Page 13 of Smoke Show

"Places, everyone." At my direction, the cast assembled on stage, and I gestured to the crew. "Please wait for Ms. Pendleton. She should be here shortly."

I hoped. Suppressing the pang of irritation that she was late, I listened as Lissie began running her lines.

She could barely look at Caleb, and they were supposed to be having a serious conversation, heartfelt, a moment.

"Pause, let's try that again, this time, Lissie, look at Caleb when you speak to him. The audience needs to believe, and right now they are wondering what's so fascinating about your shoes."

Shrugging, Lissie returned to her mark, staring down Caleb as if her gaze alone could incinerate him on the spot.

They needed more direction, a real example, but damned if I'd be caught dead practicing an almost-kiss with a student.

Eve slipped in the back, and I paused in my critique. As if she could ever fly under my radar. Struck by an idea, I said, "Ms. Pendleton. Thank you for joining us. You're just in time."

"For what?"

"To help me demonstrate. Pop up on stage with me, if you will."

I could tell she wanted to say 'no' but couldn't find an excuse fast enough. It may not be detention, but I could still make her pay for her tardiness. Make her pay for the way I couldn’t stop thinking about her.

Slowly, Eve climbed the stairs to the small stage, pausing under the lights.

"What, uh, what are we doing?" Eve asked, taking a hesitant step closer.

"Showing what dramatic tension looks like," I said mildly.

Lissie handed her a script, and I dipped my chin. "Ready?"

Eve swallowed, and I wondered at the change in her. Usually so confident, I wasn't used to shy Eve. Was this why she'd fought so hard to avoid the play? I cupped her elbow, silently offering comfort. I'd meant for this to be painless, a little tit for tat in our ongoing war to encourage her to be on time, not something that would genuinely bother her.

"You okay?" I whispered, watching her expression.

She straightened, pushing back her shoulders, making me notice the way her breasts pushed against the soft fabric of her black tee.

A stray giggle interrupted my reverie, bringing my gaze back to Eve's face. Reluctantly, I let my hand drop to my side.

"I care for you too much to let you go into the forest.”

Slow and earnest, I said the words as if I meant them. Eve swayed closer, and I held my breath, aching to touch her again. Aching to kiss her for real. She worried her soft bottom lip between her teeth, the white piercing the pink in a way that made me want to mimic her, feel for myself the softness of her full mouth.

"I care for you too. Maybe too much. But I must go.”

Eve reached out a palm, caressing my jaw and scraping along the growth of stubble there. Soft and tentative, it took all of my control not to turn into her hand, to sneak a kiss on her palm. I paused, maybe a beat too long, my next words forgotten.

"It's always been you," prompted Caleb, shaking me from my Eve stupor.

Obediently, I repeated the words, my original purpose long forgotten. I only wanted to follow through on the promise of that caress – and kiss her.

Eve's dark eyes whispered of a softness, a tenderness, that was easy to believe. I extended my hand, cupping her chin gently, loving the way she leaned into my touch, as if starved for contact.

"I've only ever wanted you, Eve."

Lissie giggled as I flubbed the rest of the line, forgetting both where I was and the characters Eve and I weresupposedto be playing, her nervous titter successfully breaking the spell. I shook myself, turning back to my students.

"And that's how we do tension," I said, my voice over-loud in my own ears.

Eve curtsied, smile wry, before beelining for backstage, where her crew waited.

She couldn't even look at me.

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