Like the room itself is breathing something alive.
Like the first Wyoming sun after a long, brutal winter.
And the fact that she has no idea what she’s doing to me right now…
Well.
A man like me shouldn’t be anywhere near something that pure.
My jaw tightens.
And I don’t move.
The last note fades slowly into the empty bar.
“You got some talent.” I clap my hands, my voice a little rough.
She startles, her hands flying off the piano like she was caught stealing candy.
“Didn’t know you could play and sing like that.” I point at the piano, then make my way over to her. “Play something else.”
Lexy stands and avoids my eyes, and something in my chest tightens at that.
“I don’t sing for people.”
“Why the hell not?”
She wrings her hands and shrugs. “I like playing for me and…”
“And?” I press.
“And maybe one day I’ll record one of my songs and, I don’t know… sell it to some singer or something.”
I study her. She looks small, like she wants nothing more than to disappear right now.
Strange, considering just a minute ago she was singing and playing so well she filled the whole bar with something close to light.
“I could use someone with your talent on some of my live band nights. Customers would love you.”
Her eyes widen. “Oh no. No, no. Like I said, I only sing for myself or… maybe someday be a songwriter for other artists. But even then I won’t ever let someone hear it before I make sure that it is… well… perfect.”
“So you want to control it?”
She looks down again. “I guess so…”
“You know, Tinker,” I say as I move closer, tired of her eyes not meeting mine. I hook a finger under her chin, forcing her to look at me, “there is freedom in losing that control you cling to so hard…”
Her pupils widen. I glance down, and the urge to taste those full lips hits harder than it should.
She steps back suddenly. “I don’t want to, okay?” She shakes her head. “Look, I’ll clean the bathrooms, take care of the trash every single day, and work all the overtime you want, but please don’t ever ask me to sing in front of a crowd.”
She looks away, shoulders tight, hands clenched into fists at her sides.
“Who told you to hide, Tinker?”
That makes her look up, like I just opened a drawer in her soul I had no business touching.
“What?”
