"They'll be fine. Besides, I only compelled them to believe these seats were suddenly uncomfortable and that the new ones they're sitting in are a hundred times better. At the moment, they're all relieved the new seats they found were available so they could still see their movie on opening night," he whispered into my ear. "So, chill. Here, have some nachos," he continued, patting my knee reassuringly.
Peering at one of the guys he'd persuaded to move, I could see he was right. The poor bastard looked overly pleased to be sitting in his new seat. "That may be, but I'm pretty sure your gifts are intended for purposes other than securing us choice seats in a theater," I whispered back as the house lights began to dim.
"Don't sweat it," Lynn whispered on my other side, looking pleased with our seating arrangement.
I let any further arguments drop. If she was fine with it, who was I to gripe? It was a proven fact that the Guide's moral conscious was higher than everyone else's. If she was okay with it, then I wasn't going to argue. Sitting back in my seat, I turned my focus to the previews on the screen in front of me and began to munch on nachos. When the rest of the house lights went out with the start of the movie, my senses became heightened. Suddenly, I was hyperaware of Emrys sitting right beside me with his hand on my knee. All the times in the last forty-eight hours that I'd thought of his hands on me, and here we were again. Trying to keep my breathing normal was an issue as the heat of his hand burned through my jeans. I shifted slightly in my seat, wishing we were anywhere right now but the movie. I wanted to pick up where we'd left off on the beach, feeling his lips on mine with his hands free to explore. Not stuck in a crowded theater.
No longer hungry, I handed the nachos over to Robert who I knew would happily polish them off. I tried to focus on the opening credits as Emrys's hand slowly began to caress my knee. I willed myself not to look, although he was slowly driving me insane.
As if he sensed my inner dilemma, Emrys looked down at my lap. His hand tightened on my knee in a reflex action before slowly creeping up to my thigh. The movie became a mindless blur of noise as all I could think about was his hand moving where I wanted it to go. This was ridiculous. Emrys had somehow managed to turn me into a sappy lovestruck girl. I should be decking him in the throat, not panting like a lovesick dog. Finally unable to take it any longer, I settled my hand firmly on top of his, stalling his advance.
"God," I sighed to myself. What a freaking chore that was.
"A little hot in the kitchen for you?" Emrys breathed into my ear, making my body tingle even more.
"Shut it," I mumbled out the side of my mouth that was twitching to a smile.
He flipped his palm over so our fingers were finally laced together. Of course, not one to be good, he used the opportunity to run his thumb lightly across my inner wrist, making me quiver. I gave up any attempt of watching the rest of the movie. Instead, my focus remained fixated on our clasped hands in my lap.
"That was way better than the old Spiderman movies," Robert said enthused when the house lights finally came up. "Don't you think so?" he asked us.
"It was enlightening," Emrys answered, smiling at me. "What did you think?" he asked me.
I gritted my teeth. That rat knew I had missed the entire movie with my fascination with his damn hands. "It was fair. I've seen better," I answered, shrugging my shoulders while I grinned wickedly at Emrys before turning my back and heading down the aisle.
"Seen better?" he growled, dragging me in hard against his chest.
"Sure," I teased as he slid his arms around my midriff while we descended the stairs together.
"I thought it was pretty fabulous," he breathed in my ear. I leaned back into his arms, enjoying the feel of him wrapped all around me like a ribbon on a package.
"I'm starved," Robert complained, rubbing his stomach for emphasis as he started through the lobby.
"Even after Jordyn's nachos and the large popcorn you downed?" Lynn teased, knowing her husband's appetite well.
"Do you mind if we grab some dinner?" I asked Emrys, worried he'd be bored watching us chow down.
"That's cool. I'm not ready for the night to end yet," he added for my ears only.
I agreed with him by nodding my head. I wasn't ready for the night to end either. It felt good to be able to see him without worrying that I was disappointing or angering someone.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The drive to the small beachside diner passed with Robert listing his favorite highlights from the movie, which pretty much seemed to be every scene.
"Robert, I didn't know you were so in love with Stan Lee. When's the wedding?" I mocked, climbing out of the backseat. Emrys chuckled behind me.
"December. I don't want to be sweating during the ceremony," Robert deadpanned.
"Truth. Lace and sweat don't mix," I added, walking through the door to Mags's Chowder House.
The dining room of the small beachside seafood restaurant was relatively empty when we entered, laughing. Several sets of eyes swung around in our direction, eyeing us critically.
"Why'd you pick this place?" I asked, taking in the older-than-sixty crowd that made up the majority of the diners.
"They have a wicked clam chowder that will make you weep," Robert answered, heading toward the rear of the dining room without waiting for the hostess to seat us. "Hey, Mags," he added to a blue-haired stout woman who had just exited from the swinging doors at the back of the restaurant. She had startling blue eyes that almost matched her hair.
"Don't 'hi' me young man. You leave me for months on end, and then stroll in all willy-nilly like nothing," she chastised, taking a swipe at him with the dish towel she held in her hand.