But then she looked at me. She turned her face toward mine and met my gaze, which was so full of passion I was surprised she didn't turn away just as quickly. Instead, she held my gaze, never once looking away or wavering. The iconic music flowed around us, caressing our senses and stroking our desires. If I had bothered to stop and think about it for even a moment, I probably wouldn't have done it. But I didn't think about it. I just acted.
I leaned over and slanted my mouth over Nicole's, hesitantly parting her lips with my tongue. Prepared for her to push me away, I was thrilled when she eagerly accepted my kiss. I watched her eyes fluttered closed, and then I closed mine, too. There was no reason to keep them open when all I wanted to do was feel. And, man, did I feel. I felt everything. I felt her hot breath mingling with mine, her tongue doing an erotic dance of desire with mine, and I felt a soft moan of pleasure reverberate through my mouth and my body. That tiny, almost inaudible moan sent me into a tailspin that had my mind erupting with bombs, grenades, thunder, lightning, and fireworks all at the same time.
Nicole pulled away first. I was slightly disappointed but I knew we were in no place to allow things to progress, and if we'd continued to kiss like we were, there was no doubt in my mind that things would get out of control.
"Wow," she whispered in a dreamy haze.
I smiled and ran my thumb across her kiss-swollen lips. "My thoughts exactly," I said as I laced my fingers through hers and held her hand on my lap. And that's how we remained for the rest of the symphony. Something as small as holding her hand made me feel close to her and I liked being close to her.
As the music drew to an end, I glanced at Nicole again and saw the shimmer of tears in her eyes. I was in awe of how deeply she felt the music, of how engrossed she was in the whole thing. I reached over and wiped an errant tear from her cheek.
She turned and smiled, wiping her other cheek with her knuckles. "I'm sorry."
"There's nothing to be sorry for," I said, bringing her hand to my lips and giving it a light kiss. I swore I felt her tremble.
After several rounds of enthusiastic applause, we made our way through the crowd and outside. I was feeling good and after sitting for a couple of hours, the idea of walking back to the car was appealing. Plus, I liked that I got to hold Nicole's hand and walk with her beneath the moonlight.
"Oh my God," Toni gushed, clasping her hands over her heart. "Wasn't that just the most romantic thing you've ever heard?"
Nicole laughed and my heart soared. I loved the sound of her laugh. "Yes, it was lovely."
I gave her hand a light squeeze and she smiled at me. Once we reached the car, I opened the door and waited for her to get in before I slid in beside her. My knee was killing me but I refused to mention it. When I got back to the VA Center, I'd get some pain medication. Until then, I was going to ignore it and concentrate on what little time I had left with Nicole.
I put my arm around her shoulders and pulled her toward me. She rested her head on my chest, toed off her shoes, tucked her feet under her, and snuggled close. I kissed the top of her head and closed my eyes. It was like a dream come true having Nicole in my arms like this. The drive to the VA Center went by too fast and before I knew it, we were pulling into the circular driveway.
"We'll give you two a few minutes," Toni said with a wink. "Derrick, help me get Sean's wheelchair inside."
I stood in front of Nicole so she was between me and the car. Stepping toward her, I put my hands on her waist. My heart raced as I imagined what it would be like to kiss her again, to feel her body pressed against mine as I did so.
"Thank you for tonight," Nicole said, placing her hands on my chest. "I had fun."
"Me too," I smiled, "Can I see you again?"
She looked shocked, "You want to see me again?"
"Yes," I laughed, "Maybe we could lunch tomorrow or something. There's this great little path through the woods behind the center that leads to a secluded pond. We can have a picnic if you'd like." I inched closer to her, our bodies touching in the most teasing way.
"I'd really like that," she said with a smile. "I have practice in the morning but I can meet you here around one."
Nicole was actually going to see me again! I couldn't believe it. I'd thought for sure tonight had only happened because her friend had insisted on it. But the fact that she was willing to see me again without the safety of her friends led me to believe that she really did like me.
