Page 105 of Fostering Chemistry
I patted my lap. “Want a front-row seat to the concert?”
She pushed up from the bench, but I was already sliding my hand around her waist, lifting her up and over my leg, settling her on my thigh.
I kept my hands on her hips, making sure she had her balance longer than was strictly necessary. We’d barely known each other a month, and this was twice I’d pulled her onto my lap. Why couldn’t I keep my hands off this girl? My reputation as a standoffish loner was in danger of going up in smoke when I was around her.
“Close your eyes,” I whispered in her ear. “Feel the music.” She nodded, her eyes closing obediently, but she wiggled her hips on my thigh, as if finding a more comfortable position. Or as if themusic wasn’t all she was focused on feeling. It sure as hell wasn’t for me.
I started playing again. Even this gorgeous woman couldn’t stop the music from taking me over, as it always did. As it always had. It had been the one thing that got me through even the lowest points in my life.
“How are you doing that?” Mia breathed, her voice almost lost in the melody.
My fingers stilled, hovering over the keyboard. “Lots of practice.”
“No, but with my head in the way, you can’t even see the music.” She laughed lightly. “I don’t think you can see anything but my hair.”
Her hair. God, it smelled good. Some sweet scent I couldn’t identify but would never forget.
“I’ve got the piece memorized.” I jerked my chin in the direction of the sheet music. “That’s not even the piece I’m playing.”
“But what about the keys? You can’t see all of them either, and you haven’t missed a note.”
“Muscle memory,” I said, though she wasn’t correct. I’d hit one wrong note. With her balanced on my thigh, my right arm was stretched around her, out of position. Muscle memory didn’t work as well when your position changed—not that I was complaining about having her so close.
“You really don’t need to watch the keyboard?” Damn, she looked impressed. Most other people tended to look at me like I was a freak. The freak who couldn’t even talk normally.
“Nope.”
“Prove it.” Mia gave me an impish grin, which had me focusing on her mouth again. I remembered how that mouth tasted.
“Okay.” I peered around her long enough to get my hands in position and then closed my eyes. Slowly, the music poured out of me, as steadily as it had before, echoing around the little room.
Mia gasped. “You have to be peeking.”
I shook my head, and then startled when she touched my face, her hand covering my eyes. But I didn’t miss a note as I played on.
At least not until I felt her warm breath on my lips, and she kissed me. Then I hit at least six wrong keys.
But it didn’t matter… my fingers were already off the piano and on her. Gliding through her hair and over her sexy curves. With Mia in my arms, her taste on my lips, her scent in my nose… for once, music was the last thing on my mind.
And it really made me wonder what spending Thanksgiving break with her was going to be like.
31
MIA
It turnedout that Chattanooga was a lot of fun even when you weren’t trapped behind a mirror and kissing a hot guy.
The hot guy part was still true, though no kissing as of yet. It was Monday, the first official day of Thanksgiving break. Cody had to attend some kind of practice tonight, so he and Diego would drive up tomorrow. Aaron and I were already here and had the day to ourselves. I was eager to spend time with all of them, but I wasn’t disappointed that it was just Aaron and me today.
It seemed like a good way to ease into a situation that… that… well, I didn’t even really know what this week was going to be like. But I was excited. My leg felt better. There were no classes for a week. And I was staying in a gorgeous condo with gorgeous men.
“This is nice,” Aaron said as he held my hand. We were overlooking the Tennessee River. I’d always liked cities that had a river cutting through them. It was a nice break from concrete and pavement.
“The river?”
“Being here with you.” He squeezed my hand. “And showing off my hometown.” He’d taken me to the Tennessee Aquarium this morning, and then we walked around Coolidge Park. It was so nice to spend time with him without any pressure or expectations.
Not that I thought he’d pressure me, but it was easier out here in the open than tonight, when we’d be at the condo together. I was excited about that on the whole, but I also liked this time when things were easy and simple. And really fun.
