Free Gateway to Heaven by Beth Kery Page A

the forefront of pushing those boundaries. You’re about to hear one of his less popular songs, but if you were familiar with his work, you’d know it’s one of his best. Maybe he’s not what you’d expect at Emilio’s, but trust me, along with Seth here, and the rest of this fine band, you’re about to hear one of the most unforgettable performances you’ll every experience. Oh, and tell your kids to eat their heart out. My nineteen-year-old daughter, Amy, is going to give me the true blues when she hears that I didn’t tell her about this.
    “ Ladies and Gentlemen, Chris Lasher, Seth Down and Harvest Moon .”
     
    Chapter 4
     
    Christian’s hand hadn’t moved from hers until that announcement. When it came he surprised her by kissing her knuckles before he placed her palm gently on the table. Despite her gradual understanding, Megan still felt disoriented when he left the booth. She watched as he walked to the stage with that loose-hipped, confident saunter that had already become so endearing to her. The applause from the audience was thunderous. She wondered how she could have begun to learn the details of his features so well, the way he moved his body with insouciant male grace, his idiosyncratic gestures, and the nuances of his expression—and yet really know nothing about him at all.
    He spoke quietly to the three remaining members of Harvest Moon while Seth idly strummed the electric guitar and made a few adjustments to it. After a moment, the drummer, saxophonist, and bass player nodded their heads in agreement and Christian moved over to the microphone. When he cradled it with both hands, Megan immediately knew that the gesture was natural to him, a movement he’d done hundreds of thousands of times before.
    “ This is a song called Settling Debts that I wrote a couple years ago. Hope you enjoy it.” Christian spoke into the microphone in a low, easy-going rumble. He counted softly and Seth started playing, followed by the drummer.
    Megan was amazed at the diversity, clarity, and complexity of sounds that Seth almost casually coaxed from the instrument. Christian held the microphone in his right hand, but his body was turned toward the band during the introduction. Then he faced the audience and began to sing, and Megan knew for the first time what he’d been born to do.
    How could she not have realized that the singular quality of his voice marked him as a singer? It was resonant and rich. The control that he had over his range was so complete that he effortlessly made his voice the most finely tuned instrument in the band. The husky quality of it only added to the earthy, sensual aura of the music.
    His eyelids were partially closed and his long legs were bent slightly at the knee to accommodate his height to the microphone, which he hadn’t removed from its stand. When Seth launched into a powerful, mournful guitar solo, Christian kept his hands on the microphone, but averted his face by looking down. Megan could tell by the way he kept time with his right foot and by his intense, focused profile that he was utterly wrapped up in the music.
    When Christian sang the final refrain, some of his boundless passion broke free. The swelling music and raw, yet poetic lyrics created a tight sensation in her chest and throat. She swallowed thickly in an attempt to alleviate the ache.
    He seduced her with his voice as easily as he had with his hands and mouth. The entire audience was at Christian’s mercy.
    When the final melancholy cord had been struck, a few seconds of stunned, respectful silence ensued before the audience exploded with cheers and thunderous applause. Christian straightened and his eyes fluttered open. He’d been so lost in the music that he seemed vaguely surprised that a hundred plus people had been listening.
    He smiled, slow and dazzling.
    God, did he have any inkling of how happy he looked at that moment…or how beautiful it made him?
    Before she knew what was happening, Seth