Crescendo

Chapter 13

For the next two days, I sat at home watching old YouTube videos of Daniel performing to an imaginary audience, before the fame, before the accident.

Of course, I took breaks, I wasn't a total freak. But after losing the flicker of inspiration that his touch inspired, I had been desperate to get it back.

The heart flutter.

The butterflies.

The cliches personified.

I hadn't seen him since, much to my frustration. Two chapters of my newest, not cringe-inducing novel, waited on my laptop to be continued.

But inspiration was hard to come by.

Until that rainy Tuesday morning. I was holed up in my condo, scrolling through the comments of another one of his videos when my phone buzzed, pulling me out of my trance. "How are you today?"

I stared at Daniel's message, refusing to tell him what I had devoted hours of my weekend to. "Busy studying. One of my professors is a real d-bag with pop quizzes."

"You get the pitchforks and I'll get the torches."

I laughed, pleased to discover that he did have a sense of humor. "And you?"

"Missing you," he added a frowny face emoji, the cherry on top. I blinked in surprise, attempting to sort out my mixed emotions to no avail.

"The press can't see our messages."

"Can't they?"

I rolled my eyes, deciding to play along with his shtick, "You're so cute, baby. Especially when you're paranoid."

"I knew you'd see it my way eventually." Before I could respond, another message appeared. "Come out of your cave with me tonight?"

"Cave?"

"*Condo. My bad."

Clever.

"Fine. But I chose where we go this time."

"Of course, my darling."

I chewed the inside of my cheek, nervous even though he couldn't see me half-dressed and curled up on the couch. "Your place?"

"We're unlikely to run into the paparazzi."

That was the idea.

"It's time to hold up your end of the bargain."

"Are you propositioning me?"

"Maybe I am."

"I like it."

I rolled my eyes. "I need some help with my book."

"I'm so surprised." Before I could respond, another text appeared, "Want me to pick you up?"

"Just to go straight back to your place?"

"I'm always up for a drive."

"I'll come to you."

"Bold today, huh?" he asked.

Maybe a little too much.

I pushed away the embarrassment crawling up my neck, "When should I head over?"

"Thirty minutes ago."

"Cute."

"That's what they tell me."

***

Daniel opened the door before I could climb the front steps. My phone buzzed mercilessly in my pocket.

Tessa's nosiness had only increased since she heard that Daniel and I were dating. The revelation thrust my name back onto the front page, along with questions about when my next book would hit the shelves.

Spoiler alert: It'll be a while.

"You made it," he said, leaning on the doorframe, smiling at me.

"Was there ever any doubt that I would?"

He laughed, "Traffic can be intense."

Especially when your publicist is pressuring you for relationship information the whole way.

"Thank you for your concern," I said, returning his smile, "and thanks for hosting."

"My girlfriend asked to come over to my house, how could I say no?" He waved me inside with a wink. I tried not to notice how his arms looked in his dark blue Henley shirt; has he always been so...hot?

"So what's wrong with your writer's block?" he teased, sitting down at the breakfast counter. "Actually writing now?"

Hilarious.

I fished my laptop out of my bag and placed it in front of him. "I've been working on this scene for days. It just doesn't feel right."

Some part of me, maybe all of me, wanted him to see what he inspired.

He looked at me, the corners of his lips rising.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing," he shrugged, "Just, isn't it a big deal when a writer shows you their work?"

Is it?

I froze, thinking of how I refused to show Jay anything before I was sure it was 'good enough'; but I never thought it was.

"It's not a big deal if it's a part of our arrangement."

Daniel rolled his eyes, "Just business them?"

"Strictly."

"Right," he said, focusing his attention on the story in front of him, leaving me to pace across the kitchen.

***

"This makes no sense," he said, frowning at the screen.

"What?" I asked, looking over his shoulder, not caring how close we were or how his cologne made my pupils dilate.

Focus.

"She's..." he cleared his throat, "Sitting on his face and I get that he wants to, move her, but there's no way he can lift her off with his arms on her hips."

"Why not," I frowned, "I mean, she's like this," I made a crude gesture that I regretted as soon as Daniel set his eyes on me but it was too late to turn back, "and his hands are here, can't he just y'know?" I pushed my hands up, trying to show him my vision.

He chuckled.

"Don't laugh."

"Sorry," he apologized, covering his mouth to muffle the snickering.

I rolled my eyes, "It needs to make sense."

"Have you ever-" he met my gaze, then looked away, "It just wouldn't work."

I sighed, maybe he's right. It wasn't like I had ever been in that position before, or any position. "What would make it work then?"

He sighed, then set my laptop on the kitchen counter. "Maybe if..."

I waited, then said, "....if?"

"It's hard to explain."

"Try."

He rubbed the back of his head as if I was forcing him to explain quantum physics. "It'd be easier to just show you."

My eyes widened, my heart jumped, and I stammered something about boundaries.

"Not like that," Daniel said, "Definitely not like that."

He walked away before I could ask what that meant and gestured for me to follow.

"Where are you-" I watched him disappear out the door, weighed my options, and hurried to catch up.