Solo (Symphony Hall)

by Lauren E. Rico

  And then, it’s as if the entire world explodes around me. A pressure from deep within my core rises and releases in a single flash so intense that my vision actually darkens for a second.

  Now I understand.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Drew

  She is the most responsive woman I have ever been in bed with. Her body reacts to my every breath and my every touch, and it’s so sexy I can hardly control myself. And yet, somehow, I know she hasn’t had much experience. Or, at the very least, not much satisfying experience. And when I feel her spasm against the touch of my hand, the intensity of her body, the surprised cry, and her expression of dazed amazement all tell me this was her first orgasm.

  Well, I’m going to make damn sure it’s not her last. She’s barely come back to earth when I pull myself up between her thighs, align myself with her entrance, and push myself in with a single thrust. She’s unbelievably tight, but she seems to yield to my presence inch by glorious inch.

  She gasps and wraps her legs around my waist, drawing me farther into her than I thought possible.

  “Katherine, you feel so amazing,” I murmur as I begin to rock slowly, back and forth, back and forth.

  Her clear, dark-blue eyes are wide and fixed on mine, her beautiful, soft pink mouth slightly slack.

  “Drew,” she whispers, “I had no idea anything could feel this good.”

  A garbled cry interrupts her words as I pick up the pace and thrust more assuredly. It’s like I was born to be connected to this woman. I can’t even speak. I can only gaze down and watch as her forehead wrinkles and her eyes close, as if she’s in deep concentration.

  Things are happening fast and I can already tell I don’t have much time here. I reach down between our bodies, finding her slickness and rubbing her swollen clit with my thumb. She gasps so loudly I think maybe I’ve hurt her for a second, but then she’s murmuring my name over and over, her head thrashing from side to side on the pillow. When I feel her nails rake down my back, I thrust harder still. Suddenly Katherine’s eyes fly open and she screams as she comes.

  The feel of her tightening, fluttering, spasming around me is more than I can bear.

  I explode and it’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. The intensity leaves me panting as I collapse atop her, brushing her face with my lips and feeling my heart beat against her chest.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Kate

  I’m lying, head nestled into the crook of his arm, my left leg slung over his, my hand resting lightly on his chest. We’ve been quiet for a while now, lapsing in and out of light slumber, each of us processing what’s happened in our own way. Finally, he’s the one to break the silence.

  “Regrets?”

  “None,” I say, not needing a single second to consider my answer. “You?”

  “None,” he echoes. And then he chuckles, filling my ears with the rich sound as it reverberates through his chest wall. “But, you know…”

  “Yeah, I know.”

  “What?” he asks sitting up a little to get a better look at my face. “What do you think I was about to say, Miss Smartypants?”

  “Okay, well, first of all, I don’t seem to be wearing any pants, smart or otherwise.” I giggle for just a second but then make myself sober up so he knows that I get what he’s saying. “You’re going to tell me that this can’t happen again.”

  His brows arch in surprise. “Exactly. But not forever. I mean, not unless you don’t want to…”

  “Oh, I want to,” I inform him with an enthusiastic nod.

  “Good.” He smiles down at me. “That’s really good.”

  Before I can stop myself, I’m blurting out the question that’s niggling at the back of my mind.

  “Did you mean it? When you said I’m beautiful?” I feel a little needy and a lot embarrassed for asking. “Or was that just—you know—one of those ‘heat of the moment’ things that guys say?”

  He shifts his head so that he’s looking up and out through the window, where the outline of mountains is just visible against the clear night sky.

  “Always,” he says after a long beat. “I’ve always thought you were beautiful. Since the first time I laid eyes on you.”

  His words are soft and thoughtful. And I promptly ruin them by snorting. Loudly.

  “Oh, please. You did nothing but scowl at me that first day of freshman theory.”

  “That wasn’t the first time I saw you.” He grins down at me.

  I sit up on the bed so I can get a better look at his face.

  “No? Then when?”

