Breathe(21)

“Okay, sing me one of those famous love songs.”

He grinned and played a soft smooth melody. Soon his voice joined in, and I found myself unable to take my eyes off of him.

“Just to make your eyes sparkle, I’d do anything. I could give it all up to know you were my girl. Just being with you and listening to your laugh is what makes up my other half. I was lost and cold inside when your heart called out to mine. Now I know you’re the only thing that keeps me hanging on, when the rest of the world seems to come crashing down.

“Don’t leave me now! I’ll never make it! Don’t leave me now. I’m not strong enough! You're the reason I can take this guitar and make it sing. Don’t leave me now, or I’ll fall apart.

“I know sometimes life with me is hard to handle. I get caught up in the lights and the crowd. But you’re the reason I keep on playing. Without you girl, it would all die down. Hold onto me through this ride please, because if you let go I will too. If the sparkle in your eyes starts to fade, my heart won’t beat and my song will disappear.

“Don’t leave me now! I’ll never make it! Don’t leave me now. I’m not strong enough! You’re the reason I can take this guitar and make it sing. Don’t leave me now, or I’ll fall apart. Don’t leave me now, or I’ll fall apart. Girl, if you leave me, it will all fall apart.”

His smooth, husky voice stopped, and the guitar playing slowed. When the song ended, I stared at him unable to say anything.

He smiled sheepishly. “The first number one I actually wrote. It’s the song girls always want to hear.”

I smiled, and then sighed. “I wish I could make a wisecrack, but after that performance, I’m torn between standing up and clapping or swooning.”

He threw back his head and laughed. “Ah, finally!”

“I wish I’d learned to play the guitar. I have never seen a girl not get reeled in when he breaks into a love song,” Jason said.

I shrugged in defeat. “I wish I could argue, but I have to admit, watching him sing that song and play the guitar is incredibly hard to resist. I have heard it before, but never with the view he just gave me, and I will never turn the station when it comes on again.”

Jason burst into laughter, and Jax grinned at me. “You couldn’t let it go without reminding me how unaffected you are by who I am, could you?”

“We wouldn’t want you to get a big head.”

Jason laughed again. “His head has been big since the first time he realized he was a prodigy.”

“I’m just teasing. I have never turned your songs off. The truth is I hardly ever listen to the radio. We have one radio at our house, and my mother loves the 80s. I know more songs from that time frame than I do current songs.”

“I hate 80s music, and I’m very sorry for you,” Jason said with sincerity.

I smiled and shrugged. “It’s not so bad when it’s all you’ve ever known.”

Jason raised his eyebrows like he wasn’t so sure. “Ah, yeah, sure,” he said and grimaced.

Jason looked behind me at Jax, and then cleared his voice and stood up. “Um, well, I guess I will be going. I got somewhere to be. See ya later, Sadie.”

“Okay, bye.”

“Yeah, see ya.”

I turned my attention to Jax after his brother’s hasty departure. “Why did you run him off?”

Jax faked innocence. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. You heard the man, he has somewhere to be.”

I laughed. “Sure he did.”

Jax grinned at me, walked over to a tall chest, and opened a drawer. “If I give you something of mine, will you accept it if I really want you to have it?”

I wasn’t sure how to answer. “Um, I guess it depends on what it is you want to give me.”

He pulled out an iPod and brought it over. “I want you to take this. It’s mine and has some really great artists on there, but I want you to have it because every song I have ever recorded is on there too.”

I took the iPod from his hands. “Thank you.”

“If you don’t want to listen to me, it’s all right. If there are other artists you want on there, just bring it to me, and I will put them on there for you.” He reached back into the drawer. “Oh, and here are some ear buds. I’ll get you a wireless pair, but I need to have them made to fit your ears. We can get