Love Notes (The Muse Series Book 2)

by S. L. Carpenter

  Shifting in his seat, Edward replied, “Um, sit naked?”

  “Yeah, I sit nude at the piano, close my eyes and just let my body and mind relax. It’s a sort of cosmic thing. There’s nothing between me and the music. It’s rather erotic.”

  “I can see that…” He smiled as their meals arrived. “…vividly.”

  They sat and ate, still chatting about music, and Edward’s brain focused on the image of her being naked a few more times. He was a typical guy, flirting on a typical date with a typical girl. Everything was perfect.

  When the check came Edward reached for it.

  “No, I got this one,” Ami said.

  “I insist. You probably always pay for everything. You can get the next one,” he said with a grin. He had hopes they would go out again because he hadn’t had a date in a long time and this one was working out so well. Being a little out of the dating circle he wasn’t sure if it was date three or four to ask for a hand-job or some serious making out.

  He pulled his wallet out and saw someone next to him. He looked up and saw a metal smile glittering beside their table.

  A little girl with braces stared at Ami. “She’s Ami huh? You know, from that band, Haunted? I recognize her from the CD, even without the colored streaks in her hair.”

  Glancing up he saw Ami shrugging at the little girl. “Pssst, c’mere. I’m kinda staying here to write some new music and don’t want people to know about it. If you keep this our little secret, I’ll sign a CD especially for you. What’s your name?”

  “Taylor. Wow. Thanks, that would be great.”

  Ami rummaged through her bag and pulled out a CD. After signing it she gave it to the girl and held her little hand, smiling. It seemed odd for Ami to be so in touch with someone obviously out of her demographic of fans and yet she was at ease with this young girl.

  Edward grinned as the little girl, and Ami talked. Ami was really in her element, but there was no pressure here, no crowds, no flashing cameras. She was just sharing a part of herself with someone.

  Chapter Four

  They left the restaurant, and Ami wanted to walk down the street. It was still early, and she needed to enjoy this normal feeling and keep the mood around for a while.

  “What do you do for a living?” Ami asked as she held onto his arm.

  “I work for my dad at the almond ranch. I’m the foreman and oversee that the almonds packaging and shipping, stuff like that. I will probably take over for him someday. I know most of the business-side from college anyway.” He paused and put his arm around Ami’s waist. “It’s boring stuff.”

  “Not to me. Everyone I meet usually wants something. A record deal, a number of an agent or producer. It gets crazy. Everyone thinks they can have a piece of what the band and I have struggled and worked for. The guys in the band are great. They have families and stuff. I just…”

  Loud music thumped from a corner nightclub, and it caught Ami’s ear.

  “Hey, let’s go to that club. Come on, I haven’t been to a club without handlers and bodyguards in fucking years. What d’ya think?”

  Entering the club, they found themselves swamped—it was vibrantly alive and radiated energy. The lights flashed and popped. This was Ami’s element, and she loved it. They went to the bar, and Edward ordered drinks from the busy female bartender. She ran around like a constipated Chihuahua and made a lot of tip money from the look of the full tip bottle beside the register.

  He got two beers, and they sat watching the club throb with the heartbeat of modern music and dancing.

  “Dance with me, Edward,” Ami yelled to him amongst the noise.

  “What?” he said, hand by his ear.

  “Dance with me.”

  “Uhh, I’m not the dancing type.” Ami waved her hand at him and slid into the small crowd, dancing with a couple of the girls in the center. Edward watched as she closed her eyes and became part of the music. She swayed and shook with the rhythm, and the other girls rubbed against her. She looked beautiful, and Edward licked his lips as he imagined himself being an Edward sandwich between Ami and the two girls she was dancing with.

  Ami was in her own zone. He was getting a glimpse of her being taken in by the music. She looked like she enjoyed the music and dancing with the girls. It was very sensual and exciting. Especially for him.

