Page 13 of Christmas Music
“Oh my God, it’s feeding time. I’ve got to go.”
He was up and running out of the room before I could ask what ‘feeding time’ was, his guitar abandoned in the seat he’d been sitting in. And without thinking twice about it, I abandoned my own guitar and darted after him.
CHAPTER7
Connor
Ihate to admit that I didn’t really even wait to see whether Olivia was following me or not. Honestly, the thought didn’t cross my mind. All I could think was that I was already nearly half an hour late for the feeding, and if my dad noticed what time it was and saw that I hadn’t started yet...
He might decide to take care of it himself. And he might get hurt doing it. I’d moved home specifically to keep him from doing things like that, and I wasn’t going to give myself a break just because I’d been stuck in a recording studio with a beautiful girl all day and had been enjoying it so much that I’d lost track of time.
I also wasn’t going to stand around and explain any of that to the beautiful girl in question. She was a star in Nashville who had a boyfriend, and I was positive she already knew exactly how intriguing she was. She didn’t need me going on and on about it.
Hell, she probably wouldn’t even like me mentioning it. This was, after all, the girl who’d been too popular all through high school to bother looking my way more than once. Twice, max.
She’d probably been counting the seconds until she could get out of that recording room and away from me. Sure, I’d thought there was chemistry between us as we were going through the chords and teasing that melody out of our brains. A couple of times I’d looked up to see her staring at me and had seen a whole lot more than just music in her eyes.
But I was positive I’d been imagining all that. Thinking anything else was just going to get me into trouble. Which was why I was so surprised when I came to a quick stop in the kitchen next to a plate of sandwiches... and felt a small body run right into my back.
I turned, surprised and way too pleased, and looked down to see a red-cheeked Olivia looking up at me. “Do you always run into people this much?” I asked, unable to keep the grin off my face.
Her own face split into a wryer version of the grin. “Not really.”
“I just bring it out in you, eh?” I asked, pausing for a bite of the sandwich I’d grabbed.
She gave me a saucy, teasing look. “Definitely something you should brag about. ‘I make normally graceful girls incredibly clumsy. Come hang out with me for a good time.’”
I barked with laughter at that and gestured to the plate. “Hungry?”
She cast a surprised look at the sandwiches. “Did you mean it was feeding time forus?” A doubtful glance up and down my body, and the saucy look turned even sassier. “You went running out of the room because you’d heard your mom making lunch for you?”
I laughed again, partially at the thought of me having done that and partially at the look on her face. “I appreciate your assumption that I love food that much. But no. The sandwiches are just a bonus. Come on. Or...” I glanced at her with sudden doubt. “Actually, you’d better stay here. I have to feed the cattle and horses, but I’ll be back in a little. Help yourself to whatever you want.”
She immediately straightened up and lifted her chin. “I don’t think so. If you’re feeding the cattle, I’ll help. After all, you’re letting me use your recording studio for free.”
Now that was questionable. The girl was more than holding her own when it came to the flow of ideas in there, and I wasn’t immune to the charm of sitting there staring at her for hours and hours.
I didn’t know how she’d feel about me saying she was paying me with her presence, though, so I just shrugged. “If you’re sure you can handle it.”
She snorted and pushed past me. “Come on, cowboy, let’s get this done.”
* * *
I led Olivia into the hay barn, shoving the rest of the sandwich into my mouth as we went, and came to a stop in the middle of the space. This was one of my favorite spots on the entire ranch, especially early in the morning and late in the afternoon, like right now. The sun came slanting through the windows along the tops of the walls and hit the stacks of hay and the dust motes floating in the air, casting everything in a golden glow that always made me think I’d happened into another world.
I took a deep breath and turned to see Olivia gazing around us, her eyes glassy with the same sort of wonder.
“This is... gorgeous,” she said, sounding as though this was the last thing she’d been expecting.
“I’ve always thought so,” I replied. “This is my favorite time of day in here. The sun hits the windows just right, and...” I let the thought die, looking around and thinking that the sight itself was probably descriptive enough.
“Right,” she sighed. “The entire place turns golden. And it smells...”
She inhaled deeply, and I followed suit.
“Like hay,” I said helpfully.
She reached out and poked me right in the stomach, and I doubled over, surprised at the sudden contact. And the sudden surge of warmth flowing through my limbs, which had absolutely nothing to do with the winter sunshine or the golden light around us.
