Ravensong (10 page)

She nodded. “I had it all
figured out, neat as you please, until you came and started
throwing logic in my face.”

He chuckled. “Well?” He
looked at the sheet music on the piano and fingered it. “What got
us on this topic?”

“
I said I didn’t know you
played.”

“
Oh, yeah, the cultured
thing, I remember. Anyway, once I started school and learned how to
fit in with all the other good little white kids, my mother decided
I needed to learn how to play the piano. So I did.”

“
From the sounds of it, you
didn’t just learn to play, you’re a regular maestro.”

“
Music’s always come
easy.”

“
I’d heard you played the
guitar.”

“
Yes.”

“
What else?”

“
Bass, drums, harmonica if
I want.”

“
Hell, Joshua Ravensong, is
there anything you can’t play?”

“
Plenty, but thanks for the
compliment.”

“
You play almost every
instrument in a band, sing like an angel, write lyrics and music,
act...not to mention your way with women...”

“
Angel, no one’s ever
accused me of that before.”

“
What?”

“
You said I sing like an
angel.”

She blushed and dropped her
eyes. “Did I?”

He laughed at her
embarrassment. “You did.”

She glanced at him from the
corner of her eyes. “Well, it’s late. I’d better go.”

He looked toward the clock
on the wall. “Wow, you ain’t kiddin’.” Then his gaze dropped to her
again. “Listen, Elena. I know we started off kinda rough, but I do
appreciate you listening to me ramble on about my sorry
life.”

“
I like to listen to you.
That’s what friends do.”

He seemed surprised for a
moment, then quickly blustered through it. “Yeah, of course.
Anyway, friend, let me walk you to your car, seeing how late it is
and all.”

“
Oh, I forgot, the ever
chivalrous Joshua Ravensong.”

He laughed again, a deep
rumbling that thrilled Elena. “If that’s what you think, hell, I’ll
keep up the pretense,” he said.

She nodded at the piano. “Don’t let me
keep you from this. It isn’t far from the elevator to my car,
besides the security booth is right there. I don’t want to disrupt
the genius.”

“
Are you sure?” His fingers
touched the keys again and she knew he hadn’t finished
creating.

“
Absolutely, but I
appreciate the offer.”

He shrugged. “It’ll always be
there.”

She smiled and rose to her feet. As
she walked toward the door, he immediately picked up the previous
strain of music. She halted in the doorway and glanced back. A
wistful ache pulsed inside of her.

Shoving the door open, she stepped
out.

“
He’s not the only one who
can play, you know?” came a voice.

Elena gasped and glanced up. A man
with lanky blond hair stood before her. He wore a t-shirt and jeans
with holes at the knees. She didn’t recognize him. “I’m sorry. You
startled me.”

“
I’m Alec, one of the
roadies.”

“
Hi, Alec,” she said,
forcing a smile. Her heart was pounding. “I’m Elena.”

“
I know who you are. I know
everyone here.”

Elena’s smile grew brittle. “Well,
nice to meet you,” she said, walking past him for the
elevator.

“
If you want to hear me
play sometime, I’d be happy to show you.”

“
Thanks,” said Elena. She
pushed the button on the elevator and clutched her purse
closer.

“
Everyone thinks he’s so
great, but I can play that well too.”

“
I’m sure you can,” she
said, glancing over her shoulder. She didn’t like that he’d come up
behind her like this. She pressed the elevator button
again.

“
It’s his looks, you know?
That’s why he’s famous. He isn’t that talented.”

She nodded. “Okay.” The elevator
opened and she stepped quickly inside. “Again, nice to meet you,
Alec.”

“
Yeah.” He put a hand on
the door and stopped it from closing. “Not that I don’t think he’s
a good guy, but he’s not a god.”

She shook her head. “I didn’t think he
was.”

“
Okay, well, good night,
Elena.”

“
Good night, Alec,” she
said stiffly as he released the door. When it finally closed and
she felt the elevator descend, she released her held breath.
Brushing her fingers over her lips, she was surprised she was
shaking so.

* * *

Joshua bounded down the
hall, feeling alive and full of energy. He peeked in at Elena’s
secretary and gave her a smile that could send the most hard core
woman swooning. She returned his smile and batted her lashes
provocatively. As he stepped through the doorway, his eyes went to
the inner door. He couldn’t believe how much he wanted to see her.
He was behaving just like a boy with his first crush. There were
many years and many women between that time and now, Joshua
reminded himself.

But something about last
night, talking with Elena, telling her more personal things than
he’d ever told anyone made him feel anxious, excited, and a little
vulnerable. He’d had a difficult time sleeping last night and even
so, he’d dreamed of Elena again.

“
Hiya, Simone,” he said,
flashing her another smile.

Her eyes took in his form
as she leaned back in her chair. “Hiya, darlin’, how you
been?”

He glanced at her briefly.
“Fine, Elena in.”

Deliberately Simone leaned
forward, offering him a view of her ample cleavage. “What can I do
for you?” she asked suggestively.

Again his eyes met hers.
“Is Elena in her office?”

“
She’s hanging pictures or
something,” she said in irritation. “Been banging on the walls all
morning.”

“
Thanks,” said Joshua,
crossing around her desk and grabbing the knob to the inner
office.

He thrust it open, but
didn’t see Elena immediately. As he stepped through, he caught his
breath. She was standing on the top rung of a ladder, her weight
balanced precariously as she tried to hook a picture frame onto the
nail she’d pounded into the wall.

