Flesh & Bone - a contemporary romance: The Minstrel Series #2 (17 page)

He had assumed she was still a virgin, though now that he knew what it felt like to want her he didn’t know why he assumed that. But when she confessed that he was actually her first kiss, he was stunned. Surely some suave Christian boy would’ve broken that seal before now.

When the shock wore off he felt honored and pleased. It made him ridiculously happy that no other guy had touched his girl before.

Yeah,
his girl.

He wished he could offer Eva the same delight, but that ship had long since sailed.

It also made him want to be extra careful. She was precious and pure of heart, not jaded by bad love affairs. He didn’t want to be the one to screw that up. That meant he had to slow himself down. Way down. Which meant he needed to stop bringing Eva to his flat and to take her out instead, to public places where he’d be forced to behave himself.

He just happened to walk by the Arthouse Theatre and spotted the posters for showing English language films showing this week. He acted on impulse, knowing that Eva might not be able to drop everything and meet him, and he felt ridiculously giddy when she said yes. He waited now, outside the door of the theater, cap pulled low, aviators on. He felt his lips tug up when he saw her at the intersection waiting for the light to turn. He walked to meet her as she crossed over to his side.

“Hi,” he said, taking her in. He’d never known a girl who wore so many skirts and dresses, but Eva hinted that she liked to keep her scar hidden, and shorts wouldn’t do it. He liked the look. Very sweet and feminine.

She smiled back. “Hi.”

He bent down to kiss her and it felt like the whole street blurred away, as if they were the only two people left on the planet. The only people that mattered anyway.

He took her left hand. He always walked on her left because of the cane.

“Just to warn you,” he said. “It’s a romance. I know how you hate that sort of thing.”

She smiled. “I love romance. But I imagine this is a big sacrifice for you.”

“I’ll do anything in the name of education. Hey, we’re supposed to be speaking English.”

“Right,” she said in English. “How are you?”

“I’m fine. How are you?”

They laughed at the use of their first English conversation learned long ago in school.

The Arthouse Theatre was an old hole in the wall, a small film theater that had seen better days. The old décor was dingy and the vintage wallpaper sagged with age. It smelled musky, but despite the aging appearance it had a rustic appeal.

A couple about their age stood in front of them to buy tickets. They spoke fluent English to each other and it was obvious by their loose-fitting clothes and the backpacks that hung on their shoulders that they were tourists.

He whispered into Eva’s ear. “Here is our chance to practice English.”

“Hello,” he said when the couple turned with tickets in hand. “We overheard you speaking in English. I hope you don’t mind if I ask where you are from?”

“Not at all. We’re happy to speak English with anyone who’s willin’,” the guy said. “We’re from Idaho.” He said it like Sebastian and Eva should know where that was. “I’m Ben and this is my wife Emma.”

She giggled when he said that. “We’re on our honeymoon,” she said. “It’s still weird to hear him introduce me like that.”

“Congratulations,” Sebastian said. “I am Sebastian, and this is my girlfriend, Eva.”

It was the first time he’d called her that, and he watched her expression carefully. Her lips twitched slightly, forming a little smile, and her eyes twinkled. He guessed she liked it.

“Do you live around here?” Emma asked.

Sebastian nodded. He was relieved that Ben and Emma hadn’t recognized him, especially after he gave his name. It didn’t surprise him though. He was well-known in Germany, but Hollow Fellows hadn’t made it across the Atlantic. Yet. A certain, unnamed pressure lifted off him. He could breathe and be himself without feeling like he was being idolized. Fans would ultimately be disappointed.

“How long have you been in Germany?” he asked.

“One week,” Ben answered. “We started off in Barcelona, worked our way through France and then here.”

“We were so excited when we walked by this theater and saw they were playing movies in English,” Emma said. “After three weeks of foreign languages, I’m just so homesick to hear my own again.”

“I have never been to America,” Eva said. “I cannot imagine how it feels.”

“Your English is very good,” Ben said appreciatively.

“Thank you,” Eva said. “I wish it were better.”

“We’re just so happy to meet people who even try,” Ben said. “The only other language I speak is redneck.”

Sebastian and Eva stared at him blankly.

Emma slapped Ben’s arm. “They don’t know what that is, babe.”

“Just joshin’ ya. Anyway, we should go in before it starts. Nice meetin’ ya.”

“Nice to meet you, too,” Sebastian said, and Eva nodded in agreement.

Sebastian bought their tickets and led Eva into the darkened room. It was long and narrow with only a scattering of attendees. Sebastian chose seats near the back, several rows behind their American friends, letting Eva have the aisle.

“Did you want something to eat?” Sebastian asked, sticking with their commitment to speak English. “They sell candy here.”

“No, I’m fine. I ate at home.”

“Okay.” Sebastian wrapped an arm over her shoulders. “You’re sweet enough.”

She giggled, a sound that was sweet music to his ears. “Am I really your girlfriend?” she asked.

“I hope so.”

“Then that would make you my boyfriend.”

“That would. Are you okay with that?”

She snuggled more deeply under his arm. “I’m very okay with that.”

The lights dimmed, and the movie started. It was a light romance that barely kept Sebastian’s interest, and if it weren’t for the fact that he was using it to improve his English, he might have fallen asleep. Eva seemed thoroughly enthralled. She nudged him during a scene where the couple was riding bikes through a park.

“I miss that.”

“What? Bike riding?”

“Yeah.”

