Page 14 of Spotlight on Poppy

"At least we have a small cast," she said with a weak smile.

"It's okay, no one has ever baked me muffins before. Thank you, Poppy." He took the basket from her. Looking into her eyes, he gave her an honest smile. "I would have shared anyway, so no harm done."

Poppy did notice the look he gave Damien though; Josh didn't seem to care too much for him. She wasn't sure why. He was so talented. She watched Damien play the piano and run a song with the do-wop girls. She smiled and thought about what it would be like to live in New York with him and how city life would be. Sure, maybe she was getting ahead of herself, but they were soulmates. Her love potion brought him here.

"Holy crap, Poppy, these are the best muffins I have ever had in my life," Josh said.

"Do you really think so?" she beamed at him.

"Yes, these are delicious," he said, taking another bite. "These are way better than the ones at the diner. Do you sell these?"

"Whenever I have time, we sell baked goods. We almost always have pie, but we have a full kitchen at the store for all the apple butter and jams. So, I bake to sell when I get the time." Something inside her warmed at his compliment.

"Well, text me next time you make these, and I will come and buy them all."

Poppy felt something growing inside of her. If she had to guess it was pride. Pride in her baking. Pride in the orchard. Pride that she had made Josh happy. Those weren’t things she usually took pride in, but it felt really good.

“I’m gonna go put on some clean clothes before the run through, but really, thank you, Poppy. I mean it.”

Oh, for Christ’s sake, Poppy was blushing. She never blushed, but she most definitely was. She nodded and smiled dumbly as Josh made his way to the dressing rooms to change his clothes.

"Places for act one," the director called out.

"Thank you, places," they all answered back.

Why on earth was Poppy's heart fluttering? She shook it off and got ready to start.

Damien motioned her over. "Hey Poppy, come here for a second." She walked over to him as he was sitting down at the piano. "I just wanted to remind you to really support the high note at the end of the opening number. You were a bit flat last night."

"Right, got it." Taking notes from music directors should not make you want to spit fire, but she did right now.She wasn’t the only one who fell flat last night, she thought. A lot more happened last night and he was acting like she was no one. She walked backstage fuming.

When rehearsal had finished Poppy was getting her stuff to head home. She was tired after not getting much sleep last night and her emotions were a mess because the person she believed to be her soulmate was acting so differently than he had last night. She just wanted to go to bed and hit reset.

"Hey, do you have a second?" She turned to see Damien standing behind her. He had the same look he had last night.

"Sure, what's up?"

"I just wanted to ask if you wanted to go over your solo a few times?" He asked.

"Sure," she said. She was unsure, but she did like the look Damien was giving her.

"Hey Steve, we are going to stay and practice a little bit. I can lock up when we are done," he called to the director without taking his eyes off Poppy.

Poppy licked her lips and felt a heat building inside her.

"Sounds good, see you tomorrow," he said.

When he left it was just Poppy and Damien. Damien made a quick sweep of the room making sure they were alone. Then he pushed her against the wall and pressed into her.

"I have been dying to do this all night," he whispered in her ear. Poppy could sense the heat in those words and tilted her head exposing her neck to him.

"You have?" she asked. He started kissing little kisses down her neck.

"I have," he said between kisses.

Poppy breathed him in. He smelled so good. He smelled fresh and clean, and like expensive cologne. Poppy ran her hand through his hair, and he gave her neck a bite. She gasped and he pushed his leg between her thighs and Poppy moaned at the friction and pressure.

"I wasn't sure, because you were acting like nothing happened last night, and we both know something amazing happened last night."

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