by Erika Rose
His bookshelf along the far wall leading to the bedrooms was organized alphabetically. Not something someone did for a date.
Straight ahead was a wall of concertina glass windows, perfect for opening completely on a sunny day like today.
Fawn had to appreciate his sense of organization, although she barely ever was.
Seth smiled at her hesitantly before starting to open the concertina windows onto a small deck that boasted a grill the size of Texas. “It’s not much, but I like it.”
“It’s great Seth; I just think you have one problem.” Fawn pursed her lips as she stepped onto the porch eyeing the grill.
“What?” Seth asked confused.
“I don’t think your grill is big enough.” Fawn said on a laugh.
Seth laughed as he pulled off the weather cover revealing the stainless steel beast underneath. “If you can’t cook, you need to impress with your cooking equipment.”
Fawn smiled and shook her head. “Let me guess, another Seth-colloquialism?”
Seth shrugged as he lifted the hood. “Something like that.”
“I take it we’re grilling?”
“Nope, we’re just grilling the chicken kebabs and then we’re off again.” Seth said mysteriously.
Fawn followed him into the kitchen where he collected marinated chicken kebabs from the fridge. “Where are we off to then?”
Seth pecked her briefly on the cheek; the brief touch of his lips sent a bolt of desire shooting through her. He pulled back and met her eyes with a smile. “You’ll have to wait and see.”
He pulled a bottle of wine from the fridge and held it out to Fawn. “You want some?”
Fawn laughed at the confusion of the date. They’re at his home but not staying. They’re grilling kebabs but not eating, yet he’s offering her wine. “Why not?” Fawn laughed.
Seth poured them each a glass before grabbing the kebabs and heading back out to the grill.
Big Mountain’s chilled lyrics drifted over them from inside the house as Seth placed the kebabs on the grill.
Fawn let her head fall back, allowing the sun and the music to drift over her. She wouldn’t admit it to Seth but she hadn’t enjoyed an afternoon this much in years. As the cold tangy wine fizzed on her tongue, she swirled it in her mouth as she watched Seth man the grill.
She was in a dangerous territory and yet watching him cook for her made her want to rush in without heed.
He turned around smiling. “Looks like you’re relaxing.”
Fawn laughed softly. “I am. I haven’t heard this music in such a long time. I must say Seth; so far you’ve quite impressed me.”
“Surprised?” Seth asked as he flipped the kebabs over.
“Let’s just say you’re not as predictable as I hoped. Which could be a problem?” Fawn said levelly watching him.
A cocky smile teased the corner of his mouth as he walked towards her. He bent over her, his mouth a mere inch from hers. “Why Fawn? Is it a problem that I’m not like every other rich boy you’ve dated?”
Fawn waited for him to take her mouth, but he didn’t. Instead he watched her, waiting for her answer.
Her heart sped up as her body came alive with anticipation. “If I can’t predict what you’re doing, I can’t prepare my defense.” Fawn whispered against his mouth.
Seth briefly nipped her bottom lip before whispering in her ear. “Let’s leave the games today Fawn. No predictions, no defenses. Besides you’ve already broken down all my defenses.”
Fawn wanted to argue, but as Seth pulled back his eyes met hers and she couldn’t.
Seth started taking the kebabs off the grill, and asked Fawn to wait a minute as he headed inside.
She allowed her gaze to drift towards the ocean as she realized why she couldn’t argue with him. Something about Seth was different.
Different than Rufus and all the other men that had tried to bed her. His honesty had caught her off guard from their first night together. But the more she knew about him, the more she wanted to know. She found his unpredictability infuriating and exciting. Her attraction to him both fascinated and scared her. Somehow she knew if she walked away from Seth without exploring their attraction, it would be something she was going to regret.
Her thoughts were interrupted when Seth stepped outside holding a large basket in one hand and a blanket under his arm.
“Would you care to join me Miss Di Maggio?” He asked Fawn with a perfect British accent.
Fawn laughed and couldn’t help but feel giddy as she took the arm he held out to her.
They followed the narrow walkway down to the beach.
The sun glittered on the water, shimmers of light dancing in the waves. The sand was baked hot and crunched under their feet. The fresh breeze carried the scent of salt along with the sound of waves rolling to shore.
Seth stopped a few meters from the water and threw open the blanket, before smiling at Fawn. “Welcome to your sea-view restaurant this afternoon.”
Fawn laughed as she sat down crossed legged, glad for the forethought to wear shorts and not a dress.
Seth sat down beside her and opened the basket in front of them.
He opened a couple of wine coolers and handed one to Fawn. “On a date with no pretentions, defenses and strange as it is, no Dom.”
Fawn laughed. “I told Dom I’d text him where we were having lunch.” She scanned the expanse of the beach, with no people in sight. It was lunch time on Monday, the perfect day to have a date on the beach apparently. “I don’t think I need his services this afternoon.”
Surprise dawned on Seth’s face as Fawn pulled out her phone and texted Dom. “So you’re finally certain I’m not an axe murderer?”
Fawn watched him assessing. “Axe murderer, no. That would be too messy for you. Although stalker, sadist and narcissist are still on the table.”
