Facade Read Free Page B

day.
    He was the one who worried the second she left every day, and took comfort in the fact she left her few little treasures in the corner of his stage.
    He was the one who couldn’t take his eyes off her.
    Yes, he was the fool. He needed to check himself into an institution.
    A week after she first arrived in his life, they had developed a routine, a ritual of sorts. She woke, said good morning, got ready for her day and then left for hours on end. The first two days, he simply wondered where she went. On the third day he decided to follow her, and staying in the shadows, watched her do her laundry by conniving others to allow her to throw her clothes in with theirs, and snuck into a gym where she apparently cleaned up. She was then picked up by that blond fool in her band outside some postal store and went to practice.
    Yes, he observed the rehearsal on that third day and then again on the fifth and decided the band was horrible. The screeching lead singer needed to be hanged and put out of her misery. The rest of the band was mediocre at best. Maybe that was at worst, he wasn’t really sure. All he knew was that unless Christine was singing, he either wanted to run away screaming or fall asleep.
    After her various errands and pit stops, she returned to his theatre, scurried around, and then she sang.
    Her voice echoed through his property and a calm he didn’t know existed overtook him.
    Though by now he knew she used little methods to pay her way throughout the day, including her song to him, he still felt the need to reward her with a little present, a bottle of water, a blanket and a cushion for her nest, some candles, a sweet treat. Today he had something a little more special, so she better make it a good song.
    Once she finished laying out her items, she smoothed down her hair and came to the front of the stage.
    He gulped down his drink, poured himself another glass and sat up.
    “Good evening.” She bowed.
    After another drink, he nodded.
    Then she started to sing. Her sweet notes provided the perfect complement to the whiskey, and he could only sit and stare as the beauty created a song for only his ears.
    Back in his day he would have had her with a glance and a wink. Hell, he wouldn’t have had to wink.
    His present life was one of a eunuch without the dignity of someone cutting him apart. No, the mutilation was left only for his face, but it had the same result.
    Tonight she treated him to a longer song, and though he had to admire her doing it all a cappella , he would love to hear her solo with some proper music. She should never play backup. She should always be center stage.
    All too soon her song ended and as she did every night, she took a bow.
    He fought the urge to clap, but chose instead to raise his glass, polish off another drink and got ready to swoop in.
    In keeping true to her routine, after her show, she made her way through the theatre to the bathrooms. Once he was sure she wasn’t going to dart out, he climbed down and left his nightly offering and just as fast, resumed his hiding place.
    In a few minutes she returned, this time putting her hand to her chest at his gift. “Oh.”
    She slowly leaned down and lifted the deep red satin robe. “This is beautiful.”
    In a move he didn’t anticipate, she kicked off her shoes, took off her jacket and t-shirt and then pulled off her jeans.
    At the sight of her in nothing but a white bra and matching panties he practically fell out of his perch. While he suspected she possessed some pretty amazing curves, her baggy clothes didn’t allow him to actually see any of them. Now he knew her breasts overflowed out of her bra, her waist cinched in just the right amount and her hips rounded everything out perfectly. He could barely even glance at her backside without his body having the requisite male reaction. Holy hell he couldn’t have her here knowing what was underneath her clothes and not want to ravage her.
    She slipped on the robe, tied the