Sun & Moon - a contemporary romance (The Minstrel Series #1) by Lee Strauss, Elle Strauss Page B

across the table. She observed him with her artist’s eye. He had messy black hair and thick eyebrows. His eyes were a grey blue and he had slender lips. He’d be an interesting subject.
    “Where’s your boyfriend?” he said.
    Katja squinted at him. “I don’t have a boyfriend.”
    He flashed her a lopsided grin. “I think my night just got a whole lot better.”
    She laughed. He was flirting with her. See? She was desirable. Guys did like her. Take that, Micah Sturm. She winked at Karl-Heinz and slugged back her drink.
    She liked the buzz. It made her happy. It made her feel good about herself. She didn’t need anything or anyone. Especially not him .
    Why did her butt keep vibrating? She reached back and found the phone. Oh yeah, her birthday gift from Micah.
    “ Heelllooo ,” she sang. “What? I can’t hear you. Blue Note? Hell, yeah!” It took a couple tries to push the tiny end call button—why’d they make it so blurry anyway?
    “Does anyone want to dance?” she shouted.
    Karl-Heinz reached out a hand. “I’m game.”
    She swayed with the upbeat music, and Karl-Heinz pulled her close until her body slammed into his. His hands moved down her shoulders and over her hips. She pulled away a little, not exactly comfortable with how close they were, but at the same time it felt good. His hands on her body signaled to her that he wanted her. She was wanted .
    She felt his lips brush her forehead, and she stiffened slightly. She didn’t know him, but, she decided at that moment, she didn’t care. She just wanted to be loved, and if he wouldn’t love her, she’d take it from wherever she could get it.
    Karl-Heinz whispered in her ear. “Do you want to get out of here?”
    She knew what he was saying. Did she want to go have sex with him? Did she want to have sex? Yes. With him? No. Besides, she hadn’t been here long, and she wanted to party.
    She felt a hand on her shoulder before she could answer. She turned and burst out laughing. “Micah? What are you doing here?”
    Why are you here? I don’t want you here. I really want you here.
    He didn’t smile. He flashed Karl-Heinz a blistering glare, then said to her, “Let’s go home.”
    She pulled away from both of them. “I don’t want to go home . I don’t have a home. I want to paarrrtttyyy .”
    Katja stumbled back to the table and squeezed in beside Sebastian. “You’re such a good friend,” she slurred. She picked up his drink and took a sip. “You don’t try to use me. You don’t try to change me. You’re not ashamed of me.”
    Sebastian wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gently removed his drink from her with the other. “I think you’ve had too much to drink already.”
    “I don’t care,” she whined. “It’s my birthday.”
    She was vaguely aware of the two empty seats in front of them becoming occupied by Karl-Heinz and Micah. They both looked frustrated. They both could go to hell.
    “Sebastian,” she said. “Why do we do this?”
    “Do what?”
    “This?” She flung out an arm almost knocking Sebastian’s drink over. He expertly rescued it. “Play music. Write songs. What drives us to pursue this life so hard?”
    “It’s the way we’re built, baby. Not playing is like not breathing.”
    Katja narrowed her gaze at Micah, but continued to converse with Sebastian. “He doesn’t approve,” she slurred. “His family are bankers . They don’t get people like us .”
    Katja was drunk, but not so much that she didn’t catch the hurt that flashed in Micah’s eyes. He shifted as if to leave, but she reached across the table and grabbed his wrist.
    “Don’t go. I’m sorry.” She pulled a sad, pleading puppy dog face. “Please.”
    She giggled when Micah relaxed back in his chair. “Micah doesn’t drink,” she announced. She raised her half-empty glass. “Can you believe it? He’s my designated driver. Except that we walked here. He’s my designated walker!” She lifted her drink to her lips and