Page 99 of Driving Beats

I’ve been wearing them for so long, I almost forget why I put them on in the first place. The reason knocks on the recesses of my mind. Right. I clear my throat. “When UC first started performing, it was crazy to have people—women—trying to get my attention. At the time, I was married⁠—”

I glance at her. She motions for me to continue.

“I didn’t want to let anyone think I was interested if I was looking at them. Some of the women wore see-through clothes, so I had little option but to look. I checked out the tatts of some of the men, noticed whose band shirts others were wearing. I found I could prevent my inner curiosity from being discussed online if my eyes were hidden behind sunglasses. Soon, I wore them all the time and the media never guessed my thoughts.” I shrug. “It sort of stuck.”

“I get it. For an introverted guy like you, having your curiosity exposed is tantamount to playing naked. So you hid them.” She giggles. “I do like the idea of you playing naked, though.”

I shake my head. “How about this? I’ll wear my guitar—and only that—tonight when I’m ravishing you if, and only if, we can get in and out of this store in under an hour.”

“Two. I’m getting a pair too, remember?” She pushes her newly-cut pixie hairdo away from her cheeks. “I want to wear them to honor my boyfriend.”

I smile. “Sure. Two hours, max, and then you can have your own private gig. Now, let me help you out of this big, bad SUV.” After a kiss on her delicious lips, I race around the front of the vehicle, pick her up, and gently deposit her on the sidewalk.

“Thank you, kind Sir.” She ruins her sweet statement by laughing.

I hide my exasperation for a second, then join her laughter. “Come on. Let’s get some sunglasses.”

Inside the store, I explore a wide variety of options. “How do these look?” I turn my head.

Nese lifts them off my face. “Too big.”

She hands me an alternative, which I put on and check out my reflection in the mirror. These are good. “What do you think?”

She looks at me from various angles. “Nope, still not right.” She passes me three more pairs. “Try these.”

Wishing I were done but knowing UC’s stylist has the best taste out of anyone, I accept all of them. The second one sings to me. “I really like these.” I turn toward her.

Nese cocks her head, then a wide smile spreads. “Definitely! These fit you perfectly. Almost as important, though, is you’ve picked up a certain swagger in them. It says ‘I’m gonna make you rock, and you’re going to have the best time of your life.’ Great choice!”

The way she describes the sunglasses makes me want to kiss her. So I do.

When we pull apart, I pick up the pair I had selected for her. “Your turn.”

She puts them on and turns toward me. Nese is sexy in anything she wears—or nothing at all—but these sunglasses make her downright dangerous. To my heart.

She screams, “I love them!” Grabbing my cheeks, she pulls my face down to hers. All my earlier crazy worries disappear. She’s everything I didn’t realize I needed.

We exit the store in under two hours. I pick her up and place her in the SUV’s passenger seat. “My ankle’s all healed now,” she notes.

I watch her buckle her seatbelt. “Maybe I like picking you up.”

Her cheeks inflate. “Maybe I like that too.”

Walking on air, I return to the driver’s side. As soon as I pull away, Mom’s call comes over the Bluetooth. “I’m in the car with Nese.”

“Hi, honey. How is my son treating you?”

Nese smirks at me. “He’s wonderful, Mrs. O’Shea.”

“Remember, please call me Pam, dear. What are you two lovebirds up to?”

I tell her about our shopping excursion. Nese supplies her version of how I chose the worst ones for me but got her a fantastic pair.

Mom laughs. “Sounds to me you both fit together like four strings on a guitar.’

“Love your analogy, Mom, but there are six strings on a guitar. 007 has four strings on his bass.”

Nese bubbles. “See what I have to live with?”