Page 53 of Until Tomorrow
Myfingers strummed along the strings, every note ingrained in my physical being. Whether it was my first time or my thousandth, I played with my whole heart. It was the only way I knew how.
I honed in on her as I sang, trapped in whatever hold she had on me as those endless blue eyes watched. Those painted lips of hers moved slightly. Was she singing? Lip-singing? Did she even know the words, or was she just moved?
That little rhythmic sway in her hips was tantalizing. What I would’ve given to be standing there with her, my body in sync with hers.
They were odd thoughts to have. Thoughts I never imagined I’d have again. It’d been a very long time since anyone inspired anything in me. Grieving hearts were funny like that. The world had long been a black-and-white event, but here she was, bleeding color where it was once missed.
The woman did things to me that I’d long given up on.
But it was just a moment.A pause in time long enough to last the duration of a song before it passed. After all, that was all music was: a single moment in time. The effect it left behind was what mattered.
Maybe if I was lucky, I left my imprint on her.
“Where the fuck did that come from?” Lance asked with a laugh when I stepped off the small stage.
“Nowhere,” I said.
“Uh-huh,” Sam replied.Yeah, he wasn’t buying my shit.He’d known me too long for that.“You’ve never played that song.”
“What? I’m allowed to practice shit in my own time without you fuckers,” I snapped without an ounce of malice. That was true. Insomnia meant late hours on my guitar, waiting for sleep to become a thing.
I glanced over my shoulder once more, trying to be inconspicuous like I was checking out the crowd as I searched for her. She was there, but she wasn’t alone. A man dressed in a brown suit had joined her, his hand falling to her lower back as they went to the bar.
Moment gone.
Was I having the most honest moment of my life? Absolutely not. Instead of leaving after our set like everyone else, I sat at the bar. I didn’t need a drink.I should’ve gone home, taken my sleep medication, and crawled into bed.
But I couldn’t get her out of my head. Obsession wasn’t a pretty color on anyone. I knew that. But I was impulsive at times, and I couldn’t resist her.
Her date had his back to me, and she laughed at something he said.No offense, but I’d know a woman’s fake laugh anywhere.He clearly didn’t.
I sipped at my whiskey for the better part of an hour listening to him talk and talk and fucking talk about his art gallery. Half the shit he said was bull—I knew how galleries ran. I’d been featured in many.Yeah, I was multi-creative.Sculptures were my thing. Whatever this guy was selling her on, it wasn’t honest. I’d peg him as an art handler at most—taking orders and doing what he was told instead of running a whole space on his own.
The guy didn’t appreciate what he had right in front of him. She barely got a word in edgewise before giving up and nodding or laughing her way through whatever he was saying. It pissed me off.Why did I care so much?
That was the morbid question of the hour. I fussed with the black wedding ring on my finger. I hadn’t cared about anyone in a very long time. Hell, I’d given up on the idea of moving on and all that shit.
“Well, this was nice,” she said as she slid off her stool. I scoffed. That was one word for it.
“My hotel room is down the road.”
“I’m sorry, but what part of your long-winded speeches gave you the impression I’d be willing to sleep with you?” she demanded, instantly fired up. I grinned into my drink.
“Come now, sweetheart,” the guy continued, “women like you need to be grateful for the bone you’re being handed.”
“And what bone is that?” she asked. I held my breath. I had a real strong feeling I knew what this dick was about to say.
“Bigger women can’t be picky,” he told her with absolutely no shame. “I’m doing you a favor, sweetheart.”
I sighed and set down my drink.Why’d he have to go and be a dick?
“Hey, buddy.” I tapped his shoulder. When he turned, I punched him hard enough to wipe that arrogant look right off his fucking face. He hit the bar floor.Hard.
“What did you do?” She gasped, her hands flying up to cover her mouth. Those intoxicating blue eyes widened as she stared at me in disbelief.
“I’m not sorry,” I said with a shrug.Wasn’t now, never would be.
Chapter 31
