Rock Notes (Book One of the Heartbeat Series)

by Renee Lee Fisher

  I found the key that they kept hidden but I didn’t have to use it as the main door was open. When we went in I hollered. “Hello is anyone here?” as the entire rehearsal area was not lit up. Slowly coming out of the darkness was Raeford, “Hey, good morning Madison, how are you feeling? Oh, hey Cecile, nice to see you again.”

  “I’m feeling better, I drank too much. Hey, thanks for coming last night. Are you alone here?”

  “No.”

  I got flutters in my belly thinking Rand was near. “I got your company now,” Raeford said. And right he was, since Cecile and I arrived he wasn’t alone. He told us he was gathering some things from the barn to take back to California early tomorrow. I did not question where Rand was especially after my early morning sing along. Cecile was in a sprint up to The Wall, examining everything and there was plenty of memorabilia to absorb. She asked if Raeford would answer some questions for her and I hit him with a stack of my own notes that I wanted him to look over as a second set of eyes from the band’s perspective.

  I was just walking about in the studio and I said, “Are you both okay for a bit, I want to just go outside and take a walk and get some air?” They told me to go ahead that they’d be fine.

  As I opened the outer door I sucked in the cool refreshing air and it filed my lungs and revitalized me. I walked over to Cecile’s car because I had left my voice recorder there and wanted to get some thoughts out. I sat in the car with the door partially open. I decided that I felt too weird being here without Rand and wanted to tell him that I was at least here as a courtesy. I pulled out my phone and sent him a message.

  Rand, I wanted to tell you I stopped here at the rehearsal studio, I ran into Raeford and he said it was okay. He is still here. He and Jillian got reacquainted last night, they are very striking together. Rand…can we talk sometime soon?

  There was too quick of a message received back from Rand.

  Madison, I have tried to talk to you. I’ve texted you about three times a day for these past months. I know that’s over one hundred messages.

  I was suddenly confused; I knew I never received any. I replied –

  I never received any of them.

  Rand sent me his reply –

  I never could press the Send button.

  I started to cry, my tears chilled against my cheeks as the air from beyond the open car came through to me. The car door opened wider and there he stood. It had been so long since I had seen him live and in person in front of me. It was almost like a mirage. I wiped my tears with my hand, looking in the other direction as he bent down into the door and took hold of my right hand. I rose up from the car seat and suddenly locked into an embrace with him. Rand pushed me to the side of the car and rested his hands above me, trapping me in his hold. He looked down at my tear filled eyes and began to kiss me slowly, first my forehead, then my bridge of my nose, I closed my eyes. I’d wished for this to happen for so long and I felt his tender lips sweetly kiss my eyelid. He then moved to my lips, possessing my mouth as he took over.

  He deeply kissed me, claiming my lips in every wet taste and lick. I had known I felt this passion for him for so long. Being away from his attention and kisses made me yearn for him and want him so much more. I didn’t want this to stop. I lifted my hands up under his jacket and under his shirt to feel his naked skin that warmed under my touch. I played with each of his nipples and licked his lips as he moaned from my playful touches. He dropped his arms and reached back behind me to lift me up; I pulled my arms out and clasped them behind his neck tightly. He carried me the long way across the landscaped, autumn colored lawn and up the steps and he set me down on the porch bench as he opened the front door. With the door open, he came over picked me up again and carried me into the house, he closed the door with his foot and up the steps we went. We went to the end of the long hall to his bedroom. It was opulent and beautiful with cathedral ceilings.

  I came to rest as he laid me on his king sized bed that had a beautiful atrium window view just behind. We hadn’t spoken a word. I sat up slightly only to have him remove my jacket one sleeve at a time and then tear off my scarf and sweater. With him next to me, I slid off his leather jacket and took his shirt up over his head. He tugged at my boots and tossed them someplace in the room. I laid back down into the softness of the comforter. He undid my belt and the zipper of my jeans. Pausing, he took my scarf and tied my hands gently together at my wrists and placed them up above my head. He removed his boots and started to kiss me just teasingly on the mouth and then continued downward. My chest heaved, straining toward his mouth; I lifted to meet each kiss. I wanted his mouth on every inch of my body.

