The opera house was absolutely stunning. Mia sat down in the plush red velvet seat Beau directed her to in a box high above the stage. There were four seats here, two in front and two behind, but since they were the only ones attending, she would have a fabulous view.
Her eyes wandered along the magnificent theater. The building was over a century old, but it was so well kept, she felt as if she'd stepped back in time. Intricate carvings decorated the various viewing boxes as well as the railings along the wall. The wallpaper was textured and had an ivy pattern that seemed to meld into the stucco of the wall itself. On either side of the stage, long, red velvet curtains that matched the seat she was poised on were held back by golden cords, another curtain beyond that hiding the stage.
"Are you comfortable?" Beau asked in a near whisper, a pleasant smile on his face. He looked incredibly handsome in an Armani suit.
"Yes. This is amazing," she smiled at him and finally scooted back into the comfortable seat, though she would've liked to continue to peer over at the growing crowd.
"You're stunning." His eyes wandered down the length of her, and Mia had to look away.
"Thank you." She was dressed in a long, golden gown that glittered in the dim light. The strappy heels his employ had brought her were comfortable, despite being four inches high. The bag that held her phone and lipstick matched them perfectly. She slid it into the seat next to her and leaned her body in to the side where Beau was sitting. It would be difficult to sit next to him for the duration of the opera without touching him in a way that most would deem inappropriate for a public place such as this one.
Beau leaned in closer, the scent of his cologne catching her and taking her breath away. "Are you comfortable?"
Her head tipped toward him, as if drawn by a magnet. "Very." Her voice was a whisper, hardly audible above the noise of the crowd.
Beau's lips parted, and she thought he might forget their current location and kiss her, take her in his arms right then and there, but before he could say more or pull her close, a noise from below them let alerted them to the start of the show. The lights lowered even more so that the room was almost completely dark, and then the music began, and Mia's head whirled around to find the stage as the lights came up and the show began.
As enticing as it might be to stare at Beau, the beautiful instrumental music drew Mia in, and then, once the singers began to fill the space with their melodic voices, she found herself caught up in the masterpiece in front of her. Even though she couldn't understand what they were saying since the entire show was in another language, but she could follow what was happening through the actions and the emotion that was evident in the voices of the characters.
Mia watched with tears in her eyes as Tristan and Isolde fell in love. When it was finally time for intermission, she was sad to have to tear herself away from the show even for a few moments. She couldn't wait to watch the rest.
"I was going to ask if you wanted to leave at intermission, but I guess I know my answer to that question," Beau said, chuckling at her as he brushed a loose strand of dark hair from her face.
"Leave?" Mia asked, unable to believe her ears. "Don't you just love it?"
"It's beautiful," he agreed with a nod. "But so are you. And I've seen this opera already."
"You've seen me before, too," she reminded him with a teasing smile.
"Ah, I could never get tired of looking at you."
Mia felt color coming to her cheeks. He was so sweet. She just loved the way he made her feel, so important, so... perfect. As she turned back around to watch the second part of the opera, she wondered what she might've done if it was Sam telling her he wanted to whisk her away from the second half to make love to her. Would she be able to keep from coming out of her skin in anticipation? As much as she loved being with Beau, she knew she'd never be able to control herself sitting this closely to Sam for so long.
The opera continued; Tristan and Isolde's love came undone, and like most of the others in the audience, Mia cried along with the brokenhearted lovers, particularly at the tragic ending. And then, when the lights came up, she stood and clapped loudly for the actors, cheering for the two stars who had played the leads with all of her heart.
When it was all over, Mia took Beau's arm and let him lead her down the stairs and across the theater to the waiting car, her cheeks still damp with tears. Even though she would have to get up early and go to work the next day and normally wouldn't be out on a weeknight, but she was so thankful she'd come. This was a night she'd never forget.
Once they were in the back of the car, the driver pulled out into the traffic, and Mia fully expected Beau's arms to come around her, his lips to find hers. Instead, he sat quietly next to her, studying her.
"Is everything all right?" Mia asked him, swallowing hard. She wasn't sure she wanted to hear the answer.
"Yes," he said, stroking his chin with one finger, his eyes not lifting. "It's just... you're so beautiful, Mia. You're smart, caring.... You're unlike any woman I've ever dated before."
She arched an eyebrow, not sure what to think of all of this. "Thank you."
Beau's countenance softened, and he smiled. "Thank you for coming to the opera with me tonight, Mia. I enjoyed watching you watch the show even more than I enjoyed the opera itself."
Again, she found her cheeks heating. "I'm so glad you asked me," she said. It was a night I'll never forget."
Without another word, Beau leaned over and pressed his lips to hers with vigor, as if to imply he wanted her never to forget that as well. Mia kissed him back, wanting him to know how much he meant to her. As his hands began to roam her body, Mia's heartrate increased, and she drank him in, hoping their love story would end differently than the star-crossed lovers, Tristan and Isolde, though she realized, their stories were similar than she'd like to admit. Isolde had been torn between Tristan and Marke after all. Mia would have to find a better way to deal with her situation than the princess had, or else, she couldn't expect any happier of an outcome.