Love Notes Read online

  He shrugs as he does a kind of duck shuffle to slide over and grabs a few more in the corner. “I don’t mind. I think I got off lucky with the coasters.” He chuckles and tilts his head toward the direction Kelly went. “She’s got just a little bit of a temper, huh?”

  “Oh, just a bit.” I grab the last coaster I can see and stand, my knees cracking a little as I rise. “But she’s all heart, that one. She’d step in traffic for me if I asked her to.”

  I watch as he straightens and takes a step in my direction before extending his arm to hand me the coasters he’s collected. “Here ya go.”

  I hold my hand out flat as he places them in my palm, his hand face down. Instead of pulling away, he lines his fingertips up with mine and rests them there, the coasters now cocooned within our joined hands. I raise my gaze to his in question but find he’s fixated on the little nest he’s made. I’m about to ask him what’s wrong, but then he speaks. “You have long fingers. I should teach you to play the guitar or the piano. You’ve got the hands for it.” Then he pulls his hand away and drops it to his side. I can’t help but notice as he wipes it on his jeans like his hand is dirty now.

  I quirk my eyebrow up in confusion and laugh lightly. “Have you already forgotten about my lovely singing?” I point to myself with both fingers. “No musical skills here at all.”

  “Singing is all about pitch and breathing. Playing an instrument is about timing and the notes to create a rhythm or a melody. You could learn that.”

  “If you say so, but I highly doubt it.” I look at his gear and then back at him. “Do you want some help carrying any of that out?”

  “Don’t try to change the subject.” He grins mischievously. “Look at you right now.”

  I look down at myself and then back at him, confusion furrowing my brow. “What?”

  “See how you’re just absently swaying to this music?” His face lights up when a surprised expression of realization sweeps across my features. “You unconsciously feel the rhythm.”

  “Well, that’s because I love this song,” I counter smugly.

  He shakes his head and, before I can protest further, takes three large steps toward me. He wraps one of his arms around my waist, while the other grabs onto my hand, and then he’s moving, dancing with me. I try to pull away, and in return, he tightens the grip around my waist and holds me closer, his chin resting just above my forehead, my face in the crook of his neck, as he whispers, “Just let yourself feel the rhythm.”

  I’d love to be able to feel the rhythm. Really, I would. But, right now, all I can feel is the way his hand is pressed flat against my lower back, bringing my chest flush with his hard, lean form. Every time he takes a step or shifts his weight, my hand feels the ripple of muscle across his back and the warmth radiating from him. He continues to turn us, slowly, matching the tempo of the song playing. It’s “Linger” by The Cranberries, and the only thought running through my head is that all I want to do right now is linger in this very moment.

  On the next turn, the hand against my back gently applies pressure and pulls me even closer, his feet on either side of mine, his knee now between my legs, his head lowering so that his mouth is even with my ear. “See how easy this is?”

  I want to turn my head so badly and kiss him, but I’ve never been the kind of girl who can make a bold move like that. So, instead, I just nod my head and close my eyes, absorbing his warm breath along my neck, and let him sway me in slow circles. When the song comes to an end, I feel him pull his hand off my back, which triggers me to step back from him abruptly. I stare at him, tongue-tied, hoping he’ll say something to break the spell I’m under, but instead, he just stares right back at me. A small smile finally pulls at his lips, the same lips I find myself wanting to kiss and am most definitely staring at when the kitchen door swings open and Kelly starts talking.

  “Sydney!” I tear my gaze reluctantly away from those lips to look at my friend. “You haven’t started cleaning behind the bar yet? What the hell have you been doing?” She looks up, the expression on her face changing to surprise when she realizes she may have just interrupted something.

  “It’s my fault. Sorry,” I hear Justin’s deep timbre say from behind me. “I was teaching her about rhythm.”

  Kelly gives me a what the fuck look and starts rambling. “Never mind. It’s all good. I’ll just bring these empties out back.”

  I start walking to the cut-through. “I’ll come help, Kelly.”

