to command the stage, regardless of what she tells herself.”
Sophie’s stomach rolled, and she stared up at him in both horror and intrigue at what he was about to say. Part of her rejoiced. Part of her was terrified.
His eyes softened and turned to a warm, smoldering emerald. “Sophie, I know you tell yourself that this isn’t what you want, that your life is safe while mine is too spontaneous and wild, but I know what I saw and what I experienced for the several days you were with us. I know you love this as much as I do. And aside from all that, having you around calms me, steadies me, gives me a bit of normalcy in my chaotic world. Perfect balance, remember?” He threaded his fingers through her hair and sighed. “If you crave this the same way I do, you have a place with us. I know it would be life altering, but we want you to be a part of Shadows Rising, and if you’re willing to take the leap, I promise I won’t let you fall. Trust me, Sophie. Please.”
She continued to stare because she didn’t know what else to do. He may as well have been speaking Swahili. All of this was so outlandish.
“If you decide that you don’t want this, it’s all right. I’m not going anywhere, and we can figure something out. But if you decide to listen to yourself, to that voice deep inside of you, and if you decide that you can trust me to make sure everything is all right…” He spanned his arm behind him to indicate the stage. “We’re waiting for you to take your place.” He leaned down and pressed a soft, chaste kiss to his lips, then left her there while he went back over to the others.
Sophie stood there, not knowing what to do and feeling more lost than she ever had. He was offering her a once in a lifetime opportunity. To be a member of her favorite band, to see the world, to play music every night of her life! To be with him…
But her students… She couldn’t leave them behind. Besides, what was she thinking? Was she out of her mind? She couldn’t just go off and become a rock musician in a metal band. She had obligations. She had a life here. It was silly to even entertain that thought. She was not the rock-star type. She was a teacher. She had gone to school to become a teacher, not a rock star.
She shook her head and tried to get a clue even while that meddlesome voice in her head was telling her that she was out of her mind for blowing this opportunity. You want Zane, and you want some of the fun that life has to offer. It doesn’t mean you’re going to become a drug addict or an alcoholic. You can still be responsible, but be so doing something incredible that you never imagined you would get the chance to do! And you would be able to do it alongside the man you love!
Love? Wait, love ? She couldn’t love Zane! Was she a complete lunatic? She barely knew the man!
She squashed that annoying voice, squared her shoulders and turned to her students. “Okay, guys, let’s go find a place to sit for the show.”
Elliott frowned. “You mean you’re not going to join the band?”
She snorted. “Of course not. I have a life already. Let’s go.” She tried to shoo them away, but he was having none of it.
“Ms. G!” he exclaimed. “Are you mental? Anyone would kill to have this opportunity!”
She frowned, not liking that her seventeen-year-old student was trying to lecture her. “Yeah, well, I’m not anyone. Now, come on. You couldn’t possibly understand where I’m coming from.”
His eyes narrowed and he folded his arms across his chest. “Yeah? Why, ’cause I’m only a teenager?” He scowled. “Well, I’m smart enough to know that all you ever do is preach to us about how, if we have a dream, we need to make it happen. We have to go for it or else we’ll regret it for the rest of our lives. We need determination and strength and blah blah blah. You go ahead and tell yourself that you already have a life and that’s why you’re giving up this amazing chance, but I know,
Sophie’s stomach rolled, and she stared up at him in both horror and intrigue at what he was about to say. Part of her rejoiced. Part of her was terrified.
His eyes softened and turned to a warm, smoldering emerald. “Sophie, I know you tell yourself that this isn’t what you want, that your life is safe while mine is too spontaneous and wild, but I know what I saw and what I experienced for the several days you were with us. I know you love this as much as I do. And aside from all that, having you around calms me, steadies me, gives me a bit of normalcy in my chaotic world. Perfect balance, remember?” He threaded his fingers through her hair and sighed. “If you crave this the same way I do, you have a place with us. I know it would be life altering, but we want you to be a part of Shadows Rising, and if you’re willing to take the leap, I promise I won’t let you fall. Trust me, Sophie. Please.”
She continued to stare because she didn’t know what else to do. He may as well have been speaking Swahili. All of this was so outlandish.
“If you decide that you don’t want this, it’s all right. I’m not going anywhere, and we can figure something out. But if you decide to listen to yourself, to that voice deep inside of you, and if you decide that you can trust me to make sure everything is all right…” He spanned his arm behind him to indicate the stage. “We’re waiting for you to take your place.” He leaned down and pressed a soft, chaste kiss to his lips, then left her there while he went back over to the others.
Sophie stood there, not knowing what to do and feeling more lost than she ever had. He was offering her a once in a lifetime opportunity. To be a member of her favorite band, to see the world, to play music every night of her life! To be with him…
But her students… She couldn’t leave them behind. Besides, what was she thinking? Was she out of her mind? She couldn’t just go off and become a rock musician in a metal band. She had obligations. She had a life here. It was silly to even entertain that thought. She was not the rock-star type. She was a teacher. She had gone to school to become a teacher, not a rock star.
She shook her head and tried to get a clue even while that meddlesome voice in her head was telling her that she was out of her mind for blowing this opportunity. You want Zane, and you want some of the fun that life has to offer. It doesn’t mean you’re going to become a drug addict or an alcoholic. You can still be responsible, but be so doing something incredible that you never imagined you would get the chance to do! And you would be able to do it alongside the man you love!
Love? Wait, love ? She couldn’t love Zane! Was she a complete lunatic? She barely knew the man!
She squashed that annoying voice, squared her shoulders and turned to her students. “Okay, guys, let’s go find a place to sit for the show.”
Elliott frowned. “You mean you’re not going to join the band?”
She snorted. “Of course not. I have a life already. Let’s go.” She tried to shoo them away, but he was having none of it.
“Ms. G!” he exclaimed. “Are you mental? Anyone would kill to have this opportunity!”
She frowned, not liking that her seventeen-year-old student was trying to lecture her. “Yeah, well, I’m not anyone. Now, come on. You couldn’t possibly understand where I’m coming from.”
His eyes narrowed and he folded his arms across his chest. “Yeah? Why, ’cause I’m only a teenager?” He scowled. “Well, I’m smart enough to know that all you ever do is preach to us about how, if we have a dream, we need to make it happen. We have to go for it or else we’ll regret it for the rest of our lives. We need determination and strength and blah blah blah. You go ahead and tell yourself that you already have a life and that’s why you’re giving up this amazing chance, but I know,
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