Mr. Holt

I can't stay away

Alexander and I walk into the theater hall's back doors, and I say, "Lex, how did you get here so fast?"

"I was already here," he says.

"What? Why?"

"I've been watching everything you do."

I stop and turn to look at him. "Alexander, what?"

He reaches his arm up, brushing his thumb against my cheek as he says, "I love you. I needed to be sure you were safe."

"So, you've been following me?"

"Well, yeah, kind of. I also had Brady follow you when I had to go to the office or meetings."

I shake my head. "Lex, this has to stop. I mean it. You can't follow me around anymore."

"Marry me," he says, cradling my head as he kisses me. 

"No," I say, but I wrap my arms around him and allow him to continue kissing me.

"I'll do anything. Please. I'll buy you anything," he mumbles, backing me up to the wall as he lifts my leg in his hand, holding my body against him. 

Simon walks past and coughs. "Savannah," he says. But that doesn't stop Alexander. He lifts me into his arms and walks down the hall to my dressing room, closing and locking the door behind us.

"I love you, Savannah," he says and lays me on the couch before stripping off his shirt.

As much as I know I'm doing the wrong thing here, I allow it, and Alexander slips my shirt over my head too, and I'm back in my same old routine with him.

***

"Are you staying for the show?" I ask as I'm getting myself ready.

"I always do," he says and fastens his belt buckle before opening his phone to look at a message.

"Lex," I say as I'm finishing my makeup. "You haven't been to a show since Chicago."

"I've been to every show," he says but continues texting someone.

I turn to face him. "What?"

"I've been to every single show, Savannah. You just didn't know it."

I'm not sure what to say.

"That reminds me," he says and leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Who was that man you left the theater with last week?"

I walk over to him now and point for him to zip the back of my dress. "Who?"

"Last week. You left the theater with a sandy haired man and you seemed friendly with him, clutching onto his arm and laughing. Who was he?"

"I don't know, Lex. Why?" I ask, moving my hair for him to clasp the top of my dress now.

He grabs my arm, turning me to face me, and says, "I didn't like how friendly you were with him, that's why."

Yanking my arm from his grasp, I say, "Well, it's a good thing you aren't my boyfriend anymore then." Then I go over and sit in the chair next to the closet and slip into my shoes.

"Damnit Savannah!" he says and turns away from me. "Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?" I say and look at myself once more in the mirror.

"This. Playing with my head."

"I'm not," I say.

"The fuck you aren't. I know other men want you. You're a beautiful woman, and I know Jim Taylor is still bothering you. So, I'm trying to watch him too. But being near you is driving me crazy, which is why this happens."

"What happens?"

"This!" he says and points at the couch and us. "And you text me when you need help, which is fine. I want that. But I can't stay away from you! As hard as I try..." he says, moving closer, and grasping my head in his hands as he kisses me gently. "I can't stay away and I don't want to see you with other men."

We kiss for several minutes. "Please," he says. "One more chance."

As we continue to kiss, his hands gripping my jaw, I think about giving him another chance. I think about what Jenna said earlier, and I think about Jim Taylor and what he said and decide to tell Alexander.

"Jim Taylor told me he'd kill you if I didn't leave you," I say.

"Let him," he says as he continues kissing me and holds my face in his hands.

There's a knock on the door. "This is your 10 minute warning, Savannah!"

"I better go," I say, pecking Alexander's lips a few times.

"Come  with me after. I want to show you something."

"Maybe," I say.