The guy didn't do anything but watch me. Still, I know that my dad is up to something, and I can’t get the hinky feeling out of my head that he won’t stop until he gets whatever it is he wants.
Gabe leans forward and whispers in a conspirator’s way. “Music is the best remedy.” He leans back and opens his arms wide. “Come watch. If you hate us, then you can leave immediately. And Seth likes you. He won’t admit it, but I know. Wouldn’t have been so dead set on not having you over if he didn’t care.”
I teeter between indecision and curiosity. Seth and I have a connection, or more aptly, a chemistry, but he didn’t want my trouble or the problems that my past can bring. He may smile like he knows a secret, but seriously, he only thought he did. No one knows the kind of secrets I can keep.
“Ah, I see that you want to. Come on.” Gabe reaches forward, grabs my hand, and tugs me away from my door and toward the middle of the hall. He is bigger than Seth, both wider and taller, but he lacks the hardness of his brother. “Just five minutes.”
The temptation is too much for the bad girl down deep, and I give in. He staggers when I don’t pull tight anymore, and we both laugh.
“Okay, but if your brother snarls at me, gives me the stink eye, or laughs at me, I’m out of there.”
We cross into their living room, which is now plastered with framed posters of bands, some I know, others I’ve never heard of. It looks like a wealthy shrine to music. I’m still dressed in running shoes, short sweat pants and a hoodie. Not my best.
He pulls me along, leading me down a hall where the first few echoes of a drumbeat softly pound.
“How do you keep it so quiet?”
“Seth paid a lot of money to make sure we don’t disturb the neighbors.” He glances back and winks. “Although now I wish he hadn’t.”
“And why is that?”
One dark brow arches above his light-blue eyes. “Because I’d definitely like to disturb you.”
I squeeze the hand wrapped around mine. “Wow. Really? You work quick.”
“Yeah, I have to charm you before big bro has a chance to steal you away.” In a quick move, he spins me around and has me up against the wall. He props one arm beside my ear and leans in, not touching. “How am I doing?”
“Well, up until that cheesy stalker move, I liked you. Now, not so much.”
He backs away. “Shit. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
His worried expression and puppy-dog eyes make me feel like I’d just scolded a twoyear-old.
I smack his chest. “You didn’t. Not really. However, I’d work on my moves if I were you.”
No he hadn’t scared me, but his brother would have set my teeth to chattering if he’d done the same thing. This James brother is definitely the least of my worries.
We enter their private studio with the steady rhythm of a snare, a soft guitar ballad strumming, and a synthesized keyboard adding a string quartet.
I gasp. “You got it all.”
Gabe leans low to hear me and nods. “Yep, state of the art.” He leads me to a small lounging couch and pushes me down. “Sit.”
I salute him and wink. “Yes, sir.”
He smirks. “I like that, Alice. I’ll have you calling me sir for a different reason soon.”
We both roll our eyes at his lame comment, and he winks at me. I have a feeling that Gabe and I could be great friends. I’d cherish his friendship. It’s not often that you meet someone so genuine.
Seth glances up from his spot behind the snare drum. He catches his stick on a down stroke and slams it on a cymbal. I’m pretty sure that wasn’t a part of the song. Everyone freezes. Except for Gabe. He slides onto the bench behind the grand piano and begins playing a lively tune that reminds me of a bawdy house from the eighteen hundreds. Or what I imagined they’d play. He is really good. Really good.
Seth glowers at his brother. “What the hell is she doing here?”
Gabe grins, but doesn’t stop playing.
Seth jumps up, rounds the piano, and begins closing the lid
Gabe leans forward and whispers in a conspirator’s way. “Music is the best remedy.” He leans back and opens his arms wide. “Come watch. If you hate us, then you can leave immediately. And Seth likes you. He won’t admit it, but I know. Wouldn’t have been so dead set on not having you over if he didn’t care.”
I teeter between indecision and curiosity. Seth and I have a connection, or more aptly, a chemistry, but he didn’t want my trouble or the problems that my past can bring. He may smile like he knows a secret, but seriously, he only thought he did. No one knows the kind of secrets I can keep.
“Ah, I see that you want to. Come on.” Gabe reaches forward, grabs my hand, and tugs me away from my door and toward the middle of the hall. He is bigger than Seth, both wider and taller, but he lacks the hardness of his brother. “Just five minutes.”
The temptation is too much for the bad girl down deep, and I give in. He staggers when I don’t pull tight anymore, and we both laugh.
“Okay, but if your brother snarls at me, gives me the stink eye, or laughs at me, I’m out of there.”
We cross into their living room, which is now plastered with framed posters of bands, some I know, others I’ve never heard of. It looks like a wealthy shrine to music. I’m still dressed in running shoes, short sweat pants and a hoodie. Not my best.
He pulls me along, leading me down a hall where the first few echoes of a drumbeat softly pound.
“How do you keep it so quiet?”
“Seth paid a lot of money to make sure we don’t disturb the neighbors.” He glances back and winks. “Although now I wish he hadn’t.”
“And why is that?”
One dark brow arches above his light-blue eyes. “Because I’d definitely like to disturb you.”
I squeeze the hand wrapped around mine. “Wow. Really? You work quick.”
“Yeah, I have to charm you before big bro has a chance to steal you away.” In a quick move, he spins me around and has me up against the wall. He props one arm beside my ear and leans in, not touching. “How am I doing?”
“Well, up until that cheesy stalker move, I liked you. Now, not so much.”
He backs away. “Shit. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
His worried expression and puppy-dog eyes make me feel like I’d just scolded a twoyear-old.
I smack his chest. “You didn’t. Not really. However, I’d work on my moves if I were you.”
No he hadn’t scared me, but his brother would have set my teeth to chattering if he’d done the same thing. This James brother is definitely the least of my worries.
We enter their private studio with the steady rhythm of a snare, a soft guitar ballad strumming, and a synthesized keyboard adding a string quartet.
I gasp. “You got it all.”
Gabe leans low to hear me and nods. “Yep, state of the art.” He leads me to a small lounging couch and pushes me down. “Sit.”
I salute him and wink. “Yes, sir.”
He smirks. “I like that, Alice. I’ll have you calling me sir for a different reason soon.”
We both roll our eyes at his lame comment, and he winks at me. I have a feeling that Gabe and I could be great friends. I’d cherish his friendship. It’s not often that you meet someone so genuine.
Seth glances up from his spot behind the snare drum. He catches his stick on a down stroke and slams it on a cymbal. I’m pretty sure that wasn’t a part of the song. Everyone freezes. Except for Gabe. He slides onto the bench behind the grand piano and begins playing a lively tune that reminds me of a bawdy house from the eighteen hundreds. Or what I imagined they’d play. He is really good. Really good.
Seth glowers at his brother. “What the hell is she doing here?”
Gabe grins, but doesn’t stop playing.
Seth jumps up, rounds the piano, and begins closing the lid
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