Taking out the money for Karen and Ben hadn’t even made a dent in his net worth. As much as the money might mean to the future of his deceased partner’s wife and kid, Dante knew that his daily phone calls meant even more to them. The calls had helped him, too. Talking about Patrick, remembering everything good about his best friend, was helping all of them get through the process of grieving. Maybe none of them had gotten to the point of acceptance yet, but every day was getting a little less painful.
He accelerated the truck down his short driveway and swung a left turn to get to the gate leaving the peninsula. Dante had been to the youth center on his previous visits. Knowing Sarah would be there tonight filled him with an unfamiliar anticipation, and he pressed on the accelerator just a little bit harder.
“How were the lessons?” Emily Sinclair asked Sarah curiously, seating herself on the piano bench next to her.
“I think they’re going well,” Sarah answered, happy to see Emily. She’d just finished teaching piano basics to three grade school children, and although she loved doing it, she could use some adult conversation. “The class started with ten kids, and it’s finishing with only three, but they’re dedicated.” Sarah just taught the basics to get kids interested in music. “I think the three who are left are going to go on and take lessons, so that’s something.”
“It’s fantastic,” Emily replied enthusiastically. “You’re amazing for volunteering to do this.”
“I’m just trying to pay back for the use of this incredible piano.” Sarah ran her hands lovingly over the keys of the baby grand.
“It’s here for the public to use,” Emily argued. “After Grady ordered it, I was thrilled that somebody could actually play it.”
Sarah laughed, thinking about the illogical fact that Grady had ordered a piano like this and didn’t even know if anyone in Amesport could play it. There were a few very good adult piano players in the town, but most of them had their own instruments.
“Jared told Grady that he saw you making out with Dante. Are you two an item?” Emily asked in a hushed, secretive voice.
Damn! The one thing I didn’t want to get around town already has gotten around.
“Please don’t say anything.” Sarah looked at the vivacious blonde next to her, hoping the fact that she had been taking advantage of an injured guy on pain drugs hadn’t gotten much further than the Sinclair family. She didn’t understand how she had lost all reasoning that night, but she was still plagued by guilt over the incident.
“Nobody knows,” Emily replied in a low voice, almost a whisper. “Jared and Grady would never tell anyone except family, but Grady’s not crazy about the fact that Dante was getting hot and heavy with you. He’s afraid Dante’s taking advantage. What happened? I heard you got hurt at Dante’s house, and Grady wanted to know what to give you to apologize. I’ve been dying to talk to you for days, but we’ve both been so busy this week.”
Sarah sighed, wondering if she should tell Emily that she’d actually been ravaging her brother-in-law while he was under the influence of pain meds. “Our first meeting didn’t go very well. He was being a self-destructive jackass, and he broke a glass by accident. The cut I got was no big deal, but I told him off. He showed up later that night at my house with lobster rolls and an apology. He was a little buzzed on pain meds. He kissed me. It was no big deal, Emily. He was stoned on legal medication. I’m sure it’s something he wouldn’t normally do. After that, we’ve been very professional. Everything’s fine.” Well, everything except for the fact that I still lust over him every time I look at him. Dante had started a flame that she couldn’t seem to extinguish.
Emily shot Sarah a doubtful look. “I don’t think a few pills motivated his behavior. There has to be sexual chemistry.”
Oh, God. There were those words again. Lust? Sexual attraction? Sexual chemistry? Does it really matter? The fact is . . . I do feel something.
She couldn’t deny it. “For me there was,” Sarah admitted reluctantly. “But it can’t happen again. He’s my patient, and what happened wasn’t professional.”
Emily’s delighted laugh floated through the music room of the youth center. “I went to Grady on business, seeking a donation from him. I ended up kissing him, too, even though I was there for a business transaction. Some attractions are impossible to deny. I know you. If you kissed him, you think he’s incredibly hot.”
More than hot. I think Dante is like a white flame, the hottest possible fire.
“I got caught up in the moment. That’s all it was,” Sarah said nervously, not wanting to admit to anyone that she found Dante Sinclair much more than just attractive. She had been drawn to him, craving him so desperately that her mind had let go of all rational thought, and she hadn’t been able to concentrate on anything except the feel of his touch.
For just a few moments, she’d felt completely connected to him, and her loneliness had fled. Experiencing something like that had been a powerful aphrodisiac.
“The senior bingo crowd is coming. Meet me later this week for coffee?” Emily stood, giving Sarah a questioning look.
Sarah watched as the chairs in the room filled up. There were several rows available, and they were rapidly being occupied. Playing before the weekly senior bingo session had become a habit, and she didn’t mind playing for anyone who loved music. She’d studied music since she was a child and had done more piano recitals than she could count. The ritual had started months ago by accident, when she had been playing for pleasure after her volunteer lesson for the kids. The seniors who had arrived early for bingo had started wandering in to listen before the bingo session started. After that, it happened every single week, seniors showing up in the music room a half hour before bingo to listen to her play before they went to the gymnasium where the bingo session was held.