Sophie opened her eyes to find herself staring into the gauzy depths of the curtain that sheltered Jules’s bed. She smiled as she registered the warm press of Jules’s body against her back, remembering the party last night and the even more memorable celebration they’d shared here at Jules’s apartment afterward.
Consequently, as she fumbled for her phone beside the bed, she saw that it was already almost noon. That was fine with her. It had been a late night, after all. Tomorrow, dress rehearsals started, so she hoped to spend today with Jules, soaking up this time with her before things got crazy.
Behind her, Jules stirred, sliding an arm around Sophie’s waist. “Morning.”
“Morning.” Sophie rolled to face her, enamored by the naked and sleep-softened woman lying there.
“Love waking up beside you,” Jules said, bringing their lips together for a gentle morning kiss.
“So do I.”
“And other morning activities.” Jules’s hands slid over Sophie’s equally naked body, and even though they’d already thoroughly had their way with each other last night, she felt a familiar fire awakening in her body beneath Jules’s touch.
They moved together in the ruby-tinted oasis of Jules’s bed, touching and kissing. Sophie melted into the sheets beneath Jules’s talented fingers, coming in a hot rush of sensation. Rolling over, she returned the favor, carrying Jules swiftly over the edge.
Afterward, they showered and drank Cuban coffee together. Between the two of them, they even managed to make a batch of pancakes that tasted pretty damn good.
“This week will be busy,” Jules said as she speared a bite of pancake with her fork, a wrinkle appearing between her brows. “And stressful.”
“Yep to both,” Sophie agreed. The days leading up to their first performance were always nerve-racking and exhausting. Sophie had the added stress of preparing for her two understudy roles on top of her position in the ensemble, and Jules had the added stress—and excitement—of her first leading role.
“I don’t think it’s fully sunk in yet,” Jules said, but the twitch in her right eye suggested it might be starting to. On Friday, the show would open for previews. For three weeks, they would perform for audiences so that Kari could make changes and adjustments based on feedback from the crowd before the show officially opened.
In theory, previews were the time to work out all the kinks before critics saw and reviewed the show. In reality, reviews would likely trickle in from the beginning, so the pressure was on out of the gate.
“I have interviews this week,” Jules said, a faraway look on her face. “Three of them.”
“That’s exciting,” Sophie told her.
“I’ve never given an interview about myself before,” she said, her voice seeming to shrink. “Not a drop quote about a show, but a whole interview aboutme.”
“You’ll do great.”
“What if they ask about the kiss? What if they ask about my sexuality?”
Sophie watched the panic spread across Jules’s face. “Well, first of all, no one should ask you that. It’s rude and invasive, and you have every right to tell them it’s none of their business. But you should also think about how you want to handle the question, because it might come up, at least in the context of how you feel about playing a queer character. You need to decide what you’re comfortable with and how you want to respond.”
Jules blew out a breath, nodding. “This week, I’m just going to play it coy and give them something about how I’m honored and glad for the chance to play this role, and let them wonder at my sexuality.”
“I think that’s perfect,” Sophie told her. “Let them wonder. It’ll be a good buzz for the show, and for you.”
“Do you think Micki will make trouble for us at the theater?” Jules asked.
“She might try, but even if she went to Kari, I don’t think anything would come of it.”
Jules pushed her mostly uneaten pancake around her plate. “I just don’t want any drama hanging over my head this week. I’m already pretty stressed out.”
Sophie gave her a wry smile. “I hadn’t noticed.”
“We have to talk about your job offer too,” Jules said hesitantly. “Whether you’re leaving, and what that means for us.”
“Yeah.” Now it was Sophie’s turn to fidget with her pancakes. “There’s another aspect to that I haven’t told you about.”
“Oh?” Jules gave her a questioning look.
“My roommates are moving when our lease is up at the end of February, so I’ll have to find a new place to live. Either the universe is telling me to get out of town, or…I don’t know. Maybe this is just another bump in my path.”
“Damn.” Jules took a bite of her pancake, frowning as she chewed.
