Sheet Music - A Rock 'n' Roll Love Story

by Ann Lister

  “I figured you’d probably be busy.”

  “Don’t assume that. I want to be here for them. Plus, it will give you and Jay a chance to go out and have some fun. Right?”

  They stared at one another for several intense moments before Annie broke the trance. His gaze was far to intimate and it took her breath away. Nervously, she reached to take Angel from his arms. When she did, the backs of her fingers lightly dragged against his bare chest. Her eyes jumped to meet his and his mouth melted into an astounding smile. The chemistry between them still simmered, like a smoldering ember that refused to be extinguished. No longer to be concealed or denied, it burned through the surface of their skin, obvious to both of them; although neither verbalized it. Annie blushed when she felt the surge of heat and dropped her gaze from the power of his.

  “I’ll take her so you can get going,” she stammered, easing Angel’s limp body against her shoulder. Then she walked into Angel’s room, grateful to be away from him, and carefully placed the infant back into her crib. She was about to turn and leave the room when she bumped straight into the wall of Michael’s half naked body. His hands caught her by the shoulders.

  “I thought you left,” she said in a hushed, nervous tone.

  “I need my shirt,” he answered, reaching around her without moving his body, and collected the dirty shirt from the back of the rocking chair. This created an even greater closeness between them and Annie began to shake. Shirt in hand, he paused beside her and the crib and gazed lovingly down at Angel.

  “We make incredible babies, don’t we?” he whispered.

  She turned to face him in the darkened room. “Your tone implies you think they’ll be more.”

  He cocked his head and grinned. “I’ve said it before, fate works in mysterious ways.”

  Her hand reached out and caught his forearm as he began to drift from the room. “Not in this case, Michael, so don’t be delusional about it.”

  He stepped back toward her and gently squeezed her chin beneath his thumb and index finger. She willed herself to pull away from his grasp but her body responded immediately to his familiar touch. Her heart thudded heavily in her chest. Their faces were close enough that she could feel the warmth of his breath against her flushed cheeks. The heat radiating from his body began to singe through her clothing. For an awkward moment, she imagined he was preparing to kiss her. With no will to stop it, she wet her lips.

  Her eyes hung heavy. Her brain pushed away the logic of turning tail and running. She didn’t want to. There was no denying what her body wanted at that precise moment and she silently despised herself for it. She closed her eyes and felt his body inch closer, then reach for her. Eager to respond, she placed her hands on his hips, her thumbs touching the bare flesh above his waistband. Her body flooded with an overwhelming desire.

  She felt his face slide against her cheek, his mouth stopping beside her ear. “What do you think your boyfriend would have to say about you being in here kissing me?” he whispered.

  “I’m not kissing you,” she responded.

  His lips slid back across her cheek and stopped, hovering over her mouth.

  She could feel the quick bursts of his breath burning her skin.

  “No, but you want to,” he smiled with smugness.

  When she heard his words she slowly opened her eyes. He was still playing the same painful game. Her desire was quickly replaced with contempt. Inside her anger began to rise. If he wanted games, then games he would get, she thought.

  She grazed her lips over his. “Don’t be so sure of that,” she answered, pressing her body closer to him. “Why don’t you give it a try and see what happens.”

  She sensed his movement forward and tipped her head away from his descending mouth. “But be forewarned, Michael. My knee is dangerously close to your groin and I’m not afraid to use it. As for my hands on your hips, I put them there for leverage.”

  His mouth was over hers again, so close her body began to ache, but she held her ground.

  “You’re bluffing. You wouldn’t do that to me,” he answered softly.

  She raised her eyebrows. “Are you sure about that?” she smiled.

  He separated himself from her and took two steps back. A cocky grin adorned his face.

  Her hands balled into tight fists. “I think you should leave now, Michael.” Hard as she tried, she could not stop the waves of uncontrollable trembling from rocking her body.

