“It’s not,” Bea whispered back. “That’s why I leave it to the real piano players.”

“Why Bea, is that a compliment?” But Bunny started to play, not wanting to turn the pleasantry into another heated discussion.

Bea’s reply was a smile as the notes filled the room and Bunny’s chest. Bea hit the first note in the song, her voice pure and strong as she sang out. Surprise ricocheted through Bunny, and she had to work hard to keep her gaze on the music in front of her and not look at Bea because then she’d be completely lost. Bunny divided her focus, listening to Bea’s amazing voice and keeping her fingers moving on the keyboard.

The lyrics filled her soul.

Good Morning Heartachebut with a modern twist, with Bea’s pure angelic voice pulling the notes and the lyrics togetherlike the worst heartbreak song on the planet. Bunny blinked back tears. She couldn’t dare herself to look at Piper because she would completely lose it. She would break down from the amount of emotion in Bea’s voice, in the way she moved through the melody.

When Bea finished, Bunny sat back, awash with awe. “You’re amazing.”

“I’ve always had an affinity for jazz.”

“Based on what I’ve heard you sing, I think you could sing anything you set your mind to.”

“High compliment coming from you.” Bea beamed.

Bunny snorted lightly and rolled her eyes, but a smile played at her lips. “It’s well deserved.”

“Sing with me then.”

“I don’t know about that.” Bunny’s stomach roiled. There was no way she would be able to match Bea’s talent. Bunny had a voice, but more than anything she had the business mindset and acuity to get her to the top, or at least closer than she had been when starting out. That was what had propelled her and Piper upward. Not because of her abilities but because of her tenacity. Bea didn’t need that. She had the fucking raw talent that Bunny lacked.

“Please.” Bea pulled up another song and set it on the piano.

Bunny stared at it, narrowing her gaze in curiosity. What the hell was Bea up to now?

“You start. I’ll follow.” Bea rested her chin on Bunny’s shoulder as they reached the first line of lyrics.

Bunny took the alto lower part toShallow.She sight-read the music as best she could, but she knew this song well enough to not feel chained to the music like she had with the last one. When Bunny finished her part, Bea immediately started, changing the lyrics slightly to be about two women instead of aman and a woman. The hair on Bunny’s neck stood straight up, but she ignored it.

No one would notice, would they?

They kept singing, their voices blending after the nearly full week of practice. They could hear each other in ways they wouldn’t have been able to before. Bunny instinctively knew when Bea would breathe and when she wouldn’t.

They finished the song, and a round of applause erupted around them. But Bunny couldn’t tear her gaze away from Bea. What were they doing here?

“Come home with me.”

“What?” Bea wrinkled her nose.

“Come home with me. Tonight.”

“I thought we weren’t going to do this again.” Bea lowered her voice so no one else could hear them.

“I changed my mind.” Desperation clung to Bunny. She couldn’t say why she wanted this. All she knew was that she had to have Bea, all of her, every inch that she was willing to give. And worse than that, she wanted Bea, not just her body. But maybe her body could ease some of this confusion bubbling up within her.

“Why?”

Damn her for asking the one question that Bunny couldn’t answer. Dashing her tongue against her lips, Bunny dropped her gaze to Bea’s mouth, to those scrumptious lips that would feel so good, taste amazing. Slowly raising her gaze up to meet Bea’s eyes, Bunny said the first thing that came to her mind. “Because you deserve to be worshipped.”

Bea gasped. She held Bunny’s gaze, her lips slightly parted, her breathing in short rasps.

“Tonight.”

“Tonight?” Bea repeated as a question.

“Yes. Right now.” Bunny couldn’t explain why she needed this to happen immediately. But something had changed. Something was different.