Page 14 of Shock to the Heart

Her forehead taps against mine as she laughs. "Archery? Are you serious?"

"Dead serious. My buddy Evan works at Sandersville Open Range. I'm taking you there on a date soon. I can arrange a private session so we can be alone. Plus movies, the art gallery. If there are any shows you want to see in Nashville, and you don't want to go with your family…"

She opens her mouth, but I hold a finger across it. "Before you say anything, please know that I will be chauffeuring you around in my plain black car, not this fabulously roomy but utilitarian electrician's van."

I can't quite read her expression. "Are you talking about actually…" Her finger drifts back and forth between my chest and hers.

Ducking my head, I lick the tip of her finger, making her giggle and jump back. "Dating? Yes. A relationship? Hell yes. Negotiating what your parents are going to think about you dating someone boring? I will leave that up to your discretion when we get there."

"Wow."

My arm slides around her, as she leans in close. "How long will it take you to record the vocals?"

Her shoulder runs up and down against my side in an exaggerated shrug. "I'm not sure. Some singers need hundreds of takes to get it right. And others nail it on the first try."

"Is it the tone, that you're hitting every note perfectly? Or is it about hitting the right…you know, emotion. Feeling?"

"Wow." Her eyes glow. "This really interests you."

"I just like to know how things work."

She smiles. "When I have the house to myself, I practice for hours. I'm pretty sure I have four songs down cold."

"You said you had five. What's wrong with the fifth?"

She makes a face. "Nothing wrong with it, exactly. There are just so many different ways it could go. I'll have to try a few versions to see which one feels best."

I chuckle, cuddling her to me. "I love that about music. You can have a sincere discussion about the vibe and the feelings of a piece. In my line of work, trust me, you don't want any feelings. This is the first job I've ever had feelings about."

She blushes faintly, making her look even more like a beautiful angel. "Am I allowed to say that, Electra? Because I do have feelings for you. I know it's fast, but…" She looks so rattled that I change my thought mid-sentence. "It feels like we have potential. Right?"

"Yes. Potential. But…"

I don't like the way she hesitates. "You can tell me anything, gorgeous. I'm pretty much un-offendable, if that's a word."

Her face tucks into my shoulder. "I just know there's going to be stress with my parents. Mom is so…unpredictable." Her head tips up to meet my eyes, and she smiles softly. "For the record, it's not drugs. People assume that. She's just super high strung. A weirdo, like me."

"For the record? I think you're the right kind of weird for me." My hand squeezes her hip. "I get this is going super fast, and you're supposed to be focused on your project. Details of us can be figured out later, right?"

Electra lets out a heavy, relieved sigh, rubbing her shoulder against me again to make me grin. "Right. Thanks."

"Cool. Now, I'm going to get set up for painting, and you can let me know how much space you need to record. This paint barely smells at all, so I'm hoping it won't bother you."

"Perfect."

As we get up and go inside, I have to wonder what I was thinking. I almost told her that I already know she's the one.

One of the things about electricity is that a current is always searching for ground. Our electricity is off the charts, but I don't think we're grounded enough yet for any big declarations, especially when she's so focused on getting this project done. That's okay. I'll wait for her.

Even if I already know we're perfect for each other.

9

ELECTRA

Trey gets the wall painted in no time. Then he tidies up a bit, clearing space around the microphones. "I can leave you alone to record and come back in a few hours if you like?"

"Um…" All this time I was so sure I'd need to be totally alone while I recorded the vocals. Now, I want Trey here so I can watch his reaction and get instant feedback. I trust his opinion.