  “It was the night before that. I was working late in the office, preparing for my first day of classes at Shepherd. It was after eleven and, as I was leaving the building, I heard this music. I followed the sound to the practice rooms and found you holed up in one, playing the piano. Your eyes were closed. There wasn’t any music on the stand. You were just playing. And you were stunning.”

  “Huh,” I say thoughtfully. Too thoughtfully.

  Drew looks down at me. “What are you huh-ing about?”

  I shrug. “I don’t know, I guess I just never pictured you as the stalkery type,” I say with a big, cheesy grin. “Did you snap a picture with your phone, too?”

  Before I can finish my teasing, he grabs me by the waist and flips me on my back, reversing our positions in a flash.

  “Hey, I thought we just agreed no more hanky-panky,” I protest, laughing.

  “We did. After today,” he says, leaning down to kiss the spot behind my left ear. “I mean, as far as abstinence goes, we’ve already blown this day.”

  “Well, I can’t argue with that logic,” I say with a giggle that quickly morphs into a gasp as he shifts and nibbles his way down to my belly. “But it hasn’t been that long. Are you telling me you’re already good to go…again?”

  Not that I know a ton about these things, but I do seem to recall there being a shelf life on my last lover’s erections.

  “Oh, I don’t need to be ready for what I’m about to do to you,” he says, looking up at me with a wicked grin that sends a delicious jolt right to my core. I don’t mention that this will be yet another first as he kisses around my belly button and moves southward.

  When he gets to his destination, he pulls my thighs apart gently, nudging his shoulders under the bend in my knees. I feel his warm breath on my thighs as he kisses first one side, then the other. I’m coiled tight in anticipation of what’s to come, feeling thrilled and embarrassed at the same time. But my insecurities are gone with a single stroke of his tongue against my center.

  Oh my dear good God.

  All at once I gasp, ball the sheets in my hands, curl my toes, throw my head back, and stiffen from my hips up. And that’s just the first lick. By the time he’s taken me in his mouth, alternating sucking with tonguing, I’m certain I’m going to go out of my mind with the overwhelming sensation.

  He is so good. It’s like he knows instinctively where, when, how hard, and how fast. I am writhing underneath him when I feel a long, strong finger breach me, curling inward to hit a spot inside that makes me—

  “Drew!” I yell, arching my back and thrusting my fingers into his thick hair. “Oh, Jesus, Drew…I can’t…I think…”

  He pulls his mouth from my body just long enough to utter his demands in a harsh whisper.

  “Come for me, Katherine. Let me feel you come. Let me hear you come.”

  His commanding tone is so incredibly hot. And his words, in combination with his tongue and fingers, are more than enough to push me right over that invisible edge.

  When the world splinters, shatters, and rains down around me, I know with absolute certainty that I will only ever be his.

  …

  Sunday April 9th 11:30 p.m.

  D: I wish you were here. With me. In my bed.

  K: Me, too.

  D: God, I don’t know how I’m going to get through class tomorrow without kissing you senseless.

  K
: Don’t you dare, Dr. D! You know the rules. No special treatment. Senseless kissing definitely falls into the category.

  D: What if I kissed Evan first? Then it wouldn’t be ‘special’ treatment.

  K: Evan the bassoonist? I thought you didn’t like the scruffy goatee thing.

  D: I don’t. But I’d make an exception if it meant I could taste your mouth again…

  K: TASTE MY MOUTH? That sounds really gross!

  D: Oh, but I assure you, it’s not gross at all. Maybe we should get together so I can show you…

  K: Nice try, Romeo. Keep your ass off my balcony, please.

  …

  Tuesday April 11th 12:42 p.m.

  K: SOS! May Day! Hellllllp! I’m trapped in Tessa Morgan’s office!

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Drew

  I’m juggling Italian subs, chips, and drinks when I get to Tessa’s office. But I’ve done this dance a time or two and I’ve got a system in place that involves nudging the door open with my elbow, catching it with my foot, and squeezing through before it can slam in my face.

