“It’s a good way to get into the Christmas mood this early in the season, and I go every year. Usually I drag my best friend, Tessa, along with me, so by taking you this year, she thanks you for sparing her.”
I chuckle. “Are you surrounded by people who hate the holidays?”
She gives me a sassy look. “Tessa likes Christmas just fine. She just doesn’t like seeing the same concert year after year.”
“Fair enough. So, what can I expect from tonight’s performance?”
Someone passes by and pushes me, forcing me to step into Kenzie’s space. She has nowhere to go because she’s against the wall, and for a moment, our eyes lock and we just breathe each other in. The air grows heavy in my lungs and my cock stirs in my trousers. Stepping back from her takes effort, but I force myself to.
“Sorry,” I mumble and her gaze darts away from mine.
“It’s crowded in here. Should we go take our seats?” She looks vaguely uncomfortable.
I wonder if my desire for her is that transparent. The last thing I want is to make her feel uneasy in my presence. “Great idea. I’m going to end up with this wine all over me if we don’t.”
I trail behind her, and it takes us a few minutes to reach the doors of the theater. Kenzie shows the attendant the tickets on her phone, and she directs Kenzie toward our seats.
The first thing that surprises me is the size of the theater. It’s much bigger than I had imagined, and the dome-shaped ceiling is quite impressive. We make our way to about the midpoint in the theater and head into a row in the center section about a third of the way down. When we reach our seats, we take turns letting the other take off their jacket and get situated before we sit.
“I always try to get seats at least halfway back. I made the mistake of getting tickets right near the front my first year here, thinking those would be the best seats. I realized that you can’t take in the entire stage when you’re that close. So now I make sure I’m farther back.”
“Rookie mistake.”
She shrugs. “Pretty much.”
A few minutes later, Kenzie’s giving me an update on where she’s at with the firm’s holiday party when a very tall man sits in the seat directly in front of her. She doesn’t say anything, but I noticed her eyeing the man the entire way down the aisle, and when he sat down in front of her, her lips tugged down a bit in the corners.
I lean in and say in a low voice, “Do you want to switch seats with me so you can see better?”
She turns to face me, not realizing how close I am to her. Our lips are only inches apart, and the flowery scent of her perfume amplifies the magnetic pull I feel toward her.
“Would you mind?” Her gaze is on my lips and not my eyes.
I clear my throat and pull back. “Not at all. I should be able to see over or at the least around him.”
We both stand and commence the awkward maneuver of getting around one another. I have a split second to decide whether we should face each other or whether I should turn around as we squeeze past each other. Kenzie makes the decision for me, turning away from me so that her ass grazes my front as she passes. I barely manage to stifle a groan.
Clearing my throat, I sit back down, and shortly after, the show starts. I only allow myself to glance at her once during every number because if I don’t put a limit on it, I’m afraid I would spend the entire evening staring at her and not the stage.
Turns out Rockettes aren’t that bad when I watch them through Kenzie’s eyes.
ChapterThirteen
Kenzie
“C’mon. Admit it. You kind of enjoyed yourself.” I elbow Andrew’s side once we’ve emerged from the crowd spilling out of the theater.
“It was somewhat entertaining.”
I laugh and roll my eyes. “Don’t worry, Andrew, I won’t tell anyone. I wouldn’t dare ruin the stiff upper lip lawyery persona you have going on.”
“I’m quite certain lawyery isn’t a word.”
“It’s my word.” I give him my cheesiest smile, and the corner of his lips tip up. He shakes his head and looks away.
I don’t know why it gives me so much joy to make this man smile.
We stop when we reach the next block and I turn to him. “I’m headed downtown so… I guess this is where we say our goodbyes.” I gesture in the general direction I’m heading in.