  Ami enjoyed how music released the tensions in her mind and soul. When done right, music was an expression of feelings and emotions. This was her reason for being a singer, to express her own words to others. A poet with a venue. Lately the music and purity her band shared was being stained by the pressures to conform to other styles. The joy of just dancing with these other girls was expression, and she relished it.

  With her eyes closed she suddenly felt something a little awkward. Either one of the girls had a growth where her pussy should be or someone was poking around her ass.

  Ami quickly turned and looked to see some guy dancing behind her and gyrating like a bad Elvis impersonator. “Who the fuck are you?”

  “Hey, baby, don’t be such a tease. You and those girls were pretty hot. I was just trying to get into some of the action.”

  She looked for Edward to get this complete loser away from her. The other girls turned and walked away, raising their hands to wave off the idiot. Ami turned to leave, and the guy grabbed her arm.

  “Don’t touch me, asshole!” Rage built up in Ami as she yanked her arm from the man.

  “Don’t be such a bitch. I was just screwing around. What…are you on the rag or something?”

  “Nobody touches me unless I say so.”

  “Ooooohhhhh, I see. Well what if they grab you like this?” The guy grabbed Ami’s ass and laughed, nodding at a few of his buddies in the crowd.

  She saw Edward pushing through the crowd to get to her. He quickly pulled the guy’s shirt. “Hey, knock it off…”

  Before he could finish his sentence, the guy swung and sucker punched Edward in the face, knocking him back to the floor. He laughed again and turned back to Ami. “Looks like your boyfriend ain’t gonna help you.”

  With a smirk she shook her head and looked at the guy. “Fuck you!”

  She quickly moved back a step, then kicked the outside of his knee, causing him to scream in agony.

  Her next swing was an uppercut with her elbow striking his nose, breaking the cartilage and making his eyes water and a steady stream of blood flow down his face. The guy whimpered and was stunned, in pain and bleeding. With the guy helpless she pushed him over and mumbled. “I have four brothers and don’t need a man to take care of me. Asshole.”

  The girls she was dancing with had a few guys in tow to help Ami. She obviously didn’t need the help.

  With lights still flashing from the dance floor and a few people taking pictures, Edward was getting back on his feet and holding a bloody nose. “Where did you learn to fight like that? I feel like a pussy.”

  “He blindsided you so don’t worry. My brothers taught me to take care of myself. We used to wrestle and a few of their friends used to try to pin me down—crap like that. I also took three years of self-defense classes to stay in shape on tour. So I learned how to fight back.”

  Looking at the guy being carried out by his friends, Edward said, “Remind me to not try to pin you then.” He kept pressure on his nose and it stopped bleeding. “You’ll have to be on top.”

  The two of them sat at the bar for a few minutes, then laughed after someone located the guy’s fake front tooth Ami had accidentally knocked out.

  “We’d better get out of here in case the cops show up. Things will get crazy if anyone finds out who I am.”

  They walked back to the car parked by the restaurant a couple of blocks away, blood still running hot in his veins. Edward could feel the tension building between them, an attraction he could’ve cut with a knife. She was a beautiful woman, and he was a regular guy. This was natural, just like sausage and eggs.

  He wanted her to play with his sausage, an
d he wanted to play with her eggs.

  “Ami? I’m kind of out of practice with this whole date, making moves and the timing of things. You know I like you. In fact, I am really attracted to you. I just don’t want to…or know how…”

  “Which me are you attracted to, Edward? Me the rock star, or me the woman?”

  “You Ami, just you. I fell in love with your voice a long time ago. The rock star package just came with it. But I don’t see that package here with me. I see you. A woman that…”

  Before Edward could continue, Ami said, “Just shut up.”

  She kissed him ever so gently at first, their lips brushing against each other. It felt good to him, and he liked how it made him hot inside.

  Edward eagerly fell into the passion of the moment and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her long and hard. “You have no idea how badly I want you, Ami. I have fantasized about you so many times.”

