Pieces

Chapter 4

We took separate showers this time and met back in the kitchen. She looked cute in the t-shirt and sweats I leant her.

I handed her a water and downed a full bottle myself. "What kind of pizza do you like?" I asked, reaching for my cell phone.

"Hawaiian," she said.

I gagged, "Gross, you're getting a whole pizza to yourself. I can't risk your nasty pineapple touching my pepperoni."

She faked offended and flipped me off, then I laughed and placed the order on my app.

"What do you want to do while we wait?" I asked.

"I'm too tired to do anything, let's just sit here and talk, if that's ok." She said. That was fine with me, she wore me the fuck out.

"What do want to talk about?" I asked.

She shrugged, then asked, "What do you do for a living?"

I couldn't tell her my main income consisted of royalties from the music I've written for Rebecca and others, but I do own a small business, teaching kids and adults how to play the instrument of their choice, so I told her that. I still write music, but I haven't sent anything since my contract expired two years ago. I pretty much fell off the map after that.

"What about you?" I asked.

"Well, it's nothing as fulfilling as teaching, but I work at my dad's garage." She said.

"Like a mechanic?" I questioned.

She laughed, "No, I work in the office."

I nodded my head, "That's cool."

She moved from the kitchen into the living room and plopped onto the couch. "Shouldn't you have a guitar or something lying around, teach?" She called out to me.

I slid off the chair at the island and sat on the arm of the couch. "I keep most of them at the shop, but my personal favourites are in the basement."

She narrowed her eyes at me and asked, "Are you trying to lure me into your basement?"

I laughed and shook my head.

"Because it's going to take more than a few guitars to get me down there." She joked.

"Candy?" I joked as well.

"Done." She said, then grabbed my hand and pulled us both off the couch.

"Lead the way," she gestured with her free hand.

This was a little weird for me. She had already stayed the night and spent the day with me, now I'm taking her to my sacred space? Not even Meghan has seen my private music studio. You should stop this now, you don't even know her. Oh, there you are brain. Where were you an hour ago, when said girl was fucking me senseless?........Yeah, that's what I thought, you fucker.

Despite my brains warning, I led Bri down to my studio. I pulled open the double doors and flicked on the lights. She stepped in and walked around the room, taking in the various instruments and running her fingers over the top of the piano, before pointing at the room with a large window.

"What's that?" She asked curiously.

"It's a recording studio," I pointed at all the equipment and computers.

"So, you sing as well?" She said more than asked, pointing at the mics set up.

I turned around and ran my fingers over the keys of my piano. "Not really, I mean, not much anymore."

I have already said too much and was beginning to feel nervous, showing her just makes her ask questions I don't want to answer.

She must have noticed my reluctance, because she didn't ask about anything else. She stood beside me and put her hand on my shoulder. "I don't mean to pry, I'm sorry. Will you play something for me?" She asked as she pointed at the piano.

I exhaled a breath of relief and sat on the bench, then patted the space next to me, prompting her to sit.

I decided not to be super serious and played, A Thousand Miles, by Vanessa Carlton. She seemed in awe at first, but quickly joined in and started singing along with me. We laughed and messed up a few parts, but kept going until the song was finished. I moved closer to her and laid my head on her shoulder. I felt free for the first time in a long time and I couldn't help but think this beautiful, goofy girl, sitting next to me had something to do with it.

The doorbell rang, making both of us jump. "Fuck yes! Pizza!" She yelled and ran up the stairs. I shook my head and chuckled, then followed her in the race for sweet, sweet food.

I tipped the delivery person and kicked the door closed behind me, then set the pizza on the island, whilst Bri was rummaging through the refrigerator looking for soda. I got a couple of plates and she set a Pepsi down in front of me, grabbed the whole box of her nasty ass pizza and skipped off into the living room. I guess we're eating ghetto style tonight.

I ignored my stupid brain and copied Bri, grabbing the pizza and soda, then sitting on the couch next to her. She had already managed to figure out the remotes and was scrolling through my Netflix, looking for something to watch. I really didn't care what she landed on, which was some Sci-fi movie I'd never heard of, as we both devoured our pizza's like we hadn't eaten in days. Wait, we kind of haven't.

We finished the movie and I got up to clean up the pizza boxes and empty cans, whilst Bri used the restroom. I know she needed to go soon, but something gnawed at my stomach when I thought about her leaving.

She came out of the bathroom, walked to her purse, fished her phone out and looked down at it. I watched her go through some messages that I'm sure her friends or family sent, wondering where she is. She replied back to a few, then walked over to me and leaned against the island.

"It's getting pretty late and I should go soon, my roommate was about to send the cops out looking for me," she said with a laugh. I nodded my head and she picked up her phone, pulling up the Uber app.

I felt that gnawing again and put my hand over her phone, "Stay. Just one more night and I'll take you home in the morning, no matter how early it is." She looked at me and seemed to be mulling it over, then pulled her phone away and typed into it.

I chewed on the inside of my cheek, this was new territory for me and I wasn't sure why I was acting so desperate.

She finished typing, then ran her fingers through my hair. "I need to be home by six."

I grinned from ear to ear and watched her ascend up the stairs, leaving pieces of clothes behind on the steps as she disappeared into the bedroom.

I didn't need any more prompting and climbed the steps two at a time, ripping my clothes off on the way to the bedroom. I stepped through the doorway and licked my lips, as I unashamedly raked my eyes over her gorgeous and completely naked body. She gave me the "come hither" gesture and that's all I needed.

After Bri fell asleep from another four rounds of lovemaking, I thought about how this time with her, oddly reminded me of my first time with Rebecca. I mean, not the actual sex, because we were teenagers and had never done it before, so even though it was sweet, it was pretty awkward. I mean, the excitement of wanting someone in that way and having them want you back. The feeling of being someone's first and cherishing that.

I fell asleep that night with the taste of a beautiful girl on my lips and a small spark of something in my chest.