Free Blink: 1 (Rebel Minds) by C.B. Stone

Chapter 2
    T he door swings open , letting in a rush of cool air that tingles across my hot skin. Goosebumps rise along my forearms, and a small quiver tightens my abdominal muscles. The man walking in captures my attention even before I realize it, like a shock of electricity in the air, zinging between us. I lift my eyes, still singing, and track his progress across the room. 
    He strides confidently to the bar and orders a longneck. My nose wrinkles imperceptibly. Figures . He looks like a beer drinker. Then he sits down, but not with his back to me like I expected. That’s the first thing that surprises me. The second is his intense stare. He’s bold. I like that.
    I let my own gaze linger, wishing one of the dim lights would shine on his face like a spotlight. I want to see the features I only glimpsed when he walked in. The firm set to his jaw. The piercing nature of his eyes. The dark stubble along his chin. I smile inwardly, amused with myself. My memory fills in more than I ever could have actually seen. Maybe it’s better there’s no spotlight. Always a chance he won’t live up to expectation.
    I run my fingers along the keys as the last chord fades and a round of spotty applause fills in the empty spaces. I lift my gaze briefly, glancing in his direction again and notice he’s set his beer down to join in. Color me impressed.
    My eyes find the neon clock on the wall above the bar, noting the time. There’s one more song in this set, then I have a fifteen minute break scheduled. I hesitate, mentally arguing with myself, Cover song or original?
    Original wins out and I start the haunting melody to my favorite ballad. It pours out of me, pulled smooth like taffy, and I close my eyes, my fingers dancing along the keys, letting the words do the rest. It’s about love and loss. Joy and sadness. Tears and laughter. It’s about me, mostly.
    With a final exhale, I finish the song with a delicate arpeggio and pause, savoring the stillness as the final note rings out and fades to oblivion. Then the applause starts up again, stronger this time, and my lips curve. I speak into the mic, my voice husky from smoke and singing, “Thanks all. Don’t go too far now—I’ll be back.”
    I rise to my feet as the murmur of conversations start up all around me and make my way off of the rickety stage, taking care not to fall in my thick, rather dangerous looking wedges. It’s all for show, I’d never be caught dead in these things at any other time. A girl’s got to do what a girl’s got to do.
    I manage to land safely on the dingy carpet and stop, goosebumps rising along my flesh again. I can feel those eyes of his drilling into me, like he can see right down to the core of my being. It’s at once provocative and inviting, though not in a bad way. Maybe somewhat unsettling, if I’m honest. I chew the inside of my lip, but something draws me forward in an uncharacteristic move. I’m not normally the girl that demands a guy buy her a drink, but tonight… tonight I think I could be her.
    “You have a beautiful voice.” The timbre of his own voice is like dark chocolate, smooth and rich but with a bite to it. Maybe a hint of salt. It washes over me as I approach, sending a rush of warm heat to my already flushed cheeks.
    My lips part and my brow wrinkles. Caught off guard, I’m surprised at his opening line. I resist an urge to joke back and ask if that’s the best he’s got. Ha. Like you’ve got anything better, I chide myself. Besides, something tells me he’s being genuine.
    I clear my throat, shifting on my feet. I wince inwardly when my pinky toe is pinched in pain by my heinous shoes. “Thanks. You’re new.” My voice is strangled and my words are lame, but I can’t think of anything else to point out. His lips quirk at the corners, and I see a brief flash of white teeth.
    “Name’s Wisdom.”

Chapter 3
    I lift a brow at the odd name, but refrain from comment. I study the planes of his face. They are