“You owe me a dance.” Anabelle shuffled a few steps backward, then stopped.
“I do?”
“Yeah, in your letters you promised to teach me one day.”
“I remember that. I mostly said it so you wouldn’t go with that guy.” I placed my hand on her lower back and pulled her in.
“So you don’t know how?” She tunneled her fingers through my hair and pressed her lips to mine.
When she broke the connection, I led her into a turn. “I know how.”
We swayed to the soft rustling of the tree leaves high above our heads. She rested her head on my chest and closed her eyes, not really following my steps. I held her tighter and laughed. “How does someone who can create such beautiful music not know how to dance?”
“I don’t know. I never thought to try it.” She ran a hand down from my neck to my chest. “I feel like my life has been on pause since I left Atlanta. For years, I blamed it on my brother. But now I see this was all on me. I pinned it all on him because I was scared, but I’m not anymore. I’m ready to move forward.”
“Me too.”
Back in the house, Anabelle walked me to the great hall. “I’ll get us some drinks.”
My phone buzzed in my pocket, and she let me go. I read Derek’s message. He had to go back to Arizona tonight. If I wanted face time with him and the new investor, it had to be now.
“Hey, I need to meet Derek for a few hours.”
“That’s fine.” She set her glass back down and headed over to her grand piano.
“I’m sorry.” I kissed her forehead, and she responded with a one-shoulder shrug.
When I reached the threshold, she began a familiar tune. It was the piece she’d written for me only a year ago, when the idea of us together had been so impossible. The passion and emotion she infused into every note filled the room with an erotic charge that froze me in place. Her recordings kept me going through all the bad I saw in the jungle. I knew this melody by heart, though I’d never seen her play it in person.
I stalked back to her, watching as her graceful fingers flew across the keyboard. She met my gaze as she continued to play. Desire spread through me like fire. Each tap she delivered on the keys only added to it.
“What is the name of this piece?” I asked.
“Wesley’s Requiem.” A puckish smile played on her lips. “I think I sent it to Charlie hoping he’d share it with you. Little did I know.” She hit the crescendo in the composition, and I held my breath.
“You’re not playing fair,” I said through my teeth.
“I know.” Her breath sounded erratic.
This was my life now. Anabelle was mine. I lowered the back cover of the piano. “Where are Will and Tullie?”
“It’s their day off.” She stood as her chest rose and fell with every pant.
“Take off your dress.”
She shook her head once, her innocent gaze on me. I could almost see it on her face, what she wanted me to do. Gripping her waist, I picked her up and set her gently on the top board of the piano. It shut with a loud thud. Anabelle licked her lips as she watched me work on the small buttons holding the front together. My phone buzzed in my jacket. I shrugged it off and let fall on the floor.
“Isn’t Derek waiting for you?”
“Trust me—he’ll understand.” I spread her legs apart and palmed her.
With a sigh, she lay on the shiny black cover, giving me full access to her pretty pussy. I lifted her dress, pressed my face to her, and took her scent in. A single note and her low moan that was half pleasure and half plea echoed in the great hall.
“Wes.”
“I’m right here. I’ve always been here.”
25