Her voice broke his trance and he blinked. “Yeah. I was.”
“What’s on your mind?”
“You.”
Her cheeks reddened. “Not here.”
He smiled, mischievously. “That’s not what I was thinking about. But it’s obviously what you’re thinking about.” He loved to tease her. “I was just thinking about how remarkable you are. Nothing gets you down. And how smart you are.”
She placed her hand on her hip and raised her brows. “You’re calling me smart, Mr. 4.0 GPA?”
“How do you know I had a 4.0 GPA?”
“I just assumed you did by the way you break down music theory and explain why it’s so important to learn what melodies match with which beats and how they interact. How they make love to one another.” She over emphasized her words, openly mocking him as she spoke.
“I can’t help it. Music is one of my great loves. Knowledge is another. And you, Sindy Cavanaugh, may turn out to be a third.”
The muscles in her face went slack, and she looked as if she just saw an apparition.
Lucas let out a hearty laugh. “I’m just kidding. But you should see your face right now. It was so worth it!”
She pursed her lips together and playfully socked him in the shoulder. “Are you going to impart some of your wisdom on me or are you going to make fun of me?”
“I’m just teasing. Because you’re so much fun to tease.”
They sat there and shared a smile without saying anything, and it sent a tingle up Lucas’ spine and a flutter through his chest. He wanted to take hold of her and kiss her, but worried it wouldn’t stop there and Tessa and Mason would walk in and catch them. Then he realized there was absolutely no reason to put off telling them that something was going on between him and Sindy, except he had no idea what there was to tell. He knew how he felt. Sindy stirred his insides like a tornado and scrambled his better judgment. He constantly wanted to be around her. It didn’t matter if she was across the studio or in another part of the house. He just wanted to know she was there. He wished he knew exactly how Sindy felt about him, but now wasn’t the time to get into it, and he shifted his thoughts back to today’s lesson.
Lucas picked up his notebook and flipped through the pages before deciding to cast it aside. They ran through two songs, and then took a break. “As soon as Tessa and Mason get here we can rehearse them again and hopefully get these two songs recorded in the next few days. I also have a playlist of all 16 songs that we picked to potentially add to our debut album. I want you to listen to them. Really listen to them. I want you to know them inside out. I want to know which you think are the best ones.”
Mason and Tessa entered the studio, followed by Lucas’ dad and Papi, along with Mason’s parents. Sindy’s hand flew to her mouth and she let out a tiny gasp as soon as she saw Jimmy Wilder, Immortal Angel’s iconic drummer.
“I brought my parents to meet you, Sindy,” Mason said.
Tessa took Sindy by the arm and pulled her over, excited to make the introduction. “This is Sindy Cavanaugh. She’s an awesome guitar player and an awesome friend. Sindy, this is Audra Abelman-Wilder, Mason’s mom. She’s the one setting up our tour. Oh, and this is Mason’s dad, Jimmy Wilder.”
Lucas chuckled at the way Tessa introduced Jimmy as an afterthought, because Sindy was dazzled at meeting him. Her hand shook as she extended it to Jimmy, too overwhelmed to say anything.
“Welcome on board,” Jimmy said. “I can’t wait to hear you play.”
Sindy shook his hand. “Th-Thank you. I’ve been working very hard.”
“I don’t doubt it.” Jimmy’s wide smile dimpled his cheek, much like Mason’s smile always did. “Tessa’s a beast.”
Sindy laughed awkwardly, still star-struck at being in the presence of three-quarters of Immortal Angel. It was a reaction that Lucas had become used to over the years, but watching Sindy, who was usually filled with composure, tremble at the introduction made Lucas chuckle. If Damien Diamond were to enter the room right now, she’d probably lose all bodily functions.
“Hi Sindy.” Mason’s mom smiled. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”
Sindy extended her hand, but Audra waved it away and gave her a hug instead. “Mason has told us so much about you. I have some great ideas for Prodigy.” Audra looked at everyone as she spoke. “I’ve been thinking a lot about marketing, and I want Prodigy to do their first show opening for Immortal Angel. What do you think?”
