Free WMIS 04 Rock With Me by Kristen Proby Page A

dries me and slips the soft cotton t-shirt
     over my head, lifts me in his arms again and delivers me to the bedroom. “I am sorry about the other night, Samantha. Jesus, I am so sorry. I would never use you.”
    “I know. I’m sorry too. I’m so mean when I’m scared,” I whisper and snuggle down in
     bed. He brushes his fingers through my hair, rhythmically, gazing down at me softly.
    “I’ll sleep in the spare room,” Leo offers and starts to stand, but I grab his wrist
     to keep him next to me.
    “I don’t have a spare room.”
    “This is a two bedroom apartment.” He frowns down at me and I offer him a small smile.
    “I converted the other bedroom into a closet. No bed there. Sleep here.” I yawn, sleep
     pulling me back down. “Where’s my cat?” I ask.
    “He’s been following me around. I fed him. Just sleep.” I feel the bed dip as he climbs
     under the covers behind me and pulls me against him, his arms around me, fully clothed,
     and let sleep take me over.
     
    ***
     
    Sunlight is spilling over my face as I wake and look about the room. I’m in bed alone
     again, aside from Levine, curled up at my feet, snoring.
    I feel better. I don’t feel like a night out on the town, but I think my fever has
     broken and I don’t need to throw up.
    Progress.
    I can hear someone playing my piano and I smile. Leo is still here.
    I use the restroom, brush my teeth and drape a throw blanket around my shoulders before
     I go find him sitting in my living room, in the same black t-shirt and jeans from
     last night. His feet are bare and he has a pen gripped in his teeth.
    His hair is standing on end from his fingers.
    Leo is here.
    I cross to him and kiss his head. He shifts to the left, making room for me on the
     bench, and I join him.
    “Hi.”
    “Hey. How are you feeling?” He leans down and kisses my forehead twice, checking for
     fever and must be happy with what he feels because he backs away and grins down at
     me.
    “Better. I don’t want to be in bed anymore.” I look down at his long-fingered hands
     resting on the piano keys.
    “Okay, hang out with me.”
    “What are you playing?” I ask.
    “Something new.” His brow wrinkles as he concentrates on the keys, playing a soft
     melody that I’ve never heard before.
    God, he’s so talented.
    “I didn’t know you played the piano,” I murmur.
    “Not well, but I don’t have my guitar here.”
    “You didn’t have to stay,” I whisper and lean my head on his shoulder as he plays.
    “Yeah, I did. I thought about taking you to the ER there for a while.” I look up into
     his stormy gray eyes in surprise. “But you came through.”
    “Thank you.”
    “You’re welcome.”
    We sit in companionable silence as he plays the melody. Every so often he’ll stop
     and write something down, or switch the notes to suit him.
    It’s fascinating.
    “I can’t get the hook,” he grumbles, fumbling over the song. He stops and backtracks
     and tries to play it again, but he’s still not hearing it.
    But I do.
    I start to hum it and his eyes shoot down to me in surprise. “You play it,” he says
     and pulls his hands away from the keys.
    And I pick up where he left off, playing what I hear in my head for the hook of the
     song.
    “Your turn,” I mumble and lean my head back on his shoulder as he mimics what I just
     played and smiles down at me.
    “You never stop surprising me.” He kisses my head and keeps playing, humming along.
    I’m completely content here, sitting on my piano bench, with this complicated, moody
     man. As the song comes to a close, he rests his hands in his lap and leans his cheek
     on my head.
    “Did you write the whole thing while I slept?” I ask.
    “Yeah.”
    “Leo?”
    “Yeah, sunshine.”
    “So not a one night thing,” I whisper.
    He chuckles softly and drapes an arm around me, pulling me closer to him.
    “I’m glad you’re catching up.”
     

 
     
     
     
    Chapter Seven
     
    “What did you pick?”