  “Ugh. You would not believe the morning I’ve had…” I’m saying when I come across the threshold. But when the door swings all the way open, I stop dead in my tracks. Katherine is sitting in the chair across from Tessa. She looks up at me helplessly.

  “Oh, I’m sorry to interrupt…” I mutter and start to back out the way I came in.

  “Drew? Wait, come back here,” Tessa calls out.

  I step back inside, plastering a pleasant expression on my face.

  “Can you come in and sit down for a second?” She gestures toward the chair next to Katherine.

  “Oh, well, you know, I really should go and…”

  She raises a single eyebrow, daring me to finish that sentence. She knows full well I have no place to be but here, having lunch with her. The bag from SubPort is proof of that.

  “Fine. Of course,” I say gruffly, dropping lunch on the side table and taking the empty seat. Tessa smiles brightly at us from across her desk. I hate that smile. It’s smug and condescending, and it’s a clue that she’s up to something.

  Shit, shit, shit! It isn’t possible that she knows about us, is it?

  “Drew—rather, Dr. Markham,” she corrects herself. “Kate stopped by to turn in her graduation paperwork. She’s just informed me that she won’t be needing any tickets to commencement.”

  “Oh, that’s too bad,” I say noncommittally, not sure where the hell Tessa’s going with this. All I know is that Katherine looks as if she’s praying for a sinkhole to open and swallow her whole.

  “Yes, well, I was just saying that she really should speak with her father about attending. I’m sure we could arrange for extra tickets if he needs to travel with security, or an entourage…or even other politicians he might like to bring along.”

  Now I see what she’s getting at. Tessa wants to take one last stab at getting into Katherine’s business. I didn’t much care before, but I do now. I clear my throat.

  “Miss Brenner, I imagine you’ve already spoken with your father on this topic. And I would also imagine he’s a very busy man…”

  “He is, Dr. Markham,” Kate agrees a little too enthusiastically. “He’s a very busy man.”

  “But too busy to come to his only daughter’s graduation? Surely he can find the time for something so momentous, Kate.”

  Tessa may be speaking to Katherine, but she’s looking at me. She obviously wants me to try and intervene somehow.

  Holy shit!

  I bite my tongue to keep from snorting. This is hilarious. I feel like I’m in a Mozart opera.

  “Well,” I begin slowly, pretending to give the situation careful consideration. “I think you’re right, Professor Morgan, in that we should offer Senator Brenner any accommodations that might make things easier and more secure if he were to attend commencement ceremonies. But, if I’m not mistaken, isn’t that the week he’s set to bring his big bill to the floor?”

  I’m totally pulling this out of my ass. I have no idea when the jackass is going to try and convince his colleagues to pull funding from the arts, but mid-May sounds about as good a time as any. Katherine jumps onto my bald-faced lie as if it’s a life raft at the scene of the Titanic.

  “Oh yes, it is, Dr. Markham,” she says, her expression morphing from agony to relief. “Professor Morgan, you are so incredibly thoughtful and I am going to make sure that my father knows how concerned you’ve been about this. I’m sure he’ll be as grateful as I am.”

  Hah! That’s my girl. In a matter of fifteen seconds she’s extricated herself from this situation and made Tessa feel appreciated.

  Fucking. Brilliant.

  Tessa is beaming as Kate gets to her feet. “Please excuse me, I have a lesson to prepare for. But really, I’m very grateful, Professor Morgan.” She turns in my direction and gives me a quick nod. “Dr. Markham,” she says, her voice a little less friendly.

  “Well, I’m here for you anytime, Kate,” Tessa gushes. I’m about to breathe a sigh of relief when she speaks again. “Kate, I love that scarf with the snowflakes. Where on earth did you ever get that?”

  Oh shit. Shit, shit, shit.

  I didn’t tell Katherine that Tessa recommended the store. If she tells her where it came from, Tessa’s bound to put two and two together. And that’s never a good thing. For anyone.