  He couldn’t touch her enough. He wanted to devour her body and soul. This woman made him feel alive again and every part of his body became aroused. Ami’s hand found the one part that was most aroused by her kiss.

  She mumbled under her breath as they kissed, “Mmm. Damn, Edward, you really do like me.” She continued to stroke his groin with her palm. “Jesus, all that adrenaline from the bar has gotten me really frickin’ hot. It’s been so long…”

  Edward’s hands crept down her back and he grabbed her ass in his hands, immediately noticing she had nothing on under her skirt. Ohmigod, he thought. “Let’s get in the car.”

  In spite of fumbling with keys and a massive boner, Edward got the door open and climbed in. Ami quickly followed.

  Rapid and short breaths, little gasps for air between long wet kisses with tongues dancing in each other’s mouths and Edward moaned.

  “Oh shit it’s been a long, long time.”

  Keeping her hand pressed against his chest, she opened her eyes and stared into the deep tranquility of his. “I haven’t been with a man in a long time, Edward, but you…you just touch me in so many ways.” She sighed as Edward reached out and caressed her breasts. Her dress clung to her body and her nipples hardened beneath the fabric. This was one way she liked being touched.

  The windows fogged up. The two of them were moaning and acting like sex-crazed kids at a drive in movie.

  “You know, this reminds me of prom night,” he said, taking in a deep breath. “I want you so bad but not like this. I just can’t, not like this, just… Let’s just wait.”

  With a smile Ami kissed Edward again, then climbed awkwardly off him, hitting the horn with her elbow, and plopped down in the other seat. “Uh, your first time was at the prom?”

  “No, but I had the worst case of blue balls ever that night. No matter how hard I tried she wouldn’t give it up.”

  “Um, Edward? How does this remind you of prom night?”

  “Same car. Same case of premature ejaculation.”

  “Oh my God. You are… You are such a guy.”

  Chapter Five

  For the second night in a row Edward was a gentleman instead of being the man he wanted to be. He should have followed up the hot and heavy play in the car but instead let Ami sleep and didn’t do anything.

  He could have, but hearing his dad cussing in the barn and calling his truck names even he hadn’t heard before, kinda ruined the mood. After three hours of getting greasy and dirty changing a carburetor, he wasn’t too presentable.

  After a quick shower he peeked in on Ami and she was so beautiful half-naked in the bed. Thank God for the soft breeze blowing into the room. It made her nipples tight, and his fingers ached to feel them.

  Just a little touch.

  No, stop it. She’s sleeping.

  Why do I have to have a conscience talking to me?

  If it was up to me I’d jump her, the familiar voice between his legs piped into the mental conversation.

  Another visual aid was etched in his brain for future alone times.

  Ami sat in the kitchen, alone with her thoughts. Edward had left her another note saying he left early and let her sleep. So she sat in the morning sun relaxing, surfing a few of her favorite websites and answering emails. No pressure. Nothing except a hot cup of coffee along with fresh air.

  There was a small vase with a couple of roses like the ones outside the back door on the small table.

  Everything was becoming cliché. Big time girl runs away to small town and falls for almond farmer and they live happily ever after and she has eight kids and gets fat and loses some teeth and her former existence is wiped away under the rug.

  Knock, knock, knock.

  “Anybody here?” A soft voice came from the slowly opening kitchen door.

  “Edward? Ami?”

  “Come on in, Ellen,” Ami answered.

  “Oh hello. I saw the door open and figured I’d see how you were doing.”

  “You want some coffee? I actually made it myself. Thank God for instant coffee.” Ami poured an extra cup, and the two women sat at the small table.

  “I guess you don’t have to make too much coffee yourself.”

  The quick chat turned into a nice morning gabfest with the women talking about shopping, the economy, music, their families and, of course, men.

  “How long have you been a singer?”

  “I’ve always been a singer I guess. I love playing music. The crowds are great.”