  He smiled at her in a way that said he knew he had finally gotten to her and penetrated the protective shell she had built to save herself from him. Waves of fury tightened every muscle in her body. If the girls hadn’t been sleeping, she would have initiated another argument. Instead, she let him leave to celebrate his silent victory by himself. She slumped against the wall of girl’s bedroom and cursed him for re-entering her life.

  She took Jay to her bed that night but couldn’t follow through with making love with him. Her heart simply wasn’t in it. Her thoughts were consumed with Michael and the rage he continued to fill her with. She laid in Jay’s arms and listened to the soft thump of his heart.

  “Annie, am I the only one in this relationship?” he asked, a hurtful tone in his voice. “Every time I feel I’m getting closer to you, I sense you pulling away, trying to put more space between us.”

  She rolled over onto her back and rubbed at her eyes. “I’m sorry. I was thinking about Angel’s temperature. She’s never had one before and I guess I’m a bit worried she’s coming down with something,” she lied.

  Jay slid out of bed and began dressing. “See how she feels in the morning then call her doctor,” he answered, unsatisfied with her answer.

  “Yes, I will.”

  He sat on the edge of the bed while he slid on his boots. “How long do you expect him to be on the island?”

  “Who?” “Come on, Annie. You know who I’m talking about.”

  “I wish I knew the answer to that question, but I’m afraid I don’t.”

  “Look. I know at one point you two had something pretty intense, so I wouldn’t blame you if there were still some residual feelings. I only ask that you be honest with me about it, and I’ll step aside. You know I’m crazy about you, but I won’t share you with him.”

  “How could you even suggest such a thing? My feelings for Michael died a long time ago!”

  Jay smiled at her. “You know how I feel about you so I won’t bring it up again. All I’m asking for is honesty. That’s it.” He kissed her on the mouth and quietly left the cottage.

  For the next several days Annie kept her distance from Michael. While he played and cared for the girls, she remained out of sight. The only time she spoke to him was if he spoke to her first. She became an invisible observer, carefully scrutinizing his every move and the way he interacted with his children.

  “I think they’re ready,” Michael announced to her at the end of the week.

  Annie lifted her head from the pages of the Sandra Brown novel she was reading and studied his face. “To spend time at your place?”

  He shifted his weight from foot to foot and nodded his head. “I was wondering if you could bring them by tomorrow for the day. If things go well, I’d like to keep them over night. If that’s okay with you?”

  Annie shut her book. “Okay. What time tomorrow?”

  “Why don’t you come by after they wake up from their morning naps.”

  “All right, I will.”

  He gave her directions and then stood nervously by the door as if he had something else on his mind.

  “Is there a problem?” she asked curtly.

  “I guess not. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Annie pulled into his driveway the next day at noon with reluctance. The idea of taking her children to his house unnerved her. It was as if she were relenting to something unsaid between them. But they were his children too. She sighed heavily as she removed the keys from the ignition.

  The house was much like her own in styling, b
ut had two stories to it. Weathered Cape Cod shingles covered the sides, with hunter green shutters framing each window. A small grassy garden area with seasonal wildflowers adorned the front of the house that faced the street and a wrap-around porch overlooked the ocean and the beach in the back. The house location was just off the main road leading into Vineyard Haven. It was a quiet side street, with neighbors living close-by on either side. Annie’s head swirled with concerns about privacy and safety for the girls. Then again, part of her was looking for any excuse not to like the place.

  She proceeded to the back deck with Angel clinging to one hip, while Sammi toddled slowly beside her. Michael waited on the top step with a wide grin and his hands dug deeply into the front pockets of his pants. He was dressed in his standard t-shirt that clung shamelessly tight to his wide chest and a pair of faded blue jeans. He wore no belt, his feet were bare, and his hair uncombed and wild. Annie’s breath caught dry in her throat. Instantly, her heart began to pound a little faster.

