Page 59 of Fighting for Ella

Ella’s fingers quickly recaptured the tune she’d faltered with when she realized she was no longer alone. Something about the expression on Miguel’s face urged her to keep playing.

That smile, it was … magical.

Rapt.

Almost awe-struck.

It wasn't like Ella needed to constantly have her ego massaged, she knew she’d been born with a gift, that she could have made music a career, and that even though she had chosen not to, she was still able to play in front of sold-out audiences a handful of times a year. With her gift, she was able to keep her skills at the same level that someone who practiced hours a dayevery day had even though she usually practiced only a couple of times a week.

But these last few days she’d been doubting everything about herself. Had she made the right choice by not telling anyone at Prey about the threats so she didn't risk the mole getting wind of the fact she had no intention of handing over the Reactivator? Was there another road she could have taken that, at the time, she hadn't been able to see? Was she overreacting to what she perceived as betrayal by the people she trusted?

Was she crazy to keep thinking about Miguel even though she knew if she allowed herself to develop feelings she would wind up with a broken heart?

And why did none of it mean anything in this moment when their eyes connected, and they seemed to speak the language of music in a conversation that wasn't spoken aloud?

“That was beautiful,” Miguel murmured when the last notes had died away leaving them in silence.

Ella felt her cheeks flush with heat at his praise. “Thank you. It was Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. Technically, it’s a solo violin piece, but I love it, and I play it on the cello sometimes when I just want to relax and unwind. I love the way he used music to represent so many things from nature. Singing birds, buzzing flies, flowing creeks, warm winter fires, it’s so well done, so beautiful, I just …”

“Love it,” Miguel finished for her, and Ella nodded.

“Baroque music is my favorite. Vivaldi, Bach, Handel.”

“The Messiah guy?”

“Yep. I love that piece, it’s another of my favorites.”

“Do you miss it? Playing every day? I can't imagine that with your workload at Prey you get to play as much as you want to.”

“I don’t,” she agreed as she stood and began to pack away her cello into its case. “When I was younger, I used to play six instruments professionally—in concert—and another dozen justfor fun. When I decided to go to college and study chemistry and forensics, I had to give up everything but the cello. It’s my favorite, and I couldn’t imagine not having it be part of my life so it stayed even when I had to give up the others.”

“I bet you could pick up any one of those instruments and blow my mind away playing them.”

Her blush deepened at Miguel’s compliment. “I could probably still play them, but I'm not up to performance level in them anymore. Takes all the time I have to just keep up my skills enough on the cello to be able to perform the occasional concert.”

“Your worst is still going to be better than everyone else’s best.”

“That’s sweet of you to say but not actually true,” she told him with a grin as she closed the music book she’d been using and returned it to the shelves to join the others.

“I don’t make the rules, honey,” Miguel teased, making her laugh.

It felt nice to be able to relax, and she wished he hadn't pulled out of having dinner with her tonight. If she had to guess, it was because he was already wondering how he could extract himself from her life, and if she made up with the people at Prey then he could back away from her with zero guilt.

Pure speculation on her part, but she got the feeling that Miguel’s playboy reputation had a basis in something that had happened to him. Keeping things casual with women was a way to protect his heart, she just wished she knew what he was afraid of so she could help him work through it.

Bad idea or not, she was already developing feelings for him.

Crazy since she’d only met him a month ago and spent only the last few days of that month having any real contact with him. But the time they’d spent together was intense. He’d saved heron multiple occasions, been prepared to be tortured for her, and been the only one on her side.

How could she not develop feelings?

Despite his reputation, she couldn’t help but think her feelings weren't completely one-sided. That maybe he might have some for her, too. It was the way he looked at her, the way he touched her so gently, the way he was so protective, and seemed to be able to make her feel like she was being taken care of while simultaneously like she was strong enough to take care of herself if he wasn't there to do it.

Too bad it didn't look like he was going to do anything about it.

Yet …

Hewasthere.

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