Time stood still. Her breath caught and there was no force of nature strong enough to break their gazes. He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her gently. A small sigh escaped her lips, unbidden but unstoppable.
“That was nice,” he murmured as he pulled back slightly.
“Hmm,” was all she could manage to say, still lost in the magic of the moment.
“We should practice to see if we could do it better.”
She sincerely doubted they could, but she sure was willing to give it a try. He kissed her again. Then they were dancing and kissing and laughing and talking as the night sky grew dark and the moon played hide and seek with the clouds.
Reluctantly, he looked at his watch. “I think we’re going to have to wrap this up. The company I hired is scheduled to come collect all this in just a few minutes.”
A pang of disappointment crept through her. She wasn’t ready for the magic to end.
He gave her one more lingering kiss and took her hand. They walked over to the blanket and each had a final sip of champagne before heading across the sand. They slipped on their shoes when they reached the sidewalk, but then he took her hand in his, not letting go. Which was fine with her because she wasn’t ready to lose this connection with him. Wasn’t ready for the magic to end.
As he walked her home, her heart sang in her chest. Gavin had kissed her.Gavin had kissed her.
When they got to her house, he stood with her on the front porch, a silly grin on his face. She probably looked the same way.
“I had a wonderful time tonight, Tori.”
“I did too.”
Then his face got serious. “But there’s something I’ve been wanting to explain to you. About why I overreacted to that reporter you talked to.”
She looked up, watching his face closely. “Okay, tell me.”
“You see, I dated this woman. Anna. For quite a while, actually. She was an actress.”
Her heart skipped a beat at his words, but she kept her expression calm.
“She only had minor roles when I first met her, but then she was in a big box-office smash hit and things changed. She changed. She always wanted attention. Always looking for the limelight. People treated her like she was special, and she treated others like… well, like she was better than they were. We grew apart, but some reporter started the rumor I was going to ask her to marry me.” He looked down at her quickly. “I wasn’t.”
She held her breath, letting him continue.
“But everything blew up at this big party. A reporter shouted out, asking if that night was the night that I’d finally ask her to marry me. It didn’t end well…” He glanced out into the night, then back toward her. “So you can see why that run-in with the media plus what happened with the lighthouse restoration… Well, I have a healthy distrust of the media.”
“I can see why.” She got the words out, but just barely.
“So, I promised myself I’d never date anyone who needed the spotlight like that. No one who would attract media attention. But then I met you, and now I don’t have to worry about that.” He smiled at her.
Her heart plunged. Oblivious to her thoughts, he leaned in and kissed her again, and her arms threaded themselves around his neck, holding him close. He finally stepped back, and she reluctantly slid her hands to her sides.
“Night, Tori.”
The moment hung between them, and she was trapped between confession and wanting to preserve the fragile connection between them. Now was the time to tell him. But she couldn’t. Not after what he had just told her. She’d have to find a better time. After the opening. She promised, yet again, that she’d tell him after the opening. And she’d make him understand that she wasn’t like his old girlfriend.
So all she said was, “Good night.” He walked down the sidewalk then turned to wave to her. She entered the apartment and walked over to the window, looking out over the water with the moonlight dancing across the waves.
She touched her lips, still feeling his kisses.
Tonight had been the most magical night of her life. Topping any opening night at the theater. And then it had all crashed down around her. She was falling for Gavin. Falling hard and fast. And at this point, she didn’t even care. She didn’t even try to talk herself out of it.
Tonight, Gavin Sloan had kissed her.
And then told her he’d never date someone who would attract media attention. But she didn’t attract their attention anymore. She was simply Tori now.
She would tell him the truth. She would. After a successful opening, when she had time to explain. Not that she could tell him the real reason she was hiding out. But she could just say she was tired of the chaos that was Broadway. And hopefully, he’d believe her.
