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.Tori missed shopping with her friend, talking for hours, going to movies, meeting up for coffee or dinner.Ordinary things that Tori couldn’t do anymore.Tori was thankful that she’d left the box of reeds at her parents’ home the last time she was there, and that her mother had thought to grab them for her.Otherwise she would have had to wait until someone bought a box for her—if she could find someone who had the time to do so.She wet a reed, and when she was finished, she absently let her fingers dance over the keys as she closed her eyes.At their first concert of the season in September the Tucson Symphony Orchestra would be performing Gustav Holst’s The Planets.One of her favorite parts in the suite for clarinet was in “Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity,” and she let the tune fill the air.As her fingers moved, she let the music flow through her.Music completed her heart and soul in a way that nothing else could, and carried her far away from reality.Music had been an escape for her from the time she was a small child and her father was a belligerent drunk.It was an escape when she was in junior high and high school, the times she’d been bullied for any number of things.It had been an escape from Gregory’s verbal and emotional abuse.And now, once again, it was taking her away.Escape, she just needed the escape.The last note faded and she sighed, her eyes still closed as she let herself hold on to the moment.The bed dipped and the bedsprings creaked.Her eyelids flew open and she set the clarinet on her lap.Even before she’d opened her eyes, she’d known it was Landon who had sat on the bed beside her.His scent was magnetic, his presence electrifying.She met his gaze and felt warm all over again as she let herself be caught in the spell of the unusual green shade of his eyes.“You are incredible,” he stated.“Your music is magic.”“Thank you.” She smiled.“Usually, not a day goes by that I don’t do something music-related, especially practicing.” She shifted on the bed to face him better.“I wanted to ask you if I could have a notebook along with pencils and pens.”“Sure.” He gave a nod.“Do you journal?”“Not really.” She shook her head.“I compose.It’s something I do because I love it, but it’s also good therapy.”“Not a problem.” He gave her a smile.“Just tell me what you need and I’ll get it for you.”“Thank you.” She returned his smile, but it faded as she remembered what they’d been doing just a short time earlier.“I’m sorry about what happened.I shouldn’t have—”He put his fingers over her lips.“Hey.You don’t have anything to apologize for.If anyone should apologize, it should be me.”As she studied his roughly carved features she realized she didn’t want him to have to feel like he should apologize.She wanted him to tell her it hadn’t been a mistake and that the kiss had meant everything to him that it had to her.She wanted him to say how he’d wanted to kiss her since they’d met, because that was the way she felt.For a long moment neither of them said anything.“I loved it,” almost spilled out of her mouth but the words stayed in her head where they belonged.He gave her a long, searching look.“Are you tired?”She blinked at the change in topic.“Yes.”“Then I’ll let you get some sleep.” He put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it before he stood.She got to her feet, too.“Are you leaving?”He hesitated and looked like he wanted to touch her again.“I’ll be in the living room.”“Thank you.” She crossed her arms over her chest, holding herself tightly, feeling as if she might fall apart if she didn’t.He hesitated then leaned down and brushed his lips over her cheek.“Get some rest, honey.”Her eyes widened a bit at the endearment, but he turned away and walked to the bedroom door.He looked once over his shoulder, his gaze meeting hers, and then he was gone.For a long moment she gripped her clarinet as she stared at the place where he’d been standing.She was attracted to Landon more than she wanted to admit, even to herself
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