Read Playing the Maestro for Free Online

glass with her arm. They both dove for it before the glass hit the floor. Melody’s hands closed around it, and Wolf’s hands closed over hers. Her skin felt hot as fire, lighting up his arm with heat.
    “Are you okay, Miss Mires?”
    Melody froze and looked down in horror as if he’d stolen her hand. “Um, yeah. The bar isn’t level.”
    “Of course.” Wolf dropped her hand like the lead violist dropped the beat. Did she really find him that unappealing? If so, nothing short of saving the entire orchestra would earn her trust.
    Looking at her pretty face, he decided he just might want to—even if it was only to right her wrong opinion of him. For some strange reason, he couldn’t live with her thinking he wasn’t a good person.
    His gaze traveled over her in one last longing look before he quelled his desires. “If you’re done with your interrogation, Miss Mires, I’d like to get back to my work. I have a donor meeting early in the morning.”
    “B-but—”
    “Nice talking with you.” Wolf slipped two twenties underneath the platter and walked swiftly to the exit.

Chapter Four
    Confronting His Fears
    The humid night air hit Wolf in a soothing bath of relief even though the evening was twenty degrees warmer and stickier than that air-conditioned bar. Just sitting next to Melody turned him into fire. She was everything that Alda was not: talented, direct, open, kindhearted. When he leaned in close, she didn’t smell of candy apples, sugary and sweet enough to make your teeth rot with no depth underneath. Her hair had the distinct scent of lavender, and her skin of chamomile, healing herbs his mother used to make tea. Melody’s features were softer, smaller, and rounder, with less exaggerated angles. Her voice was softer and sweeter, without the cloying twang of annoyance or sarcasm.
    He could see now that she was nothing like Alda.
    He was so drawn to Melody, he had to leave before his hand touched hers again or he’d pull her right to him. Blake had been very clear about not dating members of the orchestra. Wolf knew he was flirting with the forbidden, playing with fire. Besides, he needed Blake to know she earned the position based on her playing skills and dedication to the orchestra. If they ever dated, the backlash would taint both their reputations.
    His Buick waited for him two streets down, and he jogged to it to release some of his pent-up energy. Talking to Melody was like waking up after months of a haze. Too bad he couldn’t follow his inclinations any further than a conversation at a bar.
    He’d wanted to reassure her of the safety of everyone’s positions in the orchestra, but he couldn’t be sure of that himself. Hearing Melody’s concerns gave him even more determination to raise enough money to keep Mr. Wallsworth’s vision of the Civic Symphony alive.
    Wolf had to focus on the meeting tomorrow and convincing Central Bank to buy more than one chair. Maybe the other two men had children, nieces, nephews, even second cousins who played instruments. Maybe he could make a three-for-one deal, or have them sponsor an entire section of the orchestra.
    The rush of feelings burned off, he reached his Buick. Opening the door, he found his cell phone wedged in the driver’s seat. It must have fallen from his pocket before rehearsal.
    He turned the screen over and saw two more missed calls. From Alda. A sickening feeling spread through his gut, and this time it wasn’t the American food.
    Why doesn’t she leave me alone?
    Wolf felt as though he’d left the burner on back at home, in Germany. Because you never called her back, remember? Alda’s not one to take a hint.
    He should have seen Alda’s growing shallowness from a mile away, or the fact that she didn’t hesitate to claim the bill was on her and slap down a credit card after their first meal together. He should have looked more closely at the name she signed on the receipt. But she’d been so sweet when they first met, and he