Page 17 of Shock to the Heart

Somehow right here in the middle of this song about the search for love, I almost burst into laughter…because I've already found it.

I'm going to love and care for Electra until the end of time.

As the final note rings out, I realize I'm staring at her open-mouthed. The music fades away, and I hit the stop button.

Her lovely eyes are wide and expectant as she bites her lip, looking at me hopefully.

I simply lift my arms and shake my head helplessly. "Goosebumps."

She breaks into a grin as I continue. "Baby, that was the most soulful…poetic…and the way your voice swooped down into that low crunch!…I don't know how to say it in words, other than it was stunning."

"Wow. Um. Thank you." She pushes her hair back and shakes out her neck. "Do you think we should get another take?"

I hold out my hands. "I mean, we're already here and set up. Why not do another version, just to be safe?"

"I was thinking I could try softer and smokier. But then I was also thinking about doing it with sort of a breathy, melancholy vibe."

I pick up my phone and show her the time. "It's at least another half hour before I can paint. Do it ten different ways if you want, or until you get tired."

She bounces on the balls of her feet, her excitement building. "Cool. Let me know if this gets boring for you."

"Oh, baby, never." I save the last version and make new tracks for the next take. "Ready?"

She gives me two thumbs up, then I wait for her to get into position and watch her take a slow, deep breath before I start the music.

It's incredible to watch her do the same song again, but this time channeling the smoky vocals of an old jazz club. Then again, bringing an airy, breathy, almost desperate heart-wrenching flavor to the sound.

Electra sings it again. And again. And again. Twisting and looping styles and playing with the sounds differently each time.

"Okay, last one," she says. "I'm going to do it the same as the first one." She grins, blowing me a kiss. "But I feel much looser now. See?" She waves her arms around like floppy spaghetti as she twists and spins.

"Sounds great."

Her final take is even better than the first one. I wish I knew more about music so that I could explain it to her. Yet mere words can't capture the magic in her singing.

Once she finishes, I hit save, then rip off my headphones and rush into the studio. She has barely pulled hers off by the time I grab her in an enormous bear hug. "That was the one, for sure. You are so fucking talented," I rasp, clutching her to me. "I'm never ever going to pressure you to share your songs with the world. That's your business. But I guarantee if you did, that would be an instant hit. And I'm so grateful and honored that you shared all of this with me."

Electra looks up at me, her eyes filling with tears and her bottom lip wobbling. "It's good?"

"Baby, I'd be falling head over heels for you even if your only talents in this world were looking cute and making me laugh. But this music inside you… You're stunning."

Her head dips, hiding her face in my chest. "Thank you," she murmurs. "I'm glad. I had no idea what you were going to think."

"I have a lot of thoughts. From the subject matter to the melody to the amazing girl who just poured everything out of her heart. Extremely positive thoughts. They're just all tangled up at the moment." Stroking her back, I cuddle her against me. "That must've taken a lot out of you. How do you feel?"

"Super amped up," she laughs. "Seriously. I feel like I could lift a bus or something."

"I"m not surprised. How about you sit there and drink your lemon water and calm down, while I slap on this last coat of paint, okay?"

"Sure."

I get to work, and Electra barely stays still for one minute before jumping up and fussing around the studio, taking plastic off of things and dragging equipment back into position. Once we're tidied up, she checks her phone. "It's getting late. Is there anything else to do?"

"Just a final cleanup. The wall hanging can probably go back in place late tomorrow morning."

Electra stands in front of me, reaching her hands up to link her fingers around the back of my neck as she bounces lightly on her toes. "The hooks for that wall hanging are pretty darned high. I don't think I could reach by myself." Her eyelashes flutter as she smiles seductively. "Do you think maybe you should…you know…stay over?"

My palm slips under her shirt to caress the small of her back. "You don't have to make excuses, Electra. If you want me to sleep in your bed tonight and hold you all night long so that you can really relax after getting that out of your system, just say so."