Flesh & Bone - a contemporary romance: The Minstrel Series #2 by Lee Strauss, Elle Strauss Read Free Book Online
Authors: Lee Strauss, Elle Strauss
had called her name, but she refused to go on. He’d had a good laugh at her expense.
Looked like she finally found her courage. He worried that she might have stage fright, that she might not be any good. A lot of the acts weren’t. For some reason, he found that he really wanted her to be good.
She plucked the strings of her guitar, and her skill was immediately evident. It wasn’t a simple picking pattern and Sebastian focused on her fingers, taking in the sophisticated melody. She opened her mouth and her voice filled the room. The song was magnetic. The lyrics, haunting. The way the light glowed around the girl made her look ethereal and angelic.
By the time the song ended, Sebastian Weiss was enthralled. Who was this girl?
Thought I came to wet my lips
Maybe cool my feet
But you pushed me from behind
Thought I came to our safe place
By the riverside
Now I’m swimming
For a moment it feels so good
I am floating free
But the current and these clothes are against me
Body weakens, mind races I am far at sea
Nobody hears me
Now I fight to find the surface
Will my lungs explode
Heavy water pushing down on me
Your hand reaches in rescue
Then melts away
Now I am drowning
Now I’m weightless, now I’m breathless
Now you have your way
Feel the water flowing through my veins
This liquid embrace, this consummation
You are the water I breathe
Eva didn’t open her eyes once. Even after her last strum, she kept them close. The silence that settled on the room terrified her until dramatically, it erupted with the sound of clapping and cheering, at which point, Eva’s eyes sprung open.
She couldn’t make out faces but she could make out bodies. One by one they stood until the whole room was standing.
Her hand clasped her mouth and she blinked back tears. A standing ovation?
“So beautiful, ma Cherie ,” Herr Leduc said as he approached, surprising her by giving her a quick bear hug. “I will assist you back to your table if you don’t mind. The crowd is wild for you and may not give you the space you need.”
She nodded and smiled. She didn’t mind.
“Excuse us,” Herr Leduc said loudly, “talented lady coming through!”
Annette gave her an excited squeeze before Eva finally collapsed into her chair. Her nerves shot off as she became aware of all the stares. Out of habit, she allowed a wall of hair to cover her face.
“None of that, Eva!” Annette said. She reached over and pushed Eva’s hair behind her ear. “You were amazing! You must stay in the moment and enjoy it!”
Herr Leduc called the next act and gradually the room quieted and refocused their attention to the guy on the stage. “Well, that’s a tough act to follow,” he said lightly.
After being somewhat blinded by the stage lights, Eva’s eyes adjusted once again to the darkness. Candlelight flickered, casting a warm glow on Annette’s face. Eva was so glad she’d invited her friend to come along. Otherwise she wouldn’t have done it.
She basked in the euphoria, feeling stronger than she had in months. Years even. Then her gaze landed on a figure sitting at the bar. The man’s eyes bore into hers and she quickly looked away. Her heart hit the floor, bounced and ricocheted off the ceiling. She knew that face. She dared to look back and the guy’s gaze hadn’t shifted. He was watching her. Sebastian Weiss was watching her. He’d seen her play .
“Are you all right?” Annette asked. “You look spooked.” Then she turned to find what had captured Eva’s attention.
Annette swiveled back to Eva, her eyes wide with excitement. “No way!”
“Oh my heart, Annette. He’s coming over.”
Sebastian Weiss slid into the seat next to Eva and she felt like dying. Perhaps she could slip out of sight under the table? He leaned in so close she could smell his soap. Her hands trembled and she hid them on her lap.
“That was fantastic,” Sebastian said in a low voice. He leaned in
Looked like she finally found her courage. He worried that she might have stage fright, that she might not be any good. A lot of the acts weren’t. For some reason, he found that he really wanted her to be good.
She plucked the strings of her guitar, and her skill was immediately evident. It wasn’t a simple picking pattern and Sebastian focused on her fingers, taking in the sophisticated melody. She opened her mouth and her voice filled the room. The song was magnetic. The lyrics, haunting. The way the light glowed around the girl made her look ethereal and angelic.
By the time the song ended, Sebastian Weiss was enthralled. Who was this girl?
Thought I came to wet my lips
Maybe cool my feet
But you pushed me from behind
Thought I came to our safe place
By the riverside
Now I’m swimming
For a moment it feels so good
I am floating free
But the current and these clothes are against me
Body weakens, mind races I am far at sea
Nobody hears me
Now I fight to find the surface
Will my lungs explode
Heavy water pushing down on me
Your hand reaches in rescue
Then melts away
Now I am drowning
Now I’m weightless, now I’m breathless
Now you have your way
Feel the water flowing through my veins
This liquid embrace, this consummation
You are the water I breathe
Eva didn’t open her eyes once. Even after her last strum, she kept them close. The silence that settled on the room terrified her until dramatically, it erupted with the sound of clapping and cheering, at which point, Eva’s eyes sprung open.
She couldn’t make out faces but she could make out bodies. One by one they stood until the whole room was standing.
Her hand clasped her mouth and she blinked back tears. A standing ovation?
“So beautiful, ma Cherie ,” Herr Leduc said as he approached, surprising her by giving her a quick bear hug. “I will assist you back to your table if you don’t mind. The crowd is wild for you and may not give you the space you need.”
She nodded and smiled. She didn’t mind.
“Excuse us,” Herr Leduc said loudly, “talented lady coming through!”
Annette gave her an excited squeeze before Eva finally collapsed into her chair. Her nerves shot off as she became aware of all the stares. Out of habit, she allowed a wall of hair to cover her face.
“None of that, Eva!” Annette said. She reached over and pushed Eva’s hair behind her ear. “You were amazing! You must stay in the moment and enjoy it!”
Herr Leduc called the next act and gradually the room quieted and refocused their attention to the guy on the stage. “Well, that’s a tough act to follow,” he said lightly.
After being somewhat blinded by the stage lights, Eva’s eyes adjusted once again to the darkness. Candlelight flickered, casting a warm glow on Annette’s face. Eva was so glad she’d invited her friend to come along. Otherwise she wouldn’t have done it.
She basked in the euphoria, feeling stronger than she had in months. Years even. Then her gaze landed on a figure sitting at the bar. The man’s eyes bore into hers and she quickly looked away. Her heart hit the floor, bounced and ricocheted off the ceiling. She knew that face. She dared to look back and the guy’s gaze hadn’t shifted. He was watching her. Sebastian Weiss was watching her. He’d seen her play .
“Are you all right?” Annette asked. “You look spooked.” Then she turned to find what had captured Eva’s attention.
Annette swiveled back to Eva, her eyes wide with excitement. “No way!”
“Oh my heart, Annette. He’s coming over.”
Sebastian Weiss slid into the seat next to Eva and she felt like dying. Perhaps she could slip out of sight under the table? He leaned in so close she could smell his soap. Her hands trembled and she hid them on her lap.
“That was fantastic,” Sebastian said in a low voice. He leaned in