Page 21

“Let me buy you both a drink,” David says. “What would you like?”

We end up ordering gins, and they arrive right as the piece the trio is playing comes to an end. The pianist leans into the microphone and mumbles a thanks as people applaud.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he says. “I need to take a five-minute break. But while I’m gone, I have a little treat for you. My friend, Theo here, is going to take over.”

He points at Theo, who shakes his head rapidly.

“Come on. Do it for the people.” The pianist grins. “Folks, this man can outplay me every which way until Sunday.”

“You should go up there,” I say, in case he’s worried about leaving me. “I’d like to hear you play again.”

He lets out a long breath. “You sure?”

“I am.”

It takes him less than a minute to get settled behind the piano. He murmurs something to the trumpeter and drummer, who both nod. Theo stretches his fingers as the drummer hits soft wire brushes against the skin of his drum and then Theo joins in, his fingers moving slowly across the keyboard before they get up speed. I have no idea what the song is, but it has a melancholy to it, an aching need that I can feel pulsing right through me.

The trumpet joins in, low and searching, and I don’t even have to look around the room to see that everybody is watching him. Everything else is silent, we’re all entranced by the music.

Then Theo looks up and catches me watching him. I swear I feel my heartbeat match his rhythm.

The piece takes longer than the five minute break the pianist needed, so he walks back to the stage where he stands and listens. And when it finally comes to an end, all I can think of is how Theo’s fingers look like they were made to play piano. And how stupidly enchanting it is to watch him play.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, give a huge round of applause to my friend, Theo.”

Theo smiles tightly as the room claps for him, then he walks back over to our table. He sits down next to me, his leg brushing mine.

“You okay?” he asks.

“More than okay. I loved it. You’re very talented.”

His gaze locks on mine. Every cell in my body tingles. I run the tip of my tongue over my lips to moisten them.

It’s okay, I tell myself. It’s okay to be attracted to somebody. I’m single, he’s single. Or at least I think he is. God, is he single?

“You don’t have a girlfriend, do you?” I blurt out.

His lips twitch. “No. Do you?” He clears his throat. “I mean are you attached?”

I shake my head. “A long story, but no. Definitely not.”

A slow smile pulls at his lips. “Good.”

I finish my gin, the alcohol warming my body. I’ve never had a one night stand. I’ve never had sex with somebody I’m not in a relationship with. I usually need to be emotionally attached before I can think about anything physical.

And yet I don’t think I’ve ever felt this attracted to somebody before. I can almost feel his lips against mine. The weight of his body as he cages me against the mattress. The slide of his bare hips against me as we move on the bed.

“You want another drink?” Theo asks, completely unaware that I’m burning up from the inside out.

I shake my head. “No. I think I want to go back to the hotel now.”

THEO

It starts to rain right as we walk out of the bar. We leave through the front door, onto a road that’s completely un-alley-like, and full of people. And of course there are no cabs to be seen. Even the ridiculous rickshaws are all being used, mostly with tourists who have no idea how much they’re going to end up paying for their fifteen minutes of fun.

“Let’s go back inside,” I say, trying to keep her dry by pulling her in close to me. “I’ll get us a car.”

“No need for that,” she says. “We can walk. It’s only ten minutes away, right?”