No Strings Attached Read Online Free PDF Page B

and the bit of electricity that jumped from his fingers to my own sent a shiver down my spine. I swallowed and cautiously hooked my arm with his, forcing a smile when he glanced at me.
    “Nervous?” he asked, digging in his other pocket for his keys. “Don't be. You'll be fine.”
    The music isn't what concerns me. Okay, so that was a lie. I was still worried about how I'd sound seeing as I didn't have a violin to practice on, but that wasn't why my stomach had tied itself in knots or why my fingers twitched.
    I withdrew my arm from his once we were inside and, very casually, removed my coat to hide the shaking of my hands.
    “Coffee?” Thayre threw back over his shoulder as he headed toward the kitchen.
    Like I need my hands to shake even more. “And get stuck staying up all night? I think I'll pass.”
    “You wouldn't mind if I got some for myself, would you?”
    “Not at all. But tell me you aren't planning an all-nighter again tonight.”
    He offered me a sheepish grin once I joined him in the kitchen. “You know me too well.”
    “You really haven't changed, have you?”
    Thayre filled a pot of water and dumped it into the coffee maker before turning it on. “It wasn't for my lack of trying. I tried a few odd jobs, but none of them ever felt right. When I was grooming flowers for arrangements, all I could think about was how some of the stems felt like the bow of a violin, and when I tried out a job tuning pianos, I spent more time playing than I spent fixing them—and I don't play.”
    “Well, you obviously did.”
    “By ear maybe, but certainly not as a career choice.”
    “So how did you get the gig as a conductor anyway?”
    He shrugged. “Those jobs were back in high school. By the time school ended, I figured I may as well stick with what I'm good at. Got tired of the music programs on campus, started looking for other people I could practice with, and everything else fell into place.” Thayre removed a pair of mugs from one of the cabinets, filling one cup with the fresh coffee after setting the other on the counter. “Are you sure you don't want anything?”
    “After that milkshake? No thanks.”
    “I have hot chocolate.”
    “Tempting, but for now, I think I'll pass.”
    “Fair enough.” After adding sweeteners to his coffee, he gestured toward the basement door. “I'm sure you don't need to be shown the way.”
    I shivered as much from his smile as the thought of playing in front of him again. You're here now. No sense backing out. Even if I did, I'd probably regret it in the morning. It's just music. God, I hope what I wrote sounds as good as it reads on paper.
    As soon as I reached the last step, something inside me clicked. It was as though all my doubts melted away. There was something about this room that put me at ease, even with Thayre following close behind me. It felt familiar. Like I'd been here before; not in this room, but in this frame of mind.
    The melody played in the back of my mind, and before I knew it, I was humming loud enough for Thayre to hear.
    “No, don't ruin it,” he said, grabbing my hand before directing me into his studio. He sat me on the stool, smiled, then took Angie out of her case. “Feel free to tune her if she doesn't sound right.”
    I studied his beloved violin once he'd plugged it in. Fortunately, Angie was tuned perfectly. Thayre was still in the room, but like last time, he stepped behind me where I couldn't see him. Not that it helped my nerves any. The sense of calm I'd experienced after stepping into the basement was gone. My heart skipped as soon as I pulled my rough sheet music out of my purse.
    I could sense Thayre watching me, his eyes on my posture, and I quickly corrected it on the off chance I was slouching.
    “Are you okay?” he asked, not moving from his place behind me.
    That tone. No, I was putting too much thought into this. No way Thayre was a Dom, but if he wasn't, everything I'd experienced since I hit that last step suddenly