Page 116 of The Music Demon

“Put me down, caveman. You’re making me dizzy.”

He put her down, but shut her mouth with a dizzying kiss. “You sure they want me?”

“They’re taking my word that there’s nobody better.”

He grinned. What guy doesn’t want to hear that? “Let’s go upstairs and celebrate.”

Something about the idea of performing on that stage was making him horny as hell.

“I’m making phone calls. And you’re busy making sure you know the songs on the set list. Or you should be.”

“You have the set list?”

“Yes. Right here.” She reached for a pad on the desk.

He grabbed it, scanned it, put it back, and began backing her toward the stairway to heaven. “It can wait. First, us. You and me. Then Roundabout.”

Coming to a full stop, she said, “Compromise. First you call them and tell them yes, you’re their boy. Then we’ll see about that celebration.” She wiggled her eyebrows.

“Deal.” He reached to his pants pocket. “Who am I talkin’ to? And do you have a number?”

“Miles Raddish. And, yes, Doo. I have a number.” She deadpanned. “That’s how I made the connection for you.” Ignoring her playful barb, he was patting all his pockets; pants and vest. “What are you doing?”

“I’m looking for my…” He froze, at the brink of making the very kind of mistake Lyric had warned about. Over and over again. Doo counted it a blessing that he’d stopped himself just short of saying the word ‘phone’ or she would have been sure he was certifiable. “Looking for my gum. Don’t wanna sound nervous when I talk to them.”

“Oh.” She looked toward the bordello room. “I think I have some in a desk drawer. Spearmint okay?”

He smiled partly because of her nurturing nature and partly from the relief of having narrowly dodged an acutely awkward incident. If he caused her to doubt his sanity, it would jeopardizeeverything.

Silently vowing to be more careful, he said, “Perfect.”

Two days later Doo and Cass were headed to Monterey at the same time Lyric was sharing the news with Shivaun that Doo was playing his first big ‘recital’, as she’d called it.

The idea of Lyric’s protégé making good was an off-the-charts delight, but her pleasure at seeing the demon as atwitter as a girl going to prom? Nothing could compare to the charm of that. It made the warmth in her middle expand beyond what she’d thought was possible.

Seizing the opportunity to tease, Shivaun looked at her nails and pretended to be indifferent. “I suppose that means you’ll be wanting to go.”

Lyric’s face fell into a gape.

She looked up, pointed his direction, and started laughing. “Of course we’ll go, silly.” Lyric’s smile was uncertain, but began to return slowly. “When is it?”

“It starts tomorrow. I don’t expect you to want to hang around for the whole three days, but…”

“THREE DAYS? Doo’s not playin’ for three days.”

“No. He’s not, but somebody is. It’s a festival. Nothing like this has EVER happened before. Ever! It’s the most important historical event in history, the first rock festival. Three days. Thirty bands.” He said ‘thirty bands’ with a dreamy look on his face like he’d just set foot in the promised land. “We’ll figure out when Doo is up. He’s standing in for Roundabout’s lead guitar. Who has chicken pox.”

The way Lyric smiled at that had Shivaun narrowing her eyes. “Demon! Did you give the fella chicken pox so your boy could have a taste of star fever?”

“No!” Shivaun relaxed visibly when no sneeze was forthcoming. “But now that you bring it to my attention, it would have been a great idea!”

She shook her head at him. “’Tis all the better to have fate intervene. That way we know ‘tis meant to be.”

“I don’t believe in ‘meant to be’. I believe in taking steps to make what you want happen.”

Not wanting to ruin the moment with a philosophical argument, she opted for diplomacy. “Well. I suppose there’s somethin’ to be said for both points of view.”

“Let’s not argue philosophy. Let’s go.”

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