Page 8 of A Duet of Darkness and Dreams

She blinks. “About what?”

I can’t help but smile. What about her face makes me want to smile so much? Is it that dimple in her cheek? I wish I could see it again.

“The music.”

Her lips part. “Oh, I said . . . I thought you heard me—”

“I heard what you said, but I’m asking what youreallythought. You know, away from the obligatory praise society expects you to dole out when you’re hanging out with performers.”

She shifts her weight between her heeled feet, color darkening her cheeks. She laughs, then takes a drag of her cigarette. “It was . . .” She blows out a cloud of smoke. “Interesting.”

I can’t help my grin. I knew it. “Interesting, huh?”

Covering her face with her free hand, she shakes her head. “God, I’m sorry. That was . . . and you asked—”

I laugh. “It’s all right. I’m not offended.”

She lowers her hand. “Really? You’re not?”

“Not at all.”

Tension leaves her shoulders, and they fall from where they were hiked up around her ears. “Good. It’s not that I didn’t like it, I did. It’s just not usually what I listen to. I’m a little out of my element here.”

I take another drag of my cigarette and inhale. “So, what do you normally listen to?”

She worries her bottom lip, her brows knitting together asthough she’s not sure whether to divulge the truth. Like it’s some big secret. Then she leans toward me and whispers, “Disco.”

My face makes an involuntary spasm.

“Come on!” she says, stamping her foot adorably.

“I’m sorry,” I say, chuckling. “Disco, yeah that’s . . .interesting.”

She narrows her eyes, but there’s a subtle smirk pulling at the corner of her mouth. “Yeah, yeah, all right. It happens to be very popular, you know.”

I nod my head. “Unfortunately, yes. I’m aware. But don’t worry, I won’t hold it against you.”

“Right.” She looks at me for a long moment, then we both take another drag, her cigarette nearly gone. I find myself hoping she’ll grab another so she’ll stay outside. “Not a fan of interviews?” she asks.

My head tilts. “Interviews?”

She jerks her chin back toward the bar. “I don’t think you spoke the entire time I was asking questions for the article.” She looks down, tucking her hair behind her ear. “I assumed you weren’t very comfortable with my inquisition.”

My lips twist.Shit.So she did notice that. Normally I’m the chatty one. Happy to talk to anyone and answer any question, but I was so blindsided by trying not to stare at her like a creep that I wasn’t able to contribute to the conversation at all. I shrug and smirk back at her. “Didn’t want to overpower the other guys.”

“Oh.”

I take another drag and raise a brow at her.What is she thinking?

“Sorry,” she says with a small laugh, stubbing her cigarette out on the bricks then flicking it into the ashtray. “I thought you . . .” Her face twists. “Never mind.”

“No, what—? What were you going to say?”

She takes a long, deep breath, those brown eyes sparkling inthe patio lights. “I thought maybe, I don’t know, I said something to offend you. Before the show, in the hallway, you were—”

I already know what she’s going to say. I was flirting—I was into her. So into her that I was five seconds away from pinning her against the wall and kissing her until she was breathless. But that all changed when . . .

“Then Becks came along and you went quiet, and I thought maybe I offended you.”

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