The audience puzzled for a moment, then responded with a loud building cheer.

“Yeah,” Charles shrugged, “but that’s not gonna stop us.”

Screams followed.

“Are you ready for this?” he asked, his voice deep and sexy. “Long Borne Suffering.”

The trio moved out as the crowd climbed to an even higher pitch, not a seated person in the house. All the audience’s doubts and concerns about the night’s performance had been dashed by Charles’s confidence. They knew they were in for one hell of a show.

Darcy started the familiar riff of “Everything You Are” and they were off. After “Wanted” Jane took the entirely redundant step of introducing and thanking Darcy for playing for Elizabeth. They finished with “The Longest Good-bye,” Jane singing that night for someone she had never sung to before, who wasn’t even there.

Charles was waiting to lead them back when they came off the stage and Richard met them at the green room, full of praise for all of them. The three men came together fully prepared to show everyone why Slurry was one of the top names in the business. They moved with a precision founded on confidence and long practice. Charles was wired for sound while Darcy removed his shirt and warmed up his Paul Reid Smith. The stage was done over for them, with an additional monitor set up for Darcy.

When Caroline came over, Darcy asked her, “You know what to do?”

Caroline smiled. “I’ve been briefed.” They found themselves together as once again the others were locked in passionate embraces. Darcy looked charmingly embarrassed. “So, um, how’s Faust?”

Caroline struggled to keep her countenance. “He’s great,” she answered warmly, trying to reassure him. “It’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”

Darcy nodded, relieved that once again, Caroline always knew what he was thinking. They took the stage, and all of their distractions fell away. Darcy lost himself in his music, Charles giving voice to his thoughts, and Richard pounding out his heartbeat.

And the crowd responded to him. He was reaching them through his music and he felt a sense of acceptance that Darcy hadn’t recognized before.

*   *   *

Elizabeth declined Rachel’s offer to go shopping for an outfit for the night. She couldn’t help but suspect Rachel was trying to torment her employer by keeping Elizabeth away from the show as long as possible. She dressed in one of her concert outfits, finding that it felt natural to wear, even though she didn’t expect to perform.

She was hungry and did stop to eat when Rachel had some wonderful-smelling take-out delivered. She was finishing her makeup when the phone rang, with Tommy announcing he was waiting for them downstairs.

When they were safely in the limo, Rachel gave Elizabeth her backstage pass and put on her own. Elizabeth followed Rachel into the building as Tommy hurried them past the security points. They walked down a long corridor, the sound of Slurry passing through the walls. Elizabeth smiled, hearing her lover’s playing and finding herself warmed by it.

They emerged backstage and Rachel took Elizabeth directly to the control center. Caroline greeted her warmly, giving her a hug and expressing her happiness at Elizabeth’s good news.

“Darcy asked for you to stand here,” Caroline told her, leading her to the bank of monitors, which showed Slurry rocking out onstage. Elizabeth stood where Caroline placed her, not even noticing the small camera aimed at her. Caroline took a moment to stand at Elizabeth’s side, enjoying the spectacle on screen before going back to the console.

*   *   *

Darcy was relaxed, playing “Taking Control,” a song he had written with Charles. It was loud and vigorous with a challenging, syncopated beat. Darcy enjoyed himself, his guitar riding low over his groin as he played powerfully, relishing the pleasure of mastery, of doing something difficult well.

Caroline’s voice came to him over the headset. “She’s here.”

Darcy looked up to Charles, who nodded that he had received that same message, and then to Richard.

“Look at your monitor, Darcy,” Caroline instructed. There stood Elizabeth, watching them with a smile for him alone.

*   *   *

Elizabeth watched with Jane and Charlotte as Slurry’s song ended and surprisingly, Darcy moved to center stage. Charles stepped away and the full light was on Darcy.

Elizabeth looked to her band mates, who both shook their head in confusion. They knew Slurry’s sets as well as their own, and this was completely new to them.

Their jaws dropped as they saw Darcy remove his sunglasses before he began to speak.

