As my fingers dance on the pearl inlaid keys, the highly polished brass of the horn and the chrome of the valves catches the lights and the reflections play across her perfect features and barely covered breasts.
I don't yet know her name, but already I imagine calling it in the heat of passion.
Passion is burning in my veins and my heart is doing double-time, as I play love songs of every genre... from classic old jazz and blues to up-beat modern classics, from cool funk to rock-n-roll.
Every chance I have, I lock her gaze with mine and make the horn say "I Love you".
A flower seller wanders through the restaurant and I call her, with the sax "over here" it says. She looks to me and I gesture to My Angel with the horn and it says "I Love you" again, the old woman understands and gives a long-stemmed red rose to the object of my desire. As she comes towards me I struggle to get money and play at the same time. My Angel laughs at my awkwardness.
The waiter comes with a round of drinks and some napkins with requests scrawled on them. I scan them quickly and see the usual collection... some nice requests, some totally inappropriate requests, some ludicrous requests, some lipstick kisses with phone numbers (I wave these at the bass player, he never gets them and he's jealous as usual, hahaha) and one that simply says "me too".
I look to My Angel and she smiles then looks away coyly. I know it must have been her!
Last piece of this set and I'm "going for gold". The horn is likely to melt, I'm playing so hot! The lead guitarist gives me a menacing glare and I realise that I've been dominating, playing over the top of him when the solo is his. I just forgot there was anyone but My Angel and I in the room...
I cool it, and let him have a go while I gulp half my pint.
I grab one more after the set is over... starting quietly in the dark, half a minute after all the others have left the stage... I solo "Fever" with the drummer, the lighting engineer scrambles back from his bar-stool and gently fades-up the red spots... I try to encourage My Angel to join me on stage. Her friend decides that she's either good enough or drunk enough to try... She's good! WOW! What a sultry voice!
And My Angel starts dancing! To Fever. It's the most sensual dance I've ever seen! Her black eyes are locked on mine from behind her raven hair as she gyrates seductively around the room.
Remember that this is a restaurant? This is not appropriate... The manager complains and we have to leave, we only had one more set to play so we demand full pay, and we get it. "Same time tomorrow?", "Sure!" I think he liked it, just making a 'show' of ejecting us to save face in front of the customers... Judging from the applause, they liked it too!
Outside My Angel awaits, OMG!
Finally I learn her name, taste her lips, feel the heat of her alabaster skin and the rest of this story is up to your imagination...
"What a lovely way to.... burn"
