Page 18 of Beautiful Noise
“Also, those steaks are a hundred dollars a cut and since you’re currentlyhomeless, I’d be willing to guess you can’t afford them.”
“I’m not homeless.” From the evil look she offered I sensed I’d struck a nerve. I didn’t know her story,yet,but I fully intended to find out what landed her here. My mother loved a good project and apparently Kori was her new undertaking.
“Yep.” I finished my juice in a few large gulps before sliding the glass across the counter and proceeding to leave the kitchen, pausing to offer one last taunt to annoy Kori.
“Medium well for mine and don’t over season it. Like I said, those are expensive.”
I didn’t hang around long enough to hear her reply or argument for how I didn’t have the right to tell her how to cookmyfood for me inmyhouse but I was sure she was grounding out an earful about what an ass I was.
Fucking with my new houseguest was easier than I liked. I just hated how easily I was sucked into her pretty face and flippant attitude and tempting body.
What the hell am I saying?
She wasn’t my type. My type was convenient, no strings attached, and most of all, a woman with no access to me or my personal life so if and when she misinterpreted theno strings attachedpart, I didn’t have to worry about her disrupting my peace.
Kori was a temporary resident which meant she had all of the above and should have been a hard pass. But no matter how much I didn’t wantherhere, my dick was more than willing to entertain my houseguest. He fully welcomed the opportunity to have a little fun with those lips, thighs, and what rested between them, which meant I needed to stay away from Kori as much as possible before things got complicated.
“Yeah, that’s dope as fuck. I’m in the studio now listening to it.”
“You wanted to feel that shit, right. Needed the full depth of all the acoustics. You catch that sample?”
“Come on, Clay. I know my shit. Grover Washington Jr., ‘Hydra’.”
“Damn sure is. That pulled it all together on some real shit.”
“Hell yeah it did. I’m gonna play around with it later. Run some vocals over it. I wrote a little something on the flight home.”
“Send it to me when you get it how you want the sound.”
“You know you’ll be the only person I trust but you know it will be the truth.”
“I have no doubt and don’t play that shit down on my behalf.” I laughed and leaned back, hitting play once more to vibe out to the track he sent when he asked, “So you ready to work on another album or you finally gonna take the break you promise to take after every tour, but never do?”
I smirked, brushed a hand over my head, then allowed my fingers to rake through my beard. “I take breaks.”
“A break to you is not recording on a schedule. Clearly your ass doesn’t understand what rest is.”
“I do, but shit, when the music speaks to my soul, I have to listen. And if I listen, then I have to record. Blessing and a curse.”
My moment was ruined when I noticed a flash of light that only lasted for a few seconds. That meant someone opened the door to my studio and the only someone here was Kori.
“I’ll take that type of blessing and curse any day over the bullshit I have to deal with. Artists are a gotdamn headache. Temperamental as fuck and you swear you know my job better thanme.”
“Maybe we do?”
“Fuck you, E. You know your shit and I know mine.”
I grinned, following the soft figure currently invading my space with my eyes. She paused, standing near the wall a few feet away, ignoring me while she took in everything around her. I didn’t mind, it gave me another opportunity to take her in, hating how much I was starting to look forward to these small moments.
One day and she already had my full attention.
“Indeed, but that’s what we create… magic.”
“And you muthafuckin’ know it.”
“But ay, I’ll get with you later this week when I have something for you.”
“Do what you need to do. I’m about to start a session.”