“This is for Elizabeth,” he said, then stopped, looking like he wanted to say more but instead nodded to Charles and began the riff that Elizabeth recognized from that morning a week ago at Pemberley. Her astonishment was complete when he started singing, his voice deep and rich.

It was a long, dark, lonely night,

And I thought you were gone.

I didn’t know how I’d get through.

I had to look inside.

I found a trust I never knew.

Elizabeth’s jaw quivered, her eyes locked on his, as he looked right into the camera and her.

But somehow my luck turned around

The fate that was overdue,

And suddenly you’re right by my side.

And now everything is new.

Darcy looked up at the monitor and was confused to find it empty. He turned to look offstage and found Elizabeth there, watching him. Her eyes were huge and shiny; her face pale, but a huge, heartfelt smile illuminated her features.

Smiling back, Darcy sang the chorus:

You changed me,

You broke through all the pain that there was.

You changed me

And made me brand new.

You changed me.

And now that I am free I know

I want to spend my life with you.

Turning, he sang to her, expressing everything he felt in his heart, ignoring the crowd that was screaming wildly at what it was witnessing.

When he finished the final repeat of the chorus he moved offstage, completely mindless of the audience. Charles took over, announcing they would have a break, while Caroline made sure Darcy’s microphone was turned off.

*   *   *

They found themselves in the instrument area, the one place they had met so many times on the tour, the place that was always the same, no matter where they played. He released the strap on his guitar and lowered it to its stand, all the while his eyes never leaving hers.

She stared at him, moved beyond words. Her eyes alone expressed the fierce love she felt.

As soon as the guitar was down, he snatched her up, unable to be another second from her embrace. As she felt his hands tangling in her hair, pulling her close, fresh tears formed in her eyes. She had never felt so loved before, and her heart broke and was remade with each tear.

His mouth was upon hers, starting with gentle tender kisses that soon exploded in their mutual need. Her mouth opened and he explored the depths, his tongue probing and possessing. Her hands touched his bare back, feeling the strength of his body and the slickness of the sweat on his skin.

She was lost to everything but desire. The delicious pleasure of his mouth ignited a fire inside her. She needed more. Her hands stole around him to rest on his chest, where she stroked him, from his shoulders to the waistband of his pants.

Darcy was fumbling with the hooks of her bra when he realized where they were. He didn’t know how his hands had gotten under her shirt, which was pushed up, her skin against his own, but he knew this was not the place for what he wanted, needed to do to her. With trembling hands he lowered her shirt, her eyes showing first confusion, then surprise and understanding as she returned to awareness.

He grabbed her hand and led her to the dressing rooms. They entered the first open door they found, stopping only long enough to make sure it was empty and to lock the door, then they surged back into each other’s arms, kissing each other frantically to make up for their brief pause. Elizabeth’s shirt and bra fell to the floor, and neither could recall removing it. Darcy soon found himself opening the zipper and button of his pants to prevent injuring himself.

Elizabeth relished the sensation of her bare chest against his. She writhed against him as her mouth hungrily devoured him. Darcy was once again surprised to find his hands attempting to remove Elizabeth’s jeans without his knowledge. He stopped to look at her, his eyes questioning hers.

She undid her pants and pushed the remains of her clothes to the floor in response. Darcy shivered at the desire he found in her eyes and snatched her up again, not wanting to see anymore, only to feel.

Their mouths locked, he held her close with one hand while the other touched her breasts. They were full, her nipples tight and pointed. Moaning, he placed her on the nearby counter and lowered himself, so he could suckle at her sweet tit.

Elizabeth clutched his head to her as she leaned back, exposing herself. Darcy understood and his hand slid down to her sex. Elizabeth’s breath came in short bursts as he touched her, fulfilling the need that had been burning within her. She cried out, pushing herself against him as he penetrated her with one finger, then two, his thumb skillfully massaging her as she moaned softly against him. He was sucking on her nipple, making her dizzy with the pleasure that was quickly overpowering her. With a sudden gasp and a scream, she came against him, her body going limp against his.