The Affair: Week 4 Read Online Free Page B

never been to a show before.”
    He gave her a sideways glance. “Never?”
    “Do you ever look at the price of the tickets, or just have your secretary buy them for you?” she shot back. His eyebrows arched in a wry expression and she laughed. “I thought so. The theater definitely isn’t in a nurse’s budget, or at least so far it hasn’t been. But I’ve always wanted to go.”
    “Well you’re here now,” Vanni said, opening a golden and glass door open for her to enter at the Shubert Theatre. “I only wish I’d known. I’d have insisted on making the first half.” She gave him a doubtful look, thinking about what they’d been doing instead of rushing to make the beginning of the show. His mouth quirked. “You’re right,” he said under his breath. “It was well worth it to miss the first half.”
    She smiled, feeling so excited, she thought she might be glowing.
    They had just enough time for Vanni to get them two glasses of champagne before the crowd started streaming out into the lobby for intermission. Her wonderment grew when he led her to a small, ornate balcony that looked down directly on the stage. They would have an amazing overview of the stage, but were still up front enough that they’d easily see the actors’ faces. There were eight velvet chairs in the space, but Emma saw no seat numbers.
    “How do we know which ones to sit in?” she asked him.
    “Pick whichever ones you want. It’s a private box.”
    “And no one else is coming?”
    Vanni just shook his head. She sat, staring down over the balustrade. She could see straight down in the orchestra box before the stage. He came down next to her, and she beamed at him.
    “This is amazing,” she told him, not even trying to guard her excitement.
    His eyebrows rose. “Is it?” he asked, taking a sip of champagne.
    She gave the luxurious, empty box a sweeping glance and then looked pointedly at the ornate, gilded theater.
    “Open your eyes,” she said, laughing.
    * * *
    Open your eyes.
    Her joyful admonishment kept ringing in his ears as the play resumed a few minutes later. One thing was certain, he realized as he glanced sideways at Emma’s radiant expression as she watched the play.
    He couldn’t take his eyes off her.
    If she hadn’t confessed to this being her first theater visit, he would have touched her.
And
if that damn thing hadn’t happened at her apartment. He grimaced and looked away from her shining face, guilt swooping through him for his lascivious thoughts as the memory interceded.
    He
might
have very well done more than touch her in the privacy of the box if he hadn’t seen that pinched, anxious expression on her face when she’d introduced him to that traitorous sister and bottom-feeder boyfriend of hers.
    Ex
-boyfriend, he reminded himself with a spike of vicious triumph.
    He knew Emma said she didn’t mind, but he was furious that her sister invited Colin over to Emma’s home, and what was worse—the asshole actually
came.
    His gaze roved back to her. Her gleaming shoulders and arms beckoned him, just as the alluring shape of her breasts outlined by the draping fabric of her dress did. Yes. If it hadn’t been for the fact that she’d confessed this was her first time at the theater, or that teeth-grinding incident at her apartment, he would have traced that elegant line of her jaw with his fingers, and then his lips. He’d have inhaled the sweet, clean smell of her neck. He might have taken her to the shadow-filled rear of the box and touched her until he’d felt her quake against him.
    His cock stirred. Yes, he was that selfish.
    He took the last swallow of the chilled champagne and set it aside. He stared at the movement and color on the stage, not really taking much of it in. His gaze flickered back to Emma’s rapt profile as Eliza sang “Just You Wait.” He followed the shape of her cheek, jaw, neck, and thrusting breasts. For a moment, he just stared, enthralled, watching the delicate rise