"Sounds perfect," I said.
"Do you want me to bring anything?"
"Just you," I whispered, bringing my lips down over hers and slipping my tongue into her mouth for another taste.
She moaned softly and leaned into me. Her hands left my chest and wrapped around my neck, her fingers playing with my hair at the nape. It felt so good I couldn't stop the shudder that worked through my body. I moved my hands from her waist and put them on her lower back, pulling her tighter against me. She didn't resist and that encouraged me. I changed the angle of the kiss and deepened it, pouring as much passion and desire into it as I could. I wanted her to know how I felt, how she affected me in a way I didn't think was possible. And I prayed I affected her the same way, at least a little, anyway.
"Sean," she whispered as she broke the kiss.
My heart constricted when I looked into her hazy eyes. My God, she was breathtaking. I wanted nothing more than to invite her inside, to my room and my bed, and hold her all night as I kissed her lips and explored her body. I knew that wasn't possible though. First of all, it was only our first date, and I wasn't going to rush her or pressure her into anything she wasn't ready for. And secondly, the VA Center didn't allow overnight visitors.
"Come on," I said, taking her hand and walking toward the center. The longer I stood outside with her, the more tempted I was to keep kissing her. We met Toni and Derrick as they were coming out the door. I said a quick goodbye and thanked them for inviting me. Then I turned to Nicole. I gave her cheek a kiss. "So, I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Yes," she said with a nod. "I'm looking forward to it."
That was music to my ears. "Have a good night, Nicole."
"You too."
Reluctantly, I released her hand and watched her walk back to the car, get in, and drive away. I went inside, the smile never leaving my face. Tomorrow afternoon couldn't come fast enough.
CHAPTER 7
Nicole Baker
Normally, I loved Saturday morning practices with my quintet. They got my energy flowing and helped to set the tone for the rest of my weekend. But today, I didn't really want to be here. My concentration was shot and I knew the others could tell I wasn't as focused as I usually was. There was nothing I could do about it though. My mind was replaying last night over and over again. The feel of Sean's hand holding mine, the softness of his lips, and the searing hot nature of his kisses. I closed my eyes as the memory consumed me. Last night with Sean, I'd found paradise and I'd do anything to get back there.
I stumbled over the lyrics I was singing and then froze as the rest of the words evaporated from my brain. That had never happened to me before and I was mortified. The music stopped and I cringed, knowing they were upset with me.
"Damn it, Nicole!" Sarah said with a huff.
"I'm sorry," I said immediately.
"What the hell is going on with you? You've been off key all morning, you're forgetting the lyrics…we've got a show in two days," Sarah shouted.
"I know that," I snapped. What was with her lately? She was acting like a first class bitch to everyone, especially me. What had I done to deserve her wrath? I'd always been nice to her.
"Then get with it, because I, for one, don't want us to look and sound like a group of inexperienced wannabes like we did at the VA Center."
My jaw dropped and my eyes narrowed into tiny slits. Sarah thought we'd sounded bad at the VA Center? I thought we'd done very well. Then it dawned on me. I'd stumbled on my lyrics that day, too. I was about to give her a good old fashioned tongue lashi
ng when Toni stepped up.
"Okay you two, just calm down," Toni said, looking back and forth between Sarah and me. "We've been practicing more than normal and we're doing a lot of shows. We're all exhausted here."
"Exhaustion has nothing to do with Nicole's lack of focus. I'd bet anything it has to do with that cripple she met at the VA."
"He's not a cripple!" I said through clenched teeth. My hands were balled into fists by my sides, my fingernails digging into my palms.
"That's going too far, Sarah," Toni said with a disapproving frown.
I'd never been so mad in my life. I wanted to slap Sarah, scratch her perfect complexion until it bled, and gouge her eyes out.
Sarah shrugged. "Whatever. All I know is that Nicole better get it together before our next show."