Damn, she was so tiny, he
thought, surveying her difficulty in reaching the nail even though
she’d scaled the entire ladder. He couldn’t help but notice the way
her slacks fit her feminine curves.

“
Be careful,” he said,
moving to the bottom of the ladder and holding it steady as she
began to back down.

“
I didn’t hear the door
open.”

He reached up and put a
hand on her waist, guiding her down. “You could have
fallen.”

As if his words gave fuel to the
situation, the ladder tilted on the uneven carpet and she nearly
lost her footing. His hands closed around her waist and he lifted
her down. For a long moment they simply stared at one
another.

“
Lord, well, that didn’t
help anything,” she said, but she didn’t pull away.

“
Sorry,” he answered,
flashing her his smile.

“
You weren’t at the morning
meeting.”

He shook his head, his eyes lowering
to her mouth.

“
Julian was
pissed.”

“
When isn’t he?” he asked
with a wry lift of his brows.

“
You don’t really care, do
you?”

“
No.”

She drew a ragged breath, but she
still stood in the circle of his arms.

“
Here we are again,” he
said.

“
Here we are again.” Then
she looked at him, holding him away with both hands. “Just what are
we going to do about this?”

A light came into his eyes.
“I have a wild suggestion.”

“
Oh no,” she answered, “I
know your suggestion. It won’t work. Technically I’m still engaged
to John and...”

“
And?”

“
What would Julian do if he
found out what we’re doing right now?”

Joshua shook his head in
annoyance. “To hell with Julian.”

“
You say that because he
wouldn’t dare fire you, but think, Joshua, he’d fire me just to
punish you and I need this job, I want this job.”

He drew a deep breath,
looking into her eyes. “I guess you’re right.”

“
You know I’m right, so
somehow we’ve got to stay away from each other. At least until I’m
rich enough to quit.”

His brows raised. “I
could...”

“
Don’t even say it,” she
answered, pushing him away.

He took a step back.
“Elena, we’d be good together.”

“
Joshua, please don’t.” She
moved forward and took his hand. “Think of it this way. You only
want what you can’t have. Once I gave in to you, all this would go
away.”

“
Why don’t we try?” he
said, pulling her closer.

She laughed and pushed him
away. “No. Now you should go. Somehow we’ve got to stay away from
each other. Do you really want to risk our friendship for a
tumble?”

He narrowed his eyes on
her. “I want you. That’s all I know, that’s all I’ve thought of
since you started working here.”

“
If it helps, I’m very
tempted right now, but I’d rather have you for a friend than a one
time lover. Our friendship could last forever. Just think, Joshua,
how long do you really think we’d make it as lovers?”

He frowned. “I don’t know,
you won’t give me a chance.”

“
I’m sorry,” she said,
taking his arm and pushing him toward the door. “I really
am.”

He shrugged and closed his
hand over the knob. “If you change your mind, you know where I’ll
be,” he said. “Goodbye.”

“
Goodbye,” she
answered.

* * *

Joshua paced back and forth
in his office, accomplishing nothing. He stopped and looked out the
window at the bridge. Hell, how many hours had he spent doing just
this since Elena came to
Avalanche
? She was ruining his usual
stoic concentration. He’d never been this distracted by a woman
before, what was so different now?

He jumped at the knock on
his door. Alice peeked in at him. “There a hole in that carpet
yet?”

He frowned at her. “You’d
better have a good reason for interrupting my exercise.”

She moved into the office,
crossing her arms over her chest. “What’s got you out of your usual
sunny disposition?”

“
Your constant
interruptions. Don’t you have any work to do?” He threw himself
down in his chair and leaned his elbows on the desk.

“
I could ask you the same
thing. They’ve all been bitchin’ at me all day, wondering if you
ever intend to rehearse for the tour.”

“
Why didn’t you tell me
that?”

“
Because I was afraid
to.”

Joshua rolled his eyes.
“Give me a break. You yap at me every chance you get.”

Alice laughed. “She’s
really got her hooks in you, doesn’t she?”

Joshua frowned again.
“What?”

Alice leaned forward,
dropping her voice to a whisper. “Elena Harris. Don’t give me that
innocent ‘what’ shit, Chief? I may be married, but I know a man
who’s mooning when I see one.”

Joshua rolled his head back
and groaned. “Well, you got me, Alice. Should’a known I couldn’t
hide anything from you. How’d you get so damn clever?”

Alice pursed her lips.
“Deny...deny...deny...”

Joshua laughed and rose to
his feet. “Your woman’s intuition is for the shits. Believe me,
I’ve never given a woman a second thought beyond the time I’ve
climbed out of her bed.”

“
Oh, you’re one hard
cookie, aren’t you, Chief? Never gonna be a woman who can get under
your thick skin.”

“
Not if I can help it.” He
crossed around the desk and leaned down close to her face. “See if
you can’t earn your keep, eh?”

“
Sure nuff, Boss,” she said
with a wave as he left the office.

* * *

Joshua entered the
auditorium reluctantly. The rest of the band members were gathered,
not to mention Julian and David. He grimaced, then felt a momentary
stab of worry. He was usually the one pushing to practice. He loved
every minute of it, singing the songs, drilling the rest of them to
get it just right. He had an ear for how it should sound live and
he wouldn’t stop until he’d achieved exactly what he’d expected,
but now he wished he were anywhere else.

Before he could escape,
Ralph saw him. “Hiya, Josh, imagine seeing you. We’ve just been
wondering if you’re still part of the band.”

Joshua forced a smile at
him, but Julian quickly dashed it. “We could always decide
otherwise, if the rest of you wouldn’t be so damn afraid to try
something on your own.”