  “Rand, I’ve missed you.” I lightly sounded in between my catching breaths.

  “You’re so beautiful, so beautiful. Madison, I need you.” There was desire in his voice. I knew I wanted him. Rand began to pull my jeans down my thighs. My lower body flushed in anticipation of his touch. He didn’t miss the opportunity to lightly lick my belly jewel. He smiled like he had claim on that part of me too. He spread his tall, spectacular body alongside of me. With my hands still tied together at my wrists, I brought them down toward the zipper of his jeans. With one quick move on my scarf, he untied it like pulling apart a ribbon from a gift. I opened the button and unzipped his pants. I could hear his breathing become more rapid.

  “Rand, I want to feel you so bad,” as I reached lower in to his jeans following the zipper down with my fingers. I felt him harden and noticed how aroused I had made him. Rand then moved up over top of me and said, “I want…” he paused, “we cannot do this now, we have company and the front door’s unlocked.”

  He was now positioned on all fours over me his jeans undone, his naked chest and he was looking out from his bed through the large window to the sidewalk that wound from the studio to his door. Approaching the house was Raeford and perky petite Cecile. I rose up to take in their arrival. I laid back in the bed for a moment savoring being here with him like this and wanting him so, and then a doubt appeared in my thoughts of him just last night singing drunk with girls.

  I reached over and found his shirt and helped him back into it only I stopped to kiss his chest so deeply not wanting this moment to really end. He dressed me and fixed my hair tucking some behind my ears. We headed down the steps as the door opened. “Rand, this is Cecile my literary agent.” I made the introductions and it didn’t take long for Cecile to lock on to Rand’s blue eyes and sexy bed-tossed look and she was like a melted chocolate bar. Rand made her acquaintance and then he and Raeford headed to the bar for drinks. I looked at Cecile to see her still unable to move. I tugged at her arm and pulled her forward with me. We joined them for some drinks, only I opted for water since I was still playing catch up with my feeling a bit hung over and now majorly love starved.

  I apologized for putting Rand on the spot, but Cecile wanted to ask him a few questions. He smiled at me calmly in a way that made it obvious he expected me to make it up to him. Cecile asked him if he had any favorite towns to play in, or any favorite songs that they played. She asked him what his inspirations for songs were. During her brief Q & A session she complimented him on his talents and said she hoped to see them live in concert.

  “That can be arranged Cecile, Madison can get passes anytime,” he assured her.

  Then she put the question out there, “Rand, I know you love music, but do you have any other love interests?” Cecile dove in without hesitation.

  “Well actually I have one immediate love interest,” he hesitated and then focused on meeting my eyes, “and that would be that I would love to take Madison for the rest of the day to New Hope to enjoy her birthday that I missed.” With that, Raeford surely got the hint and he escorted Cecile with him to the front door. I walked with Cecile and told her we would catch up later. She looked back to Rand like a deer caught in headlights, just like most other women, she was completely awe struck.

  Rand and I left the house, although I wanted to run right up
the steps taking two at a time and jump right into the center of his bed again. He took hold of my hand and said, “Madison, spend today with me.”

  I could not offer any refusal, and truthfully, I didn’t want to. There was something about the tone of his voice that directed me. It took me on a path closer to his heart. I finally saw his Hummer when we left the house; it was parked down past where Cecile was. I guess he had come up while we were in the barn earlier and I never looked around for vehicles after we first arrived. Rand held my hand and rubbed the pad of his thumb over my hand in tiny patterns. We traveled through the beautiful pallet of fall and were soon on River Road heading into downtown New Hope.