I glared at her. "I wasn't the only one who was off, y'know?"
"Enough!" Toni shouted her gaze aimed directly at me.
I wasn't usually so brazen and confrontational, but Sarah had pissed me off with that comment about Sean being a cripple. He'd lost his leg while fighting for our freedom. How dare she trivialize that? It really shouldn’t surprise me, though. Sarah had been born with a silver spoon in her mouth. If things weren’t perfect, or up to her standards, then they were purely unacceptable to her. She was such a spoiled bitch. It wouldn't hurt my feelings at all if she left the quintet. I knew she could be easily replaced.
"Why don't we all take the rest of the weekend to rest and cool down?" Toni said, looking at Sarah for confirmation. "In the meantime, I'll work with Nicole. We'll practice until she can sing this piece in her sleep. Right, Nicole?"
"Yeah, of course," I said.
"Fine," Sarah said.
"Good, so then we'll see everyone for practice first thing Monday morning," Toni said.
The rest of the group murmured their agreement, and they all left, leaving just Toni and me. "Thanks," I said.
She grinned. "Damn girl, when did you become so feisty?"
I laughed. "She just gets under my skin. And what the hell was that crack about Sean? Seriously, where does she get off saying stuff like that?"
"I know." Toni hugged me. "Try not to let it bother you. We both know that Sean is a great guy. Sarah's just too shallow to see past his injury."
I smiled and my face warmed. "Yeah, Sean really is great," I said dreamily, the memory of our first kiss racing through my mind again.
"Oh my gosh!" Toni shrieked. "You like him, don't you?"
I rolled my eyes. "Of course I like him."
"No, I mean, you really, really like him."
"I barely know him, Toni, so don't go getting any crazy ideas." I gave her a stern look. If Toni knew I liked Sean as much as I did, she'd be giving me all sorts of advice in between scheming and meddling. My feelings were confusing enough. I didn't need Toni's help. It would only confuse me more.
"Well, I think he's perfect for you."
So did I, and that was the problem. I didn't need a perfect man right now. "Want to come over later? We can have some dinner and practice?"
"Yeah, sure," Toni said absently. "Wait, why tonight? I thought we could just go back to your place now."
I mentally cringed. Great. How was I supposed to get out of this one? "I have plans this afternoon."
"With who?"
"Sean."
"You're seeing him again?"
"It's just for lunch, Toni." My tone was cautionary, laced with warning for her to drop it right now.
"If you say so."
I gathered my purse and left the studio. Toni wasn't far behind and I knew from the look on her face that she was up to no good. Okay, so maybe that wasn't completely accurate. Her last brilliant idea of inviting Sean to the symphony had turned out to be pretty friggin' incredible.
*****
I arrived at the VA Center to find Sean outside waiting for me. He was dressed casually in jeans and a polo shirt, a picnic basket in one hand, and a blanket draped over the other. His hair was tousled by the light breeze, making him look ruggedly handsome. After seeing him in his dress uniform last night I didn't think it was possible for him to look any better, but at that moment, he did.
"Hi," I said with a smile as I approached him.
He leaned over and gave me a kiss on the cheek. "Hey," he said. "I'm so glad you were able to make it."
I felt myself blush and mentally cursed. Why did I always have to do that? It was so embarrassing. It's not like I was a teenage girl with my first crush. "Did you have doubts?" I asked.
Sean shrugged. "I didn't know if maybe practice ran long or something." He took my hand and laced our fingers. "Ready?" He smiled.
"Yes." I loved the feel of his warm hand entwined with mine. We walked in silence for a few moments, enjoying the scenery, sounds, and smells of early summer. It was my favorite time of the year. I noticed Sean was walking slowly, with a bit of difficulty. "Does it hurt?" I asked. "The prosthesis, I mean."
"A little," he admitted. "I've worn it more these past few days than I have in the past three months. It's just going to take some getting used to. Dr. Barnes says it's good for me to use it as much as possible."
