Thanks to my beta, Musique et Amour and those who left reviews.

To my supportive anonymous reviewer and Pertie...thank you both for putting things in such understanding perspective!

Chapter 16

I have experienced the heat of desire before; the slow coil of warmth that starts as a flickering ember and could flare without warning into something far stronger. But I had never imagined that very same heat could swell, rise, and then wash over you, drowning out all else, leaving you clinging to something to keep you from falling over the edge into its depths.

I learned it in that stone corridor, my body pressed to Erik’s, my mouth moving over his in a kiss borne of desperation and necessity.

He froze as my mouth claimed his, and for a brief moment I wondered if I had made a terrible mistake by trying to save him from this situation. Even through the distracting warmth coursing through my body from being denied such an intimate touch for so long, my mind wailed. Play along, Erik! If you value your life, play along! I know I'm not Christine, but if you don't go along with this ruse, you'll dangle in the hangman's noose!

I reached up, pulling him even tighter to me, and parting his slack lips with mine, let my tongue surge gently into his mouth. You must go along with this play!

Suddenly he was no longer still and I was crushed against him. His arms came around me with powerful force, one hand held me tight across the small of my back, the other burying into my hair, his fist savagely twisting and angling my head.

He responded to my invasion of his mouth with fierce reaction, his mouth moving over mine with near bruising force, his tongue, hot and velvet, thrusting both languidly and heatedly.

I moaned in the back of my throat without thought and frantically tried to keep up. He made a low husky sound of satisfaction, and with just that brief sound my pulse began thundering in my ears.

After ravishing my mouth so thoroughly, he eased the kiss, and his hands began to rove over my back, stroking down the muscles on either side of my spine until I was trembling from the gentleness of his touch. His mouth began to move over my mine in slowly, his tongue stroking deeply but gently. I reached up and laid my palm along his left cheek, savoring the shift of muscles in his jaw. When I whimpered softly into his mouth and finally lost every thread of tension, he pulled me tighter, his hands gentling, one rising to cup my cheek, his pinky finger caressing along the line of my jaw.

The managers passed by, making a leering comment about lovers always coupling the hallways, then they were gone, their voices slowly fading to nothing.

He didn't stop, didn't release me. I stayed pressed to him.

What seemed like an eternity passed before he carefully drew back, pressing a last, small kiss against my lips. My eyes stayed closed–I couldn't seem to open them-but when he surprised me by cupping my face in both hands and brushing his mouth over my brow, I finally looked up to him, my heart slowing from the unwanted careen of emotions that were still coursing through me.

His face was set in elegant lines as always, but his eyes were dark and hot. My own lowered before he could see too much–a mistake as I only found myself staring at his mouth.

We were silent, both of us breathing raggedly, simply staring at one another.

I had never knew a kiss could steal your wits, leave you breathless, and wanting more, so much more.

He said nothing for several long moments, but I knew his eyes were still fixed upon me. Then, as swiftly as it had come, I felt the heat recede and a cool shift in the air. When I glanced up, confused, the aloof, amused mask was back in place. He stepped back, lifted his hands and ran them over his hair in an urbane gesture then straightened...

And bowed to me.

"Brava, my dear. You are an exceptional actress. Have you ever thought of pursuing the stage? No? Pity, that is." He turned, the cloak flaring as he began to walk away. "Now, I believe you have the Opening Night of my Opera House to prepare for. I suggest you make it to your room as quickly as possible."

I stared after his receding form, speechless.

I supposed that this was the safest way to end the interlude. We had avoided the managers, after all. And it was all just acting, wasn't it?

Wasn't it?