Behind Closed Curtains (Desires of the Forbidden)

Chapter 6

           

I am so not ready for this.

I knew it was only a two hour, meet and greet rehearsal and then I could escape back into the safety of my car, I knew that. Yet, as I sat inside of Lola, I couldn't seem to gain control of my erratic breathing or shake the feeling that something troublesome would conspire within the theater in that short time.

And all due to the one man residing inside that, for some unknown reason stirred such a level of unease and tension within me that I found it hard to kick him and his alluring blue eyes from my mind.

My fingers drummed against my leather bound steering wheel anxiously. Curiously, I glanced down towards the clock in my car.

2:47

I had to go. I couldn't push this moment off any longer.

"Okay, okay, okay," I mumbled out as I gathered my purse and script in my hands and exited the car on shaking feet. The familiar, antique theater came into sight and I found that the usually very comforting image of the structure only ended up conducting my trembling body with even more trepidation than seconds before.

Annoyance fueled through my veins as I became more and more infuriated with myself for being so nervous for this upcoming interaction. I was making too big a deal of it. I knew that. I knew that and yet it did absolutely nothing to put a stop to the clenching sensation through the pit of my stomach as I entered the theater and walked through the lobby.

"Just... be normal," I whispered out to myself under my breath soothingly as I gripped the door handle leading into the theater.

I used the words and took them in, gaining as much courage as I could manage from them before turning the handle and pushing my way inside.

Yet, before I had the chance to take in the eclectic beauty of the authentic, red, velvet seating or gaze upon the stage I had been dreaming of performing on for years with awe, my eyes were sent immediately to some other beauty in the room.

My jaw slacked and my eyes grew three times in size.

"You've got to be kidding me," I said under my breath.

Standing up on the stage, getting fitted for his costume I assumed, was Kaleb.

And he was conveniently without a shirt.

I tried to stop it, I really did. But my eyes took on a life of their own as they raked down his unbelievably robust, toned torso.

His chest was wide and welcoming with small tuffs of black hairs scattered lightly on his pecks. He stood perfectly straight, staring down at the floor as the costume woman measured the bottom of his pants. His skin was tanned to perfection as muscles rippled across his stomach in exquisite, masculine ridges. He had at least an eight pack. His body looked so powerful...

I also found it impossible to miss how massive his arms were. Not overly huge in the sense that he would crush you but just big enough that he could wrap you up in his arms and you would feel wholly protected in his embrace.

I squinted my eyes as something on his right peck, leading across his shoulder, caught my attention.

He has a tattoo?

Just as my mind began to swell with thoughts of what it could be of, I heard my name being called out.

"Leah! Come join us!"

I ripped my greedy eyes away from Kaleb's captivating form and landed them on the woman who had been so kind to me through this whole process.

Her short, black hair bounced as she waved me eagerly down to join the rest of the cast and crew. Suddenly, feeling very shy with ten or so pair of eyes on me, I bowed my head and scurried down to join everyone else.