The forty-five-minute set was over before Claire knew it.When Michael announced their last song, a rock rendition of an eighties pop song that drove the audience wild, Claire couldn’t believe it was over.She’d had such a great time watching Nick play with his brothers.Not only were they really talented musicians, they seemed to love being on stage with each other.The brothers were completely in sync.
Although Nick had been nervous at the start, he’d loosened up after the second or third song.The lines in his face had changed, and even though he continued to concentrate, the joy had returned to his eyes.
Spying that joy had made her so happy, she’d been bouncing in her place all night long.
After the set, Nick headed over to Claire.Something shifted in her body, a thrum of anticipation.
Mia elbowed her.“A club full of people, but Nick Zorn is making a beeline for you.Interesting.”
“Ssh.”
Mia and Adele laughed.
Despite Nick’s beeline for Claire, it took him a few minutes to reach her, due to all the people in the audience who tried to snag him on the way.Several people stopped him to wish him well and high-five him.Even though he nodded and smiled, Nick’s gaze kept slipping toward Claire.
Every time it did, her chest warmed.
Everyone wants him, but he wants me.
She chided herself silently for even thinking it.
She’d been silly to think her whole friends with benefits plan could ever work.
When he finally approached, his face pink and a bit of perspiration near his hairline, he seemed to absorb all the air in Claire’s corner.Or at least, she forgot how to breathe.He looked really good tonight.He always did, but there was something about his appearance that just worked with the whole rock-god persona.Maybe it was because his biceps had never entranced her as much as when he hammered out a beat.Then again, maybe it was those beads of sweat dampening his hair.Whatever it was, it worked on her in a big way.
She wanted Nick to take her home and pound her the way he’d pounded his drums.
Adele leaned over.“Close your mouth, Claire.You’re drooling.”
Claire snapped her mouth shut.
“Kidding.You were just mentally drooling.”
Nick pushed past the last couple of people and joined them.“Ladies, I’m so glad you could all come.”He reached for Claire’s hand and pulled her to him.“Hey, you.”
“Hey, yourself.”Claire stood on her tiptoes and kissed him.She wobbled on her toes, her sense of balance deserting her, but Nick steadied her with a hand around her waist.
“Don’t fall now,” he said, his mouth close to her ear.
“You’re my rock.”
Nick looked at her as if there was nothing he wanted more in the world than to be her rock.
In that moment, it hit her.
On the floor of that crowded bar, as voices shouted and laughed around them, as people moved past them, their drinks hoisted high in the air, Claire was in her own little bubble with Nick.
And she knew.
She was falling for him.
How could she not, when he was searching her eyes like that?How could she avoid falling in love when his own face reflected the same emotion?
She’d been on the verge of saying so when he’d shown her the cat play place that he’d built.She’d been so moved by his thoughtfulness, and the words had almost poured out of her mouth.
Until she’d stopped them, of course.
He’d known it too.It had been obvious when the light had gone out of his eyes for those few seconds.
