Summer Nights ~ July, 1978 ~ Mere&Ethan’s Date

[Meredith Mulciber]

Cutting her eyes to her date, Meredith gave a secret smile and a shrug, but made no comment. It was true, she was not complaining about their kiss. It had been...everything. Everything she had been missing since Marc. But she was also not going to encourage him further on that vein, it would be unseemly on her part. On the same coin, she wouldn't complain if he kissed her again either. He didn't need to know any of this though, so a shrug and a smile would do. 

They were soon seated anyway, and the performers were setting up and Meredith was too busy being enthralled by it all to care anyway. She was smiling, and her heart was light and she was making toast and being happy. The kiss had only added to this feeling, so why should she fight it? Just like she didn't fight the chuckle that escaped her at Ethan's answer to her salute: "I daresay you will have to make do with keeping me on my toes." Or the way she leaned in when he draped himself around her. 

His voice was pitched for her and it sent a barely suppressed shiver across her shoulder blades. She was supremely aware of his hand so near her hip and the way she could smell the wine on him. Sweet and tangy and begging for a taste. And his words were meant to stroke her ego, and she let them. "I do think that, that a person lives in their art, like energy lives in the light." she whispered, a slow smile pulling at her lips. This was one place which they were on even ground, she knew of his prowess on the keys just as he did hers. "And maybe, just maybe, if you play your cards right, I might play for you, one day. Just for you. Maybe you could play for me too, I was watching as well Mister Vanderhyde." she said coyly, hovering so close to his face that she could see the sparks of color in his eyes. Exhaling a laugh she pulled back, breaking the spell and taking a long swallow from her wine glass. Oh, he would be the death of her. Or maybe the life of her. Whichever the one, she felt herself losing her self-control, something that had nearly never happened. It was terrifying and excited all at once. Luckily for her, the lights were dimming and the show would begin momentarily, saving her from possibly doing anything untoward.

[Ethan Vanderhyde]

You've not become smitten already, have you, Vanderhyde? Careful, man, you know that's no good. You must keep your wits and keep the upper hand if this is going to work...

But it was difficult, admittedly, to keep himself in check when his date was so...pleased with him. Difficult to keep from relaxing completely, in the fear that he would let something unfortunate to their future spill from his lips. Difficult to remember that this was not a one-off, that the point of their evening out was not to romance her to the point of getting into her bed that night, that this was pleasure rooted in business conducted by their fathers. Not that she can know. For if Meredith caught wind that this courtship was not wholly of his own doing, she would be gone from his sights faster than a provoked billywig. And with a more dangerous sting, at that. No - even if this worked out as planned, even if they grew old together, his future bride could not know of this manipulated beginning. The wrath of Meredith Mulciber was not one that Ethan wished upon himself, feeling that she would direct her pain and anger at him just as much if not more so than at their elders. But if he did let himself fall for her, a rarity among such arrangements, but possible all the same - could he really live with the secret?...

You'll have to, for the health of you both.

And so for now, Ethan simply returned her smile, enjoyed the lilt of her rare laughter, relished the feel of her leaning into him as they sat together near the main event. "Fair enough," he replied smoothly, shifting subtly on the lounge to rest his hand on her leg instead of the cushion. He only sipped from his glass as they continued, not wanting the wine from dinner to mingle with this and turn his tongue into an utterly untrustworthy partner. Turning their quiet, intimate, talk to their shared adoration - and skill - with the pristine instrument before them, Ethan inclined his head towards his date to catch her whisper in full. He tracked her eyes keenly, a smirk proudly unhidden. Meredith was close, so close, that to have a second take at a kiss was temptation at its greatest. And perhaps she felt the same, for the young woman drew back enough to make a statement. Improper to indulge while in view of everyone, Ethan told himself, settling against the back of the lounge. "I look forward to the honor," he replied softly with a light pat to her leg, without jest, knowing that he would be tirelessly working towards gaining her affection enough for them to reach that milestone. "And perhaps I could play for you - in time. I would not want it to occur too soon, of course. I must first drive Aaron to an appreciation of the music by my constant practice. Comparison to this master now would hardly do me any favors," he ended with a short self-deprecating grin. 

The flames behind their shades slowly dimmed, their weak light red and flickering as the guests concurrently lowered their voices into nothingness. There was a slight shuffle around the pair as others took available seats in the salon, and once all was quiet, the pianist they had all come to see strode into view. But it was as if none of them were present; he went to his instrument, absorbing himself in the moment before laying his hands to the keys. As he played, Ethan split his time between enjoyment of the musical experience, and enjoyment of his date. Her fine pure features were softened in the muted light, and with the effect of the beautiful sounds; he could not tire of watching her, even as he was certain she felt his eyes...