“Wow- so, you own all of that?” My awestruck question was only met with a smirk, and I propped my elbow on the bar to stare at the napkin between Richard and I. He’d explained that he had a stranglehold on the music business, and with it displayed so nicely in front of me, I could see how.

Not only did he own multiple recording companies across all of the genres, but he owned the companies that made the equipment, managed the artists- everything. Pursing my lips together, I couldn’t even begin to fathom how much work it’d taken him to achieve something like this.

“You look so baffled- it’s cute. But you have to remember that I’m 43 years old. I started in this business before there was really much of one. Back then it was grungy rock’n’roll, and rap was just getting started. Pop music hadn’t even been invented back then.” Glancing at Richard, I nodded dumbly before reaching for one of my jalapeno poppers. “That’s why I came up to you at the karaoke bar. I know talent when I see it, and if you weren’t so dead set on becoming a doctor, I’d take you up in a heartbeat.”

“Actually, about that… I was thinking about what you said, and that maybe it’d be a good way for me to wind down. I mean, being a doctor is high stress, so…” My confession came out easy, and I smiled when Richard grinned at me. His expression morphed into pure elation, and he leaned forward to come within an inch of my face. Stiffening at the sudden invasion, I held myself very still as he paused, his eyes widening as they searched mine.

“Sorry… I wasn’t thinking.” Mumbling softly, Richard’s warm breath flowed over my chin and down my neck, and air caught in my throat. Slowly pulling away, he sighed heavily to send goosebumps down my arms, and I gulped hard while he checked his watch. “It’s almost 8p.m.. I don’t want to keep you too late, Lilly. Why don’t we go out again soon? I can show you one of my studios, if you want?”

From behind furrowed brows, I tried to figure out how we couldn’t stay up late considering our arraignment while Richard fished for his wallet. His words from earlier floated into my scope of thought, and I pursed my lips tightly together as I shored up my courage.

“Wait-“ Caught in Richard’s gaze, I sucked in a sharp breath and didn’t dare blink to break contact. “I- I want to do this… Richard, I want to do this.”

He instantly knew exactly what I was talking about, and his expression became a blank slate. Setting his wallet near his empty basket, Richard stared at me long and hard, and the seconds ticked by arduously. With each tick of the clock as it rose over the sounds of the bar, my heart thudded harder in my chest, and I nodded absently, dumbly, into the silence surrounding us.

“You won’t let me pay you if we don’t, huh?” The resignation in Richard’s voice was clear, but I couldn’t help but be suspicious of how easily he caved. Leaning in, he pressed a soft kiss to my cheek, and I gasped before he whispered in my ear. “I find you very attractive for many reasons. You should just take the money, though, Lilly- if that’s all your after.”

Heat crept up my neck to invade my face, and I sputtered slightly as my mind frantically tried to catch up to the situation. No man had ever gotten so close to me, and it was messing with my head. Leaning back to watch me fumble with a slight smirk, Richard waited patiently for the fog to lift before I found myself shaking my head. I didn’t even know why, but it seemed like the only action I was capable of doing.

“I’m sure. I am.” Breathless and high pitched, my voice wavered, and my lips wobbled dangerously. With a nod, Richard twisted to grab his wallet, and I twiddled my thumbs in my lap as I waited for him to pay. The tab wasn’t outrageous, but he slapped a $100 bill on the counter before sliding off his stool.

Holding his hand out for me, Richard caught my gaze and wouldn’t release it even as my fingertips slid along his palm. Thick calluses met my touch, and a shiver rattled my spine and tightened my chest. He had the hands of a musician, and I pulled my lower lip between my teeth before turning to the exit across the bar.

“Did you want to tell your friend we’re leaving?” Embarrassment and pride warred in my chest at the question, but before I could open my mouth Kayla was at my side. Snaking her arm around mine, she grinned as shock bolted through me, and I looked between the two people on either side of me before she spoke up.

“No need. I’ll follow you.” Kayla sounded much too happy, and I ducked my head as Richard only chuckled. Staring at my sneakers, I shuffled my way to the door while my friend rushed in front of us, and the quiet was deafening. My face flamed, hands held tight near my hips, and it wasn’t until we were outside near the parking lot that Richard spoke up.

