Shaking his head, he grins at me. “Morning, heart of mine. Why are you up this early after staying up so late? You resemble a ‘morning after’ scene in a French film.”
I shake my hair over my shoulders and chuckle throatily. “All tousled and sexy, huh?”
He nods, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “Might be appropriate to pop up on the lid and give me a Baker Boys if you’re inclined.”
I blink in disbelief. “I can not believe that Mr. ‘Respect the Expensive Stuff’ asked me to climb up on a twenty-thousand-dollar piano and roll around like a cat in heat, even if it is pretty much on the nose.”
Tilting his head, he says, “Eighty thousand, actually.”
Gaping like a hooked fish, I wait for him to change his mind, and when he doesn’t, I finally shrug nonchalantly. “If you insist.”
I hoist myself onto the lid and roll onto my stomach. Propping my chin in my hands, I smile as I look down at him. He plays the intro to my favorite Beethoven piece, and I sigh happily. The hammers hitting the strings vibrate through the lid, and I realize this must be what it feels like when I purr.
If so, I know why they like it now; it’s soothing as hell.
“Like that, love?” he asks, looking up at me.
“Hell, yeah,” I murmur, stretching out as I roll onto my back and breathe deeply.
He chuckles, and I can sense his eyes on me. “Can’t say I’m gonna complain about the view.”
I snort, knowing that he can see right up my shirt from his vantage point. “Of course, you won’t. You have a true bird’s-eye view of your favorite fetish.”
“You got me there, love. In fact, you can get me just about anywhere.” He pauses for a moment and then corrects himself. “As long as you’re mindful of the duster.”
Closing my eyes, I sigh as he finishes the piece. “What’s next, piano man?”
He smiles and slides into the next melody, fingers moving over the keys. I roll back onto my stomach, recognizing it. That sappy fool is singing from the movie we watched last week about the French dancer who falls in love with the writer. To think he called it ‘my second favorite hooker with a heart of gold’ flick and I smacked him. I cross my ankles and swing my feet up, listening to the lyrics as he sings, grinning like a fool.
Perhaps this is exactly what I’ve needed—gentle distraction and comfort.
It’s been a rough time since Sari and her minions ruined the party. People have scurried into hidey-holes, and my family is going through the strain of the unknown, lurking attack that is coming. But my spouse, my heart, he remains the same clone he’s been the entire time I’ve known him. He can pluck mystrings as easily as he presses the keys on this piano. When he does, he can find the vicious predator, the playful minx, the fluffy kitten and the haughty intellectual without even trying.
Right now, we’re at fluffy kitten and I’m melted on the lid, staring at him like a bloody groupie. He opens his mouth to start the chorus of the song, and I join in, singing along in harmony. Like everything else we do, our voices blend as if someone made them to do so.
As the last strains of the music fade, he gives me a wink, and I sigh. “I am such a goober. Look at what a sappy nit you make of me.”
“You think I’d get good money for the blackmail pics, my little milk dud?”
My nose wrinkles and I huff, mussing his hair. “You screw it up every time. Good thing I like asses.”
“Especially mine. I keep telling you it’s your fetish.”
“It’s not like you have a problem with that.” I trail my fingers down his cheek, giving him a hungry stare.
“Not a bloody one,” he says, grinning wolfishly. He stands and yanks me off the piano, bobbing his eyebrows. “Care to find out just how little I mind?”
“Maybe...”
He reaches back and gives my bum a swat. “The last one there is a huffy kitty!” Apparating in a blink, he’s gone, and I stomp my foot.
“Ooh... thatman!”
I disappear in a trail of purple and silver sparkles, chasing after him. After all, he really has a nice ass, and I might as well go check it out.
Maybe today will suck a little less.
Internal Company Memo, Eyes Only, Clearance Level Alpha
