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“Leaving before coming inside?” Levi’s morning voice scraped against the edges of my nerves like a sparking live wire. An illicit tingle dipped through my stomach from the rasping sound of it.
Pivoting around, I plastered a smile on my face. “I thought I forgot something in the car, but it’s all here.” I shrugged with the backpack. My nervous laughter wasn’t convincing.
The corner of his lips twitched, and those sensuous brown eyes made a quick assessment of my tight skinny jeans and navy-blue hoodie. At the same time, I glanced over the width of his chest in a death metal t-shirt as he leaned on the doorframe.
A beat of silence stressed the tension. I swallowed over a dry lump in my throat. Levi took a breath, then held the door open for me to enter. He didn’t meet my eyes as I passed.
Levi slipped his hands into his pockets, keeping his eyes forward and walking beside me. I clenched my jaw and held my breath, trudging through a fog to reach the studio.
God, that was awkward.
At the end of the lobby, Levi reached for the studio door. Something missing in the corner of my vision stopped me in my tracks. He held the door, patiently waiting as I looked up at the blank space on the wall.
A silent gasp parted my lips.
The poster of my father’s band was gone.
My head whipped to Levi, standing in the studio doorway with his eyes cast to the floor. He lifted his head as if sensing my gaze burning holes into the side of his face. “It made you uncomfortable, so I took it down.”
“Oh,” slipped off my tongue.
You’re supposed to say, “thank you”, idiot!
Levi dropped his chin in the hint of a nod. Without waiting another second, he turned into the studio. “I’m glad you thought about coming back.”
“Of course. I have every intention of seeing this contract through.” I forced my legs to follow, fighting the strange current weighing down my limbs.
My eyes took a second to adjust to the darkness of the studio. Levi melted into the shadows welcoming him as if he belonged in that oppressive darkness. He flicked on a switch near the recording panels that illuminated the blue neon highlights on the ceiling.
An almost imperceptible sigh escaped Levi as he turned on the equipment. I dropped my backpack on the leather couch before peering up at him. The uncomfortable weight of guilt pressed on the back of my neck.
“I’m sorry about yesterday, Levi.”
I didn’t want you to see me like that.
He turned and dropped his gaze to the notebook in my hands. I pushed it out, silently offering it. His attractive fingers latched onto the edges. Toned digits made for expert use of the many instruments in his arsenal.
One of his dark brows arched at the notebook.
“I wrote a song last night.”
“An entire song in one night?” Enthusiasm flared in his eyes when they flicked up to me again. “You really are amazing.”
“It’s nothing,” I countered. Heat crept into my cheeks at the praise from the world-renowned rockstar.
Levi scoffed, flipping open the notebook. “I take a week or more to write a song. It’s not nothing.”
“Well, I didn’t write out the full sheet music. These are just lyrics—”
“Holy shit,” he blurted. His head snapped up to me and back to the page. “The taste of nectar between your thighs gets me closer to God. This is great.”
That line read in his low, husky voice awoke a pulse in my core. Memory of last night danced mockingly through my head.
“Let’s play around with some music. I’m excited to jump into this.” A twinkle of motivation lit up his expression. Eager and ready to create, Levi dropped into the chair at the control panels.
The anxiety seizing my heart dissipated. Seeing his fever to create something new reminded me of happier times a decade ago. Days and nights of making music for my albums or joining my father on his tours. That charged elation to bring new life to a song flowed through me.
For years I thought Levi Stark was a drinking, debauching rockstar like the rest. Perhaps there was some truth behind those rumors. Drugs and alcohol were a common way to cope with the burden of fame. After all the gossip I’d heard, I never imagined I’d see this side of him.
