Page 38 of Prelude of Love (Harmony of Hearts #6)
Chapter Twenty-Five
CHANCE
My body burned with awareness of Duke beside me, his presence as commanding onstage as it was in every other aspect of his life.
The crowd had disappeared into a hazy blur.
All I could focus on was Duke’s powerful form next to me, the way his fingers expertly worked the guitar strings, and how his voice wrapped around mine like a physical caress.
As we reached the second chorus, our passion blazed hotter. Duke’s rich baritone took the lead.
I need your hands, I need your grip,
To pull me closer, to make me spill.
Leave me trembling, wrecked and bare,
Take all of me, leave nothing to spare.
Chasing the last light, get me there.
Duke’s resonant tone wrapped around each word with devastating honesty, as though he wasn’t simply singing lyrics but making promises to me. The real emotion in his delivery made the hairs on my arms stand on end. It felt less like a performance and more like a confession.
My knees weakened as our gazes met. The intensity of his slate-gray eyes pinned me in place, making it difficult to remember the words I’d written years ago.
Flood me, drown me, leave nothing unfound.
Strip me bare till there’s nothing unbound.
Break me, own me, I still won’t let go,
If I bleed for you, then let me bleed out,
I’d die to feel what you’re about.
The chorus hit again with scorching intensity, our voices tangling with naked desire. I’d performed the song countless times but never had the lyrics felt so sexy, so real, so dangerous.
I need your hands, I need your grip,
To pull me closer, to make me spill.
Leave me trembling, wrecked and bare,
Take all of me, leave nothing to spare.
Chasing the last light, get me there.
I fought against my body’s natural arousal in response to Duke’s commanding presence, but it was a losing battle when his fingers, which now danced across guitar strings, had gripped my hips, had stretched me open, had claimed me, had made me ache with want.
Each chord he played was pure temptation, a reminder of what his hands could do.
As our voices climbed toward the outro, I shifted my stance, desperately trying to hide the growing evidence of my desire.
Getting hard in front of a packed bar wasn’t part of tonight’s plan, but Duke’s proximity and our sexual energy made it almost impossible to control.
I was only human, after all. Not to mention twenty-two.
Suck me under,
I’ll go down.
You kiss my air,
Take me, I’m bound.
As the final note faded, the crowd at Hurly-burly erupted, whistling and cheering with an enthusiasm that surpassed anything I’d experienced in venues ten times the size of the little stage. Performing in a small-town bar magnified every reaction to something personal and magical.
I wiped sweat from my brow, leaning toward the microphone with a grin. “Is it just me, or is it really hot in here now?” I winked at the audience, earning a fresh round of cheers and a few suggestive whistles.
Duke cleared his throat beside me, his expression a fascinating mix of pride and discomfort at being the center of attention. “Iason and his band will take the stage soon,” he announced, his deep voice sending another shiver of lust through me.
The crowd applauded again as he set his guitar on the stand. He then placed his hand on my lower back, guiding me off the dais. His simple touch burned through my shirt as we headed to his family’s table.
Early’s face glowed with pride and something hungrier that made my mouth go dry as we approached him and Duke’s younger brother, whom I had met when we first arrived.
Fitzy’s smirk was eerily similar to Duke’s, though lacking the gravitas his older brother carried so effortlessly. “If you didn’t want people to think you were hooking up, you shouldn’t have made vocal love to each other onstage.”
Duke’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “I don’t want to hear it.”
I dropped into the chair beside Early, stretching my arms overhead with deliberate casualness. “What can I say? When you’ve got it, flaunt it.”
Early laughed, reaching over to squeeze my thigh. “Leave them alone, Fitzy. They’re having a hard enough time not fucking on this table as it is.”
“I suppose a quickie in the break room isn’t in the cards, then?” I asked, feigning disappointment while enjoying the way Duke’s flush deepened.
“Poor baby,” Early cooed, his fingers sliding into the danger zone of my thigh, then cupped my arousal.
“You’ll have to wait until we’re home to take care of your pressing problem.
” He and Fitzy dissolved into snickers while Duke looked like he was contemplating murder or possibly gagging his husband and brother.
Red appeared at our table, his eyes bright with excitement. “I don't have words for how amazing that was! I feel like I witnessed two music gods making magic.”
Duke shrugged, uncomfortable with the praise. “It was all Chance. He made me sound good.”
“You held your own, which is no small feat with a singer as talented as Chance,” Red insisted. “Now, I’m sad I never got to hear you duet with Iason. That would’ve been unbelievable. I don't suppose I could sweet talk you into it?”
It was fascinating to see how soft Duke was toward his favorite employee. “Maybe later.”
Red gushed. “That’s a dream I never knew I needed to come true. But wow, the chemistry between you two was off the charts.”
My mother materialized beside our table, her timing impeccable as always. “When you said you were performing tonight, you didn’t mention you’d be practically making out with Duke through a song.”
“Mom,” I groaned through a grin.
“Don’t ‘Mom’ me,” she said, ruffling my hair before turning to Duke. “You were magnificent, honey. I should have known you were an amazing singer with that deep voice of yours.”
It was sweet seeing an almost bashful side of Duke as he accepted my mother’s praise. “Thank you, Melody.”
“No, thank you ,” she insisted. “It’s been ages since I’ve seen my son so inspired onstage.” The knowing look she gave me made me want to crawl under the table.
“It was all Duke,” I said, enjoying the way his eyebrows shot up at my uncharacteristic deflection of a compliment. “His voice is pure sex. I’m tempted to convince him to quit the restaurant business and start a new band with me.”
He snorted. “Not happening, Princess.”
Him using his nickname for me in public sent a thrill through me that I couldn’t hide. Based on the satisfied gleam in his eyes, he knew what effect it had.
We all took turns saying goodbye to Red. Early hugged him tightly, slipping what looked like an envelope into his pocket. Duke’s farewell was brief but laden with emotion in a fierce hug. Fitzy and I gave him warmer hugs, thanking him for letting us be part of his send-off.
“It meant the world to me,” Red said in a teary voice. “I’ll never forget this night.” A call from one of his regulars pulled him away.
The evening continued with more performances, drinks, and laughter.
I enjoyed the company, the small-town warmth of the gathering, and how everyone seemed to know and care about each other.
But beneath it all ran an undercurrent of anticipation, a simmering need that grew with every accidental touch and heated glance between the three of us.
Early’s hand hadn’t left my thigh, occasionally venturing higher before retreating. Duke’s jaw tightened each time his husband’s fingers inched upward. The tension was delicious torture, and I savored it while simultaneously counting the minutes until we could leave.
As much as I was having fun, I was desperate to get back to Duke and Early’s house and celebrate in bed. The memory of our last encounter burned bright in my mind, and after our performance, whatever happened between us would be even more intense.
I couldn’t wait to see if Duke would make good on his sexy promises that he sang to me while looking as if he wanted to devour me whole.