Broken Sound (7 page)

“Cut it out,” Davey said.  He retreated back towards the kitchen.

Danny chased after him.  “That’s not the woman from today, is it?”

Davey ignored the question and offered Danny Anna’s glass of whiskey.  “Drink up.”

“No, no.  Answer my question.  Who is in that bathroom?”

“Nobody you need to worry about,” Davey said.

“You have a woman come and tell you she has your kid and you go out and find some chick for the night?”

“It’s not like that,” Davey said.  “Just trust me, okay?”

“What happened with that other lady then?”

“Nothing much.  She wants money... wants me to be a father I guess.”

“Why don’t you let Peter handle this?  He gets paid to deal with this crap.”

“I don’t want anyone else involved right now.  If that kid is mine... I want to handle it.”

Danny looked over his shoulder to the bathroom and shook his head.  “Looks like you’re handling it pretty well.”

“Danny, it’s not like that.  I met this woman tonight.  And it just... I don’t know.  I just want to be near her right now.”

“Then why aren’t you in the shower with her?”

“Because it’s not about that,” Davey said.  “Now get your guitar and get the hell out of here.”

Danny laughed.  “So I’m all alone tonight, huh?”

“Go write some music then,” Davey said. 

“I’ll be in my room.”  Danny surprised Davey when he slammed his hand down on Davey’s hand.  Their eyes met.  “Listen to me, carefully.  I’m not going to judge you, okay?  I’m not going to tell you what to do.  But just do me a favor and don’t fuck anything up.  Don’t make a bigger mess.  If you need anything, someone to talk to...” 

Danny didn’t finish his sentence other than a nod.

That was the most honest Davey had ever seen Danny before.  And considering all the years they spent together, writing guitar riffs, solos, and working on creating the sound for Chasing Cross, it meant something to Davey. 

“Thanks,” Davey said.  “I just... I don’t know.  A lot of emotions inside me right now.”

“That’s the best time to write,” Danny said.  “Or that’s what Johnnie always tells me.”

Danny pushed from the counter.  He grabbed his guitar and left the room.  Davey let out a long sigh, knowing with each passing second, things got more and more complicated.  But with Anna there, with each passing second, he wondered if they were getting closer. 

They had to be, right?

She was, after all, in the shower.  

Davey poured himself another glass of whiskey and retreated to the couch.  He grabbed an acoustic guitar and started to pluck the strings. 

Sometimes life required music and nothing more.

(9)

The water touched Anna and all she could think of was Davey.  Her first panic was the fact that she forgot to lock the bathroom door.  She opened the frosted glass shower door and looked at the door, seeing it unlocked.  All it would take was a couple seconds to run, lock it, and get back in the shower.

But Anna didn’t do that.

Instead, she let the fantasy churn in her mind... the one where Davey would sneak into the bathroom and ease his way into the shower.  His body against Anna’s, holding her, having her.  All his movements and words taking her further away from her own reality.

It actually surprised Anna a little that Davey didn’t try something like that.  She realized then that maybe the rockstar was an honest guy.  Not that she thought anything otherwise, it was just the stereotype about musicians and celebrities. 

She showered, enjoying the hot water and the fact that she didn’t have to worry about using too much hot water.  All those little things plagued her home, wondering how much the water bill would be or how much oil she burned by taking a long, hot shower.  The hotel had to worry about that right then and Davey - or someone in the Chasing Cross crew - had to worry about paying for the room.

It felt good.

Really good.

So good that after Anna finished cleaning herself, she put her hands to the tile and closed her eyes, inching her way under the water, letting it pound against her face and run down her chest.  The droplets of water felt good but as she started to think of Davey, they tickled her.  The tickling made her shiver, bringing on a tingling sensation that made her toes curl.  She parted her lips and took a breath, feeling the water rushing from her top lip to the bottom and down her body. 

She didn’t want to admit it but in the comfort of a private shower, Anna couldn’t contain herself.  She was turned on.  Her body tingled and ached.  Her breasts were so tender that the touch of the water alone made her think of Davey’s hands touching her.  When she opened her eyes and looked at her chest, she gasped at the sight of her erect nipples.  They were almost painfully erect, her body desperate for a sense of relief. 

It had been sometime since she...
enjoyed herself
.  Her last time had been with Eddie and even then, by that point in their relationship, sex had become something for Eddie to do for himself.  Anna tried to enjoy it but with Eddie, it was like he was just there, for the moment, to solidify the attempt at a relationship.  Not to mention every time they finished, he needed money for something and left.  It sometimes made her feel like she paid her own boyfriend for a sex life. 

Anna bit on her lip as she took her right hand from the tile.  She caught herself breathing, one shaky breath after another.  Her exhales threw water towards the wall.  She touched just below her neck, her fingers gliding with ease along her wet skin.  When her fingers touched her right nipple, she jumped and her left hand clawed at the tile. 

Fuck.  It felt really good.

Anna had never been the one to indulge in self pleasure but she definitely wanted to enjoy the fantasy she found herself in. 

But could she do it?

Could she just leave the bathroom and do what, have a one night stand with Davey from Chasing Cross? 

Anna quickly took her hand from her body.  She turned the water off and stood there, the air touching her skin, chilling her by the second.  She left the shower and dried off with one towel and wiped the mirror with another.  Her hair was a mess of wet curls and she dried them the best she could.  She felt stuck.  She looked to her left at the clothes to put on and then looked to her right at the door.  She could leave the bathroom in just a towel, right? 

She could tempt Davey.

Break him down.

Make him make a move.

Anna blushed and went for her clothes.

