“I make a shit ton of money doing something I love, and I’m famous as fuck in the art community. That better?”
“Yes, that’s better. It would definitely explain the top-shelf wine you keep pouring for me.” She laughs.
“Only the best for you. I like spoiling you, so that’s something you’re going to have to get used to because I don’t plan on stopping. Speaking of me being a portrait artist, that’s what I have planned for us tonight.”
“What do you mean?” She looks up at me, confused.
“I’m going to draw you.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Sophia
My heart beats rapidlyagainst my chest as his eyes bore into mine.
“It’s time to let you in just a little bit more, wildcat.” He holds out his hand, and I take it in mine. He grabs the wine bottle on the way to the stairs. I haven’t been upstairs since I decorated the place. Max’s bedroom is on the first floor, so there was never a need to.
He kept it exactly how I had it, with the big comfortable couch facing the big screen TV on the wall. I pictured a family having movie nights up here, and I even added an old-fashioned popcorn machine in the corner. Max has toys stored in baskets on the built-in shelves, and he added some smaller framed portraits that are scattered about.
He leads me to the room off to the side, and I gasp when he turns on the light. Various portraits are framed and stacked up along the walls, and art supplies fill the bookcases I picked out for this room. I had pictured it as an office or reading nook with all the sunlight that comes through the window. Noah built awindow seat, and I imagined myself sitting there reading with the beautiful view of the ocean.
I still when something catches my eye. I let go of his hand and walk over to his desk. My eyes stare back at me. Setting my wine glass down I lift the drawing to get a better look and notice several more scattered throughout the desk. Some are just my eyes, and others are glimpses of parts of my face and body. There must be a dozen sitting here.
I feel him come up behind me as I look through them all.
“I couldn’t get you out of my head the first night I met you,” I hear him say softly behind me. “I had to get you on paper before I forgot. At that time, I didn’t know if I would ever see you again, and I wanted to remember.”
He captured every emotion in these drawings. I’m laughing in one, and I can feel how happy I was in that moment. I stop when I get to one where my lips are parted. My eyes are hooded, and my head is thrown back.
“That’s my favorite,” he whispers against my ear, “because in this moment, it’s me who’s deep inside you, giving you that look of desire in your eyes.” His lips brush my neck as his hands start to remove my jacket. “Will you let me draw you?”
My emotions are all over the place as I take in what I’m seeing. He’s been drawing me. His feelings, whether he’s ready to admit them or not, are clearly staring me in the face right now. I blink back the tears and nod my head, knowing I want to give him this.
“I usually just stick to faces, but I want to try something different with you.” He pushes the straps of my dress down my arm as it slides to the floor, leaving me in my boots, black lace bra, and thong.
“You want to draw me naked?” I whisper.
“Not completely,” he smiles against my neck. “The boots stay on with the black lace thong. The moment I saw theseboots, I knew I would be drawing them later.” He undoes the clasp of my bra, freeing my breasts as it drops to the floor.
“You aren’t selling these to the gallery you work with, are you?” I don’t think the school would appreciate their kindergarten teacher naked on a wall for all to see.
“Hell no. Why would I want anyone else besides me to see you like this? This is for my own private collection.”
“And this private collection you have going…”
“Is only of you,” he breathes against me. “I can promise you that. I’ve never once been with a girl and have come back here and felt the need to draw her like I have you. It’s you that I want to memorize and remember.”
His words course through me, filling me with warmth. I turn and bring his lips to mine, needing to show him how much this means to me. He groans and brings me closer to him, squeezing my bare ass in a hard grip. I feel him hard against me, and I moan as he presses harder into me. He breaks away and runs his thumb over my bottom lip before walking me over to the window seat.
“I’ve never done this before. What do I do?” I sit down, unsure of how to pose.
“Just keep your eyes on me and imagine all the things you want me to do to you. That should give me the look I want to capture,” he grins at me. “You don’t have to be completely still. I’m going to do a rough outline, and then I can finish it later. I just need to get the important details down.”
“Maybe you should take off your shirt. I feel like I shouldn’t be the only one naked here.” He gives me a wicked grin and pulls off his t-shirt, revealing hard muscle underneath. My eyes scan over his body and hungrily drink him in. His faded jeans hang low on his hips, and I immediately follow the trail of dark hair. He’s straining against the front of his pants, causing my body to respond as a deep need starts to form in my core.
“This is either the best idea I’ve had, or it's going to be complete torture for me,” he chuckles softly as he grabs some art paper and pencils and places them on the easel. He sits on the stool and studies me before his hand starts moving across the paper.
I lean against the wall supporting the window seat and leave one leg over the side while bringing the other up. I turn my head to look at him as his hand strokes against the paper. I’m mesmerized as I watch him work. He’s so intent on what he’s doing, and it’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. I can’t take my eyes off of him as I eagerly drink him in. I may not be drawing him, but I’m memorizing every little detail and committing it to memory.
