When the show was over and they descended the backstage stairs, Hawk was waiting for her.Dressed in a long-sleeved flannel button-down and faded blue jeans, coffee cup in hand.
They were supposed to be playing it cool at work, but Lilian’s feet faltered at the sight of him.Luckily, David caught her arm to steady her, and then Hawk was there as well.His fingers brushed against her knuckles before taking her hand from David.Heat laced through them both at the contact, and the world fell away.Her costars gave knowing looks before heading off to their respective areas for the day.
“I need to talk to you.”His voice was low, a secret between the two of them, before he led her back up the stairs to the backstage waiting area.He’d been absent all day Saturday, due to a biting incident at the jousting stable involving an ill-mannered stallion and a guest threatening to sue.His sudden appearance always made the world around her feel hyperfocused.
The space was a mess of old props and dust.Even if someone cleaned it, there was standing room only.While they waited to enter the stage, she and the hunks were usually crammed together with someone waiting on the back steps.
Somehow, when it was just the two of them, the space felt even smaller.Hawk's body pressed against hers, moving her against the wall, where he drew her in for a kiss that screamed of longing.
“Wait.”She laughed.“I thought we agreed.Not at the faire.”
“We’ve already broken that rule,” he said, taking her lips again.“I’ll do better next time.”
A thrill shot through her at the words.There was something to be said about the usually strict and tight-laced Hawk throwing caution to the wind… for her.“Is this what we needed to talk about?”she teased, tilting her head back as he planted a row of kisses along the sensitive skin.
“Hmm,” he hummed, either in agreement or a noncommittal answer.“I missed you yesterday.And I couldn’t—” He swallowed hard, the words scraping against each other like gravel.“I couldn’t stop thinking about how much I wanted to see you.”
“Me, too.”The words were whispered, but in the quiet of the room they echoed through her.It was then she noticed he held something under his arm.A small package, wrapped in plain brown paper.“What’s that?”
“Ah.”He looked down as if remembering it for the first time.“This was the reason I was looking for you.”
She took the package.With a nod from Hawk, Lilian tore back the single piece of tape holding it together.Inside were two new corsets, one a deep floral pink, and the other the same green as the corset that had been torn.
“I figured you needed a replacement.You only had two, so an extra one wouldn’t hurt either.”
“Hawk, this is so…” Thoughtful.Kind.Unexpected.No one had ever given her such a gift.All her faire garb was from years of saving, and when her corset had torn so easily, it felt like all her hard work at the faire had been shredded as well, knowing she would be limited to one less corset for the season.Hawk had realized the need before she could even plan her next purchase.“You didn’t have to do this.”
“Of course I did, your corset was torn here.The least I could do was replace it.”
Despite the huffy response, she smiled.“And the second one?”
There was a pause before he answered, “I thought that color would look nice on you.”
Her fingers pulled at the edge of his flannel, pulling him close to receive her thanks on the lips.
“Not that this color isn’t a good one on you,” he continued, his hand brushing against the side of her light blue corset, following the line of her rib cage.The touch made her legs buckle.
Hawk Carlisle, the man who was always concerned with the rules, who didn't want to announce their relationship until after the season, was kissing herat the faire.
What else would he be willing to do in this dark room?The thought sent a thrill through her, and behind it came another tantalizing challenge.What else could she push him to do?
He broke the kiss, leaning his head against her shoulder.“We can't.”
“Why not?”Her fingers danced up his chest, feeling the muscles underneath.They played with the top button of the flannel, pulling it down to see if there was a shirt underneath.“No one will know.The next performance isn't for another two hours.”
“Lilian, I can't walk out there with a hard on.”
“Then let me help you with that.”
“I'd rather be the one to make you come.”He flashed her a look that could only be described as wicked.And her heart throttled against her ribcage, threatening to burst through it at any moment.
She knew the rules, even agreed with them to a certain extent.But in that moment, they were superfluous things that had no true bearing on reality.The two of them now, in the dark room, skin on fire from just a kiss.That was real.
She pulled him back in for another hungry kiss, and Hawk did not have the strength to argue any more.He pushed against her, fingers digging into her hips to hold her in place against the wall.
“I’ve always read about how ladies could hike up their skirts and have sex anywhere,” Lilian breathed.“It always sounded so easy, but I don’t know if that’s true.”
“Easy, huh?”Hawk’s eyes caught the light, bringing flickers of gold to the brown as he looked down at her skirt.“An old-fashioned quickie, then?”
