“I am. I’d rather be in it than you. Are you hungry this morning…or near afternoon, I should say?”
“Believe it or not I’m ravenous, love.”
“I could make something for us to eat. I’m not as skilled as you are, but I can give it a go, as you say.”
“One, I like the attempt at the accent. Quite cute. Second, you’re quite skilled. You’ve proven that time and time again. Lastly, I’m not hungry for food.”
“Then I have the perfect thing you can… eat.” I smile and he grabs me by the waist and pulls me over to straddle him.
“Before I feast, Petal, I have something I’d like to ask you.”
“What’s that?”
“There is a concert, a symphony rather, and I have been asked to attend tomorrow evening and I’d like you to come with me.”
“You would? Hmm… I don't know, I'll have to check my calendar.”
“Seriously?” He begins to poke and tickle me.
I can’t help my giggle and squirm over top of him. I move just slightly one way and he growls in a way reminiscent of last night. “I’d love to go with you. I don’t know if I have a gown to wear.”
“That’s an issue for later. For now,” he flips us over so I’m on my back below him, “I have a meal to finish.”
***
We spend the entire day in bed together, only stopping long enough for me to pick out a dress from a local boutique online and it was delivered, altered exactly to my specifications.
It’s a long-sleeved, black affair with a deep V at my chest, showing just the right amount of cleavage, and a slit up the side all the way to my hip, and for good measure, I’m in my lilac heels again. My hair is in a slick, low bun and my makeup is sultry and dark.
I felt like a princess when I walked out of his closet and into the foyer where he was waiting for me in his all-black tuxedo… but then his eyes landed on me and all of a sudden, I felt like a princess who was absolutely going to be defiled by the dark knight later.
And that was perfectly fine with me.
I’m shocked by how crowded the venue is when we step inside. There’s champagne flowing and guests mingling all over as we all make our way into the auditorium for the music to begin. “Was that Professor Griffin I saw the next aisle over?”
“Yes, Anna is here with a longtime friend. The college is a contributing sponsor for the symphony. I didn’t want to make you nervous, but there are several colleagues and their significant others in the room.”
My head starts to subtly swivel to pay attention to all those I could recognize. “Do I look all right? I mean. Shit,” I mumble.
Tristan leans in with a confident kiss to my cheek. “Smile. Keep your beautiful chin up and for the love of God, make sure you keep that pout on for me. That blood-red lip is driving me mad once again. Have I told you how ravishing you look?”
“A few times, but keep doing it. I like it,”
The lights dim when we settle in our seats and the stage erupts with the beautiful, flawless sounds of classical music. There’s an entire orchestra, each section having their moment to shine, but working so beautifully together. It is overwhelming.
Tristan lays his hand on my bare thigh, as it is exposed through the slit in my dress and glides his thumb back and forth over my skin. My lips part in a quiet pant. My left hand trails across his hand then up the length of my right arm to settle over my heart. I’m trying so hard to keep focus on the music, but it’s getting hard. With my hand on my chest, I can feel every beat coming from the stage and inside me.
I can tell Tristan recognizes every bar and measure. His fingers move with the violins. I remember vividly the day in his office. Behind the locked door where we could have been seen by not only Professor Griffin, but any number of his colleagues, not to mention students. A knock at the door wouldn’t have given us time to stop or even button up. I get a chill all over just thinking about it. Sometimes, he takes matters into his own hands. In order to keep himself still, he pulls my hand from my chest to his waiting lips.
I find myself watching him more than the show in front of me. He’s enthralled, in his element, surrounded by something he has great appreciation for. Time somehow stills and speeds by all at once. I want nothing more than to get my hands on him, but at the same time, I want to stay here forever so that I can see him like this.
When the final piece roars to a climactic ending, the crowd erupts with applause and we all stand from our seats.
“That was incredible,” I lean over to tell Tristan, but he uses the closeness to steal a delicate kiss from me. “Wow.”
“Was that a wow for them or me, Petal?”
“May I say both because one led into the other?”
“Absolutely you may.”
Tristan
The conductor takes several bows. I would like to say this was the performance of the season. It very well could have been. However, I won’t be able to judge it. Most of my time and space was focused square on the dark, ethereal beauty I get to call mine. As my beautiful flower climbs the stairs to the mezzanine, I aim to be one stair ahead so I’m able to catch her following me out of the corner of my eye. The stark white of the plaster banisters and white marble of the staircases showcase the jet-black of her dress to perfection. The glow of the silver modern belt at her waist and the baubles in her ears. I can’t wait to put my tongue to them.
“Where are you taking me?” she asks.
“There is a cocktail hour on the next level. We will be attending that, but I would like a moment alone with you first. Any objections?”
“Not a single one.”
“Good.”
We cannot deny the eyes on us. There are people staring, people whispering, and I’m certain it’s because of our recent internet fame. Colleagues have set eyes on us, but have not come up to say hello. I’d venture to guess they aren’t sure how to handle the situation, which is frankly ridiculous.
I won’t hide Nora from anyone. She’s far too special to be a dirty little secret. “Everyone is staring at us.”
“Let them. If I was that asshole, I’d give them a show, however, I don’t want anyone to see you like that besides me.”
One of the boxes behind us in this crowd is empty. The dark velvet curtains are pulled back leaving a small alcove calling our name. Now that I’ve been able to be bare inside her, I need more. I will always need more. I know this is not the time nor the place, but I need to leave another mark that she belongs to me. Each one I left earlier is hidden, as they should be. Now I’d like one that is barely hidden so that if she moves just right it will give them something to really speculate.
“Follow me.” I take her hand and lead her over to the box, undoing the knot in a golden rope that is holding the curtain at bay. “Inside,” I demand, nodding my head toward the corner on the inside.
She slides her hand across my sternum as she glides by me and disappears, stepping to the right and into the corner of the alcove.
I follow behind her, letting the curtain fall closed, shielding us in complete darkness. There are people only a few feet from us, but unless they step into the box, they’ll be none the wiser.
“I can’t get enough of you,” I whisper as I crowd her up against the wall, needing to feel her body on mine. “No amount will ever satisfy me.” I encircle her wrists in my hands and lift them above her head, pinning them to the wall.