I nodded, "You don't have to wear it on my account, y'know. I'm okay if you need to use your wheelchair."
"Really?" He turned to look at me, as if he didn't believe a word I'd just said. "Thank you," he said, bringing my hand to his lips and giving it a kiss. I really liked when he did that. "So, how was practice?"
I frowned. "Not so good." I told him about how I messed up, conveniently leaving out that it was thoughts of him that had caused it and how Sarah and I got into an argument. I left out the part where Sarah had called him a cripple, though.
"I'm sorry things didn't go so well."
"Thanks." I smiled. The more time I spent with Sean, the more comfortable I felt with him. It was easy to talk to him. I felt like I could tell him anything and he'd just listen without judgment. Not many people had the ability to do that. I suddenly realized I wanted to spend more time with him, every spare moment if possible, just so I could get to know him better. That was probably wishful thinking, though. For all I knew, he might not like me once he got to know me better. Wow, that was a depressing thought.
"We're here," Sean said, interrupting my ruminations.
I looked around and was in awe. There was a large pond in the center of a clearing surrounded by large pine trees and weeping willows. Cat-tails and feather-grass grew wildly around colorful snapdragons and day lilies. Ducks floated lazily on the water. "It's amazing," I whispered, turning in a complete circle, taking in all the scenery.
"I knew you'd love it," he said, looking at me with a twinkle in his big, brown eyes.
"I do."
"Good," he winked.
I followed him toward the opposite end of the clearing and we spread the blanket out on the ground. He set the picnic basket down and lowered himself to the blanket. I sat beside him, propping my hands behind me, crossing my ankles, and tilting my head toward the sky, letting the sun warm my face. It was a beautiful afternoon and I couldn't imagine a better way to spend it than being here with Sean.
"I like to come here alone sometimes to just think or feed the ducks or stare at the clouds." He laughed, "This is a great place to write music, too."
I turned to look at him. He'd settled on an elbow beside me, his head propped in his hand. "You write music?"
He nodded. "Sometimes, when the mood strikes, when I'm feeling inspired," he said, placing his free hand on my leg.
The touch sent my mind and body into a tailspin of sensations. I swallowed the nervousness from my throat. "So, you really come here to stare at the clouds?"
"Yes. If you look hard enough, the clouds will start to take on shapes. You've never done that before?"
"No."
He smiled broadly. "Lay back." I did as he instructed, and he rolled onto his back. "Okay, now, just look at the clouds and let your imagination have free reign."
I felt silly,
but I didn't want to tell him that and make him feel bad. Plus, it was kind of nice to lie next to him like I was, to know it was just the two of us. It was also a little terrifying considering I wasn't very experienced when it came to men or sex.
"See that one?" He pointed to a large cloud directly above us. "It looks like Mickey Mouse. See the rounded face and the two ears?"
I slightly cocked my head and studied it. "Yeah, it does." That was so cool.
"Okay, your turn," he said, nudging me gently with his shoulder.
My body buzzed and hummed with the hope he would kiss me like he had last night. It dominated my thoughts. "There! That one," I said excitedly, pointing to a cloud off to his right. "It's a dinosaur."
Sean laughed. "Good one."
This was fun and so relaxing. It's exactly what I needed after the morning I'd had. I was so busy staring up at the sky I hadn't noticed Sean roll back onto his side, propping himself up on an elbow again. It wasn't until I felt him brush a strand of hair from my forehead that I noticed. I held my breath.
"You are so beautiful," he whispered, cupping my cheek with his palm and lowering his mouth to mine.
I parted my lips for him and granted him access. His kiss was slow at first then became a little harder and hotter. It made me dizzy and stole my breath. When he released my lips long enough to bring his upper body over mine, I gasped for air. Then he was kissing me again, his hand rested on my waist, adding to the heat of the moment. I put my hands on the back of his neck and played with his hair, luxuriating in the softness of it, savoring how it felt as it slipped between my fingers.
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