Page 876 of One More Kiss

Max pulled her hands from their entwined posture under her chin, tugging them to his heart. “I will not desire that.”

“You have no reason; I do it freely.” Her fingers, still caught in his hands, burned at his touch. She pulled them back down to her sides, then stood and paced.

He followed, the boards of the stage creaking under his weight. “Surely I do believe your fair cousin is wronged.”

Lu threw her hands in the air and raised her voice. “Ah, how much might the man deserve of me that would right her!”

Max rushed to her, turning her to face him, his jaw tight and gaze alert. His furrowed brow distorted his handsome face. “Is there any way to show such friendship?”

Lu nodded vigorously, and wagged a finger at him. “A very even way, but no such friend.”

“May a man do it?” His eyes begged, as they had last night when he wanted into her room.

Oh dear.Heat crept into her face, and she thought she was surely turning every possible shade of red. “It is…”

She forgot the line.

“It is a man’s office,” Max whispered.

“It is a man's office, but not yours,” Lu echoed as she crossed in front of him stage left.

Again, Max followed, Benedick chasing his Beatrice, to ask how he may best show his affections. “I do love nothing in the world so well as you: is not that strange?”

Lu nodded again, thinking Max’s own affection for her, and hers for him, was indeed unusual. “As strange as the thing I know not. It were as possible for me to say I loved nothing so well as you: but believe me not; and yet I lie not; I confess nothing, nor I deny nothing. I am sorry for my cousin.”

“By my sword, Beatrice, thou lovest me.” In Max’s inflection, it was more a question than a statement. His Benedick loved, but was unsure of being loved.

The allusion made her nearly swoon. “Do not swear, and eat it.”

Max pulled her close, pushing her hair away and drying the tears Beatrice would be crying. “I will swear by it that you love me; and I will make him eat it that says I love not you!”

She nearly shouted the next line. “Will you not eat your word?”

He cupped her head in his hands, and moved his face to within an inch of hers. “With no sauce that can be devised to it. I protest. I love thee.”

“Why, then, God forgive me!” A sob, a genuine sob, erupted from Lu’s throat as real tears slipped from her eyes.

“What offence, sweet Beatrice?” He swiped at her real tears, concern in his eyes.

“You have stayed me in a happy hour: I was about to protest I loved you.” Not yet, she thought to herself, but I could some day.

“And do it with all thy heart.” He kissed her forehead, and Lu had to suppress the bubble of joy welling in her own heart.

“I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest.” I can’t love you. Yet I know I will.

All logical thought was then drowned by the press of Max’s lips on hers, the softness of a passionate kiss, yet one chaste compared to the embrace they shared the night before. Her eyes fluttered closed, but as soon as the kiss commenced, so it ended.

Max held her hands between his, pleading with her. With Beatrice. “Come, bid me do any thing for thee.”

Lu held a dramatic pause, staring back into his eyes, so dark and intense. Her lips pursed as she gathered her thoughts carefully, as Beatrice would have at this moment, before her explosive request. She said, slowly and with as much quiet rage as she could muster, “Kill Claudio.”

Max dropped her hands and stepped away, motioning in her direction and drawing applause from the students.

“Encore, encore!” someone shouted above the din of clapping.

Lu waved her hands, and motioned at Max, who surprisingly was quite the accomplished actor himself. The students applauded once more, the sound fading as Lu and Max exited the stage and took their seats down below again. “Do it exactly like that. Frannie, maintain that rage throughout your dialog, and Lester, show your desperation to prove your love in the face of this horrific request.”

Lu sat, breathless, exhilarated. It had been so long since she’d played opposite someone with so much intensity, she’d forgotten what it was like.

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