  “Here, let me take her,” he insisted, pulling Angel from Annie’s arms. “Come on in, I’ll show you around.”

  His voice was soft and velvety, which caused every hair folicle on her head to stand at attention. Again, she silently cursed his existence.

  Annie followed him into an informal living room. As he walked, her eyes drifted down the length of his spine and settled onto his butt. Then she scolded herself for taking notice and abruptly turned away, dropping the diaper bag onto a near-by couch.

  “So what do you think?” he asked, excitedly.

  “It reminds me of the beach house.”

  “That’s exactly why I picked it. I thought it might seem familiar to the girls and make them feel more comfortable.”

  “It came furnished?” she asked.

  “Yeah, pretty much. I had to buy the cribs and the rest of the baby stuff, but otherwise, it all belongs to the owners.”

  Annie’s eyes darted around the room. “It doesn’t bother you to be surrounded by someone else’s furnishings?”

  “Not really. It was more important that I found a place that was close to you and was available for the summer rental season. Let me show you the rest of the house.”

  Annie followed him through a pale yellow galley kitchen and into the dining area. Two brand-new highchairs were set up beside the wooden table. Michael stopped to point them out to the girls. Then the tour progressed up stairs to the bedrooms. While he took Angel and Sammi into the soft pink bedroom that would be theirs, Annie drifted into the master bedroom.

  This room was much larger than the other bedroom and it overlooked the expanse of the ocean. The furniture was colonial with dark mahogany wood. The bed was four-poster and queen-sized, resting between two small windows facing the neighbor’s cottage. One large bay window graced the water side of the room with a wooden rocking chair to sit and enjoy the view. Annie was gazing out the window when Michael came up behind her.

  “That’s a view I could never get bored waking up to,” he said, his voice rumbling across her shoulder.

  She jumped when she felt his breath warming her neck. “I know what you mean,” she replied, flustered and stepped past him.

  He followed her back out into the hallway. “So, what do you think? Is it acceptable?”

  “Sure, why not. But you’ll have to address some of the safety issues.”

  “Like what?”

  Annie’s eyes dropped to the stairs. “For starters, you’ll need a gate for the stairs. The outlets will need child proof plugs and the cabinets in the kitchen and bathroom will need safety locks.”

  “I’ll take care of it,” he smiled. “Anything else?”

  Her eyes locked with his. His relaxed manner unnerved her. “I’ll let you know when I think of it.”

  They went back downstairs and out onto the deck. Annie prepared to leave. “Can you stay for a bit, just to make sure the kids feel comfortable?” he asked.

  “I suppose so.”

  Annie stayed the afternoon and managed to converse with him without hostility. It was the first time since his arrival on the island that they had accomplished that feat. She even joined in the horseplay on the floor between Michael and Sammi. The young girl delighted in bouncing from one parent to the other, giggling loudly, while she teased her father. What had begun as something ordinary changed dramatically when Michael reached to grab Sammi around the waist as she scrambled to take refuge beside her mother’s extended body on the floor.

  “Come here, my little one,” he taunted, rolling over to scoop his daughter up in his arms. When his body came to a rest, he was firmly pressed against Annie’s side, face-to-face, eyes locked and steady. Overcome with the sudden rush of excitement, and not wanting to back away from the urge this time, Michael lowered his mouth toward hers. Annie’s eyes widened in alarm and she pushed him away, quickly standing, and brushed herself off. Michael sat upright, loosely pulling his knees to his chest and shook his head. Sammi continued to climb her father’s body.

  “Annie, I’m sorry,” he sighed. “I didn’t mean anything by that.”

  She spun around to face him, obviously upset by his lame attempt at an explanation and exhaled loudly.

  “All right, maybe I did mean it but it wasn't planned, if that's what you're thinking,” he continued, standing to face her.

  “What kind of sick game are you playing?” she asked.

  “Game?”

  “Yes, game.”