“She’s a good friend, Lilly. You’re lucky to have someone like her watching your back. How did she feel when she found out you were a millionaire?” My cheeks only grew hotter at the compliment, and I took a deep breath of the fresh, warm air to sigh heavily.

“Uh- she held my hair while I threw up from surprise… I never imagined I’d get that much.” Rubbing my hands together absently, I let out a nervous laugh as we wandered towards the back of the half-full lot. “I figured since the starting bid was $200 grand, I’d get to $500,000- maybe a little more.”

“Ah- yeah. But it’s worth it. I’ve heard of auctions like that where the girl only gets $15,000 or something. Just make sure you’re smart with it. I know I’m not one to talk, but money runs out quick. My net worth is just under a billion dollars, and it takes a lot to keep it all running smoothly. Just last month I was flying to Britain to check out some promising artists. Truth be told, I got lucky on that. Sometimes it’s a total bust, and I lose a lot of money.”

Nodding firmly, my mind went back to the spreadsheet that sat on my computer. I knew it was wrong to appropriate funds before I had a hold on them, but I couldn’t help myself. If I was frugal, I could make it to graduation without even breaching the $4 million mark.

“Do you check out every artist or do you have, uh, scouts?” Coming up on a sleek, fire truck red convertible, Richard didn’t answer as he pulled his keys from his jean pockets. The car lights flashed, a short beep trilling through the air, and I went to reach for the door handle only to be stopped with a palm covering mine. Opening the passenger side door for me, he held out his free hand to help me into the seat with a slight smirk gracing his face. In the faint darkness of early night, I could only tell because of the shadows that played on his sharp features.

“I do use scouts, but I like to do it myself. If they feel there’s a person or band that’s really promising, I’ll make the trip myself. That’s actually why I was at the Sound Bar last week. I’m glad I didn’t leave when the first band was up. I was pretty disappointed, but at least I didn’t cross the ocean.” Speaking up as the engine roared to life, Richard carefully backed out of the space even as he continued. “Even before you started playing, I knew you’d be an exceptional pianist, Lilly. And you easily passed my expectations. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone play like that.”

The compliments went straight to my belly, sending my butterflies into a frenzy. Slowly pulling my seat belt over my chest, I inhaled deeply before glancing in the mirror just beyond the window. Kayla’s familiar car was nearly bumper to bumper with Richard’s convertible; I could even see her smiling wildly.

“Th- thank you. I used to like playing, but then my mom started making this big deal of it… I think my piano teacher must’ve told her I had talent or something, because suddenly, it was piano all the time. She even told me once that I didn’t need to do well in high school because I would be a great pianist, and that was all that mattered. So, I stopped. This was before I decided to be a doctor, and there were so many fights even after I figured out what I wanted to do with my life.” Scrunching up my face at the memory, I stared down at my fingers to curl and straighten them absently. “I still play, but only when I want to- only when I feel the desire to. Even though I don’t play as much, I think I’ve gotten better. Kayla’s mom lets me use her piano. She even paid me a little to play so she could record it and play it at a fancy dinner she was having to impress Kayla’s dad’s boss.”

“That’s how a lot of kids get burnt out, honestly. Playing becomes a chore, or the pressure gets to be too much. I can understand perfectly why you’d get out of that situation. So, Lilly, you mentioned that you deferred a year to save up money. Why didn’t you do this kind of thing then?” Curiosity dripped from Richard’s voice as we rolled out onto the busy streets, and I reached to scratch my head. My natural curls were such a hassle, and my scalp itched even as I tried to come up with an answer to his question.

“Uh- I don’t know. I knew I was going to do it, but I wanted to see how much I could get in scholarships first. Also, I didn’t want to go into the university while Kayla was still getting her prerequisites. I guess there’s a few reasons that just convinced me to put it off until I was ready to go in.” A strange sensation took me over, and I leaned my head back to watch the city go by. “It’s weird. I didn’t think this would impact me that much, but… I don’t feel as nervous as I thought. It’s like… I’m-… I don’t know. I don’t feel how I thought I’d feel on the way to selling my virginity.”

Richard didn’t have a verbal response to my confession, and I rubbed my fingertips together absently in my lap. I wonder if there’s something wrong with me.