Seth pretended to be offended. “Fair play, although I must admit the jury is still out on you as well.”
He pulled out a bowl of pasta salad and a bowl of olives when Fawn spoke. “On what exactly?” She asked as she popped an olive in her mouth.
Seth took a long drink of his wine cooler, his eyes remaining on hers. “On whether or not you’re the girl of my dreams.” His voice was even, although the words made Fawn’s breath hitch.
If this was the real Seth, her heart had no chance of resisting him.
CHAPTER 12
Seth watched as surprise was quickly overtaken by fear in Fawn’s eyes. Maybe he was pushing too fast for too much, but he couldn’t help it.
He wanted her, he wanted to know more about her, wanted to spend more time with her.
He heard her breath hitch at his words and chuckled as he passed her the freshly grilled kebabs. “All right if you don’t believe in my dreams, let’s talk about yours.”
Her eyes met his, confusion apparent.
“If you could do anything Fawn, what would it be?”
Fawn bit off a piece of chicken Seth knew would be succulent and spicy. As he watched her nibble at the piece of meat, he could feel his blood heating with desire. She chewed deep in thought before swallowing and smiling at Seth uncertainly. “I’d like to record my own songs.”
She watched Seth waiting for him to say something, when he kept quiet she continued. “I’ve always written songs, but they have more of a folk sound to them. My manager says it would be career suicide to change my sound, but I don’t know…”
Seth could see the ambition in her eyes, the fear. “But you want to at least try.”
Fawn smirked. “If I don’t try, I won’t ever know. That’s why I’m here. I came to write. Maybe if I could write something good enough and record it, I would know if this is just a pipedream or if it’s my dream being pushed aside by my manager.”
Surprise dawned on Fawn’s face as she realized what she had just shared with Seth.
“Thanks for telling me.” He took her small han
d in his. Her skin was soft and warm, after giving it a brief squeeze Seth had to force himself to let go. He occupied his hand by fishing for olives from the basket before turning to Fawn again. “If I bring you a guitar, will you play me something?”
Fawn was caught off guard, her expression betraying her. “I’m not sure…none of the songs are finished. At this stage they’re just a jumble of words and melodies.”
“And I’d like nothing more than to hear you sing them.” Seth said as he stood up and brushed the sand from his shorts. “Be back in a minute.”
He jogged back to the house at an easy pace. He knew he was falling for Fawn, but he couldn’t get himself to stay away from her.
She was so much more than the press made her out to be. He grabbed the guitar from the spare bedroom closet and jogged back to Fawn.
“Here you go.” Seth handed her the brand new Gibson he had only strummed a few times.
Fawn shook her head. “Seth, I’ve never done this before.”
Seth stroked her wind tousled hair, pausing at the nape of her neck turning her head towards him. “Of course you have. You’ve played for millions of people, this is no different.” He encouraged, although he knew it was different. This was her music; it was more personal and didn’t come with a bestseller guarantee like the commercial songs she usually sang.
Fawn drew the guitar into her lap. She pulled her hair up and knotted it with a practiced move before letting her fingers start to play over the cords.
It was an easy melody that caught Seth’s attention. As her eyes drifted closed and her sweet voice started singing honest lyrics, Seth found himself enthralled.
I’m not like the other girls you see,
Like the one that’s one TV
I’m just plain and boring me.
I like spending time alone
Playing on music my own
Get lost in my own world
Her voice didn’t carry the volume or the pitch of her recorded music. It was raw with emotion, clear with her own sound. Seth felt goose bumps tingle all over his body as she sang the last words. Seth felt excitement build inside him for the first time in a very long while. This was music. Music that made people think; music that could make you cry; music that people would remember. As the wheels started turning in his head, he caught Fawn’s unsure expression before she spoke.
“I know it’s not much. Like I said I’m working on it.”
Seth shook his head. “Fawn its much much more than that. It’s honest, it’s raw and it’s a sound I’ve never heard. It’s you.”
Fawn’s eyes drew together as confusion spread across her face. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, this is the music you should be making.”
“But my fans... John said I’d lose them all?” Her eyes were wide with worry.
“Fawn you’ll lose the shallow booty shaking fans that are after a beat, but you’ll gain fans with more grit. Fans that will follow your music for years to come. I know I’m not speaking from experience Fawn, but I can tell you this. I’ve always loved music; I’ve always wanted to be a part of it. And from my point of view, your manager is making you sing sure fire hits so he gets rich. It hasn’t been about the money for you for a long time, so why not sing something that’s more important than greenbacks? Something that’ll put you up there with Bob Dylan and Tracy Chapman. ”
Seth felt Fawn’s scrutiny over his words as her eyes narrowed; he couldn’t help but wonder if he took it too far. If he stepped over some imaginary line of criticizing her music.
Fawn strummed the guitar strings for a while before looking up at Seth again. “You really believe this is good enough?”
The raw honesty in her eyes, the self doubt nearly had Seth losing all self control. Instead he took a deep breath before taking the guitar from her and setting it aside. He got onto his knees, leaned forward with his hands braced on either side of her hips. With his mouth close to hers he whispered. “Baby, I know this is good enough, you’re good enough.”
