Love Notes (Rocked by Love #1) (3 page)

Dalton beamed. "This
is great. Unreal. I can't believe you're teaching me how to play your
song."

"You're doing a good
job. Keep it up."

"I'll try. I'll be
doing it on my own, though. My teacher quit this week."

Jayne cleared her throat,
drawing the attention of both males. "Kate's already posted a notice. I'm
sure we'll have a new volunteer soon."

A frown marred Zander's
forehead. Worry that he'd think she was trying to coerce him into working with
Dalton tightened her stomach. He cocked his head to the side and studied the
guitar in Dalton's hands. "You know, some of the best guitarists are
self-taught."

"Were you
self-taught?" Hero-worship shined in Dalton's eyes.

"Some, but I also
had a teacher, one of the best. He passed away a few years ago." Zander
crouched beside his chair. "Maybe we can get together here sometimes to
jam."

"Really? You'd do
that?"

"Sure, man. You have
a natural talent and a good ear. I can't have you not playing."

Dalton's chest puffed up.
He swung his gaze to Jayne. "Wow. Did you hear that?"

"That's incredibly
generous." She let her gaze roam over Zander. Calm features, relaxed
stance, no signs of resentment.

He winked at her and then
turned back to Dalton. "We're doing a show at The Caboose on Saturday.
Want to come? You can hang around and help my guitar tech. Chad's a good guy.
He'd get a kick out of having you there."

"Yeah. That would be
awesome."

Shaking her head, Jayne
moved toward them. "I know some shows there are eighteen-and-over, but
he's only sixteen." When Dalton winced at her words, she smiled through a
stab of sympathy. Embarrassing him hadn't been her intention. But if he arrived
and they wouldn't let him in…

Zander waved away her
concern. "I've known Jake, the owner, for years. He'll be fine with it
because Dalton will be with us. Just get permission from your parents."

"All they do is
fight with each other. They don't know or care if I'm home or not." The
forlorn, lost-puppy look was back.

"Give me your
number. I'll call to clear it with them." He waited while the teen rattled
off a number and his parents' names. To her surprise, he made the call right
there. Within minutes, he'd obtained permission from Dalton's mother, assured
her he'd arrange for her son's transportation to and from the show, promised
her someone from the center would accompany him, and then convinced an ecstatic
Dalton to rejoin his friends in their basketball game.

Once they were alone,
Zander leaned in and lowered his voice. "The kid wasn't kidding. His
parents were fighting when his mom answered the phone."

"That breaks my
heart. He's been so unhappy lately but what you're doing made his day. You're
really going all-out for a kid you just met." An awful thought entered her
mind. "I hope you don't think I was hinting around at anything when I
mentioned the volunteer thing."

"Believe it or not,
I think I'm the one getting the better end of this deal."

"Why's that?"

"I like helping him,
and I'll get to spend the night looking at you."

Warmth crept into her
cheeks. "Looking at me?"

"Oh yeah. And don't
pretend you don't know you're totally stunning. And each time I see you, I find
even more things that I like." His fingers trailed a teasing path over the
back of her hand, scrambling her thoughts. "So for Saturday, the show's at
nine. Can you get there at eight-thirty? We'll meet at the side entrance in the
parking lot and all go in together."

"I don't want to be
a distraction." She twisted her necklace around her fingers and grasped
the pendant in her hand. She couldn't afford a distraction like him.

He propped his arm against
the wall and his hand brushed her shoulder. His quick smile shot heat through
her. "His mom wanted Kate to be there. I want you to come too. It'll be
good for Dalton to have some familiar faces."

How had he moved so
close? Jayne gazed at him, and the fine lines etched into his forehead.

His hand closed over
hers. "Come."

Looking in his eyes, the
brown edged with green, intense and focused on her like she was the most
interesting creation he'd ever seen, she couldn't say no.

Helping Dalton had infused him with
fresh energy. Throughout the week, Zander jotted down tips and techniques he
could teach the kid.

Jayne wasn't far from his
thoughts either. She'd looked so cute at the center, like one of the kids with
her old t-shirt and faded jeans. Thoughts kept him distracted during the party
with the fans on Tuesday, kept him subdued enough to play nice with his band
mates, and kept him calm during a press event on Thursday, when the media
hounded him about Luke's arrest. He'd repeated the same canned lines about
fully supporting his friend, then answered the same old tired questions the
press fired out at nearly every interview: How did you guys get your start?
What's your favorite band? If you were a flavor of ice cream, what would you
be? He still shook his head over that last one.

Finally, Saturday rolled
around. He drove down to The Caboose, one of his favorite places to play. The
bar, a generic brick building with its scarred wood floors and awesome
acoustics was like a second home. Jake had given The Fury their start long ago
and in return would forever have their support. They attended meet-and-greets
and played special performances there several times a year.

As Zander pulled in to a
spot, Brendan sped into the one beside him. They walked toward the side
entrance where Landry and Luke leaned against the wall.

Luke raised a brow.
"Once again, you live the closest and you're the last one here."

