She sputtered, actually sputtered. Then she looked away.

"The more I think about it, I'm probably all that you don't want. I'm all about music. I'm all about helping others make it in the music world. And I'm all out there, all the time--- making it happen for me and the guys."

She was still sputtering, still processing as fast as she could, and I had a fleeting random thought about blondes. She wasn't really one of those, but at the moment she looked suspiciously like one. Gorgeous and brainless.

I leaned in.

"If this isn't about sex. What's it about?"

Her eyebrows puckered. "I--- you---- Rafe?"

I smiled. "Right."

She cocked her head to one side. At a loss.

I helped her out. "It's about us. You got it right. I- you- us."

"So, you're suggesting that we spend the few days we have getting to know each other without--- the attraction?" She finally figured it out.

But just to be sure I rubbed her chin with my beard. Man--- she was so soft.... "Unless you called me here to spend the next few days in bed with me."

She simply closed her eyes. "No." She said very softly, almost full of disappointment--- as if her greatest wish really was to spend the next few days in bed with me--- forgetting.

I knew that was a hard one for her to swallow. She hadn't realized it about herself and being an escape artist wasn't in her own self-image. It wasn't in mine for her either.

"So, tonight---- video games? Disney movies?"

I grinned widely. "Banana splits, and skinny dipping in that pond out back."

"It'll be freezing."

"Then we can warm up afterwards."

She took a deep breath and quirked her brows. Had I just said something about  limiting the attraction?  "Sounds--- good."

"Do we have stuff for banana splits, or should we go down to the studio?"

"They'd have stuff down there." She said, but she didn't move, and her eyes stayed glued to mine. Finally, tentatively, she reached out and cupped my cheek, fingering my scruff. I closed my eyes. Her touch was the one thing I craved--- everything was revealed in her touch. Simplicity—peace--- intangible thoughts, a kind of floating --- falling--- easy --- trust. It was immensely appealing. How could I be so stupid as to deny myself of this? Easy, I couldn't.

I kind of froze there as she ran her fingers over my cheeks and lips, exploring. Finally my eyes closed and I reveled. How many other fingers? How many other lovely eyes? None of them mattered. That's how enamored I was of her. And being enamored, I realized, caused me to be a little insecure. Which was a new experience.

                                                                ****

We drove down to the studio, its familiar arches and stone facing, in gray and brown and gold with shining lights on it. No one was in the lobby, but music was piping in from one of the recording rooms. I checked the placard that usually told the day's schedule, and found names of people I didn't know.

I told her about when Axis had come here for a relaxation period. It had been very calming, very fulfilling. I had been between partners that time, and was able to explore without attachment.

"Yeah, Rosewood is great for that. I love to come here and just get out in nature." She said.

"What sorts of things do you like to do?" I asked as we approached the cafeteria.

She was nonchalant, swinging her long blonde hair till the fragrance of it assailed my Aubrey deprived nostrils. I had to force myself to keep walking. She smelled so damn good.

"I like to swim." She said at last, getting a basket to put our purchases in. "I like to hike, and ride bikes."

"Do you ski in the winter?"

"Not here. I ski in Utah."

"Of course." I remembered that the Mann's had a resort of some kind in Park City. "What do you like to do best in the summer?"

"It would be fun to do a moonlight bike ride up Going-to-the-Sun Road in the Park."

"Glacier Park?"

A couple of guys came up behind us and I saw the first one give Aubrey the once over, scanning her without her knowledge as she opened the freezer to get the ice cream. They should have just gone by us, but they waited. I put my arm up to block their view and the second guy looked me directly in the eye. I grinned.

"Mack Truck." I announced with that grin in place.

The guy grinned back, clapping me on the back. "What are you up to, home boy?" His black eyes and facial tattoos crinkled with welcome. We gave each other a quick hug, and fist tap. Aubrey's eyes had turned back to my new acquaintance.

"Aubrey, this is my good friend Mike Trainor. Mack this is Aubrey Mann."

"Ah, the youngest Mann sister." He reached past me to shake her hand. She obliged with a beautiful, and very warm smile, her eyes lighting up in genuine welcome. Did they simply teach all the Mann kids to be that affable, or should I file that away as a character trait?

I pushed the freezer door closed, and hooked my thumb in Aubrey's jeans. Possessively-- I might add--- just for the record.

"Rafe this is Johnny Rainbow, a friend of mine--- a guitarist actually. We are starting a new band."

I nodded as I shook the guy's hand. He hadn't taken his eyes off my lovely date, and I found myself for the first time in my life, at thirty-seven years old--- really caring that this guy took his ever loving eyes off my girl.

"That's great, Mack. How long're you here for? I'll have to come down and sit in on whatever you're doing. Are you in counseling or studio time?"

"Just the studio time, actually, and coaching. Darrin Reethree is here doing some work as well." Darrin is a major producer of hip hop and rap singers, of which Mack Truck was one.(He opened with his last band for Axis two years ago in Michigan and back east.)

Mack looked back at Aubrey. He grinned, and I just knew a cute quip was coming. I braced myself. Mack had always been one to speak his mind without thinking.

"So, I'm surprised to see a member of the family here with this guy. Are you lost, pretty lady? This guy has no redeeming qualities." He brushed his tattooed hand over his right ear piercing, revealing his strange filed teeth as he grinned this time. It was said as a joke--- but not.

Aubrey seemed unfazed. "I invited him up for the week so we could spend a little time together. I know all about his redeeming qualities." She pulled my hand to hers and laced the fingers.

"It's like that is it? Well, I can't think of a more--- mismatched couple--- no offense. Aren't you Mormon?" Mack had no tact, and his appearance and tones not to mention his words revealed it.

"I am Mormon." Aubrey smiled as I basked in the fact that she'd claimed me so thoroughly. "And Rafe is a complete gentleman, which you would know if you knew him at all." I heard that tone of annoyance, and realized on her own turf she had no problem expressing herself.

Mack snorted. He gave me that look he saved for when he was really sure of himself. "I do know him." He said stoutly and I almost wanted to cringe, if it wasn't for the fact that his next revelation would have earned me a fist bump from any other person I was with. "I've toured with him. He's an animal. A beast, ya know? He's legendary."

Aubrey's eyes slid to mine to see, I suppose, if I wanted to refute this peacock's brazen claims. I shrugged. What he said was true for the most part, although I doubt that my escapades could be considered legendary. I had slept with a lot of women. I was known to be kind of wild. Wild as in uninhibited. I liked to go clubbing.

"I haven't been as wild the last few years, Mack. Trying to change that image. The real me is a lot more mainstream refined."

Mack's eyebrows rose and he looked back and forth from Aubrey to me and realized by our stance that we weren't yet sleeping together. That's a guy thing. If I were a girl observer, I'd have said we weren't a couple yet.  That super close familiar intimacy wasn't in place. He stepped closer to her, confidant like.

"Well, you better watch out. This guy's the original lady killer." He whispered loudly and then brushed his hand across her hair.

*****

Author's note:

Uh-oh---- I don't think he should have done that. Please feel free to leave me any comments you might have. This is just a first time try---- I can change it and fix it and improve it!