CARESSA THANKED THE DARK-HAIRED, MIDDLE-AGED MUSICIAN FOR COMING TO PLAY AT THE WEDDING, BUT SHE WAS A LITTLE CONFUSED THAT KYLE HADN’T JUST HIRED A MORE LOCAL CELLIST. COPENHAGEN? MR. GORDON COMPLIMENTED CARESSA EFFUSIVELY, EXPLAINING THAT HE’D SEEN HER PLAY IN HER LAST TOUR THROUGH EUROPE. THEN KYLE GESTURED TOWARD THE MAN’S CELLO. “MR. GORDON PLAYS A PERESSON TOO. THIS PARTICULAR ONE IS ON LOAN TO HIM.” HE PAUSED. “IT BELONGED TO JACQUELINE, CARA.”
Caressa blinked, then blinked again. David Gordon. Copenhagen Orchestra. Now she remembered the name, and the shock of Kyle’s surprise hit her.
“Oh, Kyle.” It was all she could think to say. She reached for the instrument, tracing lightly down the side of the fingerboard. “Oh, Kyle. Really? Really?” And then: “Please, may I play it? Please?”
At first she played with the quartet, and then, as spectators filled the room, the quartet dispersed, leaving only Caressa and the new-old cello she cradled between her knees. The cello surprised her, its tone close and yet not exactly alike to her own instrument. She became acquainted with it as an hour passed, and then another. She played for Jacqueline, gone too soon, and for love and taking chances. For passion and fear, and longing. For twinkling, blinking bugs, orange potholders and happy children. For storms and for shelter.
For Kyle.
Later, he took the cello from her and passed it back. He took her hand and led her away from the smiling crowds to his childhood home, to his bedroom. The fan above the bed made its own whirring music as they undressed and lay down together on the narrow mattress. She reached out for him, shaky and shivery with bliss.
“Play me now, Kyle,” she whispered, covering his face with feather-soft sweet kisses.
“Yes,” he said. His fingers trailed up her stomach to her breasts, tracing invisible strings. “Any song you want.”
They started with a lilting ballad, and progressed to a fiery appassionato. After a rest, they created a sweeping waltz, and some time later, a noisy hornpipe.
When the sun came up they were still playing. They had so many songs to play together, and a lifetime to do it. Accarezzévole. Sweeps and scales of shimmering, harmonious notes.
THE END
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A FINAL NOTE
I OWE A GREAT DEBT OF THANKS TO MUSICAL ARTISTS IN THE CREATION OF THIS STORY. I FIRST HEARD STEPHIN MERRITT’S SONG 100,000 FIREFLIES IN 1992 WHEN A BAND CALLED SUPERCHUNK COVERED IT. I LATER HEARD THE MAGNETIC FIELD’S ORIGINAL 1991 VERSION AND LIKED IT EVEN BETTER. IT CONTAINS A PARTICULAR LYRIC I LOVE: “I’M AFRAID OF THE DARK WITHOUT YOU CLOSE TO ME.” THAT LINE—AND THE IMAGE OF ALL THOSE FIREFLIES—BLINKED IN MY MIND FOR ALMOST TWO DECADES BEFORE RESULTING IN THIS BOOK. PERHAPS YOU WILL GIVE MERRITT’S SONG A LISTEN.
Spur, Texas is a real town—with beautiful sunsets, I’m told—and Burger’s Pond, while fictional, was named for Donald Ray Burger, a Houston attorney who spearheaded a project to bring fireflies back to Texas. At his site you can read people’s reports of firefly “sightings” all over the United States dating from the early nineties up until the time of this writing. Jacqueline du Pré, the cellist Caressa admires, was also real person, and her cello recordings and videos are worth a listen too.
Finally, if you have not read my book Comfort Object, I hope you will. It’s a prequel to Caressa’s Knees, and tells Jeremy and Nell’s mythic love story. Many thanks to Miri, the fan of Comfort Object who convinced me that Kyle needed his own story. Without her prompting, I’m sure this story would never have been written. Thanks also to Audrey, my tireless editor, who’s been with me from the start of this adventure.
I end this book with a wish: that all desperate people, no matter their place or situation, eventually find respite from their storms, whatever they may be.
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LOOK FOR THIS TITLE IN A PAPERBACK EDITION ON AMAZON, CREATESPACE, AND OTHER BOOKSELLING OUTLETS STARTING IN FEBRUARY OF 2011.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ANNABEL JOSEPH WRITES EMOTIONALLY INTENSE STORIES ABOUT THE ROMANCE OF DOMINANCE AND SUBMISSION. SHE HAS PUBLISHED WITH LOOSE ID, ELLORA’S CAVE, AND HER OWN INDIE IMPRINT, SCARLET ROSE PRESS. YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT HER BOOKS, READ REVIEWS, AND FIND CONTACT INFORMATION AT HTTP://ANNABELJOSEPH.WORDPRESS.COM.
OTHER EROTIC ROMANCE BY ANNABEL JOSEPH
Mercy
CAIT AND THE DEVIL
COMFORT OBJECT
FIREBIRD
DEEP IN THE WOODS
FORTUNE
EROTICA BY ANNABEL JOSEPH
CLUB MEPHISTO
COMING SOON:
LILY MINE
OWNING WEDNESDAY
THE EDGE OF THE EARTH
Caressa’s Knees Page 22