There wasn’t much Eva couldn’t do, but the accident she was in had wrecked her leg to the point where she’d never run a race, or apparently ride a bike. She’d told him that her femur had broken through the skin and that her hip had also been fractured, but he picked up that she didn’t like to talk about it, so he didn’t bring it up. He just hoped he never met the guy driving the other car. He’d punch him in the face.

Halfway through the flick, Ben and Emma started making out.

Eva giggled. “Well, they
are
on their honeymoon.”

“I think they have the right idea.” He twisted toward her and drew her chin up with his fingers. The bluish light flashing from the film reflected off her face, her eyes full of admiration for him. He couldn’t resist kissing her lips. If he were a kid again, this would be the part where he’d make a move, try to get a handful of her breast. But he remained a grown-up and a gentleman and kept his hands to himself.

The movie finally ended, and they had to put on their sunglasses quickly as they adjusted to the bright summer afternoon light. They were walking happily hand in hand toward the park, not quite ready to say good-bye to each other yet, when Eva came to a sudden stop.

“Uh-oh.”

Sebastian saw a girl with short dark hair approaching them. He didn’t recognize her, but Eva obviously did.

Eva was tempted to untangle her fingers from Sebastian’s but stayed resolute. She was tired of hiding. And something more. A burning rope tangled in her gut, and she clenched her jaw. Sebastian was the best thing that ever happened to her, and she was going to fight for him. Starting now.

She forced a smile. “Hi, Julia.”

Julia’s dark brows arched, and her lips turned up in a wry smile. “Hi, Eva.” Her eyes moved to Sebastian’s questioning face, and then down to the couples entwined hands, prompting Eva to make formal introductions.

“Julia, this is my
boyfriend
Sebastian. Sebastian, this is Gabriele’s friend, Julia.”

Sebastian released Eva’s hand to shake Julia’s causing a blush to flush across her pale face.

“I’m a fan,” she gushed. She seemed to have forgotten she’d just caught her friend’s younger sister with her forbidden beau. “I watch your music videos all the time.”

Sebastian nodded and took Eva’s hand again. Eva noticed his smile looked tight and forced, a marked difference from when they conversed with the Americans who didn’t know who he was. She was starting to understand how being famous shaped you into something you weren’t meant to be.

“Eva and I spent the morning helping her sister prepare for the wedding,” Julia continued. “Are you coming?”

Eva almost gasped. Whose side was she on? Surely Julia understood that Gabriele wasn’t in favor of this relationship. And her mother had made her opinion clear during the bow-tying project.

“I think I’m out of town that weekend,” Sebastian said, covering.

Eva tugged on his hand. “We have to get going. It was nice to see you again, Julia.”

Julia giggled and waved. “Nice to formally have met you, Sebastian.”

Eva frowned. She was certain Julia would pull out her phone the minute she was out of sight and call Gabriele.

“Busted,” Sebastian said.

Eva stopped and stared questioningly at him. “Will you come to my sister’s wedding with me?”

His eyebrows jumped above his sunglasses. “Seriously?”

“Yes. I’m done pretending to my family. You are an important part of my life now and I can’t hide it. I don’t want to hide it.”

He pulled her close and set his forehead lightly on hers. “I’d go anywhere with you.”

Eva trembled at his touch, and his words fastened themselves to her soul. She believed him. And it was true for her as well. She was prepared to follow Sebastian Weiss anywhere if he asked.

He kissed her tenderly and she responded in kind ignoring the passersby who gawked or brushed against them. He pulled back and grinned. “I guess I have to buy a suit.”

Her parents were going to kill her.

But she wanted him by her side at Gabriele’s wedding. She wanted to show him off.
Sebastian Weiss
was her boyfriend.

As luck would have it, Eva’s mother exited the church at the same moment Eva and Sebastian reached the front door of their building. Mama’s eyes widened, and her lips formed a hard, thin line when she saw Eva’s hand in Sebastian’s. Sebastian started to tug his away, but Eva clung tighter.

She smiled at her mother, then turned to Sebastian. “I’ll see you later?”

“Of course,” he said. His eyes rested briefly on her lips, but he left without kissing her. She was glad. Seeing them hold hands was already more than her mother was ready for.

“Eva,” her mother said, “You’re looking for a world of trouble.”

Eva braced herself for the confrontation to come. Her mother headed upstairs ahead of her and Eva could picture the emotional conversation soon to take place between her mama and papa. What had become of their sweet, compliant daughter?

“Eva!” Papa summoned her to the living room before she’d stepped all the way inside their flat. She limped over to where he was sitting and collapsed into an empty chair. Papa closed the book he was reading and set it aside.

“Mama says you were holding hands with that boy.”

“That boy has a name.”

“Don’t talk back to me, Eva.”

She folded her arms and sat upright. She’d started this battle and she better be prepared to see it to the end. “I’m not talking back. I’m pointing out a fact.”

“This Sebastian boy. He’s wild and worldly. He’s
experienced.
”

Eva kept her expression blank. These were the exact attributes she liked about Sebastian. He brought her out of her shell. Couldn’t her papa see that?

“He’s not like that with me,” she said, hoping to calm him.

He softened his eyes. “What about our talk? Didn’t you hear a word I said?”

“I did hear you. And I appreciate your concern. But it’s my life and my choice who I spend it with.”

“
Schatz
, he will break your heart.”

“It’s my heart, Papa. It’s a risk I’m willing to take.”

Papa breathed in long and hard. His jaw clenched but he said no more, just waved her off with his fingers. She’d won this battle, but she wasn’t a fool. The war was still brewing and she hoped there wouldn’t be any casualties when all was said and done.