Loving the Bastard by Marteeka Karland Read Free Book Online Page B

time soon.
    “So,” he said when they’d sat on the couch after finishing in the kitchen. “In this fictional world of yours where we’re getting to know each other, what do we do?” Max injected as much sarcasm as possible, needing to get a grip on the situation quickly..
    “We could watch TV,” she said with a shrug. “Any programs you favor?”
    He smirked. “I don’t watch TV. I get my news on my phone on the way to work and anything else is meaningless drivel. Try again.”
    Zeta pursed her lips but continued undaunted. “Movies, then.”
    “Strike two.”
    “Meaningless drivel,” she muttered.
    “Exactly.”
    “Fine,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. “There has to be some kind of music you like. Maybe something to relax by.”
    Max started to shoot her down again, but something stopped him. Why not humor her? Few women fascinated him the way Zeta did. For that alone she deserved a little of his time.
    “I like the piano.” He gestured toward the corner. “The sound…soothes me.” The admission was harder than he’d thought. He didn’t like admitting to weakness, and telling her he liked piano music seemed to be divulging one.
    Lips parted on a breath, Zeta gave him a startled look. “What’s your favorite?”
    He shrugged. “I just like the sound of the instrument. I suppose it depends on my mood.”
    “I suppose it does,” she said. Her eyes drifted toward the piano. The glossy white instrument was spotlighted with soft lighting by design, but moonlight from the clear night sky filtered through the glass like a beacon. When she got up and moved in that graceful way she had to sit at the keyboard, Maximilian found himself holding his breath. He wasn’t exactly sure what he’d expected in that moment, but the skill and comfort with which she played certainly wasn’t it.
    Like she might caress a lover, her fingers stroked the keys with a delicate touch. The light, airy “Clair de lune” sang out with a rich sound from the piano he’d added to the room as an afterthought. Had he been listening to a professional recording, Max doubted the music would have been more pleasing. For several moments, he just sat there, stunned at the treasure he had in his home.
    For a long while, he didn’t move, scarcely breathed for fear that, if he did, the spell she wove would be shattered. The complex and intricate, deft movements of her fingers astounded him. The quality of her playing was a surprise he had never seen coming. When he finally stood and moved toward her, he continued to watch in fascination as she lost herself in the music, her body swaying hypnotically as she played, her fingers, hands, and wrists moving in fluid motions that seemed to be a dance to the song she played.
    Unable to help himself, Maximilian closed his eyes and drifted on the tranquil lake she conjured. Moonlight reflected on nearly still waters, the merest ripple disturbing the smooth surface. He could almost see the wind dispel the moon’s image as the notes swelled and her fingers danced over the keys, the water rippling beneath her touch as much as the wind’s. The beauty she created astounded him, took him to a place of perfect peace and tranquility he’d never thought to see.
    The movement was only five minutes long, but Maximilian felt as if he’d run a marathon by the time her fingers parted from the ivory. And his cock was as hard as iron. Who’d have thought simply listening to a woman play the piano could be so arousing?
    As her hand lifted from the last chord, she looked up at him, a surprised look on her face when she met his gaze, as if she hadn’t heard him approach. Without letting her drop her hand, he took it in his own, tugging her to her feet. Her eyes wide with shock and lingering emotion from her passionate recitation, Zeta let her hands settled on his chest while his arms circled her like a steel band.
    With infinite care, giving her time to pull away, Max descended on her mouth