Page 877 of One More Kiss

As much as she’d wanted him last night, and again this morning, Max Fischer had never been more desirable than when he was a desperate Benedick set to prove his love for his lady. But that had to wait. Rehearsals raged on, and students lingered, eager to tease out of her and Max their motivations for their performances.

Lu did not confess hers was driven by disdain, and desire, for her co-director.

Or how his motivation was likely the same.

Finally, the last of the students sidled away, as the skies outside darkened and Lu’s stomach demanded she eat.

Max seemed determined to not allow her to leave, though. “Have you thought further on the suggestions I offered this morning?”

“I’ve had a rather busy day, professor, as have you, I suspect.”

“Not so busy I haven’t thought about doing this all damned day.”

He pulled her tightly against him, his lips moving softly over hers, drawing her in to his web. Her muscles tightened in defense. They needed to talk, and this was not helping.

“You already did that earlier.” She laughed at him.

“No,” he whispered against her lips. “That was Benedick kissing Beatrice. This is me, kissing you.”

He pressed his mouth against her once more, licking at her closed lips, begging her to open her mouth for him.

“Stop.” She pressed a finger to his lips. “Nothing more until you feed me.”

“Ah, well, I am in luck.” He led her stage left, to the wing there, to an impromptu picnic set up on the floor.

“How did you—”

“Dorie. She is one resourceful lady. And now I know all your favorite things to eat.”

Lu knelt to the floor and opened the boxes and bags, inhaling the scents of hamburgers and fries and even a pizza.

All complemented with a bottle wine.

She kicked off her shoes, and curled her legs underneath her. The flannel of the blanket he’d laid out was soft and warm through her stockings, and she wished to peel those off as well.

Max hung his jacket on a hook on the wall and slipped off his own shoes. He handed the white bag to her, while he took a slice of pizza.

The gooey cheese stretched from the slice to his mouth, and he laughed heartily as he twirled the cheese around his finger. Even with his jacket off, he looked too sophisticated, too metropolitan to eat pizza out of a box sitting on a floor.

“This doesn’t look to be your normal dining experience.” She took a bite of burger, the sweet onions and cheese dancing delightfully on her tongue.

He uncorked the wine, pouring a glass and handing it to her. “What are you trying to say about me, Miss Danvers? That I’m too much of a snob to enjoy a slice? I’ll have you know, I’ve eaten authentic Italian pizza, in Italy, when I was stationed there in ’44.”

She swallowed her food and took a healthy swig of wine. “You served in the war?”

“Again with the surprise, Lu. Every man who could serve did. I had no reason not to, no medical issues. I enlisted as soon as I turned eighteen, which was 1943. What kept you busy during war time?”

She shifted, uncomfortable with where this was going. “I, um, I was thirteen when Pearl Harbor was attacked, so there wasn’t much I could do. I’m from Memphis, from a big family, so I spent the war years taking care of my younger brother and sister. Some things happened, things I…well, I left home at seventeen and haven’t been back since.”

The heaviness about her family she hadn’t allowed herself for years suddenly settled like a lead apron hanging from her shoulders.

“Seventeen? You’ve been on your own for a long time. I’m sorry.”

Lu sipped more wine, pulling herself up from the floor and pacing the length of the backstage area, ducking under and swinging around the rigging.

She noticed Max didn’t follow, but instead sat on the blanket, drinking from his own glass and watching her. His eyes fixed on her face. She’d never been good at hiding her emotion, and she was sure every pain she’d suffered after her parents discovered her pregnancy—and even the shame she suffered before—was etched into every line and furrow carved by her frown.

“Yet here I am,” she said, her tone brightening. “Look at me now, Max. The last ten years have not been easy. But I’m healthy, happy, running the drama department, as small as it is. But this theater is mine. It has been for a few years now, since I took over.”

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