"It's not even
seven-thirty yet, so why do you care?" Zander scanned the lot for Dalton.

"Technically,
I
was last." Brendan put in. He threw his arm over Luke's shoulder.
"Hey, is that the kid?"

The car service Zander
hired pulled into the lot. "Yeah. Don't scare him."

Dalton got out, grin wide
and wearing the new Fury t-shirt Zander had given him.

He waved, beckoning the
teen to join them.

"Guys, this is
Dalton. He's going to be shadowing Chad tonight." He introduced the boy to
his band mates, Chad, and a few other members of the road crew. Dalton's eyes
grew wider and wider with each new
hello
.

A sleek green sedan
glided into the lot. Jayne, Irisa, and Kate emerged. Zander made the
introduction rounds again before they finally headed inside.

Equipment set up didn't
take long. He chatted with Jake while keeping watch from the side of the stage.
Had it been almost ten years since that first time they'd played at the bar,
with only a handful of people lounged at the tables? Tonight, the crowd packed
in, around tables, and three-deep at the front of the stage. It was unreal. As
always, gratitude overwhelmed him.

In the corner of his
vision, Jayne approached. In navy jeans and a blue tank top sprinkled with
glitter, she resembled a mermaid emerging from the sea. His groin tightened and
he gripped his guitar so hard the strings bit into his callouses. Forcing
himself to relax, he set it aside. "Hey."

Jayne's gaze swept over
him, from his hands to his face. "Do you need anything?"

Those curves and those
lips wrapped around him would be a good place to start. But he had a show to
put on and didn't want the one hundred people surrounding them watching their
first kiss. "I'm good, thanks. You're not here to work tonight. Relax and
have a good time."

She glanced at the
screaming crowd. "They're more than ready for you to play."

"So am I." But
rather than plucking his guitar strings, his fingers itched to play across her
skin. He needed to distract himself from those thoughts. "Dalton's a good
kid." The teen stood with Chad, nodding over something the tech said.

"He really is. Thank
you for letting him do this. He'll never forget it."

He shrugged off her
thanks with a wave of his hand. "It's nice to feel needed." Better
than nice.

Under the house lights,
her hair appeared more coppery red than her regular rose-gold, reminding him of
the sky at sunset. He couldn't resist temptation and slid a strand between his
fingers to see if it felt as warm as the hue hinted.

Eyes darkened, she watched
his hand slide off the end of her hair. "I know what you mean. That's how
I feel when I'm doing my job too."

Luke stomped past them,
grumbling about something under his breath. Two crew members followed. Jayne
shifted into him and out of their path, and Zander held still to resist locking
his hands around her waist and drawing her against him. He settled for resting
his hand on her shoulder. The warmth of her skin only teased him. Her perfume
drifted around them, a sultry cloak separating them from the rest of the world.

Jake stepped onstage.
"Are you guys ready?"

Zander glanced around
him. Brendan, Landry, and Luke were already in position. "Let's do
it."

"Break a leg."
Jayne's fingers drifted across his.

He blew out a breath as
she sauntered away. Jake's brief introduction allowed him a minute to switch
gears. Blood humming, he played the opening riff of "Cut Down".

The crowd went wild,
shifting from cheering into singing along. After the song, he handed his blue
Gibson to Chad. For over eight years, no one had touched his guitars but Chad
or him, but Dalton was right there—with Zander's red Fender in hand—for the
switch. The kid must have impressed his tech. He nodded his thanks and Dalton
grinned. Brendan's crashing drums launched the next song, and Zander shredded,
playing the intro solo with lightning speed, to the fans' cheers and chanting
that lasted through their eight song set.

Shows at the bar used to
end with tossing back drinks with the fans. But tonight was different. Jayne's
presence was enough to spike his blood. She outshined everyone else in the
room. He still signed autographs and posed for pictures, all the while keeping
an eye on Dalton. He couldn't help hoping Jayne would hang around long enough
for him to say goodnight.

Dalton buzzed around from
band member to band member, asking questions. Having the kid around kept them
on pretty decent behavior with each other. He was impressed by Dalton's
willingness to help out with anything the crew needed. After the chaos wound
down, he joined him in front of his rack of guitars. "You said you don't
have a guitar at home, right?"

"Right."

He gestured to the rack.
"Pick any one of them, except the blue one."

"You're giving me
one of
your
guitars?"

"You need something
so you can practice. You'll need an amp too. Talk to Chad. He'll hook you
up."

"Man, this is
unreal." Dalton gazed at the guitars. He reached for the red Fender.
"Maybe someday I'll be able to play "Temperature Rising" as good
as you."

Zander felt like Santa at
Christmas. The band donated items frequently, but this up close, first-hand
experience of seeing the happiness on Dalton's face was, in the kid's words,
unreal.

Turning, he caught Jayne
watching the exchange and smiling. The warmth flowing through him headed south.
He wasn't helping the kid to impress her. But if that happened, it would be a
nice side benefit because he fully intended to get to know her on a much more
personal level.

