“We should probably find our seats so I can speak with Mr. Brees, if he’s here.”
In our private balcony section, we’re on the second of two rows. Lachlan leans over once we’re seated and whispers, “That’s not Mr. Brees sitting in front of us. You want to leave?”
Is he serious? “No. We’re here. We’re dressed up. Let’s act like we know something about opera.”
“Oh, I know all about opera. I’m just not a fan. My mother loves it, so I grew up hearing it. Madama Butterfly is her favorite, so I know it inside and out. We can blow this off and go do something else if you want.”
“No. I want to stay, especially since I didn’t know I was with an opera expert. You can explain it to me.”
He laughs. “Awesome. That’s just what I wanted to do.”
The curtain goes up, and after just a few moments, I’m lost. “I have no idea what’s going on.”
“Okay. It’s 1904 and the man, Pinkerton, is a US Naval officer. He’s about to marry a fifteen-year-old Japanese girl they call Butterfly, but he knows he’s going to divorce her when he finds a proper American wife.”
“Well, that’s pretty shitty.”
“Don’t blame me. I didn’t write it. Anyway, Butterfly loves Pinkerton so much, she converts from her Japanese religion to Christianity. Her uncle finds out she converted and comes to the house where they are being wed. He shows his ass, curses Butterfly, and renounces her. The end of this act is them preparing for their wedding night.”
“So this is like bow-chicka-wow-wow, only opera style?”
He starts laughing and earns several shushes from the row of people in front of us. He leans closer and I feel a warm rush of breath against my ear as he whispers. “No, Madama Butterfly isn’t bow-chicka-wow-wow by any means, but I’ll sure show you some when we get back to the hotel.”
His promise sends a flood of need between my legs and I become restless in my seat. Lachlan watches me and smiles. “Everything okay over there?”
“I’m good.”
“Are you really not wearing panties?”
“Maybe. Maybe not.” There was no way I was ruining this great dress with a panty line.
He’s trying to read my face, but he can’t tell. He pulls the stole from around my shoulders and spreads it across my lap. “I think your legs are cold.”
No, sir, I’m anything but cold right now.
“My hand is cold too. I need you to warm it up,” he whispers as he slides it under the fabric across my thighs.
No way. He is not about to do that here … oh, oh, yes, he is.
I feel his fingers spidering between my legs, scaling up my thighs to where I ache for his touch. “Hmm, someone isn’t wearing panties. Shameless.”
I shift back in my seat and he strokes his fingers up and down, spreading the moisture from my center. “I love how you are always so wet.”
Lucky for me, it’s dark inside the theatre, but I still glance around to make sure no one is watching us. With what he’s doing, I’m not sure I’d care if they were.
His fingers are frustrating, but amazing. I want to buck hard and ride his hand until I come into a million shards, but I can’t without drawing attention. It’s slow torture. “I’m going to give you more, but you have to behave yourself. Can you do that for me?”
I can’t answer so I nod to show my compliance and then I feel his fingers start to slide. In. Out. In. Out. I almost lose it, right then and there, but I hold it together by biting my bottom lip. His fingers speed and I feel it building. It’s coming. And so am I as Butterfly prepares for her wedding night.
38
Jack McLachlan
I’ve never enjoyed opera so much in my life.
Laurelyn and I leave the theatre a few moments before the curtain closes. She doesn’t want to face the couple sitting in front of us on the balcony. She’s pretty certain they heard her muffled squeal and knew exactly what was going on. I’m pretty sure she’s right.
We walk across the parking lot hand in hand and another photographer steps in front of us to take more pictures. Laurelyn puts her hand up. “I’m sorry, but there are plenty of other people for you to photograph. Find someone else.”
The photographer lowers his camera to look at Laurelyn. I think she amuses him. “It’s okay. I already have what I need.”
She really has no idea who I am.
When we’re in my car, I take my phone from my pocket to turn it back on and see almost a dozen missed calls from Mum, Evan, and Chloe. “Something’s going on because my family has been blowing up my phone for the past two hours.”
I call Mum first and don’t get an answer, so I try Evan next. He doesn’t even say hello when he answers. “Jack, it’s Dad. He’s been taken to the hospital. We don’t know anything for sure yet, but he could be having a heart attack.”
“What happened?”
“Mum said they were at home and he started complaining of chest pain. She tried to get him to go to the hospital, but you know Dad. He wanted to see if it would pass, but it got worse so she called an ambulance. They took him back about thirty minutes ago and said they’d give us an update when they know more. Where are you?”
“I’m in Sydney.”
“Good. We’re at St. Vincent’s. How long will it take you to get here?”
“Not long.”
“Okay. I’ll come down and meet you in the lobby.”
I end my call with my brother and I’m numb. This is my indestructible dad he’s talking about. He just retired so he could finally spend time with Mum. They were going to travel the world together.
“What’s happened?”
“It’s my dad. He’s been taken to the hospital. My brother says he might be having a heart attack.”
Laurelyn reaches for my hand. “Oh, I’m sorry, Lachlan. Will it take you long to get to him?”
“No. He’s at St. Vincent’s here in Sydney. It isn’t far.”
She grabs my hand and kisses it. “You need to go. Now. I’ll take a taxi back to the hotel.”
She pulls the handle on the door to get out and that’s when I realize I don’t want her to go. I need her, so I touch my hand to her arm. “Don’t leave. I want you to be with me.”
“You’ll have your family.”
I swallow before I say the words that will change this relationship forever. “You’re the one I need.”