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wasn’t just a passion. She wanted to make it a career one day,

even if she wasn’t entirely sure how that would come about.

She hadn’t even applied to any of the major music schools.

Instead, she’d chosen a good college, and her father insisted

that she take businesses classes as her minor. She hated them,

but that was their compromise. It was another reason she’d had

to take so many summer classes. If she wanted to, she could

always go back and take more business classes. If piano didn’t

work out. She didn’t want to think about it not happening.

“That’s beautiful,” Claire whispered as Haley played. She

gave up on what she’d been working on and instead played

whatever came to her. Snatches of popular songs, classical

pieces. There was no connection or reasoning for it. She just

let her hands decide.

Claire’s other hand came up and caressed Haley’s neck. She

petted her and Haley panted, revelling in the touch. In the

intimate closeness she felt. Her hands danced over the keys

and Claire’s hands danced lower.

Haley was wearing only a tank top and Claire’s hands

slipped beneath. It was late and she’d been lounging in her

room, working on a paper and getting distracted by books on

her phone that she shouldn’t have been reading because they

had nothing to do with music. When she’d come in here, she

thought no one would disturb her. She’d just wanted a twenty-

minute break from being bent over a screen, her laptop and her

phone. She’d come in here to refresh her mind and recharge

before putting in another hour on her paper.

Claire groaned when she swept her hand up and found that

Haley wasn’t wearing a bra. She cupped her breast and Haley

gasped, arching forward. She didn’t stop playing. The music