Page 98 of Before the Encore

Madison wrote something else before looking at her with a glint in her eyes. “I’m feeling suddenly inspired.”

Bonnie sat up, trying to peek. “Oh yeah? What about?”

“How wet you are.”

“Madison!” But Bonnie couldn’t hide her smile. “What is it?” She reached for the notebook, but Madison moved it out of the way. Bonnie grabbed it but lost her grip when Madison rose it above her head. The tug of war ended up with Bonnie in Madison’s lap, sucking on her neck.

“Alright. You win.” Madison lowered her arm, breathless, still holding it out of reach. “But it’s not finished yet.”

“Okay.” Her pulse throbbed.

She hesitated, scratching at her neck where Bonnie had left purple marks. “How about I read it instead?” She cleared her throat, eyes flicking over the words, cautious. “Wet and drippin’, her pussy is a palace—” Madison couldn’t finish the sentence before she burst out laughing, letting Bonnie take the notebook from her.

“This better not be offensive,” Bonnie muttered, her heart stuttering as her eyes took in the messy scrawl on the page.

She changes everything, the ground beneath my feet

Heart’s racing, chasing daylight dreams

Bruise me, scar me, take the air that I breathe

Baby, just promise you’ll never leave

Bonnie glanced up, but Madison wouldn’t catch her eye. Whatever she’d been expecting, it wasn’t this. But Bonnie should’ve known. Madison’s playfulness was often a disguise. She often hid behind bravado and humour when she was feeling vulnerable.

She scanned over more scribbles in the margins, some legible, some crossed out. One section had a mess of chords written above it.

I’ve been waiting, drifting, fading

My hopeless heart’s yours for the taking

Pull me closer, hold me under

Be my lightning, I’m your thunder

“Madison…” Bonnie hesitated, the question sticking to the roof of her mouth.

“I know it’s not the best. You must’ve had a hundred people writing songs about you.”

“No.” Bonnie shook her head. “And this…” She brushed a thumb over the handwriting. Be my lightning, I’m your thunder. “This is about me?”

Madison studied her, like she was contemplating how honest to be. Bonnie’s heart curled into a ball. What if it wasn’t about her, but someone else?

She pushed the intrusions away. Bailey didn’t know Madison like she did. Bonnie wouldn’t let him worm his way into her head.

“Of course it’s about you.” Madison’s mouth ticked up. “There’s no one else who has come into my life like a lightning bolt, knocking me on my arse.”

Warmth fuzzed across her skin. “I love it. Do you have a melody yet?”

“I was playing around earlier, but nothing is set in stone. I-er…” Madison tapped her fingers against her thigh. “I actually imagined it as a duet.”

“You did?”

“With you.” She smiled at her, a soft and real Madison smile, tugging at Bonnie’s heart. “I miss singing with you.”

“I miss it too.” She nodded to her guitar resting against the wall. “Will you show me?”

Madison laid her guitar across her lap, slinging a tattooed arm across the strings to check the tuning. “I don’t have a lot yet.” She picked the strings, humming along, the vibration raising hair along Bonnie’s skin.