Page 33 of Play Me

Part Two

Chapter Eleven

CADENCE

“Fuck, I’m tired. Can we take a break yet?” Marius sighs at the end of the song and collapses into a nearby chair.

“Dude, we’ve been rehearsing for like five minutes.” Brad pokes him with the tip of his bow.

“Nuh-uh!”

“Um, OK, eight.” Brad corrects himself.

“Exactly, seven’s my limit before I need a break, you know that.”

“I thought that was just with sex.” Sebastian teases him.

“You’re thinking of Brad. I’m tantric, remember?”

“Blue balls is not the same as tantric.”

“Sure feels like it,” Marius laments.

“Break’s over!” Dennis yells from his seat at the dining table, not bothering to look up.

Jez winks at me and I can’t help but giggle at the banter. The band has been so supportive during my first few rehearsals, patient with me stumbling through the new songs, some I haven’t even heard of before. But it’s been so exciting, I can’t wait for rehearsal days and stay up nights practicing my parts and thinking of ways to improve. It’s been so long since I’ve played in any sort of performance capacity and even longer as part of an ensemble, I’m almost drunk on the adrenaline of creating music.

This opportunity of playing on this album is so incredible, I feel like I’ve fallen under a lucky wishing star and all my dreams are being granted.

Except for one.

Sebastian has kept his promise so far, and since our one and only kiss, he hasn’t come closer than within a few feet to me. He is friendly and treats me like one of the guys but hasn’t touched me or said anything remotely suggestive to me. There’s no sign of the burning need from that night outside his hotel room door.

Well, they do say, be careful what you wish for.

“Cadence?” Sebastian says my name, and I wonder how long I’ve been daydreaming.

“Oh, sorry.”

“You OK? Why don’t you take a break?” He asks me, a little concerned.

“Hey! How come she gets a break?” Marius grumbles as he gets back on his feet.

“She’s just come straight from working with high school kids for eight hours. You woke up twenty minutes ago after a twelve-hour nap.” Jez reminds him.

“Also, she’s prettier,” Brad grins and winks at me.

“Ha, I don’t know about that,” I admit. I might be many things but I was definitely not as beautiful as these guys. “Do you all go to the same plastic surgeon or something?” I ask, it’d be hard to pick who was more good looking out of the four. But that doesn’t stop me from still having my favorite.

“Excuse me, this is all au naturel,” Sebastian huffs, sticking his nose up in the air and caressing his chiseled cheeks.

It sure does look God-given to me. I turn my focus back to the music to stop my thoughts drifting back to how it felt with his body pressed up hard against me.

“Did no one hear me when I said ‘break’s over’?” Dennis yells at us again and we try to hold in our laughter as long as possible before Jez breaks down and bursts out in a huge guffaw, sending the rest of us into a huge giggle fit.

These last few days have been the most fun I’ve had in years.

And then, just like that, it’s back to business. All jokes and messing aroundabout aside, these guys are truly hardcore, hardworking musicians and they take their art so seriously. It makes my heart sing to be learning so much from them.