Page 119 of Bad Teammate
“Yeah, we can’t have that,” Emma agreed. She touched part of Katerina’s dress, sampling it. “What kind of fabric is this, anyway? It’s so smooth!”
“It’s metal mesh,” Katerina answered.
“Metal mesh, wow,” Emma said. “It’ssosexy.”
“I have to get a dress like that,” Austen said. “What do you think, Dane? Doesn’t Katerina look hot?”
“Yeah, you’d look great in that, honey,” Dane said—safely, wisely. He checked his watch. “But hey, we should really get going if we don’t want to miss our dinner reservation.”
I snickered. “Smart man.”
He whispered back. “C’mon, you didn’t think I’d walk right into that one, did you?”
The six of us grabbed our things and hurried out the door.
***
After a fancy dinner, we headed over to the Symphony Center and took our seats in the circle box overlooking the orchestra. The crowd whispered among themselves politely while they waited for the star of the show, Anna Fedorova, to take her place behind the piano at center stage.
Dane leaned over the balcony rail, looking the audience over. “Pst. Hey, Reavo. Look. It’s like a sea of grey hair out there, eh?” he quietly joked, earning a playful jab in the ribs from Austen.
“Don’t be mean!” she chided him. “We’ll be old and grey someday, too, y’know.”
Dane snickered. “I was only trying to point out that old people have good taste in music.”
She laughed. “Yeah, right.”
Katerina wasn’t hearing our banter; she was in her own world. The way she sat reminded me of the girl I’d seen when she played piano for me—spine erect, full of nervous but excited energy, her attention laser-focused on that piano.
Anna Fedorova emerged from behind the curtain in a glittering gown, and the crowd greeted her with applause. Katerina was so excited, she bounced in her seat. She turned her wild eyes to me. “She’ssogood. I can’t wait to hear this.”
I could only smile. I loved to make her happy.
Anna took her seat and began to play Sergei Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto Number Two.
I wasn’t sure what I enjoyed more: the music, or watchingKaterinaenjoy the music. Katerina subtly swayed in her seat, the ebbs and flows of Rachmaninov’s piece flowing right through her, moving her soul, just like when she’d played for me.
AndGod,I loved watching her. My heart felt so swollen and full. It brought me such an indescribable happiness to see.
Before you knew it, the concerto climbed to its crescendo, and the crowd jumped to our feet, giving Anna a thunderous ovation.
“That wasamazing,” Katerina gushed, clinging to my arm as we filed out of our seats.
The girls agreed; they’d loved it. I loved it, too. Hell, even Dane and Hath loved it. Everyone wanted to keep the party going, so we hopped in a cab and headed to a bar for some drinks to cap off the night.
“Thank you, Derek,” Katerina said in the car, her eyes on mine. “That was perfect. Just perfect.”
***
After midnight—and after a few drinks—Katerina and I barged into the condo, laughing as we tipsily stumbled through the dark hallway to my bedroom.
“Finally,” I grumbled, grabbing her ass from behind.
“Finally what?”
I pressed her up against the wall. “We’re alone.” Planting my lips against hers, I greedily cupped her tits over her dress.
“You aresucha bad boy,” she said.