Excited chatter erupted as everyone voiced their approval. Everyone except Lucas. “No,” he said, adamantly. The room quieted down, and they all looked at him. “Maybe some time down the road, but not our first show. We don’t need to steal Immortal Angel’s fans.”
Shocked and surprised faces all stared at Lucas, the same way they had when he turned down Mr. Abelman’s deal at Falcon Records.
“Why are you all looking at me like that? We’ve had this conversation before. I told you. I’m not riding Immortal Angel’s coattails. Prodigy is making it on its own.”
Tessa huffed. “Again with this?”
“Nothing’s ever going to change how I feel about this. I want to be recognized for my talent. For my name. I’m tired of always being referred to as Tommy Blade’s son. I’m not a hand-me-down guitarist.” He looked pointedly at both Tessa and Mason. “You two never get compared the way I do. Is it so hard to understand why it bothers me so much?”
“I understand, son.”
The pain in his dad’s voice cut into Lucas. His dad looked physically wounded. Sadness projected from his usually bright eyes, and the corners of his mouth tugged downward.
Papi folded his arms across his chest, clearly disturbed that Lucas’ remark upset his dad. “I think you should take advantage of who your father is. You should use every possible advantage afforded to you.”
“I don’t want a short cut,” Lucas replied. “I want to make it on my own talent.”
“It’s not a shortcut,” Papi said. “It’s good business sense.”
“I want our own gig.” He hated going against Papi, but he couldn’t be more adamant about being recognized for his own hard work and dedication. He turned to Tessa for reinforcement. “Back me up on this.”
“Fine. I’m done arguing with you.” Tessa turned to Mason for his input. “Where do you stand?”
Mason shrugged with indifference. “I have confidence in Prodigy. Even if we were all totally unknown in the industry, we’d make it to the top. Our music and sound stand out. Opening for Immortal Angel would be really cool, but I’m good with our own gig if it means that much to Lucas.”
Lucas turned back to Papi and was met with a disapproving scowl. Mason’s parents had confusion spread across their faces, as if they couldn’t comprehend why a group just starting out, later in life than most, wouldn’t take advantage of an endorsement from world-renowned musicians. But it was the utterly disappointed and tortured expression on Lucas’ dad’s face that gutted him.
“I’m sorry Dad. It’s just that I want to know we’re famous in our own right.”
His dad nodded, but didn’t reply.
Audra spoke up and changed the subject, breaking the awkward cloud that hung over the room. “We have a photo shoot in a few days so I can get some stills out there. I hope you’re not camera shy, Sindy. We’re going to introduce you to the world.”
Sindy’s face lit up with excitement. “This whole thing is surreal. I can’t believe I’m going to be on TV.”
Audra smiled, amused at Sindy’s enthusiasm. “Get used to it, because all of you are going to be nationwide sensations very soon. Well, we’ve bothered you enough. Get back to making magic.”
With the tension diffused, the entourage of parents left the studio and Prodigy returned to their rehearsal session, which only lasted about another hour before Tessa declared a hiatus until tomorrow. She and Sindy went upstairs, while Mason and Lucas stayed behind.
Mason never moved off his stool and continued to pound on the drums, while Lucas
sat on the couch and watched his friend. His mind drifted to visions of the future notoriety and fame Prodigy would reap, and he knew he made the right decision by insisting they make it on their own.
After a half hour or so, Mason abruptly stopped playing, stuffed his sticks into the stick bag, and wiped the sweat from his face with a towel. He glowed. An open-mouthed smile brightened his face and his eyes danced with a euphoric high. “I’m done, bro.” He came down off his stool like a king leaving his throne and tried to give Lucas a bear hug.
“Dude, you stink.” Lucas pushed him away. “Go home and take a shower. Or use mine.”
Mason gave Lucas a hearty slap on the back. “Later. And don’t forget to give Sindy the laptop I loaded up for her.”
