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“I’d love to be your test dummy,” I wince as my suggestion makes me sound like a fucking desperate moron.
“We can arrange a demonstration if you’re sure your stomach can handle it.” She glances at me over her canvas. The way her eyes crinkle when she smiles makes me want to capture every detail perfectly. This isn't just about painting what I see; it's about demonstrating the feelings she evokes in me on canvas.
“Burnt toast, mystery novels, and the company of a beautiful woman are quite the combo. I’m in.” For life. I stare into her eyes, serious as hell. I haven’t ever felt this way, and right now, I feel like the cartoon cat with birds flying around his head.
She leans over slightly to attempt to peek at my progress, and her delicate scent teases my nose. Fuck. She smells good enough to eat and I’m dying to devour her. That little taste of her wrist earlier only whetted my appetite. “Oh wow, Sterling, that really looks like me. You didn’t tell me you’re an experienced painter.”
I’m suddenly grateful for all the extra art classes I took in college. “I dabbled in art in college, but I’m far from experienced.” She glances at the canvas and back up at me with questions swirling in her eyes.
I turn back to my painting and stare at her gorgeous face staring back at me. “I guess having the perfect muse makes expressing myself on canvas easy.”
“Oh.” An adorable pink blush moves up her neck and she bites her plump bottom lip, causing my cock to grow impossibly harder as the air around us crackles with the chemistry flowing between us. “Thank you.”
When she reaches for her glass of wine and takes a healthy swig, I back off a little, giving her time to examine what’s happening between us and giving my cock time to calm the fuck down.
We talk more about art, slipping into a comfortable rhythm, and every so often, our hands brush as we reach for the wine or a new paint color.
Her laugh, bright and clear, fills the space between us, and I know this gorgeous girl is meant to be mine.
By the time we’re finishing our paintings, I feel like I've captured something important, not just her image, but the essence of this evening. The reluctant pause as we both finish our wine speaks louder than words.
“So, shall we reveal our masterpieces?” I ask.
She nods, her expression a mix of nervousness and excitement. “On the count of three?”
“One. Two. Three.”
We turn our canvases to face one another, and the room falls away for a moment. If I squint hard, I can see myself in the flesh-colored blob that appears to be wearing a French maid costume with a feather duster in hand. “You dared me to do my worst,” she shrugs and snorts adorably, “and I think I outdid myself with it.”
“I love it, Fate. I plan to hang this painting up in my penthouse so I can see it every day and remember this night.” The night my life changed forever.
She scrunches up her adorable nose. “I don’t really think it’s good enough to hang up.”
“It’s fucking perfect.” And so are you. When did I turn into such a goddamn sap? Oh yeah, when I let my assistant set me up on a blind date and ended up meeting my soulmate.
“If you say so.” She turns to study my painting, a slow smile spreading across her face. “I can’t believe how beautiful it is,” she whispers. “I’m going to hang it in my apartment.”
“I’m glad, Fate.” I feel the ticking of the clock and realize our date is coming to an end. There’s no goddamn way I’m letting our night end here. “Would you like to come back to my place and help me find the perfect place to hang your painting?”
“I’m pretty sure that thing should be hidden so it doesn’t scare small children,” she teases before adding, “I’d love to help you find a place to hide it.”
I don’t waste a second getting us out of Palettes and Vino after she agrees to come back to my place. I place both our paintings in the back seat of my truck before helping Ginni into the passenger seat. “Do you think my car is safe in the parking lot? Maybe I should drive myself to your place,” she asks, and I wonder if she’s having second thoughts about leaving with a man she just met.
“Your car will be fine.” I take her soft hand in mine and place a kiss on the pounding pulse at her wrist. “If it makes you feel better, I’ll text Sheriff Dillon Armstrong and have him send a unit out to check on it.”
Ginni spins in her seat with a look of absolute horror written across her expressive face. “No.” She shakes her head vigorously. “That won’t be necessary. I know Silver Spoon Falls has almost zero crime.”
I park in the underground parking lot and grab the two paintings before I help Ginni out of the truck. “Do you want me to carry one of the paintings?” she asks as I juggle them, trying not to smear the still-drying paint.
“I got this, Fate.” I lean the two paintings up against the marble wall and reach into my pocket for my key card, making a mental note to get Lewis, the doorman, to make my girl her own copy so she can access the building any time.
I press the card against the matte black sensor on the wall and the elevator doors swoosh open. “That’s a neat trick,” Ginni mumbles and follows me into the elevator.
“It’s a very secure building.” The elevator doors close and automatically ascend toward the top floor. “And I take safety very seriously.”
“Good to know.” She smiles and the faraway look in her eyes tells me she’s not completely comfortable with me.
“Is everything okay, Fate?” I ask as we step off the elevator right into my apartment’s front foyer.
