Crave (Harlequin Teen)

mostly backstage on the sound and lights while I was outside or in the gym helping build and paint sets. And every time I caught her upstairs in the mornings, either an officer or a manager was in the nearby costume closet.
    We couldn’t even risk dinner dates after practice anymore, because everyone started working in separate groups for the show’s dance numbers, and they all left at different times.
    Between the new practice schedule, the stormy weather and Dylan’s spying eyes, my time with Savannah had been reduced to the ten short minutes we had alone together each morning before practice began.
    I was slowly going insane.
    Maybe if I’d never kissed her, held her, spent countless hours talking with her, our forced separation wouldn’t be so bad. But I had, I was crazy about her, and…
    And I flat-out missed her.
    It was a Friday night. Everyone was gone. If not for her worries that we would be seen together, I’d have taken her out of town for a late dinner before now. I would have to find a way to change her mind about it tonight. After three weeks of practically no alone time together, she had to be going as crazy as I was.
    Almost time to lock up for the evening. Finally. I checked the costume closet, turned off the dance-room lights and closed the doors. One less room for Savannah to have to shut down so we could leave quicker. I already knew where to take her to eat.
    I headed down to the stage to collect the sound system, waiting as Savannah gathered up CDs and threw the stage’s breakers. In the darkness broken only by her flashlight, the urge to kiss her nearly overpowered me. But I’d wait a little longer. Soon enough, I’d have her snuggled up against my side in my truck and on the way to a quiet, romantic dinner at a real table with real chairs and real food.
    And maybe it would be enough to last me another week.
    “Did you close up the dance room?” she asked as we reached the office.
    “Yeah. Thought I’d save you some time. I think everyone’s gone now anyway.”
    “Thanks.” She locked the office closet. Then we stepped out of the room so she could turn off the lights.
    As she locked the door, I said, “So listen, I’d really like to take you out tonight. There’s this fantastic place about thirty minutes away, very quiet, cozy, good food—”
    “Tristan, we can’t. You know that.” She turned to face me with a sigh.
    I tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “This restaurant’s small, not as popular with the adults. I doubt we’ll see anyone we know.”
    “You and the Clann know everyone.”
    “Not everyone. And I’ll ask for a corner booth so no one will see us.”
    “I don’t know.”
    She was wavering; I could see it in her eyes. “Please, Sav? I haven’t seen you much for weeks.” Smiling, I grabbed her and kissed her at the end of every sentence. “I miss you. I’m dying here. You’ve reduced me to begging.”
    “Tristan! Someone might see—”
    I backed her toward the prop closet. “No, they won’t. Everyone’s gone for the night.”
    Suddenly, I couldn’t wait. We could leave in a few minutes. First…
    Reaching out blindly, I found the closet doorknob and pulled the door open.
    “Savannah,” I whispered against her lips as her hands stroked my neck, my shoulders, my chest. “I can’t handle this, not seeing you.”
    “We see each other every day,” she gasped.
    “You know what I mean.”
    Backing her into the pitch-black closet, I shut the door behind us then lost myself in our kisses, not caring that I was growing light-headed and my knees threatened to give out. And then they did, but Savannah sank down to her knees with me, so it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered as long as she kept kissing me. We were meant to be together. How could she ever doubt this?
    A series of flashes broke us apart. My eyes flew open, only to be blinded by more bright bursts of light. A low whir and click followed each strobe. What the…
    “Beautiful. Just beautiful,” Dylan said in the darkness. “Honestly, I couldn’t have staged the scene better myself.” His voice circled around us toward the doors.
    “Dylan, cut the crap. What are you doing?” I said.
    One of the doors cracked open, spilling a bar of light over him. “You know, you almost make it too easy. I hated waiting all these months, but it was worth it. These pics are going to help me get you kicked out of the Clann, and maybe your dad, too. After all…” He smiled at Savannah.