduced her father to Emma. She stepped slightly away from her dad, her eyes moving back and forth between them with growing speculation. “You two have already met?” Her question was directed at Mike.
“We’ve run into each other on occasion,” he admitted, drinking Emma up with his eyes. “With a little help from fate.”
“And Cupid’s Arrow.”
“If you believe in that sort of thing.”
An awkward silence followed his statement. For a moment Emma forgot all about Melissa, drowning in the sensual pools of Mike’s dark eyes. As their gazes clung, she grew warm, remembering their heated kiss at the gym, the taste of his passion tempered by sweetness. A fluttering sensation filled her belly and she lowered her gaze before giving herself away. It wouldn’t do to let Melissa see her ogling her father with something other than friendship in her eyes.
“Oh yeah…the dog.” For a moment Melissa’s voice faded into hushed stillness. Emma had the feeling she was the only one who caught on to the significance of her comment. “I didn’t know you were friends. But that’s great! Maybe Emma can go fishing with us this weekend.” She turned toward her dad with a look on her face that said she thought it was the best idea she’d ever had. “It’s okay if Emma joins us, isn’t it Dad?” Suddenly her mouth dropped open, almost as large as her eyes were round. “We could even pack a picnic lunch and go to the park afterwards!”
The color creeping up Mike’s neck was obvious to Emma and she looked away with growing amusement. She didn’t know what he was thinking but if it was anything like her, spending a day together in the close confines of his small boat wasn’t very appealing. Especially when they were attracted to each other. But then, Melissa would be there. Her gaze returned to him, she wondered what he would say. It would definitely be a lot safer having Melissa around for a chaperone. That would be one way of keeping their emotions in check.
“I could pack a picnic lunch,” she offered, giving Melissa a congenial wink.
She waited for Mike’s response, sensing he was warring with his own pros and cons. Melissa peered at him patiently, yet there was eagerness in her young eyes that she couldn’t disguise, giving Emma cause for speculation and mild concern. Melissa wasn’t as good at hiding her intentions as well as Amanda. She was too young and inexperienced. In spite of their age differences the girls obviously knew each other, probably because Troy and Mike worked together. Were they in cahoots? She wouldn’t put it past Amanda to enlist the aid of an innocent child. Emma glanced at Mike, who apparently didn’t have a clue.
“Well, Dad?” she asked anxiously, all but holding her breath.
Mike finally took a breath as though resigned to the fact he was going to lose no matter what he said. “Sure, I guess that would be okay.”
If he was going to say more it was cut off by Melissa’s happy exclamation. “Great!” She grabbed his arm and squeezed. “Thank you, Dad. I can’t wait; it’ll be lots of fun.” Her eyes shot past him as something caught her attention. “Oh, I see some friends; it was nice meeting you Emma. See you on Saturday.” She rushed off before anyone could say anything.
“Lots of fun,” Emma echoed, grinning at the less than enthusiastic expression on Mike’s serious face. She met his eyes, her smile slowly fading. Now wasn’t the time or place but it didn’t seem to matter. In spite of his jaw tightening there was no de
nying the desire simmering in his eyes, just beneath the surface. Emma knew it was a reflection of what he saw in hers. The noise around her began to fade in and out, as she became intensely aware of him and her growing feelings for him.
It was crazy but she wanted him to kiss her again. She wanted his hands on her…now. At that very moment. As she imagined what that would be like, she grew incredibly warm, her lips parting as she drew in a shaky breath. A tingling in her breasts was a warning her nipples were hardening. She thought she was doing a good job hiding her desire from him but the smoldering look in his eyes revealed she was only fooling herself. He surprised her by moving, closing the distance between them. Grasping her hand, he wordlessly pulled her with him off the stage as though he knew exactly where he was going, past several self-absorbed actors and down the dimly lit deserted hallway.
Where he was taking her didn’t matter. He opened the first door he came to, which turned out to be one of the dressing rooms, taking a quick peek inside to make sure it was empty. When he was satisfied it was, he pulled her inside and closed the door. Releasing an impatient sound that resembled a wounded animal, he pushed her against the door, following her there with his body. They came together like a raging storm. Elements battling for control as mouths clashed, tongues meshed, bodies melded in a firestorm of instant, uncontrollable passion. Mike’s hands were finally where Emma wanted them, starting with her throat and trailing a leisurely path of fire over her shoulders and down her arms, before falling to her hips and gliding back up her sides.
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