“Just for tonight. We’re continuing our tour in the morning.”
“Oh, that’s too bad,” Darren said, and he seemed genuinely disappointed. “I guess we’re just going to have to make tonight count, then, aren’t we?”
“I guess so.” I couldn’t tear my gaze away from his eyes. Unlike Peter, whose eyes kept roaming my body, Darren’s gaze stayed fixed on my face, like he was really listening to every word I said.
Behind me, a barstool scraped across the floor, and I jumped at the sudden noise. Darren glanced at the newcomer and smiled. “Oh hey,” he said. “Have you met Ella?”
I turned and found myself face-to-face with Saul, the lead guitarist of the Prince Charmings. Tall and thin, almost lanky, he had an easy, laid-back air that made me feel at ease immediately. He smiled. “I have not,” he said. “But I’ve wanted to all night. Your set was great tonight.”
“Thank you,” I said, slightly dazed. How many members of my favorite band was I going to get to meet tonight? Along with Darren and Grant, Saul was one of the founding members. I thought I also remembered reading somewhere that he wrote about half of their songs. “Your set was great, too.”
“Ella was just telling me that she’s a fan,” Darren supplied. Saul’s face lit up.
“Is that so? I hope we lived up to expectations.”
“Oh, absolutely,” I said. “It was amazing. I felt like you were singing right to me, especially on ‘Gorgeous Pleasures.’” I realized I was on the verge of gushing and snapped my mouth shut, embarrassed.
Saul, on the other hand, looked pleased. “That’s one of mine,” he said. “I’m glad you liked it; it’s a new one I’ve been working on.”
“It’s beautiful,” I said. “I wish I could write something like that.”
“Do you write your songs?” Saul asked.
“Most of them,” I admitted. “Susanna and Liz don’t have the patience for it, but they give me input toward the end.”
“Well, now I’m even more impressed,” Saul said. “I wonder what other hidden talents you have, Ella?”
I blushed and gazed down at the bar surface, tracing the whorls in the wood with my finger. Sensing my embarrassment, Saul changed the subject. “What do you think of the Ball so far?” he asked.
“It’s . . . something,” I said. To be honest, I was a little overwhelmed, and a lot intimidated, but I didn’t want to admit that.
“Ella had a run-in with a creep earlier tonight,” Darren explained. “I think she’s still a little rattled.” Saul’s face softened.
“I’m so sorry to hear that,” he said, his hand brushing my shoulder. “I hope you won’t let that ruin your experience.”
“Not at all,” I said. “I’m having a great time.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” Saul said. “The Ball is a wonderful place; it allows people to let go of their inhibitions and live their authentic selves. But there are always people who would take advantage of the freedom the Ball provides. The type of people who see sex as a conquest to be won, rather than something shared and enjoyed. Those people would ruin this for everyone else, if they could.”
I had never heard anyone speak about sex like that. Where I came from, the only time people ever spoke about sex was to talk about the risks, to warn young people that sex should only happen between husband and wife, and should be a matter of utmost privacy. To hear Saul talk like this, as if it were perfectly natural to talk about sex with a complete stranger, was like a revolution.
“So Ella,” Saul continued, gesturing to the bartender. “Is there anything specific that you want to experience while you’re here?”
“If you’re only going to be at the Ball for one night, you should at least make sure it’s a night to remember,” Darren added.
I felt myself begin to blush. “I’m not sure . . .” I began. “I mean, I’m actually a virgin.” My face was flaming now. I stared at a fixed spot on the bar, afraid to face whatever emotion I might find on Saul and Darren’s faces. Shock? Pity? Or worst of all: amusement?
For a moment, there was only silence. Then Saul brushed my shoulder lightly. “Hey,” he said. “Look at me.” I did, and saw with relief that his face held only understanding. “That’s nothing to be ashamed of. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do tonight.”
“Of course.” Darren nodded. “That’s what the Ball is all about.”
“The thing is . . .” I cleared my throat, searching for the words to express the tangle of feelings and thoughts I’d been working to unravel all night. “I always thought I would wait . . . for true love, you know? I was always told that I should wait until marriage, that if I didn’t, it made it less special—made me less special.”