“And you didn’t even have to go to Spain for the inspiration.”
“Not at all. I have found plenty of inspiration much closer to home.”
Okay, the way Thor was looking at him made Auggie think that he was the inspiration, but that was probably just wishful thinking. He was, after all, still that skinny live model guy he’d been at the start of the semester.
“Yeah? Something good, I hope.” Art didn’t have to be positive. The world was getting pretty shitty in fact, and that could be inspiration too.
“Something very good.” Thor gave him a warm smile. “It’s you, Auggie.”
“Me?” He blinked a few times, surprised, but also pleased, warm inside in a way that had nothing to do with the fire blazing away in the fireplace.
“Yes, you. I like you. A lot.”
“Oh. I didn’t know. You never said…” Auggie had been loving the dinners, and was definitely in lust with Thor, maybe falling for him, too, but he’d never imagined it could be more than one-sided.
“Well, at the moment, I’m your boss, sort of, and I won’t ask for more than the dinners we share after class until classes are over next month. I don’t want you to feel that continued modeling is in any way contingent on a potential relationship with me.”
“But you’ve seen me naked!”
Thor actually blushed a little. “I know, but I promise you that I have been very careful to not lust after you or ogle you while you’re modeling.”
That had him snorting. “That’s not what I meant.”
“Oh?” Thor gave him a confused look.
“I mean, you’ve seen me naked, you know I’m not a stud. I’m this skinny guy with average looks.”
Shaking his head, Thor took Auggie’s hand. “You are slender, but there’s nothing wrong with that. And you have a lovely face with the most fascinating blue eyes. I’ve tried to be circumspect, but I like what I see, Auggie.” Thor nodded at him. “Dressed as well as not.”
Now it was his turn to blush, and Auggie knew his cheeks had gone red. “Are you sure you don’t need glasses?”
“Don’t argue with the man who’s telling you you’re sexy,” Thor suggested.
“Sexy! Me?” Auggie found that sincerely hard to believe.
“Yes, you.”
Their food came then, along with their drinks, and Auggie put his head down and concentrated on having his dinner, but the discussion played out over and over in his head. Thor thoughthewas sexy. He’d seemed pretty sincere about it, too, and Auggie couldn’t see any advantage to Thor lying aboutit. Although he might have been gilding the lily—exaggerating to make Auggie feel good about himself. Though why anyone would want to do that, he didn’t know.
“Is it really so hard to believe?” Thor asked softly, as if he’d known exactly where Auggie’s thoughts had been while he ate his roast dinner.
“No one’s ever thought so before,” Auggie admitted.
“Their loss.” Like that was that.
“Thank you,” Auggie said softly. If nothing else, Thor had made him feel good. Seen. Even if it wasn’t real, it was nice.
“I was hoping you’d be willing to come and see my paintings. Once classes are over. And please don’t feel like you have to say yes. In fact, don’t answer until our last class together is over—I should have waited to ask like I’d planned.”
Auggie really wanted to say yes. He didn’t want to have to wait. But what if Thor was having second thoughts and he was going to let the last class lapse without making the offer again. Or what if he wasn’t regretting it now but would by the time that last class happened. So Auggie nodded. He wouldn’t answer until Thor asked again. If Thor asked again.
Chapter
Four
Thor kicked himself for an entire month. He hadn’t meant to bring up wanting to see Auggie more once the classes were over, but he had, and things had been awkward ever since. Of the three classes they’d had together since then, Auggie had bowed out of dinner afterward for two, and he hadn’t been able to ask for the third because he’d had to attend the faculty holiday party.
Now here they were, the final class of the semester, and Auggie hadn’t looked at him all evening. Not when he’d arrived, not when he’d come out of the back room, not at the break, and not when the class had ended.
