Private Lessons

“Does he normally avoid you on trips like this?”

Sitting at the keyboard, I watched Chelsea from afar. Sprawled across her bed, she stared at the ceiling. I noticed how her dark waves poured from the edge of the mattress. Giving her a small break, she chose to relax. Even had a sac in her hand, tossing it in the air and catching it each time.

She didn’t bother bringing up the kiss after it happened. She remained focused, working hard to polish her skills. Though, she did bite her lip almost every time we finished a song. I think she’d let me kiss her as many times as I wanted. What a temptation. How in the hell did I have the strength to turn down a beauty like her?

“It’s his job to make sure everything runs smoothly,” I started back up. “If any of the people we work with slips up, he’s the one who has to deal with it. All that stress comes with its own grumpiness.”

“So you two were made for each other then.” From her grin, I knew she was teasing. All smiles, I wished space didn’t remain between us.

Less than a day together with the woman and I wanted to make her mine entirely. Get a taste of the rest of her. Play music alongside her. If she knew how greedy of a man I could get, would she still be interested in being at my side? Once she knew that from the moment my eyes laid on her, I didn’t want to be with her only for a few months, but for until the end of time?

What in the hell happened to me?

“Antonio?”

Snapping from the thoughts that threatened to send me down into a spiral of madness, I noticed a worried look on her face.

“You’re frowning. Are you alright?”

I’m known for my frowning. Even when I try not to, I frown. Could she really see the difference?

“I’m alright.” I tapped the seat next to me. “Come on, let’s go over the set again.”

Rolling onto her stomach, she dropped the sac with a nod. Once she sat at my side again, I felt like I could relax. Breathe normally without any troubling thoughts causing me to worry.

I needed to focus on the music.

By the time we’d finished up for the night, the sun had settled past the horizon. Back on our beds, another break crossed our path.

“Do you normally get room service or go and dine at some fancy restaurant?” Chelsea asked, the phone already in one hand and the menu in the other. “I’m not too picky. Wouldn’t mind something off the menu. Plane food didn’t cut it, first-class or not.”

Snorting, I snatched the menu from her hold before sitting on my bed. Giving the menu a glance, I tried to see if anything looked appetizing. “Do you think I go around flaunting my riches?”

She hummed in thought. “I suppose if I had the kind of money you did, I’d want to blow it. Being as successful as you are, I’d make it rain every chance I had. So, what’s for dinner?”

Peering at her past the menu, I thought about it. Rather than sitting in a room packed with others, I think I’d rather enjoy a meal with her alone.

“I normally go the room service route. Not big on social settings most of the time. Order whatever you want. Double it for me as long as you don’t go ordering the whole menu.” Worried about the power I gave her, I hoped she wouldn’t go to that extent.

She laughed at the idea, already dialing the number. “I’ll do you one better. I’ll order it all and we can share it.” Her mischievous grin left me wondering how serious she actually was.

Luckily for me, she ordered some ribs and chicken parmesan. A little messy for my taste, but she earned it.

After insisting on putting on a movie while we ate, she claimed my bed like it was her own. Promised that if she made a mess, she’d offer her bed up as compensation. As if I had the strength to kick her off.

Once our food was eaten, she stretched out across the blanket and got incredibly comfortable.

I was supposed to make us go another round on her keyboard. I was supposed to make her play the songs over and over until her fingers threatened to fall off.

For once, I forced myself to acknowledge that we had two weeks to train. Ending training a little earlier than planned would be alright. She’d already impressed me far more than I could have imagined.

I needed to relax, learn how to anyway. Laying next to her, I tried to focus on the movie she picked. After insisting on how good it was, I agreed to watch it.

Hard to focus on the screen with her laying down next to me. Didn’t take long for my eyes to drift over in her direction.

I didn’t expect her to already be looking in my direction with an expression that made my stomach drop.