⠀⠀⠀⠀elijah’s attention lifted the very moment she entered, though whatever thought had occupied him prior dissolved almost instantly into irrelevance. for a fleeting second, he simply looked at her. and it was, perhaps, the closest thing to genuinely caught off guard that he allowed himself to appear.
⠀⠀⠀⠀his gaze moved over her slowly, deliberate in its appreciation. the dark blue of the gown suited her far too well; the deep neckline, the slit of her leg revealed with every subtle shift of movement, the way the fabric clung to her figure with effortless precision. but it was the hair that lingered in his attention longest. swept upward, exposing the graceful line of her neck while leaving only a few dark curls loose enough to soften the style.
⠀⠀⠀⠀beautiful. she was truly beautiful.
⠀⠀⠀⠀the corner of his mouth lifted slowly as he leaned back ever so slightly in his chair, eyes following the slow drag of her fingernail downward without missing a single second of it. his gaze darkened visibly at the teasing motion, tracking her hand until the tickets emerged from the neckline of her dress. that earned a quiet exhale of amusement from him.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"my interest," he replied smoothly, richer with unmistakable approval, "is exceedingly high."
⠀⠀⠀⠀without breaking eye contact, elijah rose from his chair, straightening to his full height before crossing the remaining distance between them. there was something almost unfair about the way she looked tonight.
⠀⠀⠀⠀his gaze flickered briefly toward the tickets once more before returning to her face. "that is an exceptionally thoughtful surprise. thank you, katerina." a small pause followed, eyes moving over her once again with admiration. "and you look absolutely exquisite."
⠀⠀⠀⠀his hand settled carefully against the small of her back, mindful of the delicate structure of her gown as he drew her closer. the kiss that followed was immediate but unhurried; warm, lingering, deliberate in a way that made it clear he had every intention of savoring it.
⠀⠀⠀⠀then, slowly, his lips left hers only to trace lower. the exposed line of her neck proved far too tempting to ignore. elijah’s mouth brushed against her skin with controlled restraint, kissing softly along the elegant curve beneath her ear and downward with slow precision, careful not to disturb a single pin holding her hair in place. one hand remained steady at her waist while the other briefly brushed along her arm, fingertips light against bare skin.
⠀⠀⠀⠀when he finally spoke again, his lips lingered near her ear, his voice lowered into something intimate enough to send warmth through every syllable.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"after the opera," he murmured smoothly, "i fully intend to demonstrate exactly how appreciative i am of this evening… and of the effort you have gone to for me." a faint pause. "thoroughly."
⠀⠀⠀⠀only then did he finally step back, though not far, his gaze still fixed upon her with unmistakable fondness and desire alike.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"however," he continued, composure returning despite the lingering warmth in his expression, "such an occasion deserves proper attire. as difficult as it may be to delay further admiration of that dress, i should very much prefer to escort you to the opera dressed appropriately for the experience." his thumb brushed once against her waist before he reluctantly withdrew his hand. "give me a few moments," he said smoothly, "and i shall return prepared accordingly."
The moment his hand makes contact she's already stepping closer into him. It's instinctive, her desire to be near him. To be as close to him as possible, it's simply her body reacting to his. There is never enough, no matter how close they are she will always crave to be closer. Such is the nature of a hopeless romantic after all.
Katherine kissed him back easily, readily, letting herself melt into it however aware she may be that this wont go far. After all, she knows Elijah very well. Why do you think she told him an hour and a half before it starts, despite the drive being less than fifteen? because she knew he would want to get on an even better suit.
Still, she can't help the little moan that falls from her lips as his tease their way down her neck. He knows that's one of her most sensitive places, and one that easily riles her up. This is pay back for the nail down her chest... she knows it... a tease for a tease. It's fine, Katherine wouldn't have it any other way. She loves their game of back and fourth. It's almost an upgraded version of tag Katherine finds herself having the most fun playing with him. This time? This time he catches her... and often.
His lips drift to her ear and she can feel the way his words slide down her spine and bloom in her chest as the heat of desire. Oh. Oh, yes. That sounded like a great plan. Katherine licked her lips and pulled back allowing her gaze land on him full of desire.
"Oh I can't wait." She purred, biting her lip to convey just how badly she meant it. If she wasn't going to zone out day dreaming before, she's certainly got enough to occupy her thoughts now.
"Wear that cologne I like... you know the one."
Tonight was going to be fantastic. Of course because she was taking him out on a date she knows he's going to have a wonderful time at... but Katherine is especially going to enjoy the after portion of this date night...