  “I used to play. Never anything more than toy around with the classics, Mozart, Beethoven and standard piano classes. Edward hated them. Always playing baseball and football with his dad and friends. You take lessons?”

  “I learned to play by ear. I don’t know. I always had an innate talent for music I guess.” Ami smiled and took another sip from her coffee.

  “I haven’t talked like this for a long time. Things like this remind me of my mom. I miss her.” Ami sighed. “Cancer sucks.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t know her, but anytime you lose someone it’s hard. Edward has dealt with terrible loss too.”

  Ami looked curiously at Ellen. “What happened?” Ami felt a little awkward and guilty asking the question.

  “He lost his wife. Her name was Ashley.” Ellen sighed. “She was driving home in a rainstorm and was hit by a truck on the interstate. It was one of those freak accidents that was nobody’s fault.”

  This was the bad side of reality. “Holy shit… I mean, oh my God.”

  “You were right the first time. It was horrible. His life was shattered. She was everything to him. They had one of those good relationships and let me tell you, sweetheart, he became a different man. He was drunk for most of the first year. He decided to move back here because he couldn’t stay in the city. Everything reminded him of her.”

  “Well he seems to be doing okay now. Do you think he’s moving on a little with things?”

  “The past year or so he’s been back to himself. But every time he gets happy or good things happen he pulls away. He still blames himself for everything that happened. Life can be cruel, but you have to keep hoping that things will get better. He likes you, Ami. I can tell. You’re the first woman he’s actually talked to me about. It’s a compliment to what you bring to him. He seems to act more like he was before.

  “Ellen, do you know who I really am?”

  “Yes. Edward showed me your pictures and some of the tabloids you’ve been in.”

  Ami hung her head. “Most of those stories are bullshit. I can’t even go out on a date without people saying I’m in love, getting married, cheating on someone or having an alien baby. I really hate that everyone judges me by what they read. I just want you to know that I asked Edward to bring me here. I was and still am a bit of a mess, but I really needed this break from all the crap in my life. I won’t hurt him, Ellen.”

  “I know you won’t. But he likes you, and that can get tricky. It’s been a long time for him.”

  “He’s the first man I’ve met in a long while that seems to be just a regular guy. I
can understand why he’s guarded, though, after what you told me. I know I was after…” She paused and looked down.

  “After what?”

  “I don’t like talking about it.” Ami wasn’t sure if she should say what happened.

  “Oh, I apologize. It’s none of my business. But sometimes talking to someone helps.”

  “Yeah, perhaps it does. I went through a few shrinks but of course I had to keep everything hush-hush. I lost a baby.”

  “Oh no. I’m so sorry.”

  “It’s okay. The guy was a one-night stand that ended up lasting a bit longer than that, and my career was just starting to take off. It was four years ago. They decided it would be better to end things before it went too far.”

  “They? Shouldn’t that be up to you?”

  “Yes, it should’ve. That’s why it still lingers in my heart. I didn’t care that the father wouldn’t be there. He was a nice guy. It was just unplanned. We were partying all the time and got stupid. It was probably for the best. But I really thought about it for a while—having a child, a family, the white picket fence and stuff.”

  “Well you’re still young, dear. There’s still time.”

  “I guess. Everyone said the same kind of things…some other time, some other place, but you’re a mother and you know what goes through your head. I just… I don’t know.”

  “You just wonder what if…”

  With a smile, Ami looked at Edward’s mother. She understood. “You want to go shopping with me later this afternoon? I have to pick up some things at the market for dinner. Feeding those two guys is a chore, especially after them being out all day.”

  “I don’t know. I wanted to come here and kinda hide out. I went out with Edward and got in a bar fight last night.”

  “And you call that hiding out?” Ellen laughed.

  “I don’t stay inside real well.”

  Ellen waved her hand to Ami. “Oh, don’t worry so much. Most people around here are small town folks and wouldn’t expect someone like you to be out and about.”