  This is a quaint town of many shops and eateries and just a great place to spend a day walking about and enjoying being outdoors before the colder weather. I enjoyed this afternoon so much strolling in and out of stores and being looked at and smiled to by strangers that passed us. He held me tightly with his arm around my waist while we were in the shops, sometimes letting his fingers drop into the back of my jeans, touching my naked lower back. Then he would again grasp my hand tightly before we left each storefront, like he was worried I would disappear. We passed a furniture shop that had antique pieces inside, so we ventured in and there was a lovely old roll top desk. It was so large with plenty of writing space on the top. I sat in the chair and almost immediately felt like this desk was made for me. I wondered about the history of it. I wanted to know who once used this desk. Rand had to pull me out of the seat or I would have remained there for a long time. I traced my hands over the wood surface and told him I loved this desk as we walked on to the next store.

  As we passed several shops, we came upon one that had artisan jewelry and we inside, only to see some of the finest handmade pieces. I was taken by a piece that caught my eye in the window. It was a crystal heart bracelet. The bracelet displayed a large sized heart dancing with sparkles in the afternoon sun. It was laid on a silver and leather cuff. I hadn’t even shown it to Rand or made an attempt to single it out, but as we entered the shop he asked the jeweler to bring it from the window to us.

  “Madison, I didn’t get you anything for your birthday, I want you to have this heart. It shines just like you,” he smiled as he spoke. I was thrilled. How did he know I looked at that piece? It was lovely. I also thought the cuff was similar to the one he wore to remember Ashley. I was touched. I reached up and pulled him in to give him a lingering kiss. I wanted to express my thanks but I knew words wouldn’t be enough. When we finally broke the kiss, the jeweler and his assistant laughed and said, “We do have custom engagement rings too.” Rand and I just laughed and I smiled happily as he secured my new bracelet on my wrist and he pulled my wrist closer to his lips and gave it gentle kiss.

  We had worked up an appetite as I had not eaten too much today and my stomach needed food. Rand and I stopped earlier while shopping and sampled an autumn beer selection at one of the local bars on the main road, but I was in need of real food. Rand offered up, “Do you want to eat here or we can go pick up some food and I can cook you a birthday dinner?” Without hesitation I pulled him in the direction of his vehicle, I knew he could cook and I wanted nothing more than just his attention and to be alone with him in anyway that I could.

  What a great cook he was, I was admiring him from across his kitchen island. He moved between the counter, stove, and the cutting board without hesitation. I watched every movement. I was even mesmerized by him chopping up the mushrooms. With his traveling with the band for the last month he had no food in the house, but we stopped at the market on the way back and he seemed to know exactly which isle had the ingredients to complete my birthday dinner. My only contribution to the dinner was to go to his bar and decide on a bottle of wine. That was a difficult selection process as he had many. I finally found one that was labeled CrossBarn, and I pulled that from the holder. Cross reminded me of his awesome chest tattoo and barn, his home. Being a writer I am always looking for hidden meaning in words and items.

  This line of thinking made me want to text Jillian. I wanted to thank her for the party last night and talk with her about what happened here with Rand and me today. I grabbed my phone as Rand was busying himself in the kitchen. I sent her a text;

  Hey girl, I wanted to thank you for the party last night, it was fun, I drank way too much. Also it was great seeing you with Raeford. I saw him today when I was at the rehearsal studio with Cecile. I was wondering why Rand never came last night, but I didn’t want to ask him, he and I spent the rest of today together, first with interrupted passion thanks to Cecile but, I will fill you in on the details later as I’m still at his house. We went to New Hope, walked around and had a great day. He bought me a beautiful heart cuff bracelet. I am having the best time with him.

  What hit me next was the aroma as Rand seared the scallops. I finished up my text to her –

  I have to go; Rand is making dinner and it smells way too good to stay out here in the den.

  Her reply came quickly and was brief –

  Enjoy the food and him. I am cheering for you both. I was so happy to see Raeford I wish he was staying here longer. But you go girl, I don’t want to keep you especially from him.

  The smell from the kitchen pulled me in, and I actually snuck a fork full of the wild mushroom risotto. I could not believe how pricey some little mushrooms can be. Once I tasted it though I realized they were worth the price.