That’s when she heard something.  Something beyond the sound of the air vent in the middle of the bathroom.  Anna turned the fan off and listened.  She heard the sweet sounds of a guitar being played.  She put her ear to the bathroom door and listened to Davey play. 

It wasn’t the normal sound Anna was used to from Davey and Chasing Cross.  They had slow songs, heart touching ballads, but just to hear the sound of Davey by himself, it was something so different and so new.

Anna hurried and tip toed to her clothes, rushing to get dressed.  She left her hair a mess and didn’t care.  She went back to the door and slowly turned the knob, opening it enough to see Davey.  Lucky for her he sat with his back to the bathroom.  Anna was able to open the door and step from the bathroom without Davey seeing her.  He continued to play, strumming chord to chord, moving up and down the neck of the guitar with ease.  It was like a second language to Davey, one that Anna understood and respected. 

She took three steps and Davey shifted, sliding to the edge of the couch.  She froze, waiting for him to turn. 

He didn’t.

He continued to play, bobbing his head.  He cleared his throat and to Anna’s shock, Davey started to whistle.  Beautiful yet sad notes came from his puckered lips, working with the sounds of the chords on the guitar. 

Anna’s body trembled.  She couldn’t figure out why but a surge of emotion pounded within her.  She feared if she took another step, she’d fall.  Everything felt weak and alive at the same time.  Her heart raced.  Her body was as tender as back in the shower. 

Davey hit a sour note and whispered
Fuck
then stopped playing.  He stood the guitar up and leaned it against the table.  Anna saw him deep in thought.  His mind was on something beyond the band.  She knew it had to do with the woman from before but it wasn’t her place to pick at him about it.

As she shuffled her way towards him, Davey let out a sigh.

“I liked it,” Anna finally said, drawing Davey’s attention.

He looked at Anna and she watched his eyes light up.  “Oh yeah?”

“Beautiful sound,” she said.  “No pick, right?”

“Just fingers.”

“Sounded great.  The whistling harmonized everything too.”

“That’s right, you’re a musician,” Davey said. 

“I wouldn’t call myself a musician,” Anna said.  “I play songs for kids to sing to.”

Davey put his hand out for Anna.  “That’s the greatest job of all.”

Anna looked at Davey’s hand and then took it.  He held her hand and smiled.

“I remember being a kid, in elementary school.  Our music room was in the basement.  We used to have to sit on the cold floor for music class.  And the teacher wore makeup that matched her clothes.  She had pictures of instruments on the walls and an old piano.  She sat with her back to us and played and sang.  Important moments for me.  I didn’t know that then, but I do now.”

Anna smiled.  That meant more to her than she could ever explain to Davey.  She took pride in helping kids with art and music, and sometimes dreamed of a student becoming famous because of her help at their young age. 

“I’m glad you had that music class,” Anna said.

“Well, everyone had that class.  I guess it worked out for the best.”

“I guess so.”

Davey tugged on Anna’s hand.  She hesitated for a second and then stepped towards him, towards the couch.  She felt her breathing already reaching what it was in the shower. 

“My gosh, Anna, I hope you don’t mind me saying it, but you look amazing right now.”

“I just got out of the shower.”

“I know.  But your hair... down.  It’s driving me crazy.”

Anna swallowed, unsure what to say to that.  She glanced at the guitar.  “Was that a song you’re working on?”

“Not really,” Davey said.  “Just messing around.”

Davey reached for Anna’s other hand.  When he took it, she shuddered.  His hands were big and warm, protective and comforting.  Anna looked down at Davey.  She turned her hands so their palms were touching.  An image flashed in her mind of Davey and the woman he brought to the restaurant.  When they held hands, their fingers weren’t interlocked.  Not that it should have mattered and Anna had no reason to remember such a pointless detail other than to fuel her jealousy.

She spread her fingers and they both watched and felt as Davey slipped his fingers between hers.  She sighed and felt his strong grip.

“Anna...”

“Can we get a drink?” she asked.

Her heart started to panic.  She knew that if it started to go anywhere right then she wouldn’t be able to stop.  She wouldn’t stop Davey and if he tried... she’d go after him.  Everything inside her would reach a climax she almost feared.  The needs.  The urges.  The way Davey looked at her.

“A drink?” Davey asked.  “Sure.”

The way he smiled told Anna he knew what she was doing.

Davey took his hands away from Anna, leaving her longing for him and regretting asking for a drink.  She casually followed him to the kitchen as he grabbed two beers from the fridge.  He took the tops off and slid one to Anna.

“So what’s it going to take?” he asked.

“What?”

“I want you to play guitar for me.”

Anna looked at the guitar then back to Davey.  “You want me to play guitar?”

“Do you know how to?”

Anna knew she could have easily lied and told him no.  But she couldn’t lie to Davey.  Something about his eyes wouldn’t allow it.

“You know how,” Davey said, sounding amazed. 

Anna nodded.  “Yeah.  I know how to play guitar.  But I’m more classically trained.”

“Oh.  So no Chasing Cross songs?”

“I never said that,” Anna smiled.

“Play me something then.”

Anna drank from her beer. 

Play for Davey from Chasing Cross?

Anna took her beer with her as she walked back to the couch.  She stared at the guitar and touched the headstock.  Her fingers moved to the tuning pegs and finally down to the strings.  Her nails ran along the strings and she swallowed.

“Don’t be afraid.”

Anna gasped, not realizing that Davey had walked up to her.  She looked over her shoulder and he was an inch away from her.  Even then that single inch felt like a mile.  She watched Davey’s eyes move from her eyes to her lips, back to her eyes.