He thought about that, counting it out on his fingers. “Three, I think. Why does it matter?”
Well, damn.
“Sam. Why?” he asked.
“No reason.” She kept her smile in place, but deep down she understood she’d have to fudge some numbers tonight.
Chapter Thirteen
TANNER
Tanner had plans,and they didn’t involve anyone but him and Sam. It’d been a helluva week in the studio. He needed a break.
So he planned to do something he never did—show Sam his secret clubhouse. The place most like home to him. The house he shared with Mach was a spot to sleep, hang out with his friends, and exist. But this was the place he came to be just… Tanner.
“What is this?” Sam asked as the elevator doors pinged open on his floor. Her hand in his, he led her down the hallway to the door of his apartment.
“My apartment,” he said, sliding a key in the lock and pushing the door open.
“You have an apartment?” She followed him inside. “Your fancy mansion isn’t big enough for all your stuff?”
“Har,” he said, flicking on the lights. “I didn’t want the interruptions of my house, you know?”
She nodded.
The place wasn’t special, just a standard one-bedroom flat with a living room, bath, and kitchen. Secondhand furniture that came with the purchase, but he had bought a new bed because… he wasn’t really sure why. He had no problem sleeping in a hotel bed, so it wasn’t that he wanted a bed onlyhe’dslept in.
A console piano wasn’t easy to bring up the elevator, so he’d decided to just have a keyboard. And the four different guitars that lined the wall by the television all had special meaning.
One was his first guitar. The other three were gifts.
A drum set would have made sense to bring in, given his profession, but there wasn’t room. Also, he didn’t want the neighbors to hate him.
“Sometimes I need a spot where nobody will show up unannounced, you know?” He squeezed her hand and then moved to the kitchen to turn on the lights there.
She traced her fingertip along the edge of his guitar where it perched on the stand near the sofa. Then played a few notes on the keyboard.
He didn’t hate it. He enjoyed it. The having her here.
He moved behind her, putting his fingers on the keys beside hers. Playing her three notes and then adding a few more to them to blend together.
The edge of her cheek brushed against his, her fingers moved over the keys, and she added another few bars to the song they made together.
A few more notes from him and a handful of bars from her and the song practically stitched itself together.
“How do you keep everyone away?” she asked. “From your apartment.”
“I don’t tell them I’ve got it.” He lifted a shoulder, then moved away to pull off his jacket.
There wasn’t much special about the apartment. Not in a super desirable location, but in a good enough neighborhood that he didn’t worry about his car getting keyed when he pulled into the parking garage. The thing was, every inch of the 600 square feet belonged to him. No one would accidentally walk in, throw a pool party, or stop by unannounced.
“Only Dan knows it’s mine. He suggested I grab a spot for myself when I was struggling with the whole privacy thing. A place to get creative without the nonsense of the world.” An apartment Tanner could escape and just be. “I put it in his name, so no one tracks it to me. Just Dan. He’s the only one who knows.”
“Now I do, too.” She grinned. “You’re not worried about me showing up unannounced? Surprise!”
“You’re the only one I’d want to show up unannounced.” He pulled open the fridge. “There’s iced tea, wine, and beer if you want anything. I bought these mixed drink cans, too. The lady at the liquor store said they’re good.” He pulled his lips between his teeth. “Or there’s champagne.”
“You stocked up for me.” This wasn’t a question, but a statement.