  She looks at me, her eyes wide and apologetic, clearly sorry she disturbed whatever that moment was Justin and I were having. “No, really! I’ve got it.”

  Before I can say anything, Justin interjects, “Okay, ladies, I’m loading up and heading out. Have an early start on the farm tomorrow. I’ll see you soon, yeah?”

  Kelly frowns quickly in disappointment and then focuses her attention on Justin. “Okay. Thanks so much, Justin. You were great. I’ll have my mom call you to set up some more dates if you’d like?”

  “Sure, that would be great.” We both watch as he carries an amp out the door before we turn back to look at each other.

  “What the fuck was that, Syd?” She grabs onto my arm and points to the spot where Justin and I were standing a minute ago.

  “Damn if I know.” I shrug my shoulders in response and then grab a case of empties off the floor and help her finish cleaning up for the night, my heart still thumping wildly.

  * * *

  CHAPTER FOUR

  I t’s been four days since I played at Hook’s Landing, and I can’t get Sydney out of my mind. I’ve been working my ass off out in the fields, prepping over twenty acres to be planted with feed corn for the cattle. I should be exhausted every evening, but instead, my mind races, remembering the way it felt when I held her in my arms. Jesus, it felt good. Too good. Sydney most definitely isn’t the love ‘em and leave ‘em kind of girl, so trying to hook up with her and get her out of my system is not going to be the solution. The problem is, I don’t want to be attracted to anyone right now. The last thing I need is a summer romance with heartbreak at the end of it when I leave to go to New York.

  But, damn it, even knowing all this, every time I close my eyes, I see her hazel ones, and her soft flushed cheeks, and that puffy bottom lip she chews on whenever she gets nervous. Then, I picture myself chewing on that bottom lip, sweeping my tongue over it, and then finally crashing my mouth against hers. It isn’t just how she looks that has me tied up in knots. She pulls these random quotes out of thin air during general conversation that blow me away. Who does that? I’ve never met any girl as pretty as her, and also as smart as her. She intrigues me. I want to peel back the layers she’s hiding behind and find out what else lies underneath.

  I haven’t heard back from Shannon at the pub about any more gigs, so in a spur of the moment decision, I grab my cell and call, hoping maybe Sydney will answer.

  “Hook’s.” A girl answers the phone, but I have no idea if it’s her.

  “Sydney?” I figure I have a thirty-three percent chance of it being her so take a shot.

  “Nope, it’s Kelly. Who’s this?” Now, I can tell the difference, because Sydney definitely would be a tad more polite.

  “Hey, Kelly. It’s Justin.” The line is silent for a moment, so I continue, not sure if she knows who I mean. “Justin Jeffries, from the other night.”

  “Yeah, I know which Justin you meant.” I hear glasses clinking in the background and imagine she’s pouring a drink or clearing a table. “You looking for Syd? ‘Cause she’s working at the library today.”

  “What? Oh, no.” No way am I letting her know I was, in fact, calling to see if Sydney was there. “I was actually calling to see if your mom wants to schedule any more gigs. My schedule for the summer fills up pretty quickly.”

  “Well, just so you know, she works at the library in town during the week until four. Hold on.” I hear the phone clunk onto the counter and then Kelly yelling, “Mom, it’s for you.” I shake my h
ead at her phone etiquette and chuckle lightly.

  “Hello, this is Shannon.”

  “Shannon, hi. It’s Justin Jeffries.”

  “Oh, Justin, hello! I’m so glad you called. I’ve been meaning to ring you and just haven’t had a second.”

  I chat with Shannon for a few minutes, and we schedule in every Saturday for the next three months. I couldn’t be happier. With the Wednesday and Friday night gigs I already have at the Hollow Tavern, I’ll be able to save up a fair amount over the summer. But what’s even better, I know exactly where to find Sydney. Also, it’s in a place where I might actually be able to have a conversation with her.

