“Dude, you stink.” Lucas pushed him away. “Go home and take a shower. Or use mine.”
Mason gave Lucas a hearty slap on the back. “Later. And don’t forget to give Sindy the laptop I loaded up for her.”
“I got it. Thanks, Mase.” After Mason left, Lucas pulled out the laptop from the cabinet and brought it upstairs to his suite. He knew Sindy was still with Tessa because he could hear the murmur of their voices and laughter coming from down the hall. He placed the laptop on his desk and waited. Like clockwork, Tessa went for her daily run on the beach fifteen minutes later. That’s when Lucas texted Sindy.
LUCAS:Come to my room. I have something for you.
He waited for her reply, but his phone remained silent. He started to send another text, when it came through.
SINDY:Not interested.
He chuckled at the screen.
LUCAS: It’s a laptop. Get your mind out of my pants.
Again, he smiled as he waited for her reply, imagining her brows pinched together and her lips pursed to the side infuriated at his remark.
A knock on the door made him jump to his feet. He opened it and found Sindy with her hands on her hips. She wore the exact face he had pictured a minute ago.
“Stop smiling. What’s this about a laptop?”
He walked over to his desk and picked it up to show her, but she remained in the doorway.
“I already have a laptop.”
“Not like this one. It has all our music on it. And it’s broken down piece by piece. The drums. The guitar. The bass. The vocals. It’s all broken into separate tracks so you can listen to it and understand the way the bass relates to the beat of the drum and how the rhythm enhances the melody. You can envision how the music is going to support and stand up to Tessa’s vocals.”
The annoyed smirk disappeared and a look of amazement passed over Sindy’s face. “I’ve never listened to music like that before.”
“C’mere. I’ll show you.” He opened the laptop and pulled up one of the tracks. “Shut the door,” he said, over his shoulder.
Genuinely interested, she didn’t hesitate or read into the remark. She shut the door without a retort and leaned over Lucas’ chair. He clicked on a button and the sound of his guitar played the melody toRock God. He hit another button and the sound switched to Mason’s drumbeat. Another, and Tessa’s baseline filled the room. Then her vocals. “Now I’ll add them all together one at a time.” He clicked on the buttons in succession. “Guitar. Drums. Base. Vocals. And we have a song.”
Her eyes were wide and her expression animated as she stared at the laptop. “That’s awesome.”
She was so beautiful when she smiled like that, with enthusiasm and honesty, and Lucas found himself smiling back. Not in a provoking manner, for once, but sharing the joy of teaching her something knew.
“I can’t believe the way you broke down each instrument,” Sindy said with amazement. “I’m not used to this new intricate take on music. In the past, all I did was mimic the sounds I heard, or created my own. I never thought about how the notes and instruments played off each other. I never knew music was so beautifully complicated.”
“It is beautiful, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Very beautiful,” she agreed.
“But, it’s not complicated.”
“That’s easy for you to say.”
He stood and faced her. “It is easy. All you have to do is feel it. Right here.” He touched the center of her chest. “That rhythm has got to romance you and make you fall in love with it.”
“I’m already in love with it.” She looked down at his fingers. They weren’t moving or caressing her sternum. His two fingers simply rested between her breasts without any indication that he planned to remove them. Which he didn’t. Her breath quickened, and she swallowed hard. Finally, she stepped back. “Can we listen to some more music before this goes too far?”
He held his hands up and displayed an innocent smile. “I’m still just talking about music. You have a dirty mind and a naughty streak. I like it.”
“Do you do that on purpose?” She scowled at him. “Turn everything around so it looks like I’m coming on to you?”
He baited her with a crooked smile. “Is that what you’re doing? Coming on to me while I’m trying to give you a rhythm guitar lesson? You little flirt.”
Her chin dropped into her chest, and she wiped her hand across her brow. “I give up. You’re right. I can’t fight it any longer, Lucas. I’m done trying to deny it. You see right through me.” She slowly looked up. “The only reason I agreed to these lessons is to be alone with you. I’m obsessed with you.” She grabbed the front of his T-shirt and pulled him to her. “I want us to be together every second. I don’t ever want you out of my sight. I want to marry you and have 10 babies with you.”
