Page 66 of Counterpoint
Then a sweet melody swept over the room, and everyone hushed as she played. Her eyes were hooded and her body flowed with the same controlled movements he saw in every orchestra performer he’d ever seen in concert. Next to Adrian, Dominic watched, gaze fixed, mouth open. Such intensity. His fingers twitched in Adrian’s.
Oh yes—Dominic wanted to play. Wanted his fingers where this woman’s were. His desire was entirely for what she held in her hands, for the sound that echoed across the room.
And that was only the first of four instruments.
By the time the demo and the tour were over, Dominic’s eyes were a little glazed and his fingers very twitchy. He approached the table with the reverence of a pilgrim looking at relics. Adrian trailed, savoring this rare view of Dominic’s world.
Adelaida looked up at Dominic. “Do you play? You have that look...”
He laughed, his cheeks reddening. “Yeah. Mostly modern, you know? But I studied classical in college, and the history...” He shook his head slightly. “They’re beautiful. They sound—” He gave a little sigh.
“Would you like to—” She turned to the guide. “Could he—?”
Luke glanced at Dominic and then Adrian, and resignation flickered there before smoothing into a smile. “For a moment, yes. I think that would be okay.”
Dominic made a noise that was half a wheeze and half a sigh. Adelaida handed him a late-Renaissance-era guitar, and he ducked under the strap and cradled it in his arms, setting his left fingers on the strings. He tapped the body gently with a fingernail on his right hand. “Wow. God. The resonance.”
He took a breath and strummed the strings gently, playing chords, his expression so profound, so utterly open and clear.
Adrian held his breath, listened to Dominic play, and drank in every flicker of his eyes, twitch of mouth, and curl of those amazing fingers.
After a few minutes, he quieted the strings, took the strap off and handed the guitar back to Adelaida. “Thank you,” he said. “That was amazing.”
She smiled at him. “You’re very good! Do you play for a quartet or orchestra, or...?”
He shrugged. “I’m in a band. It’s—rock. Nothing like this.” He gestured at the instruments. “I just love music and history. The sound. That someone hundreds of years ago made and then played this. That I can.”
She nodded. “Yeah, it’s really amazing, isn’t it?”
Dominic thanked her again, shook hands with Luke, and backed up until Adrian pressed a hand against his spine. “You okay, babe?”
Dominic’s smile was blinding. “You called mebabein public.”
Adrian noticed that Luke rolled his eyes but had a small smile as he packed up the instruments. “Well, yes?” He couldn’t help but grin back at Dominic.
Laughter followed, and that was more beautiful a sound to Adrian than what had come from the three-hundred-plus-year-old guitar. “I’m fine.”
“Why don’t we go get some lunch and then figure out what else you want to see?” Adrian put his arm around Dominic and they headed out of the gallery, back toward the main part of the museum. “Cafe here or food carts outside?” It was a nice day, after all.
“You know,” Dominic said, “there’s supposed to be a rooftop bar in here somewhere...”
“Really?” Adrian’s voice pitched up. “That place is a tourist trap.”
“Well, yes.” That flirty, cock-tightening grin was back. “Let’s play tourist. See how the other half live.”
Adrian shook his head—but this was Dominic’s day, so they went searching. It took a little bit to find it, since they had to head back down to the first floor to take the elevator to the fifth, but they emerged into the perfect summer day and a stunning view of the city.
“Okay,” Dominic said. “Now see? This view is worth it.”
It really was, actually. Million-buck vista of the skyline. “Lunch? Drinks?”
“You gonna get me tipsy at the Met?” Dominic bumped his hip.
“This was your idea.” Adrian slid an arm around him again, and pulled their bodies close. “And I don’t have to—you’re already tipsy.” Drunk on old instruments and sound.
A huff of a laugh. “I’ll give you that.”
They opted to split a sandwich and get two glasses of wine. It was still early enough that the bar wasn’t horribly crowded, which was good, since there wasn’t anywhere to sit, so they leaned on the railing.
