Page 125 of Sins (The Sins Trilogy 1)
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Iris
I stop, the final note of “La Campanella” fading into the air. I turn to Tony, who’s been listening from an armchair he moved closer to the Steinway.
“Well?” I say. I’m dying to know what he thinks, because his opinion matters. He matters.
“You’ve gotten much better,” he says.
“That’s a funny thing to say. You’ve never heard me play ‘La Campanella’ before.
He closes his eyes briefly. “I meant compared to the video.”
Does he think I’m that scatterbrained? “That was Grand Galop Chromatique. And silly, empty flattery will get you nowhere.” A mock pout on my lips, I stand.
He takes my wrist and pulls me onto his lap. “You sure? I’ll be happy to prove you wrong.”
I laugh, then try to tickle him. During our weekend together, I discovered one small spot on his side where he’s particularly sensitive. I love it because it’s unexpectedly vulnerable and sweet that a man as sophisticated and hard as Tony can be ticklish.
“Don’t even think about it,” he warns me, but there’s a smile in his voice.
“Oh, come on. One last time before I have to go home.”
He sobers. “Go home?”
I nod.
“Why? You can leave from here tomorrow.”
“I can’t go like this.” I hold out his dress shirt.
“I’ll have a new set of clothes brought for Monday.”
It’s really tempting, but… I shake my head. “I want to get a few things and get some decent sleep. It won’t be possible with you next to me, so…home.”
His eyebrows pinch together, his mouth set in a mulish line. I rub his lower lip until he no longer looks vaguely dissatisfied. “I still don’t like it,” he says.
“Why?” I think of a compromise. “How about if we spend the evening together at my place untiiil…let’s say ten?”
“I hate that you think of it as your home. It’s Byron’s place.”
Oh my.“Are you jealous?”
“Yes.” He gives me an “and I’m not ashamed to admit it” look. “Why should you spend another night under his roof? The very idea is offensive.”
Tony has a point. If I were him, I’d be annoyed, too, but only because I didn’t understand the real situation. Time to clear things up once and for all. “Byron’s just a friend, Tony. You wouldn’t object if I stayed with Julie.”
“Because she’s a girl, and you don’t play for the other team.”
“I don’t play for Team Byron either.”
“Maybe. But he’s definitely playing on Team Iris.”
Huh?“What makes you think that?”
“I saw you and him outside Hammers and Strings.”
“And you got ‘Byron’s trying to sleep with Iris’ out of that interaction?” And I thought my imagination could go a little wild from time to time. “He gave me a ride. That’s all.”
