Page 31 of Tempt

It was beautiful.

For once I was glad for my grandfather’s obsession with classical music. It was all he listened to, even on long road trips. He had season passes to the symphony and required that I attend at least two concerts a season with him. We’d dress up and I’d sit quietly beside him, caught between extreme boredom and feeling delightfully grownup. He’d drum the beat on his knee and wink at me. During intermission he’d fill my brain with the biography of each composer and the story behind each song.

I wasn’t musically gifted. I could barely play the flute and I made a piano sound like a xylophone being played by a two year old. But I appreciated it, thanks to my grandfather.

And because of that education, I knew what I was hearing from the other side of that door. So instead of knocking or letting myself into Theo’s sanctuary, I leaned against the wall and listened.

As I heard him play and pause, then play again, I felt like I was getting a look straight into his heart and soul. We’d shared little pieces of ourselves, but nothing like this. Listening to Theo create music from the chaos in his mind was more intimate than anything I’d ever shared with anyone—and I wasn’t invited or in the same room.

My heart beat faster as I laid my head against the wall. I was falling for Theo. Sexy, confusing, brilliant Theo. I knew this would happen from the moment we met, but somehow the power of what I was feeling, and the weight that came with it, was surprising.

And there was a vast difference between thinking something and actually living it.

Now that I was knee-deep in the murky waters, I was really beginning to realize how hard this was going to be. It wasn’t just a connection or an emotion I was feeling. Mysoulwas binding with his. It was happening whether I wanted it to or not. My permission was not needed or wanted.

What Ididhave power over was whether he destroyed me in the process. Even if I walked away today and vowed to never see or care about Theo ever again, it wouldn’t work. A piece of me would be left behind. It was too late to walk away.

So I had no choice but to succeed. I couldn’t let Theo push me away.Myheart and soul depended on it.

As beautiful as it was to stand and listen to Theo’s music, I couldn’t spend another moment invading his privacy. I pushed off the wall and padded back to the kitchen to make us breakfast before we each went to work.

* * *

“Breakfast!”I yelled at the top of my lungs as I placed our plates on the reclaimed wood table. I smiled at the brief memory of being laid out on this table.

I heard the piano stop so I yelled a second time in case Theo was wondering if he’d actually heard a woman yelling from his kitchen. A moment later the door opened and Theo, dressed in a white undershirt and sexy black pajama pants, came walking down the hallway with a curious look on his scruffy face.

I plopped into my seat and started shoving eggs in my mouth. I was starving and I didn’t want to have an awkward conversation any more than Theo did.

“This looks amazing. Thank you,” he said as he dropped a kiss on the top of my head and took the seat beside me.

“You’re welcome. I thought food might lure you out of your sanctuary.”

His eyes flicked to mine. The gears in his head were turning so fast I thought steam might come out the top. He was probably running scenarios five steps out and in ten different ways, trying to figure out what my motivations were, what the consequences would be. I was willing to bet Theo was a brilliant chess player.

“Do you win in two moves?” I asked between bites of cinnamon raisin toast.

“Excuse me?”

I waved with the toast as I spoke. “In chess. Do you win in two moves or three?”

He paused for another moment before picking up the fresh cup of coffee I placed by his plate. “Depends on who I’m playing. I have been known to win in two from time to time.”

I chewed and nodded, paying more attention to my plate than Theo. “Figured.”

He set his mug down and folded his hands in his lap as he sat back and looked me over. “And why is that, may I ask?”

I pointed my finger at his forehead. “You think I can’t see all that thinking? Pros, cons, costs, benefits, motivations, all ten moves out? You’re picturing your entire day in ten different ways.”

His face went blank. “Excuse me?”

I rolled my eyes. “Stop thinking so much, Theo,” I sighed. “You can trust me.”

“Trust is earned,” he replied immediately.

I cringed. I couldn’t stop the reaction and really, I think it was for the best. He needed to see how things like that affected me. I pulled my upper lip between my teeth and counted to ten before I picked up my fork and went back to eating. “Look, you can force me to jump through as many hoops as you want. Whatever makes you comfortable. But it doesn’t change me or who I am. All it does is take time.”

There was nothing but silence as I ate the rest of my egg. I glanced back at Theo to find him sitting completely still, staring at his food.

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