Play With Me - Brittany Cournoyer Page 0,55

Foster’s neck to pull him halfway across the bar so I could plant my lips solidly against his. Since we were both at work, I kept the kiss brief. But I couldn’t resist a quick lick to his lips let him know there would be more to come.

“Any requests for tonight?” I asked when I finally pulled away.

Foster pursed his lips as he thought about it. “Surprise me.”

“Will do. I’ll see you later.”

As I walked to the stage, the rest of the band made it blatantly obvious they were watching the exchange at the bar.

“What?” I challenged.

“Nothing,” Baylor denied while Weston only grinned at me.

“Get your sax put together, Romeo. It’s almost time for them to open,” Maverick told me.

I didn’t say anything as I opened my case and started fitting the pieces together. I thought about which song I would play, and as Mina announced she was unlocking the doors, the perfect one came to mind. I just hoped he liked it.

19

Foster

The anticipation was killing me. I knew from watching them play over the last few weeks that Stellan’s big solo wasn’t until the second set, so I was anxious to know which song he’d play for me. The band liked to switch it up a bit and played different hits from recent years with their own jazz twist. It made the music enjoyable, familiar, and smooth at the same time. And each song highlighted the strengths of each musician. Even though I enjoyed the other bands that played, The Messengers were my favorite. It had nothing to do with the sexy saxophone player and everything to do with their sound. As individual players, they were incredible, but when they came together as a unit, their sound was phenomenal, and I could understand why they had such a huge following.

Since we were so busy, I couldn’t take my break at the same time Stellan had his first one, so he sat on one of the stools and sipped water from the bottle I’d placed in front of him. I tried to make my way over to him numerous times in his half-hour, but the crowd that gathered at the bar grabbed their drinks then clustered around Stellan in hopes of snagging a few moments of his attention.

An odd sense of pride swelled in my chest as I watched him interact with his fans, and periodically, his eyes would stray from whomever he was chatting with that moment to seek out mine. We’d share a small, private smile before returning back to our tasks at hand, only to repeat the action a few minutes later.

During their break, I also noticed Stellan made sure to direct fans toward his other band members to ensure they got equal recognition. Mina and I pulled beers, mixed drinks, and popped numerous tabs, and by the time I could take a breather, the band was back onstage. On my days off, a part-time employee named James filled in, but the fact Mina trusted me to be her right hand during our busiest nights proved she had unwavering faith in me, and I appreciated that. Not to mention, the tips I’d been depositing in my bank account had my tiny quail-sized nest egg growing so it looked more like a chicken’s. A few more months, and hopefully I’d be able to put a deposit on a nicer apartment.

The band had been back onstage for a while, and I’d found myself humming along as I served the customers who’d trickled up to the bar. Most of them were seated as they sipped their beverages, ate some food, and listened to the band. Or chatted with their friends and companions. I’d just handed a martini to a customer when the lights in the room dimmed even lower, and then I heard the opening chords of a very familiar song coming from Stellan’s saxophone. A spotlight came on at the same time Baylor backed him up with some soft drums, and everyone else stopped to watch Stellan work his magic.

I was frozen to the spot as he played the most beautiful rendition of Latch by Sam Smith that I’d ever heard—and he was playing it for me. I could hear the words in my head in time to the music, and I wondered if he was trying to convey them to me the only way he knew how—through his instrument.

My jaw hung open, my eyes wide, as a lump formed in my throat. And as his body moved in