Grin. "Thank you." She turns to the cake. "Do you want any, Elesse?"

"Please."

"Of course." She cuts off two slices, plating them up with a happy hum. "Is this enough, ma'am?"

"That will do, thank you."

It is cheesecake with cherry icing, and it is very good.

She is making quite a few appreciative noises! Especially about the dark chocolate woven into it. "You're going to spoil me..." she says around one horrifyingly delicious bite. 

"Oh, come now. I glanced at the Temple's budget just the other day. I am quite sure there is enough money there to support a decent patisserie."

"The council would think cake this good would lead to inappropriate attachments or something silly like that."

"That does sound disturbingly plausible. It is a good thing I am not a Jedi. I am not sure I would be able to cope."

She giggles. "I think it'll be better once Master Palpatine is on the Council, and even right now I don't have to be in the Temple with its nontempting food all that often."

"Fortunate for me. I do enjoy our time together."

"You're a very excellent breath of fresh air, it's true."

Elesse smiles back.

And the play is about to resume.

She settles in with her cake - a second serving, though only a half slice this time - and a drink to watch, not wanting to miss any of the plot. She's humming softly throughout, unable to express the pleasure curling through her body any other (non-disruptive) way. 

Elesse's hand seems to have wandered around the back of Anakin's chair again, and by the climax of the third act (fire is heavily involved) is quietly playing with a curl of Anakin's hair.

She's shivering a bit, eyes wide - fixed on the play, but her mind is hyper-aware of Elesse's hand, every brush near her skin... She does manage to keep track of the play, but, well. She's keeping track of her Chancellor, too.

Elesse, of course, is focused on the play and has no idea of Anakin's turmoil. It's dark, and she doesn't have a Jedi's capacity for receptive empathy. Of course.

The little hitch in Anakin's breathing might be audible during this or that lull, but, well - it's a loud finale, and loud applause after. Entirely reasonable Elesse wouldn't notice. 

(Anakin isn't even really entirely sure what she's in turmoil about. Except maybe the 'wants to throw herself at Chancellor Vendar like a lovesick heroine in a cheap holodrama' part. She's probably in at least a little turmoil over that.)

"Would I be correct in assuming you have no further plans for the evening?" she asks as they wait for the theater to empty after the applause dies down.

"You'd be correct, yes ma'am," she says with a slightly more noticeable shiver. "Master Palpatine did tell me not to stay up too late, but I don't have early morning plans, either..."

"In that case, I hope I am not overstepping by inviting you back to my apartment. We can attempt to finish off this lovely cake."

"You're not. I'd love that," she says with a grin. "Though finishing the cake might take a while..."

"Then we had best be off. The building should be empty enough that we will not have to employ undue amounts of stealth."

"Awesome." Small grin. 

Off, then? 

Off.

Would Anakin prefer to take her own speeder or come back for it? Elesse can also have someone pick it up.

"I'd like to go with you... I don't mind someone picking up my speeder."