Page 45 of Musical Games
Her eyes fluttered open and her smile broadened. ‘You’re doing it.’
He nodded his head. ‘What Princess Sam wants, Princess Sam gets.’
She snorted. ‘First time for everything.’ She hid a yawn behind her hand. ‘Are you sure you don’t mind?’
‘It’s not the first time my playing has sent people to sleep. Indulge me.’
She closed her eyes. ‘I will indulge you, Jamie McDougall.’
He pinched the bridge of his nose.Fuck’s sake!With trembling fingers, he began picking out notes, trying to control his breathing.Think about the music!He closed his eyes, trying to erase the image of her soft body curled up in front of him, the sweep of her hip, the curve of her breasts. His jaw was clenched so tightly he couldn’t sing, so he hummed, his heart almost stopping as the corners of her mouth turned up and she sighed. Every muscle was wired and tense, but he focused on making his music as relaxing as he could.
He let the songs travel on, winding their way through verses and choruses, discovering hidden paths through extended instrumental breaks and meandering into codas he made up as he went along. He’d spent so much time watching Liam falling asleep he knew when Sam had drifted off. He didn’t stop playing but allowed himself to sing what was in his heart, telling her how he loved her. There was a wonderful sense of freedom in this. He could hide behind the music and her sleep. If she was aware of anything, it would be tied up in her dreams.
Sam shifted position, her legs straightening and entangling with his.Holy fucking shit. His toes were now halfway up the inside of her thigh. He continued playing, but inside he was freaking out. Should he wake her? She made a little noise of happiness and her lips parted. He swallowed. Could he pull his legs back without her noticing? Nothing in his life had ever felt so right, but it also felt like he was taking advantage.
The front door opened and he held his finger to his mouth to tell his sister to shush. Fiona crept in, followed by Duncan and they peeked over the side of the sofa.
Fiona clapped her hands to her heart. ‘Oh, my god,’ she whispered. ‘Did you ever see anything so cute in all your life?’
Jamie stopped playing. ‘I don’t know what to do.’
‘Pick her up and carry her home.’
‘I can’t do that!’
Sam stirred in her sleep. ‘Jamie,’ she moaned.
Fiona’s eyebrows hit the roof and Duncan snorted.
Sam’s eyes flickered open. She screamed, rolled sideways and fell off the sofa.
14
They walked home in silence. Fiona had made light of it, telling Sam she’d done well not to have fallen asleep in Jamie’s company sooner, but he could tell she was embarrassed.
He was mortified. They’d been getting on so well, then he’d blown it. Again. When they got back, Morag had gone to bed and the house was quiet.
‘Do you want to use the bathroom first?’ he asked tentatively.
She shook her head, looking everywhere but at him. ‘No, you go first. I want to take a shower.’
He swallowed, his throat tight. ‘Okay. I won’t be long.’ He walked up the stairs and into the bathroom, the sounds of his mother’s snoring rumbling down the corridor. He cleaned his teeth, staring past his reflection to the shower behind him. She was going to be taking a shower. She was going to be naked on the other side of the wall from his bed. He closed his eyes and groaned. His cock was still hard, pushing insistently against his jeans. He rinsed his mouth and pulled off his T-shirt, then took a washcloth soaked with cold water and ran it over his face and torso, trying to shock the arousal out of him. It was as effective as throwing an ice cube at an active volcano. He needed to get out of the bathroom and into his own room before she came upstairs. He grabbed his T-shirt, opened the door and stepped straight into her.
‘Oh.’ She was staring up at him, holding a towel and wearing the fucking pyjama set that was his complete undoing. He fixed his gaze on a point an inch above the top of her head. In his peripheral vision, he saw her eyes flick down his body.
‘It’s all yours,’ he said gruffly.
Her mouth opened.
He had to get away. He moved to the side as she mirrored him, her hot skin bumping into his.
‘Sorry,’ she gasped as she pushed past him, then slammed the door of the bathroom. He heard the scrape of the bin as she moved it against the back of the door.
He stomped into his room, stripped off his clothes and sat on the edge of his bed, his head in his hands.
* * *
Sam stared at the mirror,taking in her flushed cheeks, her wide eyes, her breasts straining against the thin fabric of her pyjama top. Her body was needy, wanton and desperate. She glanced over her shoulder at the wall. It was the only physical thing between her and Jamie. As for everything else that lay between them? She sighed and concentrated on cleaning her teeth, scrubbing away the evening and starting afresh. She was undone, dismantled, taken to pieces by the quietest, shyest man she’d ever known. She was meant to be in Kinloch for Brad and her career. But now nothing seemed more important than who was next door.You’ve lost your mind. Was this attraction so powerful because he wasn’t interested in her? Did she only want what she couldn’t have?
