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“Can you blame him? His whole life was upended.”
“No, I can’t blame him. I feel for him, actually. I’m damned glad my father didn’t decide to foist his company on me. I’d suck at being a CEO.”
“Does Rock suck?”
“Strangely, no. He seems to be handling it pretty well. Reid’s still pissed, though. He has to bring Rock up to speed on everything for a job he feels should be his.”
“I know.” Lacey had told me the whole story. It was crazy, but to keep the inheritance in the family, Rock had to relocate here and head up the enterprise.
“I don’t know my older brother very well,” Roy said. “He seems happily married, though. Crazy about Lacey.”
“Then why are you worried about me going off with him?”
“Who says I am?”
“Are you kidding?” I held back a giggle. “It was written all over your face in the conference room. And when I got here, you would barely speak to me.”
“I just… I had this whole thing planned for tonight.”
“We still have tonight. I don’t leave until tomorrow.”
“I know. Still…”
“You’ve gone to the trouble to make dinner and it smells delicious. Let’s not spoil it.”
“Okay.” He handed me my wine and then picked up his glass of bourbon. “To a night you’ll never forget, silver.”
I smiled and clinked my glass to his. “To a night neither one of us will forget.”
His meal was simple yet delicious. A mixed green salad with balsamic vinaigrette, the ziti, and garlic parmesan toast. I ate minimally, as I didn’t want that “stuffed” feeling for what was coming. Last thing I needed was a tummy bulge while we were frolicking naked.
“I have some sorbet for a light dessert,” he said when he cleared the dishes—paper again.
“Maybe later,” I said.
“Sounds good.” Then he took my hand and pulled me into a stand next to him. “Ready for something amazing?”
My nerves skittled across my skin as a warmth pulsed through me, landing between my legs. “Absolutely.”
He kissed my forehead. “Follow me.”
I eyed the door to his bedroom as he led me, my hand in his. I held back a gasp when he stopped in front of the door to his studio instead.
Well, whatever worked for him would work for me. After all, we’d fucked in there last night. Perhaps he’d take me up against the wall again. That was hot. Or maybe we’d go into the master suite bathroom and fuck in the bathtub. Or maybe—
He opened the door. “Surprise, silver.”12RoyHer mouth dropped open.
I’d set up an easel with some cotton watercolor paper and a fresh set of colors. I brushed my lips over hers and whispered. “I want you to paint. I want you to paint me.”
“But I—”
I touched my fingers to her lips. “Be an artist, Charlie. Be who you were meant to be.” I unbuttoned my shirt.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m going to pose for you.”
“Naked?”
“I was thinking shirtless.” I pulled my hair out of the low ponytail and let it drape over my bare shoulders. “But I’m up for anything.”
Her cheeks turned an adorable shade of pink. “I haven’t done this in ages.”
“An artist remembers. Your hands will remember.”
“But I painted buildings. Landscapes. Flowers. Never a portrait.”
“Same rules. Paint what you see. Or what you don’t see.”
“Abstract? I was never much into abstract.” She looked down at the palette of color. “Roy, I—”
“This is for you,” I said. “If you don’t want to do it, you don’t have to.” Though I was secretly crushed. I honestly thought she’d enjoy this.
“No, it’s not that.” She shook her head. “This is… This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. Truly.”
My heart warmed.
“I just don’t know if I… I can’t possibly compare to you, Roy.”
“Why would anyone, especially me, want to compare you to me?”
“Well, you’ll see what I’m doing.”
“Not if you don’t want me to.”
“Really? You wouldn’t look?”
“Honey, do you have any idea how long it took me to be able to show someone else my work?”
“How long?”
“Other than family, no one saw my work until I got to college.”
“Still, you were younger then than I am now.”
“True. But I’d been painting since I could walk.”
She smiled, her cheeks still blushed.
“Your work is yours. If you don’t want to share it, then don’t.”
“You’re…”
“What?”
“You’re…amazing. That’s all. I’m just afraid…”
“Of what?”
“That you’ll see I’m a talentless hack next to you.”
“No two artists are the same.”
“Yeah, but some have talent, and others don’t.”
“If you enjoy art, you probably have talent. You wouldn’t do it otherwise. But that doesn’t even matter. I told you I won’t look if you don’t want me to.”
“You wouldn’t even be the slightest bit curious?”
I laughed. “I didn’t say that.”
The edge of jealousy was still there. I didn’t want Charlie flying off with my big brother tomorrow. But something dawned on me. How easily I laughed when I was in her company.