  Our dinner was terrific. I couldn’t have been in a more content setting. Rand’s presence was awesome and I found myself captivated by even the mundane things he would do. I watched him use his fork, I watched him with every bite of his food. I could not stop watching this man. For dessert he recreated the warm apple dessert we had once in Austin only he topped his off with extra whip cream and one lit candle. He brought this into the sunroom for us to devour, again without any forks. This time the Happy Birthday song was perfectly in tune. As I made a wish before I blew out the candle, I took his hand into mine and I closed my eyes. I knew exactly what I wanted to wish for. I wished that I could fill his heart as I knew he was doing a wonderful job of satisfying mine. As we hand fed one another he looked a bit sad.

  I asked, “Are you sad I’m another year older than you?”

  “Madison your age doesn’t matter to me, I’m just sad time is not in our favor. I have to get to the airport tonight. Raeford and I have to get back to California.”

  He took a huge swipe of the whip cream from the dessert and placed it right under my throat, at the top of my chest, “But I have right now and I am going to enjoy this.” He began to lick the cream off me as he laid me down on his sofa.

  Playfully we finished every last piece and then continued with our own type of sweetness as we snuggled there for the rest of the time we had. Our lips just could not stop reaching toward one another as we kissed, trailing kisses across one another’s neck. Neither of us let the passion reignite to the level it was earlier. I knew I wanted to be with him, but still had so many uncertainties of what he wanted with me in the long term, if there was any long term for us.

  Seeing the recent videos online of him while traveling, there were so many girls at his disposal. I knew that he was heading back to that lifestyle all too soon. For now though knowing he was leaving shortly I pressed my head up into the fold of his underarm and rested myself comfortably. He stroked my arm with long sweeps making me quiver for more, absently twisting my new cuff bracelet.

  Chapter Nine – Turkey Day

  It must be really hard to travel as much as the band does. Sleeping in another place every night, not your own comfy bed. As I sit here this evening, on my cozy bed, I am wondering where they are all sleeping at this hour. I am wondering especially about Rand. I am missing him, and as I am putting my book about the band, Rock Notes, in some order, I find every time I write his name I pause and a smile comes to my lips. I actually lick my lips to wet them, somehow entranced by him even now. I bite my lower lip hard to put to rest the
feeling that is stirring in me for him. The band and Rand are still on the West Coast. I keep following them online, but I refuse to watch another fan made video.

  The first holiday of the fall season will be here in just days, with the winter ones not far behind. Rand has been in touch with me since he returned to the West Coast but we haven’t spoken about any holiday plans. He will probably spend it with Maxwell, as he is his family. I don’t have any near. I had spoken to Jillian and she is heading to Atlanta to see her brother Jason. They invited me, but I like being a home body in the cooler months staying in, writing a lot and enjoying coffee or a great glass of wine near a burning fire.

  Thomas has been in touch with me at least weekly to ask me to an impromptu dinner or to meet him for a drink. I haven’t really committed to any yet. He called this past week to ask me to join him and his family, which was once my extended family at his condo for Thanksgiving Day for an early dinner. When we were married I used to host the day and make all of the food and the men contributed by eating it all and watching the football games on Thomas’s sixty inch television. It was almost like being at the game without the weather element. I know he would not be making the dinner, I could only assume he was placing an order with one of the Philly restaurants for a pick up of an entire meal with all the trimmings.

  As for the band and their plans, Raeford told Rand he was heading back for a visit in Decatur. Ron was taking the girl he was currently crushing on with him for a mini vacation to his family in Florida. Kent was heading up to upper Pennsylvania, Clarkes Summit, and offered to take Isaac if Isaac could be a little quieter around Kent’s family. I had been meaning to text Kent as Cecile has been developing a major crush on him. Cecile is really a cutie, and I could see them possibly dating as she is so perky and he is hysterical to be with. I will have to make myself a voice note on my recorder to text him. As for Rand and Maxwell, I heard they were going to be working on something for the band, probably promotional work right up to the day before Thanksgiving. I wasn’t sure what I was going to end up doing on that day, but settled in the comfort of my warm bed, I feel so very thankful for all that Rand has brought to me. I reached for my phone and sent –