Midnight Kiss

Paris, 1927

La Perle Rouge, a place for important leaders. Nothing crosses her red walls, with crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and lively music playing every night.

It had been a long night. Working as a pianist at La Perle let me see things that didn't cross these walls. Those important leaders would come here to handle their shady businesses. It was a discreet place, with secret rooms and passages for meetings each with their own accommodations. Of course, those were all well hidden, and only certain people could enter or know about them. I was lucky enough to have a friend share the secrets about them. Personally, I had never been in the rooms. Why would I? I'm just the restaurant's pianist, I'm not exactly important enough for those.

I walk out to the balcony to take my break. I had been called to come in, and being at La Perle is more fun than sitting at home. Now here I was, looking at the Eiffel tower from the balcony of one of Paris' most famous restaurants. I took out a cigarette and pressed the end to my lips.

“Fuck.” I had forgotten a lighter. The cigarette was removed from my lips by a strange man. He puts it to his lips, bringing the lighter close as he lights it. He inhales deeply and exhales smoke. I take a close look at him as the moon shines on his face. The moon seemed to glow brighter the moment he stepped onto the balcony. He lit up the room whenever he walked in and all eyes were on him. It was Elias, wearing a black suit like always.

I snatch back my cigarette from his lips. "Danke," I thank him for lighting it. He smiles at me. “Isn’t the moon beautiful tonight?” He says with a soft French accent. I smile everytime he tries to speak French. We usually communicate in German as it's easier for him, since I’m fluent, but it makes me happy he still tries.

I look at the moon and remember how it had glowed when Elias showed up. La Lune surely had a favorite, yet I wasn’t going to complain as she lightened up Elias’ face. His royal blue eyes stood out the most in the light.   

“Oui,” I smile back at him. I ran my fingers through his messy hair which wasn’t slicked back like it usually is.

“Decided to ditch the gel?” I teased him playfully. “I recall you said you could run your fingers through my hair easier if it’s messy, when I was making love to you a couple of months ago.” Heat rushed to my face at his answer, and a smirk crossed his lips. That night I was sober enough to know what we were doing, but drunk enough to have spouted nonsense. I just never thought he would remember.

“Are you going to do whatever I tell you now?” I question, and he chuckles. “No, Love, I'm a one time pleaser. If you want to control me you’ll have to do more in exchange.” He was challenging me. Before meeting Elias, I was afraid to do many things, leaving my comfort zone was out of the question. Elias dared me to do things, and it’s been fun.

I saunter towards him until we’re close. I grab his shirt to pull him forward. “I accept the challenge.” My response makes him grin. “You don’t even know what it is.”

“True, but I don’t care. I’ll do anything you ask me to.” I lean closer to him until our lips are only inches apart. Just a bit closer and our lips would meet. Just a quick kiss…

I let him go and pretended that nothing had happened between us as soon as someone else walked out to the balcony. The man appeared to be in his mid forties and had a young girl wrapped around his arm. The girl seemed young, in her early twenties. I quickly look away once they start kissing. I look at Elias who now has a frown across his face. Jokingly, I imitate him.

“Why did you pull away?” He asked, and he seemed genuinely bothered by it. “I remembered you said we need to keep this a secret.” That had been two years ago, and, even though we didn’t talk about it, he never said anything about changing his mind and not caring about people knowing we were involved.

He lifts my chin up, his fingers warm and gentle. “That was stupid on my part to tell you that when we met, but now I don’t care. I want everyone to know you’re mine.” He kissed my forehead. His kisses were always soft and warm. I always get lost in them. “Hiding someone as beautiful and loving as you is the most idiotic thing a man can ever do.” He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer. Looking at the crowd, Elias gives me a smile.

“Shall we dance?” He asked, gesturing towards the overflowing dancehall. I nod, and we squeeze through the crowd to make it to the center. Elias leads me as we slow dance. There were eyes on us from people I didn’t know at all. Elias leading me to the center surprised me. He said he didn’t want to hide me anymore, but I didn’t think he would suddenly show me off to everyone. We danced, then Elias took me to the meeting rooms.

I knew this restaurant was big, but I didn’t think the rooms would be just as big. There was really nothing unusual about them. The walls were red, and the room was decorated with red and navy sofas and paintings that look like they were worth a fortune. The room Elias brought me to had a wine cellar.

Elias opened up a bottle of Saint Emilion red wine. We drank, talked, and laughed. He made my world spin. I would give anything for him to stay in France, for him to stay with me.

Like earlier, I leaned in close to him until our lips were barely touching. I wrapped my arms around his neck, while he grabbed me by the waist and pulled me closer. Our lips crashed together. Elias was eager when he parted my lips to have his tongue explore my mouth. His kisses were soft and warm with a hint of mint. A soft moan escaped my lips as I climbed onto his lap. He pulled me closer like he was desperate for more, and I heard him mumble something, “Ich Liebe Dich.”

I Love You…

~~~

“Ms. Anya…” The words echoed.

“Ms. Anya!” I snap back to the present as Mrs. Maxwell yells at me.

"Well? What's the answer to the problem?" She says pointing at the board. I must have been daydreaming all lesson because the math problem she was showing made no sense.

I start to speak, but Mrs. Maxwell just smiles to herself knowing she was right that I wasn’t paying attention. "Next time pay attention," she scowled at me before turning back to speak to the class.

I sighed deeply, "If only it was reality."