Best Friends Forever

“I really like you, Ian,” she says softly, and I tighten my arm around her, placing a kiss on the top of her head.

“I really like you too, Chelsea. And I really like making music with you.”

She looks up at me, her face splitting into a grin that takes my breath away. “It’s pretty good, isn’t it?”

“When we’re on our game, there’s nothing better.”

She nods and then her face falls. “I’m sorry about freaking out yesterday…”

“I understand why you did it.” She’s had a lot swirling around in that pretty head of hers and I was just a splinter jabbing at an old wound that still hasn’t healed. “Though I’d prefer if you didn’t do it again,” I say truthfully. “I’ve had a lot of people give up on me and I don’t know if I can handle you doing it too.”

She looks at me like it’s the first time she’s considered how her actions affected me, and to her credit she looks suitably horrified. “You’re right, that was really crappy of me.”

“Also that little silent treatment thing?”

Her face goes red. “Immature, I know,” she says, sounding ashamed.

I lift her chin with my finger, bringing her eyes up to meet mine. “Don’t worry, beautiful,” I say, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. “We’re good now, aren’t we?”

She nuzzles into my chest, nodding. “Yeah, we are.”

We stay like that for a long, long time, enjoying the silence and each other’s company. The sun’s moved a considerable distance across the sky when I finally sigh and say, “We should probably head back to the studio and show that song who’s boss.”

The reluctance she has toward getting up is a reward in itself, but I still have to get up and stretch out my sore muscles. I hold a hand out to her and she slips hers into it, letting me pull her up. Our hands stay linked until we get to the parking lot and have to go our separate ways.

“See you there,” she says, perching up on her toes to kiss my cheek.

The whole way back to the studio I feel like I’m flying. Soaring freely without a care in the world. All that anger and annoyance and uncertainty is gone. I feel good about this thing with Chelsea, whatever it is. I feel like it could be the start of something real. Something realer than I’ve ever had. Something realer than I ever imagined I could have. And Chelsea herself is beyond anything I deserve—beautiful, talented, compassionate, and feisty as hell. What more could a guy want?

And she accepts me, warts and all. I know it’s not easy for her, but she believes me when I tell her I’m clean. She’s willing to give me a shot even though it could break her. I don’t take that responsibility lightly and I’m not going to let her down.

Rosa and Merrill both look unsure when we walk back into the studio one after the other. They look like they’re waiting for a judge to come deliver a verdict, all solemn faces and measured anxiety.

But Chelsea and I dive in without saying a word to anyone and the music flows. We get every note, every beat, every ounce of emotion we can manage into that song and it’s pure magic. Maybe the best thing we’ve done together so far. I look over to Chelsea at the end of the song and she felt it too. Her eyes are wild and bright, pleased like I’ve never seen them. And there’s something else lingering there, something warm that’s just for me. It sends a jolt straight to my cock and I have to turn my attention away from her before the situation gets embarrassing.

Merrill and Rosa are both silent, stunned, almost like they’re hesitant to get too excited because it might not be real. But then we dive into the next song and it’s just as good. It’s like we can do no wrong now, recording the whole song through in one take. That’s basically unheard of for anything other than live recordings, but with Chelsea, the music flows naturally. It just pours out of me, and I think it works the same for her with me. It might be the emotions, it might be chemistry, and years of professional work under our belts make it possible, but it’s something and that something is amazing.

After two songs we call it a day since we wasted the whole morning. But that’s still damn good progress and I’m feeling really good about how the day went overall. I started today not knowing what was in store and now I have something new—I’m not sure I would call her a new girlfriend, but I don’t need a label to be happy about whatever she is to me.

We’re packing up our stuff and the managers are already gone when Chelsea tosses her hair over her shoulder and turns to me, suddenly looking bashful. It’s such a surprising look on her that I almost laugh, but it’s so damn cute that I don’t want to make her angry and ruin it.

“So, do you wanna keep working on the new song tonight?” she asks casually. I hear something else in her voice, but I don’t know what it is. I can’t quite place it. Maybe nerves?

“Sure, you’re welcome any time.”

“You’re not the only one with a home studio, you know,” she says smartly, smirking despite the sharp tone. “Besides, it’s my turn to host.”

There’s another layer beneath her invitation. Something suggestive and teasing. Am I imagining it because I want it to be there? Is she really just inviting me back to her place for work? I feel like Chelsea and I turned a corner today, but I’m not really sure what’s waiting for us on the other side, so I need to play it cool.

I nod, slinging my guitar case over my shoulder. “Deal. But I get the food this time. How do you feel about sushi?”

“I like eel rolls,” she answers, grinning.

Yeah. I’m really not sure this is a just-for-work thing, but I’m not going to presume anything until she’s asking for my eel roll.

“Ask and you shall receive,” I say, stealing a kiss before she can stop me and heading out, eager as a schoolboy to get to her place and find out what’s in store for me.

Chapter 10