He moved—again with that speed—and situated himself in front of the door. “In exchange for my help, you can help me.”
I paused and then glanced up at his ridiculously wide grin and knee-buckling dimple. I growled and reached around him to open the door. “What if I don’t want to help you?”
Ethan leaned back, pressing his body weight on the door. “Well, that wouldn’t be very nice.”
I stared up at him as I attempted to pull the door open. Even when I threw my weight behind it, I couldn’t get it to move a centimeter. I was stuck in the studio until I agreed to whatever deal Ethan wanted to make.
So I sighed, blew away the loose strand of hair that had fallen from my bun and straightened. “What could I possibly have that you want?” I narrowed my eyes and placed my hands on my hips. And then I winced. “And please don’t saythe inside scoop on Bianca.”
Ethan straightened as well, bringing him even closer to me. I caught a whiff of his cologne and his closeness was definitely awakening a part of me that I’d begun to doubt even existed. After all, there wasn’t a line of guys waiting to kiss me. I’d all but given up that I’d ever be attractive enough to tempt a guy.
Startled and a little scared, I stepped back to give myself some space from the feelings that Ethan was eliciting. If he noticed my retreat, he didn’t say anything.
I held my breath, waiting for him to respond. If he said Bianca, I was going to punch him. Right here. Right now.
He laughed. It was genuine and warm. And I liked it.
“I want nothing to do with Bianca, trust me. I know what girls like Bianca want.” He shrugged. “I’m not that kind of guy.”
I narrowed my eyes. “So what kind of guy are you?”
He held my gaze for a moment before he sighed and dropped his gaze to study the floor. I waited, wondering if I’d asked the wrong question. Just when I decided that I should try to walk back what I said, Ethan parted his lips and said something I never in a million years thought he would say.
“I want to play music.”
FIVE
ETHAN
I waited for a laugh.
I mean,Iwould have laughed at me if I were her.
But a moment passed and there was no laughter. She just tilted her head to the side and studied me. “So, you’re like…a musician?”
There was no mockery in her voice. No disbelief. Just curiosity. Almost like the idea wasn’t totally insane. I shrugged. “I don’t know. I wouldn’t say I was amusician, I just…I like playing guitar.”
Her lips twitched a little like she was on the verge of smiling. “I think that’s called being a musician.”
I let out a huff of laugher. I supposed she had a point, but I still felt weird admitting it. Ryan and the guys in his band were the only people who even knew I played, and yet here I was, spilling my guts to a girl I barely knew.
“So…” She drew the word out as her eyes narrowed on me. “What does that have to do with me?” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I know Ilooklike a rock god, but trust me when I say I have no hidden talents with the guitar.”
I laughed and was rewarded with a little smile in return. She arched her brows when I didn’t immediately answer.
I opened my mouth and shut it, trying to figure out how to explain.
That was just for me,she’d said.For fun.
The words hadn’t exactly been mind-blowing, and yet the moment she’d said it, I’d felt…jealous. That was the only word for it. Playing guitar was the only thing in my life that was just for me. I wanted to do it more, whenever I wanted. I wanted to play even if Ryan wasn’t home. I wanted a place where I could stash my guitar and not feel like I was hiding some deep dark secret.
She was watching me expectantly, waiting for an answer.
“I need a place to practice,” I said. I looked around at the empty studio. “It seems like you have an in here?—”
She gave a little snort of amusement at the understatement. Her mom ran the place, after all. Surely she knew when the studio was free, and how to get in if it was locked.
“So maybe you could hook me up with the space, and I could help youwhen you need a partner,” I said.