“I got it. Thanks, Mase.” After Mason left, Lucas pulled out the laptop from the cabinet and brought it upstairs to his suite. He knew Sindy was still with Tessa because he could hear the murmur of their voices and laughter coming from down the hall. He placed the laptop on his desk and waited. Like clockwork, Tessa went for her daily run on the beach fifteen minutes later. That’s when Lucas texted Sindy.
LUCAS: Come to my room. I have something for you.
He waited for her reply, but his phone remained silent. He started to send another text, when it came through.
SINDY: Not interested.
He chuckled at the screen.
LUCAS: It’s a laptop. Get your mind out of my pants.
Again, he smiled as he waited for her reply, imagining her brows pinched together and her lips pursed to the side infuriated at his remark.
A knock on the door made him jump to his feet. He opened it and found Sindy with her hands on her hips. She wore the exact face he had pictured a minute ago.
“Stop smiling. What’s this about a laptop?”
He walked over to his desk and picked it up to show her, but she remained in the doorway.
“I already have a laptop.”
“Not like this one. It has all our music on it. And it’s broken down piece by piece. The drums. The guitar. The bass. The vocals. It’s all broken into separate tracks so you can listen to it and understand the way the bass relates to the beat of the drum and how the rhythm enhances the melody. You can envision how the music is going to support and stand up to Tessa’s vocals.”
The annoyed smirk disappeared and a look of amazement passed over Sindy’s face. “I’ve never listened to music like that before.”
“C’mere. I’ll show you.” He opened the laptop and pulled up one of the tracks. “Shut the door,” he said, over his shoulder.
Genuinely interested, she didn’t hesitate or read into the remark. She shut the door without a retort and leaned over Lucas’ chair. He clicked on a button and the sound of his guitar played the melody to Rock God. He hit another button and the sound switched to Mason’s drumbeat. Another, and Tessa’s baseline filled the room. Then her vocals. “Now I’ll add them all together one at a time.” He clicked on the buttons in succession. “Guitar. Drums. Base. Vocals. And we have a song.”
Her eyes were wide and her expression animated as she stared at the laptop. “That’s awesome.”
She was so beautiful when she smiled like that, with enthusiasm and honesty, and Lucas found himself smiling back. Not in a provoking manner, for once, but sharing the joy of teaching her something knew.
“I can’t believe the way you broke down each instrument,” Sindy said with amazement. “I’m not used to this new intricate take on music. In the past, all I did was mimic the sounds I heard, or created my own. I never thought about how the notes and instruments played off each other. I never knew music was so beautifully complicated.”
“It is beautiful, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Very beautiful,” she agreed.
“But, it’s not complicated.”
“That’s easy for you to say.”
He stood and faced her. “It is easy. All you have to do is feel it. Right here.” He touched the center of her chest. “That rhythm has got to romance you and make you fall in love with it.”
“I’m already in love with it.” She looked down at his fingers. They weren’t moving or caressing her sternum. His two fingers simply rested between her breasts without any indication that he planned to remove them. Which he didn’t. Her breath quickened, and she swallowed hard. Finally, she stepped back. “Can we listen to some more music before this goes too far?”
He held his hands up and displayed an innocent smile. “I’m still just talking about music. You have a dirty mind and a naughty streak. I like it.”
“Do you do that on purpose?” She scowled at him. “Turn everything around so it looks like I’m coming on to you?”
He baited her with a crooked smile. “Is that what you’re doing? Coming on to me while I’m trying to give you a rhythm guitar lesson? You little flirt.”
Her chin dropped into her chest, and she wiped her hand across her brow. “I give up. You’re right. I can’t fight it any longer, Lucas. I’m done trying to deny it. You see right through me.” She slowly looked up. “The only reason I agreed to these lessons is to be alone with you. I’m obsessed with you.” She grabbed the front of his T-shirt and pulled him to her. “I want us to be together every second. I don’t ever want you out of my sight. I want to marry you and have 10 babies with you.”
His eyes grew wider with each sentence and nerves trickled down his back. He disengaged her hands from his shirt and quickly backed away. This chick was nuts! Then he saw the small smile on her lips, and he realized she was joking. He burst out laughing. “You almost had me for a second.”
