She let out a snort, then laid the guitar in the stand, pushed off the carpet, and stood. “Please. I’m an amateur.”
He stood, too. “Amateur my ass.”
When she would have walked away, he held her back by grabbing her hand.
“You’re an incredible singer, Jenna. People should hear you.”
She frowned. “No.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t want to.” She walked out of the room and headed back to the living room, Ty’s words zinging around in her head.
“You’re afraid to sing in public?”
“That’s not it.”
“Then what is it?”
She grabbed the empty pizza box and started cleaning up. “Leave it alone, Ty.”
But he followed her into the kitchen. “You have a talent you’re wasting.”
She ignored him and lifted the trash out of the can. He took it from her and tied it up, then took it outside, giving her a minute to inhale and blow it out in a frustrated breath.
She bit her lip to keep the tears back. She never sang in front of anyone. Not anymore. No one knew about her hobby. It had always been just for her, a way to let out her frustrations, to pour out her feelings about whatever was on her mind.
Why had she sung in front of him? That made no sense. She should have kept it to herself. Instead, she’d played for him. She’d sung not only a popular song, but one she’d written.
He liked it, had made it seem like she was really good.
He’d touched a nerve, had tapped into her dreams and fantasies, making her want things she knew she could never have.
“Where are your trash can bags?”
“What?” She hadn’t heard him come back in.
“Trash bags, to line your kitchen can?”
“Oh. Right. Under the sink.”
Forcing herself to focus, she turned around. “I can do that.”
“Already done.”
“Well, thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
She turned away, but he wound his arms around her and pulled her back against his chest.
“You’re a great singer, Jenna. I only meant to compliment you, not piss you off.”
She sighed. She was being overly sensitive. “I appreciate it. And I’m not pissed off.”
He cocked his head to the side. “Somehow I think there’s more to this story.”
“Not really.”
He turned her around to face him. “Whatever it is, you can talk to me about it.”
“I played when I was in Germany. There’s an awesome music scene there and I hooked up with a few bands. I was living my dream and having the time of my life, writing and singing.”
He folded his arms and leaned against the counter. “Yeah? That’s great.”
“It was. We got an audition to do this big show. Except they only wanted the band. Not me. They hated my voice, said I was holding back the band.”
“Ouch.”
“The band kicked me out and that was the end of my singing.”
“Jenna, rejection is part of the business, isn’t it?”
She shrugged. “Maybe. I don’t know. I just wasn’t good enough.”
He pushed off the counter and came to her, laid his hands on her shoulders. “You are good enough. You have an incredible voice. Maybe you just weren’t the right voice for that particular band. It doesn’t mean your voice wasn’t good enough. It is good enough. I think you have an incredible voice.”
She lifted her gaze to his. “It’s okay. For singing in the privacy of my bedroom.”
“Bullshit. It’s amazing.”
Her lips curved. “You’re not exactly a talent scout. But I appreciate you thinking so.”
“So what happened after that?”
“Nothing.”
“You mean, you stopped singing?”
“No, of course not. As you can see from the mess in the office, I’m still writing songs and singing them.”
“But not publicly.”
“Uh, no. Not until tonight. For you. Which I guess can’t be considered public singing.”
His brows rose. She knew he wanted to say more, but maybe he read the pleading look in her eyes, because he smiled at her and said, “Then I’m honored. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
He bent and brushed his lips against hers. “You’re a woman of many talents.”
Glad the tension had dissolved, she laughed. “Yes, I am a hell of a bartender.”
“Well, yeah, that, too, but those aren’t the talents I have on my mind right now.”
“Is that right? And what is on your mind right now?”
“Something more bedroom oriented.” He scooped her up in his arms and headed down the hall toward her bedroom.
She gazed up at the obvious amorous intent on his face and smiled.
“Speaking of someone with many talents…”
FOURTEEN
TY ASKED JENNA OUT A FEW DAYS LATER, SURPRISED when she agreed.
After the other night, she’d been upset, though she’d been a good sport about getting over it in a hurry. She wasn’t one of those women who got mad and stayed that way.