Jayne arrived at the
gates of Zander's large Spanish-style home, but before she could roll down her
window to touch the speaker button, they swung open. She followed the winding
drive and parked beside Irisa's blue BMW. The nerves churning her stomach
increased. Zander's invitation for Jayne to watch the band practice and to
attend the next day's ball game had seemed like a good idea, until now. He'd
been too tempting at the community center and at the show—all caring and sweet
under that sexy exterior. Nearly a week had passed since that night at The
Caboose. Since the show, she'd reminded herself that getting involved with a
client wasn't a smart idea. But then she'd remember something he'd said, or the
way he'd looked at her, and forget all about why mixing business and pleasure
was a bad idea, and she'd be back to square one.

Before she could knock,
the front door opened wide. Zander stood in the threshold, hair disheveled, and
wearing a black t-shirt that pulled tight across his broad shoulders. A sexy
smile slowly spread across his face. "Hey. You made it."

"I hope I'm not
late." She brushed her hand through her hair. The drive had taken a little
longer than she'd anticipated.

"We didn't start
yet. Luke and Brendan aren't here." He stepped back and gestured to the
large room at his back. "Come in."

She stepped into the
foyer. Coffee scented the air. He gave her the nickel tour, just long enough
for her to appreciate the Spanish motif—smooth archways, high vaulted ceilings,
hardwood floors with a few well-placed fireplaces. The large kitchen opened out
to a slate patio and pool. They breezed by the generous living room and she
stole a quick peek at the game room, dominated by an elaborate pool table,
before they entered the studio used for practice. Landry and Irisa called out
greetings when she walked in. Guitars, a drum kit, and various sized amps
spread across the room. A couch and two chairs lined one of the walls under
framed photos of the band and several rock legends.

The pictures normally
would draw her interest but the large English Bulldog on the floor captured her
attention. He lifted his head and regarded her, then staggered to his paws.

Landry laughed.
"Whoa, Shredder's deemed Jayne worthy enough for a proper greeting. He
must like you."

"He usually needs a
lot of motivation to move." Zander crouched beside his dog. "You can
pet him, it's okay."

She knelt beside Zander,
her knee pressing into the side of his thigh. Shredder lumbered closer and
dropped his head into her lap. Zander's fingers brushed over hers as the both
scratched the dog's head. Each time their fingers touched, electricity sparked
up her arm.

When the doorbell rang,
he pulled away with a sigh. He left the room and returned a minute later with
Luke and Brendan.

Luke scowled at her and
Irisa. "What are you guys doing here?"

Irisa laughed.
"Hello to you, too. I thought it would be fun for us to sit in."

The temperature in the
room seemed to drop with his icy stare. Jayne joined Irisa on the couch.
Shredder looked up from his spot on the floor and gave a low grumble before
following to settle at her feet.

"I think Shredder's
found someone he likes more than his owner." Brendan took a gummy bear out
of the container by the drum kit and popped it in his mouth.

"Can you blame
him?" Zander picked up an acoustic guitar from a stand near the wall.
"Before we practice the anthem, here's something I've been playing
with."

His fingers strummed the
strings. The melody pulled her in, pulled at something inside her, and filled a
yearning she didn't even know she had. Zander's fingers on the guitar, his
expression, the concentration, drew her in as much as the music. When the last
note faded, he looked up for the first time since he started played and stared
right into her eyes. For a moment, she thought he could see into her soul.

"You want to add
that in the set list?" Luke's curt voice cut in, a sharp contrast to the
romantic song. "We don't have anything else like it."

"I think our fans
could handle us giving them something in a different direction." He began
playing it again.

 "Are you writing
lyrics or leaving it instrumental?" Landry began picking out notes on his
bass while Brendan softly tapped the high hat to the beat.

Again, Zander's gaze
tracked to Jayne. "It's pretty new, so I'm not sure yet."

She offered him a smile
and her honest opinion. "I thought it was beautiful."

"Yeah?" His
grin spread across his face.

Luke shook his head.
"We aren't some soft ballad band, man."

"It's
one
song." With a shrug, Zander adjusted the strap on his guitar. "You
don't need to worry about it because you're not singing this one anyway."

The singer crossed his
arms over his chest. "Let me guess, you are?"

"Come on, guys. We
have company here. We can settle this later." Irisa's forced cheerfulness
fell flat amid air thick with tension. Luke continued glaring at Zander, and
Zander scowled back.

Two gummy bears arced
through the air, one hitting Luke's chest and one landing on Zander's head.

"Damn it,
Brendan." Zander picked the red gummy out of his hair. "Dude, if that
had gone into my guitar…"

"Relax. My aim's not
that good…yet." Eyes dancing with laughter, he twirled his drumsticks.

"I can't work in
these fucking conditions," Luke grumbled, but his tone lost a lot of heat.

Irisa leaned toward her.
"I forgot to mention the bears…"

When Brendan shrugged,
all innocence, Jayne couldn't help cracking a smile. He tossed another gummy
into the air and caught it in his mouth. "Want one?"