Vivien selected the title Time In a Bottle when we signed up for this pax, and honestly, we struggled for an idea. We struggled a lot. I don't even remember exactly who struck on the idea of setting it at a music festival and featuring the romance between two musicians--opposites in every way. I might have, but Vivien threw herself into it enthusiastically and Wendy and Macaulay were born (and we fell in love with them).
Opposites in temperament, success, and genre, two artists find they literally make beautiful music together...
The Hoolabaloo Musical Festival is one of the summer’s biggest events, but country artist Macaulay Jensen isn’t there for the much-needed career exposure. He’s there to see one woman—rock and roll superstar Wendy DeMartino. Beautiful, wild, and wildly successful, Wendy is out of his league. So Macaulay is shocked when she agrees to an after-concert date.
Wendy has always been attracted to Macaulay, and she’s thrilled when he asks her out on a date. But the reality of their lives is too pressing to ignore, and the most she hopes for is one perfect day...
Genres: Contemporary / The Arts / Exhibitionism / Public Places
Heat Level: 2
Length: Novella (24k words)
And now a never before seen excerpt.
“I need to write that down,” she said when the last note faded away. Twisting, she grabbed her notebook from the table and flipped past page after page of scribbled music and lyrics. “Maybe we should call that one ‘Ten Thousand Kisses’.”
Macaulay nodded. “I like that a lot. It’d be great to perform it live. If we ever end up in the same venue and the same city at the same time.”
Her pen paused in its scratching. “You know, you say it like that, and I start to think we need to steal the bus and not look back.”
“I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just…frustrating because there was a time, not too long ago, when I could have just shifted directions and followed you across the country.” Macaulay shook his head. “And that sounds really creepy.”
“Not any creepier than me wishing I could do the same.”
“You’d think, being musicians and all, we’d be better at timing.”
She grinned and resumed her writing. “You’d think.”
Macaulay drew his thumbs over the strings. “What would be good timing for you?”
Wendy didn’t respond until after she closed her notebook and set it aside. “Remember that sense of being trapped? It’s because there’s no end in sight. Today’s probably going to be it for awhile.”
“Yeah. I thought that might be the answer.” Macaulay couldn’t hide his disappointment, though he wasn’t in the least bit surprised. They both had to work hard for what they had. He needed to work hard to get a bit of success, and she needed to work twice as much to sustain it. “I guess something like this was bound to happen with my lifestyle. I finally find a girl I really like, and she’s the one
girl who doesn’t have the time.”
Her hand settled over his, stopping his playing. “Don’t think it’s because I don’t want it. I do. It’s just…”
Macaulay met her gaze, stunned, as always, by the vivid color of her eyes. “I know. I understand. Believe me, I understand. It’s not like I’ve got the time, either.” He leaned over, brushing his knuckles against her cheek. “But we do have time right now to finish this great song. And after today….well, we can work something out.”
“And we have tonight.” She smiled, pure mischief. “I can sleep on the bus tomorrow. We can have hours and hours, just the two of us.”
His groin tightened at the promise in her words. Normally, he would not sleep with a girl he liked on the first date. But it felt like this relationship needed to be accelerated. They had an awful lot to fit into one day, even if Wendy claimed they had hours and hours.
“And Jill can’t up and leave if she can’t find me.” He couldn’t resist the urge to run his thumb over her full, bottom lip. He leaned back before he was tempted to do more, and settled his guitar more firmly on his leg. “Do you want to take it from the top?”
Her gaze raked deliberately down his body, her head tilting in order to peer around the obstruction in his lap. “Well, I’m more interested in your bottom, but I guess we have to start somewhere.” Grabbing her guitar, she started playing the melody she had picked out earlier, waiting until he joined in before adding, “So if we’re going with that title, does that mean the lyrics should focus on what one lover wants from another?”
“I think so. Do you want it to be a duet?”
