12-09-2016, 09:49 PM
The pianist began to play and a sense of calm washed over Dane. He rarely sat with complete silence in his mind, but when he listened to the piano, he let it consume him. He would perform the piece better himself, but when a player was adequate, he could enjoy the respite.
His drink was merely adequate as well. It served its purpose, warming his skin and relaxing his body. There were far more tasteful choices in wine, but the selection was limited here. Surprising for such an opulant Ritz Carlton, but it sufficed.
He was vaguely aware of a woman encroaching on his periphery. The dark cut of her clothing was about the only thing he noticed for a while, until a pale hand reached out and touched the chair nearest him.
He nearly waved her away without so much as a glance, annoyed by the intrusion in his entertainment. But he cut short the bite surely to have sprung from his tongue thinking of how he should behave instead.
He turned toward her, ready to flash a smile and open his arms in welcoming share of his personal space. Instead, he froze in his gaze up at her. The pale skin, verdant gaze, and dark hair reached into his soul and wrenched it from his body. "Aria" he mouthed silently.
It was she, as she appeared in his dreams. As soon as the surprise settled, though, he inhaled his soul, snatching it from her grasp, and snapped his gaze away. Irritation bubbled, and he jut his chin outward, staring at the pianist swaying to the music instead. Jaw tight, fingers snug around the globe of his drink, he finally sniffed and spoke his mind. "After all we've been through, you would hurt me like you did. I thought you were different."
Eyes flashing, they flicked toward hers, piercing them with accusation, darts from a wounded man.
His drink was merely adequate as well. It served its purpose, warming his skin and relaxing his body. There were far more tasteful choices in wine, but the selection was limited here. Surprising for such an opulant Ritz Carlton, but it sufficed.
He was vaguely aware of a woman encroaching on his periphery. The dark cut of her clothing was about the only thing he noticed for a while, until a pale hand reached out and touched the chair nearest him.
He nearly waved her away without so much as a glance, annoyed by the intrusion in his entertainment. But he cut short the bite surely to have sprung from his tongue thinking of how he should behave instead.
He turned toward her, ready to flash a smile and open his arms in welcoming share of his personal space. Instead, he froze in his gaze up at her. The pale skin, verdant gaze, and dark hair reached into his soul and wrenched it from his body. "Aria" he mouthed silently.
It was she, as she appeared in his dreams. As soon as the surprise settled, though, he inhaled his soul, snatching it from her grasp, and snapped his gaze away. Irritation bubbled, and he jut his chin outward, staring at the pianist swaying to the music instead. Jaw tight, fingers snug around the globe of his drink, he finally sniffed and spoke his mind. "After all we've been through, you would hurt me like you did. I thought you were different."
Eyes flashing, they flicked toward hers, piercing them with accusation, darts from a wounded man.