  “Oh, thanks, Professor Morgan,” Kate says, forcing a smile to her face. “I, uh—I got it from my father. Along with a beautiful coat. He noticed I didn’t have one when he was on campus last week. Next thing I know, this one shows up. He’s very thoughtful like that,” she says, and I’m amazed she can keep a straight face.

  “Of course he is. Please send him my warmest regards,” Tessa croons.

  “I will,” Katherine assures her, turning to leave again. And, while Tessa can only see the back of her head at this point, I can see her face quite clearly.

  “Oh. My. God!” Katherine mouths with huge eyes.

  My sentiments, exactly.

  …

  The phone is ringing when I return to my office after lunch.

  “Hello, Drew Markham’s office,” I say, slipping behind my desk and waking my computer from its nap.

  “Drew Markham’s office,” the voice on the other end of the line mimics.

  “Who is this?” I demand. After an hour of Tessa’s nonsense, I am so not in the mood for a freshman prankster.

  “Jesus Christ, Drew, what the fuck happened to you? Dude, it sounds like you’ve got a stick up your ass!”

  Wait a minute… I know that voice.

  “Danny?”

  “Who else?” He chuckles.

  “Oh my God! How are you, man? It’s been too long! How’s Vivica?”

  “She’s amazing, Drew. Marrying her was the best thing I’ve ever done. Nothing like the love of a good woman to keep you on the straight and narrow, you know?”

  I do know.

  “Oh, fuck.” He groans from somewhere in New York City. “Goddammit! I am such an asshole. Drew, I’m so sorry. That was the most insensitive thing I could have said. Please forgive me, man…”

  “No, no, no,” I assure him, shaking my head as if he can see me through the phone line. “Nah, it’s okay. I’m just happy that you two are doing so well. I was sorry not to see you over the holidays.”

  “Yeah, well, the Vienna Symphony New Year’s Eve concert doesn’t open up every day, you know.”

  “I know. I saw the broadcast on TV and you were amazing, Danny. Dude, you’ll be replacing that has-been at the New York Symphony any day now.” I grin.

  “From your mouth to God’s ears, my friend. But hey, enough about me. Let’s talk about me.”

  “Oh yeah, cause that’s something new…” I tease.

  “Seriously, Vivica and I are actually in Charlotte visiting my folks.”

  “What?” I sit up straighter in my chair. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

  “
I’m sorry, it was a last-minute thing. But hey, I was thinking maybe you could come down for a visit while we’re here.”

  I’m about to tell him that there’s no way I can get away, not right now. But then a thought occurs to me.

  “Hey, Danny…”

  “Uh-oh. I know that tone, Drew. What do you want to tell me?”

  I take a deep breath, close my eyes, and leap—headlong—into the most terrifying disclosure I’ve ever made in my life.

  “Danny, I’ve met someone…”

  …

  Wednesday April 26th 4:04 p.m.

  D: How you holding up?

  K: Meh

  D: You nervous?

  K: What do you think?

  D: *SNORT* I think you’re probably climbing the walls and I wish I could come and hold you.

  K: Me, too. Will you be there? In the auditorium?

  D: Would it make you feel better or worse do you think?

  K: Better. I think. Maybe. Possibly…

  D: If you want me to leave, why don’t you give me a sign.

  K: Like what?

  D: Like…scratching your nose with your left hand.

  K: While hopping up and down, naked under a full moon?

  D: Oh, well, now, that I’d NEVER miss!

  K: I’ll be fine.

  D: I know.

  K: I’m just a little bit terrified. First rehearsal with the “big boy” orchestra.

  D: Tonight it’s a “big girl” orchestra! It’s YOUR orchestra!

  K: Hmmmmmm

  K: Oh, hey, I almost forgot! Thanks for the care package! Very sweet but you didn’t have to!

  D: What care package?

  K: Don’t play coy with me, Dr. D!

  D: Seriously, K. I didn’t send you a care package. What was in it?

  K: Really? You didn’t? Then who the hell sent it?