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“Magic?”
“Zoe isn’t here right now,” I called from the loft.
He came up the ladder, his wild curls tipping over the top first. “Come down and see the band.”
I flopped onto my back. “You go.”
“No, come on.” He crawled onto the mattress, his cross dangling down like a little pendulum as he caged me in with his knees. “We’re setting up for the show at sunset. Beckett even procured fireworks.”
“Oh, that’s good. It’s super dry and he’s going to shoot off fireworks?”
He frowned down at me and pulled me up by my arms. “Why so grouchy?”
I turned my face away from his incoming lips.
“Wow, super grouchy.”
“Just tired. I don’t know why you have so much energy. You’ve been running around like the Energizer Bunny for days.”
He crashed onto the mattress next to me. “Haven’t heard back from Martha, huh?”
I curled onto my side and settled my nose into his chest, my phone wrapped tightly in my hand. He smelled like apples and sunshine. “No.” Of all the days that she could’ve said she’d call, it had to be today. It was down to three artists for two spots at the gallery. I was so afraid I’d miss her call in between the rest of the chaos for the festival.
“I know you got one of the spots, I wish you believed it too.”
I’d seen the paintings from the other two artists as soon as I’d walked in. They were both good—so much more mainstream than I was. It wasn’t like I didn’t have talent. I knew I did, but my stuff was so…much more individual.
“There are other galleries. I’m used to rejection, pal. You should have seen how brutal art school was.”
“How could anyone not love your work?”
I smiled against his chest. “You only say that because you’re madly in love with me.”
“Well, that’s true, but you’re more talented than any of the blokes in the gallery when we were there.”
I lifted my face to his. “I’m sorry I’m being a downer.”
“You’re not. Besides,” he rolled me onto my back. “I know how to improve your mood.” He tunneled his hand under my shirt to cup my very unencumbered breast. “Oh, well, that’s a nice little surprise. I love when you’re too hot for a bra.”
“What, like every day? I don’t have much to support there.”
He peeled my shirt up and covered my nipple. “They’re perfect. And your salty skin is my favorite snack.”
I slid my fingers along the curls that now reached past his shoulders. “Is that a dig?”
“So prickly.” He let my nipple go with a pop and kissed me long and deep. He slid his knee between my legs and the evidence of just how okay he was with my current wet noodle status dug into my belly. With his free hand, he wandered down my side to sneak under the hem of my shorts. I arched up against him as he slid two fingers deep. “Ah, but you’re so ready for me here.”
“Because it’s been days.”
“Do you need a little release, love?” He nibbled along my neck to my ear. “Maybe a little stress relief, perhaps?”
Restless, I lifted my hips to get him deeper. “There’s people everywhere.”
“Then you’ll just have to not shout my name to the rafters for once.”
I pulled his hair. “Funny guy.”
He waggled his eyebrows and inched down.