  I glance at my watch and see it’s just after twelve-thirty, which gives me plenty of time for a quick shower and a visit to the library before the afternoon work on the farm. I get up, walk over to my dresser, open a couple drawers to pull out a clean pair of jeans and a t-shirt, and head to the bathroom. Twenty minutes later, I throw on my boots and head out to my truck to make the twenty-minute drive into the next town over.

  I slide into a parking space across the street from the library and shut the engine off. Normally, I’d wear a ball cap but feel like it’s too informal to wear in a library like I’m going to church, so I leave it sitting on the seat and climb out of the truck, shutting the door behind me. It’s strange, but I don’t think I’ve been to a public library since I was in high school and I’m actually a little nervous. I’ve always felt like you need to belong to a special kind of club to go in and feel welcome. This isn’t a big library by any means; it’s a small square building with a glass door centered right in the middle of the brick facing. There are windows on either side of the door, each decorated with white wooden flower boxes packed with marigolds.

  I stroll up the short walkway, ascend three stairs to a small landing, pull the glass door open, and find myself in an entryway of sorts. There’s a metal box with a slot at the top, a sticker attached stating ‘book return’ along one wall, and a bench on the other. It only takes four steps to walk across the entry before I reach the second door. I pull it open, a bell chiming as I do, and this time when I step through, all I see are shelves and shelves of books. After that, the very first thing I notice is the smell. It reminds me of going into our root cellar; it’s the same earthy smell, but instead of being cool and damp, it’s warm and inviting.

  There are four tables in each corner of the room, each with beautifully colored Egyptian rugs under them. Each table has a low-lit lamp centered on it, with the green glass shade that I always see in movies, and every table but one is empty. An older gentleman has a few books spread out around him and doesn’t even seem to notice that someone else has entered the room. It’s so quiet that the saying ‘you could hear a pin drop’ literally runs through my mind. My eyes scan the rest of the room, and that’s when I notice the large counter that is centered directly in the back of the room. Behind that desk is the girl I came to see, sitting on a stool, a book in her hand, glasses perched on her nose, her eyes wide with surprise as they stare at me.

  I can’t help it. A huge smile erupts across my face, and I lift my hand in a small wave and mouth, ‘Hi’. Jesus Christ, that was smooth . I watch as she slowly lifts her hand and gives me a small wave back, her stare finally breaking when she seems to blink herself back to reality. She sets the book on top of the desk, removes the glasses, rises from the stool, and moves to walk around the counter as I make my way toward her.

  When she comes fully into view, I almost trip over my own two feet. Holy fuck . She is like every guy’s librarian fantasy come to life. Her hair is actually wrapped up in a bun on the back of her head, and I can see she has a pencil sticking out of it. Is she using that as a hair clip, or does she keep it there for notes? She has on a black skirt that’s kind of long, not stopping ‘til it’s a few inches past her knees, but it’s tight, showcasing her small waist, where a pink button-down shirt is tucked in. But the kicker, she’s got on these black heels that have a strap across the top part of her foot. I think I recall someone calling them Mary Jane’s. She’s like a Goddamn wet dream, and she’s walking right toward me. The girl in front of me now is a completely different version of the girl I met in the bar. I want to strut across the gap separating us, fist that bun in one hand, crash my lips against hers—the very lip she’s pulled into her mouth and is chewing nervously as her cheeks flush a light rose color—and press her back against one of the stacks until she feels every inch of me. What the fuck did I just get myself into?

  * * *

  I LOOK up as I hear the door swish open, the chime alerting me, and feel the lunch I just finished fifteen minutes ago heave in my stomach. What the hell is Justin Jeffries doing walking into my library? I watch, wide-eyed and in shock, as he takes in the library before his gaze finally lands on me. I guess he found what he was looking for because his face lights up with a smile and he waves hello. I put the book I was reading down, slide out of my stool on nervous legs, and make my way over to him. Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!

  He almost trips, so I start running in case he falls, but being the girl full of grace that I am, my foot catches on one of the rugs. Now, I feel myself flailing forward, a yelp of surprise filling the quiet room.

