sighed a little. “You don’t have to sit next to her, even though you apparently had a decent time with her yesterday and can carry on a civilized conversation, but I thought you were past that crap now.”
Gage wondered why he was acting like such a jerk. “Sorry. I like her. I just don’t want to raise anyone’s expectations.”
“Don’t worry about it, just be yourself and try to have fun.”
To Gage’s surprise, he did have fun. Dinner theater was definitely not on his to-do list on a regular basis, but the food was good, he sat next to Jonquil and had a stimulating conversation and the show was reasonably entertaining. Angela was a hoot as Hedy La Rue, the secretary who was secretly dating the company president and completely useless at work. And she filled out the sexy costumes they had made for her very nicely. He’d be surprised if she didn’t come home with guys’ numbers in her pocket every night.
He looked at Jonquil, who was clapping after her sister sashayed off the stage and smiled. She was far more interesting to him than Angela, sexy outfits or not. Though he wouldn’t mind seeing her in one or two. She met his gaze and they held for a long moment. She bit her bottom lip and he had a sudden urge to lean in and kiss it.
He looked away instead, his heart thrumming a little faster than usual.
After the show they waited for a chance to talk to Angela, who brightened when she saw them. “I’m so glad you came!” She threw her arms around Jonquil.
“I couldn’t miss your opening night. You were fantastic. I had no idea you were that good.”
Angela grinned widely, caught sight of Gage and threw her arms around him in a tight hug “Thanks for coming. It means so much to me.” She shifting back a little to look at him, running her hand down his arm intimately. “I really appreciate it.”
Gage patted her shoulder a little, feeling uncomfortable about the attention. “Good job. You really rocked it.”
“Thanks!” She turned to the others, who apparently didn’t rate a hug, and chattered on about how great it was.
By the time they finally extricated themselves, the theater was nearly empty—even the actors had mostly gone to the dressing rooms to change before the opening-night party.
“She’s enthusiastic,” Gage said as he walked out beside Jonquil.
“Yes. I have to give her that. Did you enjoy the show?” she asked.
“It was… interesting. Better than I expected.”
“The steak was good, anyway?” she asked teasingly.
“The steak was primo. I’d sit through a musical for one of those anytime.”
She laughed. “Good to know you’re so easy to bribe.”
“Hey, Gage, you mind giving Jonquil a lift?” Delphi asked. “I need to go back to the hotel for a few minutes to check on some things for the wedding tomorrow. Thanks!” She didn’t wait for him to respond, just pulled Jeremy toward his car.
Blake and Lana had already peeled off, so they weren’t an option, and Jonquil’s place wasn’t that far out of the way. “Sure,” he answered, though he knew they were already too far away to hear him.
“I get the feeling that Delphi has thoughts.” Jonquil shrugged a little. “She’s a little bit of a busybody. She can’t help herself.”
“You know how dangerous Delphi can be when she thinks stuff. We should put an end to all of that.” His lips twitched, belying the dry tone in his voice.
“Definitely not allowed.”
“You want to hitch a ride with me then?” he asked. “It looks like your ride is taking off without you.”
She chuckled a little. “Sounds good. I appreciate the generosity, which wasn’t at all strong-armed out of you.”
“It’s not like taking you home is a hardship.” He opened the passenger-side door for her, standing close enough to smell her perfume. He’d known the soft floral scent was her when he caught it—several times—during the performance. Part of him wanted to lean in and take a deep breath right from
Gage wondered why he was acting like such a jerk. “Sorry. I like her. I just don’t want to raise anyone’s expectations.”
“Don’t worry about it, just be yourself and try to have fun.”
To Gage’s surprise, he did have fun. Dinner theater was definitely not on his to-do list on a regular basis, but the food was good, he sat next to Jonquil and had a stimulating conversation and the show was reasonably entertaining. Angela was a hoot as Hedy La Rue, the secretary who was secretly dating the company president and completely useless at work. And she filled out the sexy costumes they had made for her very nicely. He’d be surprised if she didn’t come home with guys’ numbers in her pocket every night.
He looked at Jonquil, who was clapping after her sister sashayed off the stage and smiled. She was far more interesting to him than Angela, sexy outfits or not. Though he wouldn’t mind seeing her in one or two. She met his gaze and they held for a long moment. She bit her bottom lip and he had a sudden urge to lean in and kiss it.
He looked away instead, his heart thrumming a little faster than usual.
After the show they waited for a chance to talk to Angela, who brightened when she saw them. “I’m so glad you came!” She threw her arms around Jonquil.
“I couldn’t miss your opening night. You were fantastic. I had no idea you were that good.”
Angela grinned widely, caught sight of Gage and threw her arms around him in a tight hug “Thanks for coming. It means so much to me.” She shifting back a little to look at him, running her hand down his arm intimately. “I really appreciate it.”
Gage patted her shoulder a little, feeling uncomfortable about the attention. “Good job. You really rocked it.”
“Thanks!” She turned to the others, who apparently didn’t rate a hug, and chattered on about how great it was.
By the time they finally extricated themselves, the theater was nearly empty—even the actors had mostly gone to the dressing rooms to change before the opening-night party.
“She’s enthusiastic,” Gage said as he walked out beside Jonquil.
“Yes. I have to give her that. Did you enjoy the show?” she asked.
“It was… interesting. Better than I expected.”
“The steak was good, anyway?” she asked teasingly.
“The steak was primo. I’d sit through a musical for one of those anytime.”
She laughed. “Good to know you’re so easy to bribe.”
“Hey, Gage, you mind giving Jonquil a lift?” Delphi asked. “I need to go back to the hotel for a few minutes to check on some things for the wedding tomorrow. Thanks!” She didn’t wait for him to respond, just pulled Jeremy toward his car.
Blake and Lana had already peeled off, so they weren’t an option, and Jonquil’s place wasn’t that far out of the way. “Sure,” he answered, though he knew they were already too far away to hear him.
“I get the feeling that Delphi has thoughts.” Jonquil shrugged a little. “She’s a little bit of a busybody. She can’t help herself.”
“You know how dangerous Delphi can be when she thinks stuff. We should put an end to all of that.” His lips twitched, belying the dry tone in his voice.
“Definitely not allowed.”
“You want to hitch a ride with me then?” he asked. “It looks like your ride is taking off without you.”
She chuckled a little. “Sounds good. I appreciate the generosity, which wasn’t at all strong-armed out of you.”
“It’s not like taking you home is a hardship.” He opened the passenger-side door for her, standing close enough to smell her perfume. He’d known the soft floral scent was her when he caught it—several times—during the performance. Part of him wanted to lean in and take a deep breath right from
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