  He bent down and picked Sammi up in his arms and settled her onto his hip. Then his eyes drifted back to Annie. “No games, Annie,” he shrugged indifferently.

  “Then, what would you call what happened between us in the girls bedroom the other night?”

  He smiled knowingly at her, his eyes twinkling, which only added to her agitation. Then he set Sammi down to explore the toy box in the corner of the room. “Okay, so you want to talk about the other night? Fine, lets do it.”

  He pushed his hands into his pockets and stared at her, contemplating his word choice. “Yeah maybe I was testing you a bit and I probably pushed things a little too far to prove a point. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I got the distinct feeling that you wanted me to kiss you the other night. And I got the same feeling just now, too. Can you stand there and deny that?”

  Annie’s eyes narrowed in anger. “Yes, I can and I will.”

  She collected her car keys and headed toward the door.

  “Annie, come on. Don’t go.” he sighed.

  “I have to.”

  “Why?”

  She turned and faced him. “Because this is wrong.”

  “It feels right to me,” he quickly answered.

  “Then I feel sorry for you.” She kissed both girls good-bye and stepped out onto the deck. “Call me tomorrow if you want me to come and get them. Otherwise I’ll expect them home before dinner,” she instructed him and left.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  As soon as she got home, she made arrangements to meet Jay in town for dinner that night and then proceeded to consume too much wine with her meal. The details of the afternoon’s events still played in her head. One way or another, she intended to forget them.

  “Do you really think you need another glass of wine?” Jay asked her with concern.

  “I had a hard day,” she tried to explain. “The wine is helping me to relax.”

  Then she leaned across the tiny table and provocatively kissed him on the mouth, while her bare toes began to slide up the inside of his leg. “And we both know how much you like it when I’m relaxed, don’t we, Mr. Preston.”

  Jay pulled several loose twenty dollar bills from his pocket and tossed them on the table. For safety reasons, he decided to drive Annie home in his car, leaving her car in town. On the road, she continued her sexual assault on him, making it nearly impossible for him to drive.

  “Jesus, Annie! Can you wait until we get back to your house?”

  “Why? Don’t tell me you’re complaining?”

  “
Not exactly,” he smiled. “But you’re not making it any easier to drive.”

  Annie had the red dress she was wearing pulled over her head before they reached the back door to her house and tossed it haphazardly at Jay. Her bra came off just as quickly and thrown onto the floor of the living room. Before he had removed his shirt, she had flopped herself onto the flowered couch.

  “Are you going to start without me?” he asked, studying her half naked form in the moonlight.

  “Not unless I have to,” she teased.

  When he joined her on the couch, she attacked him with vengeance, almost as if she had something to prove or maybe disprove. They became so involved, they didn’t hear the foot steps crossing the deck until it was too late.

  Michael turned the key in the lock of Annie’s house and eased the door open with his foot. Before he was able to illuminate the living room, he heard Annie’s screams of panic.

  “Michael!” she screeched, bolting up off the couch and making a hasty retreat into the bedroom. “What the hell are you doing here?” she asked.

  Her voice startled him and he retreated cautiously toward the open door, as her bare backside shot past him in a blur. Then he saw movement on the couch and realized what he had interrupted. His heart fell to the floor.

  “Sammi forgot her blanket,” he answered flatly, watching Jay intently as he slid on a pair of jeans without any attempt to hide his nakedness. “I thought it might be easier for her to sleep at my place if she had it.”

  “Oh my God! Are the kids with you?”

  “They’re in the car. I figured I’d only be a minute getting the blanket.”

  When Jay finished buttoning his shirt, he plunked himself back on the couch with a loud irritated sigh. His eyes connected with Michael’s in a lengthy stare. A pained look of total despair registered on Michael’s face, even with nothing more than moonlight spilling in through the over-sized windows to light the room. It was impossible for Jay to see it and not make a comment.

  “Jesus, you’re still in love with her,” he exhaled, finally aware of what he had suspected for weeks.