His Unwilling Muse

Epilogue

It's a beautiful Saturday morning as I pedal my way down the familiar promenade. I smile up at the gray clouds covering the sky and breathe in the city's pollution through my nose.

Although I'm awake right now, a part of me feels like this is nothing but a dream. A beautiful illusion I'm bound to wake up from. That in reality, I didn't blow up the important audition yesterday just so I could be there during Nate's performance.

I shake my head at my absurd thoughts and continue moving down the stone path. I'm tucked so far inside my own bubble of happiness that I almost miss the faint sound of a sweet romantic melody. Instantly my legs begin to move in a faster rhythm, while my heart races in anticipation.

Can it be?

The closer I come, the louder and clearer the sound becomes until I finally lay my eyes on him. On the same spot as so many times before stands a young violinist, who is producing a magical melody with the small wooden instrument.

The corners of my lips tug into an immediate smile when I stop my bike beside the familiar stone bench. A small group is already gathered around him in a semi-circle, but I pay them no mind. As doesn't he.

Nate has his eyes focused straight past them on one person and one person only.

Me.

I slowly slip off my trusty bike and lean it against the side of the bench just as Nate draws his bow one last time against the strings of the violin. The final note hangs in the air for a few heartbeats before the surrounding people burst into a round of applause.

I follow their lead and clap a few times, while keeping my eyes on Nate the entire time. His chestnut orbs leave my nut ones only for a second when he bows to his audience and then puts the violin down inside its case. The moment he straightens back up he moves through the crowd and makes his way over to me.

"Show off." I murmur when he stops beside me. "I thought you were now too proud to play outside on the street. You are, after all, an official member of the city's orchestra."

"That makes no difference when it comes to my girlfriend." He diminished the last step of distance between us. "For her I would play anywhere, any time."

"Oh, really?" I cock my head to the side, unable to keep a grin off my face.

"Really." The moment the last letter leaves his mouth, he leans down and presses his lips against mine.

I ignore the surrounding people and return his kiss.

"After all, it's all because of you." He rests his forehead against mine. "My muse. Without you, I would have never made it."

"Does this mean our daily practices are over now?"

"You don't need to sit in the practice room with me anymore, if that's what you mean. But you still have to spend every afternoon with me."

"Oh? Doing what exactly?"

"I have a few things I can think of." He gives me a deep kiss that has my entire body tingling with anticipation.

"I'm sure you do." I roll my eyes at his smirk and smack him against his jacket. "But I already know what we'll be up to next."

"Is it something similar to mine?" His wraps his arms around my back to prevent me from moving even a step away from him.

"I doubt it." I chuckle at his disappointed pout. "We're now going to teach you how to play just as magically without me in the same room as you. Because I don't plan on spending my entire life glued to your side."