  “Whoa!” I feel his strong grip wrap around each of my arms, pulling me upright onto my feet and straight into his chest. His very hard, but very soft, t-shirt covered chest that smells like moss and cedar. I inhale deeply as I lift my head to look up at him, my feet still wobbly underneath me, and am reminded again of the lake. Those blue, blue eyes are staring down at me in question, a smile just barely tugging at his lips. “You okay?”

  “Yes, thank you.” I place both of my hands on his chest to put some space between us, hesitating when I feel the swell of his pecs beneath my palm. His heart is thumping ferociously, and I can’t help but wonder if he’s just as nervous as I am. With my feet steady again, I take a step back and move my hands to smooth down my skirt. I sweep the back of my hand over my face to brush away some strands of hair that came loose, jumping when I feel his fingers graze over mine as he helps to tuck them back in.

  I bite my lip, not sure how to respond, and take another nervous step back before looking at him again. “Did you need something? I’ve never seen you in here before.”

  “I need something!” Mr. Arnold huffs out from the back table. “I need you two to quiet down. Can’t you see I’m trying to get some work done here?”

  I roll my eyes and turn toward the only guest in the library. “So sorry, Mr. Arnold. We’ll keep it down.” Then, I turn my attention back to Justin. “So?”

  “So?” His expression looks confused.

  “Can I help you find something?” I whisper, but say it slow, enunciating each word to make sure he understands what I’m asking, and in return, he tilts his head and smiles.

  “I think I found what I came in for.”

  I rear back slightly, not quite sure what he’s insinuating. “You mean, me?”

  His smile grows even bigger, and he nods, “Yeah, you.”

  “Oh.” I definitely wasn’t expecting that. “Why?”

  Mr. Arnold grumbles something under his breath, so I turn back toward the counter and motion for Justin to follow. “Let’s go to the office so we don’t disturb Mr. Arnold anymore.”

  “Okay, sure.” His footsteps sound on the hardwood floor behind me, so I know he’s following, but I still flinch when I feel his hand rest flat against the small of my back. He’s doing it to be gentlemanly, and probably to make sure I don’t trip again, but damn if it isn’t one of the sexiest gestures a guy has done for me in a very long time.

  When we reach the office, I make sure to leave the door open and then point to the table in the corner of the room. “Do you want to sit?”

  “Sure.” Before I can take a step, he’s moving in front of me and pulling out a chair for me to sit in. I may die and go to Heaven right now. He’s insanely gorgeous, can sing, and has manners. I sit and sh
uffle forward as he pushes the chair in, and then watch as he sits, not across from me, but right beside me.

  “Kelly told me you work here, so I thought I’d stop by.” His words rush out, confirming for me that he’s nervous, which actually makes me feel better. At least, I’m not the only one who feels like a herd of horses is galloping in their chest.

  “Um, yes, at least for the summer. I’m not exactly sure what I’m going to do after that.”

  “Kelly said you were offered a position at the university in the fall, though?”

  I shake my head and frown. “Well, that Kelly sure is a wealth of information, isn’t she? What else did she share with you?”

  He laughs and covers my hand with one of his large ones, trying to comfort me I think, his thumb sliding back and forth against my skin. “No, it’s not like that. She was being protective of you, telling me you’re really smart and just graduated.”

  “Uh-huh.” I suck my lower lip into my mouth and nibble it nervously. God knows what will come out of my mouth at a time like this, so sometimes, chewing my lip is the better option.

  “Hey.” He reaches up and pulls my lip from my teeth, my eyes darting to his in shock. “You’re not going to have anything left if you keep chewing on that.”

  “Sorry.” I peek up at him under my lashes, my lip still tingling from the touch of his fingers pulling it from my mouth. “You make me a little nervous.”

  He looks down at his hand over mine and squeezes softly before looking back up at me. “I’m a little nervous, too, if it makes you feel any better.”

  “What? Why?” My voice raises slightly in disbelief, even though I know he’s telling the truth; I felt it in his chest earlier.