Page 6 of The Temptation
“No,” I snapped. “I’m either calling for a ride or crashing on one of Declan’s couches.” I held my breath, waiting to see if he’d offer to drive me home himself, but a couple of seconds ticked by before he grunted to acknowledge what I said.
We stood there, glaring at each other, not saying a word. He turned to the door, and I blurted out the first thing that came to mind because I didn’t want this moment to end. God only knew when I might talk to him again. Years could pass.
“Are you ever going to come see me play now that I’m local?”
His head whipped around at my words, and he changed direction, taking two steps closer. “Rome didn’t tell you?”
“Tell me what?”
“I’ve been to every one of your public performances since you moved to Cincinnati.”
My heart somersaulted in my chest. “No,” I whispered, unable to believe it. He’d actually come to see me play. Not just once, but multiple times.
“Yes,” he snarled. He took another step, putting him close enough that I could reach out and touch his sweater with the tips of my fingers. There was a hint of alcohol clinging to him, proving that I wasn’t the only one drinking heavily to get through the night. “I was there at your performance at Union Terminal, and I’ve seen both of your formal concerts at Music Hall. That first night at Music Hall, you kept throwing dirty looks at the clarinet player in the third row. I’m guessing he was the one who was off pace. I worried you were going to march across the stage and stab him with your bow.”
Holy shit…
He’d been there. He’d truly been there.
And he’d been paying very close attention.
Charles Lister was one of the symphony’s most talented woodwinds, but he’d kept stepping on his dick that night,frustrating me. Especially since I’d known some of my friends were there. I’d thought Pierce wasn’t among them.
An icy wind swept across the backyard, rattling bare tree branches and jerking me out of my cozy daydream, leaving me shivering. Pierce moved, placing his body between the wind and me.
“You should go in. It’s too cold out here,” he stated.
“Not yet. Why didn’t you say something? After any of the performances, you could have at least stopped by, given me a nod. Told me I sucked ass and that my fingering was lazy. Anything.”
“I didn’t think you needed to be reminded that your playing is perfect.”
My heart couldn’t take these shocks. He was talking to me,andhe believed my playing was perfect. Could this night get any better?
“Of course I need to hear it. Especially from you. It’s hard to believe that someone who hates me so much thinks that I play well.”
Pierce scoffed, and he partially turned away from me. I held my breath, sure he was about to walk away, but he didn’t move any farther. “I don’t hate you, and you know it. You also know that you’re one of the world’s greatest violinists. It’s ridiculous that you’ve settled here when you could go anywhere. London, Berlin, Paris, Sydney.”
“Maybe what I’m searching for is right here. Why would I go anywhere else?”
The tall man looming over me turned his head toward me, but the deep shadow hid his face. I could still feel his warning glare. “Don’t start.”
“What?”
Pierce let out a growl and pivoted on his heel, turning away from me. Maybe it was because I was buzzed and not thinkingclearly, but there was no way in hell I was letting him walk away from me.
Grabbing his wrist, I jerked him hard to me while shoving off the wall with my foot. We spun together so that he ended up pressed against the side of the house where I’d been standing. A softoofescaped him as he hit. He’d been caught so off balance that his legs were splayed wide in front of him, erasing all the nine-inch difference in our height and allowing me to insert myself between his legs.
His musky, rich cologne danced past my nose as I wrapped my arms around his waist, snuggling in as close as I could get. This was even better than I’d imagined. His body was so big and hard. His breath caught, and he froze.
“Simon…” Just my name sounded strangled by the tightness of his throat.
“Fuck it,” I muttered.If he’s going to hate me, I might as well give him a damn good reason.
Leaning up, I captured his mouth in a kiss, expecting him to shove me away the second our lips touched. That was fine. I’d waited almost fourteen years for this kiss. I was going to have it at last.
Yet, Pierce didn’t push me away. He didn’t move at all.
A soul-deep moan rattled up Pierce’s throat that sounded like a mountain splitting down the center. His arms enveloped me, pulling me in even tighter as his lips parted beneath mine. He returned the kiss and so much more. His tongue plunged into my mouth, plundering deep enough to draw a whimper of ecstasy out of me. So quickly, I was drowning in his raw hunger and need.