“For a second? I thought you were going to shit your pants.”
Lucas listened to her carefree laughter. Although a part of him enjoyed the sarcasm and back-and-forth banter, he loved when she let go of the worry and frustration that she always carried with her.
Her face grew serious when she realized that he wasn’t laughing along with her, and she stared back at him. The connection they shared deepened, as if the outside world no longer existed and it was just the two of them. She took a few steps backwards, her eyes dropping to the floor for a brief second before meeting his gaze again. “I should go.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m in your bedroom.”
“No you’re not.” He pointed to the adjacent room. “My bedroom’s in there.”
She took another step backwards, which put her almost against the wall, but she didn’t attempt to leave.
“Why do you always second guess what your heart tells you?” he asked her. “I know you want to be with me.” He took a step toward her when she didn’t reply. And then another.
She licked her lips and swallowed. Her eyes said so much, even though her mouth said nothing.
Another step closer left little space between them, and he leaned his hand against the wall next to her head. It was a test, to see if she really wanted to go. He didn’t have to bother though. He knew the answer, which she confirmed by keeping her gaze fixated on him. He caressed the back of her neck with his free hand for a few seconds before he brought his lips down on hers. Not an invasive kiss, but a soft mouth-on-mouth tender display meant to show her how much he cared about her. Her lips were warm and fleshy, and the kiss lit up his insides, and he knew it did the same to Sindy. He could tell by the way she relaxed under his touch and the way her breaths deepened. Not to mention that soft little moan that escaped her.
When he pulled back, her eyes, shrouded by half-closed lids, gazed back at him with yearning.
“You can leave now. If you want.” He motioned his chin toward the door, just to her left. “Go ahead.” He dropped his arm and stepped back several inches, offering an easy escape. When she didn’t move, he reached for the door lever, but she stopped him with her hand. He didn’t even try to hide his smile as he leered at her.
She narrowed her eyes. “Damn you, Lucas Blade.” She took his face in her hands and kissed him deeply. Her breath was heavy on his cheek
s as she pressed her pelvis into his growing erection. The pent up passion inside this woman always made his insides burn and come alive. She stirred feelings inside of him that had been quiet for far too long. In the past, he’d always felt like he should have more desire for a woman. More passion. More lust. There couldn’t possibly be more of anything when it came to Sindy. She pushed all his emotions to the extreme. Her combative nature and independent thinking made him want to scream. Her feistiness made his insides burn red hot. Her confidence and talent sent his hormones into a spiraling tornado. The sweet, vulnerable girl she hid from the world brought out his nurturing instinct, something he didn’t even know he possessed, and the need to protect this woman overtook him. And when she touched him, like now, the way her hands roughly caressed his shoulders and back, as if she wanted to feel underneath his skin, made him ready to burst.
She suddenly took him by the wrist and tugged on his arm as she stormed into his bedroom. She ripped the covers off the bed with one sweep of her hand, leaving him standing with his mouth agape at her ferocity and impatience. His lips slowly curled into a coy smile as she pulled her clothing off in a matter of seconds and stood naked in front of him. She was a devil, laced with sin and seduction, like her name. Sindy.
He rushed at her, picked her up and tossed her on top of his bed, where she laughed and gently bounced on the pillow top mattress. He stripped off his clothes almost as fast as she had and dove onto the bed. His mouth was on hers in an instant while his hands pushed through her hair. While one arm cradled her, his free hand ran down her torso, over her hip, skimmed her outer thigh, then traveled up the inside of her leg. She let out a small gasp when he briefly cupped her mound, but he wasn’t ready to touch her there yet. He wanted to feel every inch of her. His hand resumed its exploration and swiped across her taut belly and slim waist. He cupped one breast in his hand while his thumb rotated against her nipple for a few seconds before moving to the slender arc of her neck. His hand came to rest on her cheek, and he paused to gaze into her eyes. He saw so much want there that it made his chest balloon. He couldn’t remember the last time someone had made his heart flutter and his head spin like she did.
LUCAS BLADE: Radical Rock Stars: Next Generation Duet Book 1 Page 15