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“That apparently doesn’t stop you from wanting to kill Ben.”
“I hate that your life involved ... other people.” Truthfully, yes. It enraged me that it was Ben. The idea that he’d held her and been the one she’d turned to. The fact he knew her in ways I didn’t. More than anything, I struggled with what he’d done to her. He didn’t deserve to breathe after he’d bitten her.
“Oh, nice recovery,” Reagan said, not hiding her laugh.
“Change of subject,” I said, thinking of how to veer away from her piece of shit ex. She smiled, nodding her agreement. “What is it about painting that appeals to you? If no one else in your family does it, why do you?”
Without hesitation, she answered with one word. “Control.”
“Come again?”
“Earth is ... unpredictable. My life especially. With art, I create and own all the choices. All the mistakes. I decide what to do. I’m the creator: the good, the bad, the ugly. In a world of chaos, I feel like I’m in control.” Her answer was thorough and confident, but when she finished, she chuckled softly. “Does that make sense?”
“Yes, actually.”
“Really?”
I nodded. “When I create . . .things, I understand that desire to have control in your choices. It’s one of the things I miss most about being a primordial.”
Reagan burst out laughing. “Wow. I’m here explaining why I like making art to a god who made realms.”
“There’s no comparison, but not for the reason you think,” I began. “A primordial, or a god—what we have is power, and we’re born with it. It doesn’t take talent. Imagination and creativity aren’t even required.”
“It’s so not the same. I’m capable of making pictures. You can make aplanet. Painting doesn’t take talent either. Anyone can do it.”
“Anyone can fuck too, but it doesn’t mean they’re good at it.”
She laughed. “I can teach you how to paint. You can’t teach me how to make a planet.”
“That’s just a matter of power, not creativity. If I ever get my soul back, I’ll show you. We can create realms together—and paint.”
“My, my,” she said. “That’s quite the offer. I wish I could take you up on it.”
I cupped her cheek with my free hand, brushing my thumb over her bottom lip when she trapped it beneath her two front teeth, playfully squeezing.
I tugged it back, and her teeth snapped together unexpectedly.
“Ouch!” Reagan snorted a laugh, then she flicked her brush in my direction. Her eyes widened as it landed on my cheek before she burst out laughing. “Oh my god, I didn’t think that much was going to land on?—”
Splat.
I did the same, angling my brush so little specks of paint flew and landed on her chest and face. Reagan rubbed at the specs that landed on her cheek.
“Hold on,” I said, stopping her before she spread it around too much. “You’ll end up getting it in your eye.” Lines of cobalt blue smeared on her skin slightly and in that moment I was completely enraptured.
There was nothing I could do but stare at her. She was breathtakingly beautiful, and for the first time, she seemed fully at ease in my presence. Happy even. I wanted to capture this moment and hold onto it.
Unable to help myself I leaned in for a kiss and she didn’t pull away. Our lips met. It was soft at first but that only lasted for a moment. When she kissed me back, fire erupted in my blood. I leaned in, taking her harder. My tongue traced the seam of her mouth and she opened for me with a tiny moan. I swallowed it down, my hands gripping her by the waist.
“Fuck, I love the sounds you make,” I growled against her.
Reagan sighed, tilting her head back and breaking for air. I kissed down her neck, pausing when she tucked her bottom lip between her teeth and bit down slightly. Reagan took a breath as though she were going to say something and then thought better of it.
“What is it?” I asked, eyebrows creasing.
Reagan’s mouth twisted into a smile and before I knew it, she’d taken a handful of paint, smearing it down my abdomen.
A slew of words spluttered out of me, confused as to why she’d just done it.
