Page 39 of Royal Darling
She sets the guitar on her lap. “I missed a few notes.”
I sit next to her on the bench seat. “Your voice is like an angel’s. Why do you hide your talent?”
Her cheeks flush bright pink. “I didn’t know I had a talent. No one ever said my voice was like an angel’s before.”
“Haven’t you ever sung in front of other people?”
“No. I usually only sing in the shower or when I’m alone.”
“Why?”
She blinks a few times and licks her luscious full lips. “I’ve never had lessons. I’m sure I’m a rank amateur. Everyone sounds good in the shower.”
I can hardly believe she’s so unaware of what she has. “No, Emma, this is special. This is amazing. Please, I need to hear more.”
She bites her lip. “I don’t know the song very well. I was just trying to follow along on the sheet music. Did I wake you?”
“I woke expecting an early morning guitar lesson.”
She smiles. “I know you like to sleep in. I was being a pest before.”
I shift closer. “You kind of grew on me.”
Her fingers flutter to her neck. “Oh. Really?”
“Yeah. Go on, sing it again.”
She hands me the guitar. “Here, you play it and I’ll sing along.”
I don’t even hesitate. I take the guitar, crossing my ankle over my knee, and rest the sheet music on my leg where I can see it. I need a music stand. This is going to fall over easily. “Can you hold the sheet music?”
“I’d love to.” She picks it up and stands in front of me, holding two pages up right in front of her face.
I stifle a laugh. She’s shy with her singing, unaware of the beauty of it. I start playing.
She sings along softly. I keep quiet, hoping she’ll get comfortable and relax her voice again. The song builds, and her voice builds with it, stronger, surer, each note achingly sweet. The music moves past the two sheets she’s holding up, and I improvise, replaying chords from earlier, hoping she’ll be caught up enough in the music to keep going. She does, probably because she knows this song, and it’s fucking perfect. I will hear this voice in my head for the rest of my life. I’ve never heard the like. It’s exquisite, ringing through my ears, filling my body and soul, electrifying me.
She finishes and slowly lowers the sheet music from her face. She smiles shyly, her eyes meeting mine briefly before shifting to the side. “Was that okay?”
I set the guitar down and stand. “That was more than okay. That was heaven. Exquisite perfection. You really do sound like an angel.”
She smiles, shaking her head and blushing even brighter. “No.”
I hold her by the chin, tipping her head up. “Yes. Take the compliment. Soak it in. You’re a brilliant singer. Your voice is a gift.”
She blinks a few times, her eyes shiny. “But I haven’t had any lessons. I’m sure I’m not at the level—”
“Emma, you have something that can’t be taught. It’s a natural pure sound. The emotion. My God, I got chills.” I point to my arms.
“You have goose bumps!” she exclaims. “Well, maybe you’re cold.”
“Emma,” I growl. She’s worse than I am with praise.
“Thank you for the nice compliment.”
“I’m going to write some music for your voice. I’ll come get you when I’m finished.”
Her hand goes to her throat. “You’re going to write a song for me?”
