Page 152 of Master of My Heart

He settled the check, then they went to get their coats at the door. When he helped her into hers, gently pulling her hair out of her coat, he felt the tingles as he touched her neck again. She shivered, too, and when she turned around, flushed and wide-eyed, he wanted to lean down and kiss her, but he didn’t. Instead, he intertwined his fingers with hers and walked outside.

They didn’t speak, but he didn’t feel the need to start a conversation. It was a wonderful sensation, this simple act of walking down the street holding her hand. He didn’t want to ruin it by speaking.

After turning a corner, the opera house came into view. He smiled. Tonight, he was here with her on a date, but in less than two months, he’d be here to see her dance for the first time. His heart leapt in his chest at the thought. His mother loved to tease him about the fact she’d seen Sabrina dance and he hadn’t.

As they waited for the stoplight to change, he pointed out the building—a tall, white one that seemed like every other non-descript Boston building, with the exception of the marquee with blazing lights over the sidewalk.

They crossed the street and she squinted at the marquee. “Phantom of the Opera?” she exclaimed excitedly.

He nodded. “Have you seen it?” When she shook her head, he grinned. “I’m glad.” Her excitement gave him confidence that he’d made the right decision to reschedule the tickets.

They joined the crowd entering the theater. Sabrina bounced up and down on her toes, making Chase smile. He loved that she was excited. Her eyes darted around, seeming to want to see everything at once. He grinned and chuckled as she oohed and ahhed over everything in sight.

*****

The beauty of the lobby took Sabrina’s breath away. It was different being here as a spectator versus being here for her audition. White archways topped by marble Corinthian columns that reached up to the ceiling two floors above them surrounded the perimeter. Gold-and-crystal chandeliers hanging from a gilded ceiling bathed the room in a soft, golden light. Voices echoed around her, the sounds bouncing off the marble walls.

Chase checked their coats and then put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her to him. She suspected it was to keep her from getting lost or trampled. Of course, him doing that pulled her attention to his presence. He smelled good, like cedar and something woody, mixed together with a strong dose of... man. The wool of his suit was so soft, she couldn’t stop herself from sliding the bottom of his lapel between her fingers.

He jumped slightly when she did. She snatched her hand back, afraid she had offended him, and looked up guiltily.

Chase took her hand in his and put it back on his lapel. “You just startled me,” he said quietly, leaning down. She heard him inhale as his lips brushed the top of her head. “You smell like vanilla,” he murmured as he nuzzled her hair with his nose and pulled her closer. Electric jolts shot down from her head to her feet.

Holding her close, Chase guided her through the crowd to the doors into the main theater. He loosened his hold on her briefly as he handed the tickets to the lady at the doorway. She motioned to a nearby usher, who led them to their seats six rows from the stage, dead center.

“I normally prefer boxes, but you can sometimes miss the whole effect of the performance being too far to one side,” Chase said, handing her a program. She looked up to where marble balconies that housed the private boxes lined the sides of the auditorium and understood what he meant.

She settled into her seat and got lost in the magic of the theater. An enormous chandelier, covered in dusty white tarps, hung in the middle of the stage. Much of the proscenium arch was covered with tarps, as well. She frowned. “Are they renovating the theater?” she asked. It hadn’t been like this during the audition.

“No. Why?”

She pointed at the tarps. “Why is it covered?”

Chase grinned. “It’s part of the show. Same with the chandelier. You’ll see.”

She frowned, not convinced he was serious, but his face said otherwise. “Okay...” Why would they cover up such beautiful architecture?

Someone called Chase’s name and she looked up to see Richard and his wife making their way down the row toward them. Chase looked startled as he stood. The two men exchanged handshakes. “What are you doing here?” he asked.

Richard put his arm around Kathy’s shoulders. “I had some business to attend to here tonight.” When Chase frowned, Richard laughed. “I wasn’t spying, Chase. You didn’t tell me where you were taking her.” Richard leaned over and smiled. “Hello, Sabrina.”

She stood and smiled nervously. She was confused as to why Chase seemed upset. “Hi, Richard,” she said quietly.

Richard’s wife leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Hi, Sabrina. Remember me?”

Sabrina nodded. “Kathy, right?”

“That’s me.” She grinned and waved her hands through the air. “How are you doing?”

Sabrina smiled, the other woman’s friendliness putting her at ease. “Good. And you?”

“Wonderful. I love this play. Have you seen it?”

She shook her head. “No. I’ve never been to the theater before, except to audition, of course.” She looked over to see Richard and Chase talking softly.

“I’m looking forward to seeing you dance again,” Kathy said.

“Again?” Sabrina asked, her full attention returning to the other woman.

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