Chapter 13

Cherisse

THE BOOTH FELT SUFFOCATING. It wasn’t claustrophobia making her feel like the words were caught in her throat. It was Keiran watching intently from the other side of the glass. In here, he was different, less carefree. He’d donned this super-serious studio mode mask that left her skin prickly like she’d break out in hives at any moment.

She was fucking this up, had no clue what she was doing. Just as she’d anticipated. Even as Keiran tried to guide her through it, she felt like she was croaking through the entire verse.

Music wasn’t hard for her to catch; learning a new song came quickly to her. Hell, anything sung to a tune was faster to learn. The song was clear in her head. She knew her part. But she kept freezing up.

“Alright, let’s take a break,” Keiran suggested, not a bit of frustration in his voice. Either he was good at faking this, or he was genuinely not about to shout her ass down for wasting his time. This was the second break they’d taken since Cherisse had come down to the studio.

It was a random day in the week when everyone else was off at work, and his niece was off at school, so no one was around to witness this utter shitfest. Not even Scooby, who wasn’t allowed down here, apparently. The dog’s mournful face was the last thing she saw before Keiran closed the door and headed down the steps to the studio.

“Sorry, I’m not good at this.” She exited the booth and threw herself down onto the couch, face on fire, as Keiran swiveled his chair to face her.

She’d been in choir in primary school and had some vocal talent, but this? This was vastly different to singing along with a bunch of other people, guided by a choir mistress. In choir, she’d had no solos except for her audition to get into the choir, and that had been a heart-pounding experience.

Here, with Keiran, it was just his eyes on her, and it made her itchy, made her skin feel too tight. She was close to dashing up the stairs and out the door, but she’d promised. Keiran had even come to pick her up, brushing away her comment about taking public transport to his house. No judgment about a woman her age, not driving. She was uncertain whether he’d been trying for chivalry or making sure she didn’t duck out on their deal. Maybe both.

Bet he’s regretting this now.

“Am I making you feel uncomfortable?” His question drew her out of her thoughts. His legs spread wide as he rocked back in his chair, arms resting on his stomach as he held her gaze. Her disloyal gaze that dipped right into the V his thighs created, for hopefully the briefest of moments. So brief that Keiran hadn’t noticed. Staring at Keiran’s crotch certainly wouldn’t make any of this less stressful. But it was just right there, practically begging for her eyes to trace the outline in those barely decent sweatpants.