Her sky blue eyes widened at his words, her mouth opened on a soft gasp and Seth couldn’t stop himself.
He softly nipped her lip before sweeping into her mouth. She tasted of olives and wine and a taste that Seth couldn’t seem to get enough of. Fawn.
Her head fell back in ecstasy exposing her throat to Seth’s lips, instead he moved with her.
As she lay back on the blanket, Seth moved over her. His hard chest pressed against her soft small breasts. His hips bore down against hers, his hardening manhood seeking her soft heat.
With their bodies melded together, Seth found her lips and supped. Soft moans escaped Fawn’s throat as his hands trailed up the side of her breasts. He wanted to ravish her in the daylight with the waves crashing behind them.
Seth groaned as Fawn’s hands reached underneath his shirt and her nails softly scraped along his back.
Needing to focus, Seth drew back and found her large blue eyes heavy with desire. He wanted nothing more than to see them cloud with release, but he made her a deal.
He kissed her roughly, demanding more and taking it. He pushed down against her hips and felt her bucking towards him, her need as big as his.
Bracing himself on one hand he slipped the other under her shirt, seeking flesh. Her skin was soft and heated with desire. He sought more and found her breasts. Shoving the lace aside he found her nipple and rubbed his fingers over it drawing another moan from her.
He softly nipped her nipple through the fabric, knowing if he wanted to keep his deal he needed to back off.
He briskly kissed her throat before pushing himself up.
She made a wanton sight lying on a blanket in the sand, legs slightly apart, shirt pushed up, and her hair a tangled black mess with bright blue eyes begging for more.
Seth smiled at her roguishly. “I think it’s time I took you back to the hotel.”
“Seth…” Fawn moaned confused.
“Fawn, I made you a promise and I’m not breaking it.” Seth grinned as he held out a hand and pulled her up, “Besides, it’s getting cooler and I’ve still got a couple of things to do.”
He was lying through his teeth, but couldn’t think of another way to make her get up before he decided to break his promise.
It was Friday morning and Seth had thought about Fawn all week. Their afternoon on the beach Monday was better than Seth had hoped for; taking her back to the hotel was one of the hardest things he’d ever had to do. Fawn had been honest and open about her dreams and Seth felt honored that she shared them with him. She had been quiet on the drive back, lost in her thoughts or mad because Seth was taking her back.
Seth had wondered if he had pushed her too far, but he needed it to be her decision the next time they made love. He needed her to be sure, because next time he didn’t want to see regret in her eyes afterwards.
He had itched to call her all week, but refrained. Almost every night he woke pulsing with need for her. Most mornings he stayed clear of the hotel, the temptation was too great to go to her penthouse.
Fawn needed space to write, and Seth had needed time to plan his surprise for her. He had planned all week, making certain everything was in place. Now he had to push back the doubt and believe that Fawn would appreciate it.
Today was the day he would see her, and hopefully make both of their dreams come true. He was going to surprise Fawn with the one thing she wanted, but couldn’t ask for.
Seth pulled up outside the nondescript building in Sag Harbor and checked the time on his phone. Ten minutes. Dom would be arriving with Fawn in ten minutes.
He unlocked the building and switched on all the lights before starting the coffee machine in the small kitchen. As he poured himself a cup he heard a car pull up outside.
Taking the cup of coffee he headed towards the foyer where Dom just opened the door, allowing Fawn to walk inside.
Seth nodded gratefully at Dom, who strangely enough hadn’t
given Seth another death stare since he had told Dom about his surprise for Fawn. The big man now smiled foolishly at Seth.
“Seth?” Fawn looked around confused. She was wearing a soft cotton dress the color of daffodils. Her beautiful black hair cascaded over her shoulders. Big cornflower blue eyes looked at him confused.
Seth smiled at Dom. “Thanks Dom. I’ll drop her at the hotel when we’re finished.”
Dom nodded before heading back outside.
Excitement coursed through Seth’s blood, it had only been a few days and yet seeing Fawn felt like quenching a thirst after walking through a desert.
“Seth, what’s going on?” Fawn walked to him hesitantly, confusion apparent in the deep crease between her eyes.
“I hope you don’t mind but I conspired with Dom. I’ve got a surprise for you.” Seth smiled as he took her hand and led her deeper into the building. Just as he reached the door that held the answer to her question, Fawn pulled him back.
“When I didn’t hear from you after Monday on the beach, I thought…” Her voice was soft, the doubt clear in her eyes.
Seth smiled widely before kissing her cheek. “You thought wrong.” He opened the door and pulled Fawn inside.”
CHAPTER 13
Fawn’s eyes roamed the familiar equipment of the recording studio. She understood how most of it worked, what she didn’t understand was what she was doing there. Monday, when Seth had dropped her off at the hotel without even a chaste kiss, she had been sure that he had seen something on the beach that made him not want her. Doubt had been ripe in her mind that he had lost interest, that she had been too honest.
All week she had written heart wrenching songs about love and life, hoping Seth would prove her wrong. But she hadn’t heard a word from him.
Now here she was in a recording studio in Sag Harbor, Seth waiting wide-eyed for her reaction.