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I was transfixed... I still am. And while I won’t deny the uneasiness my fascination with her stirs in my gut, I’m also pretty sure I’ve never felt such peace as I do in the moments like this. Moments where no words exist and for just a small snippet of time, I can let myself be more than what I am—let myself want more than I could ever afford to have.
The portrait she presents to me in the end is nothing short of incredible.
My face is blurred and distorted. Different shades of gray and blue blended around me. I can see my eyes. The curve of my nose. The corner of my mouth, but many of my features are smeared, obscuring them from being immediately noticeable.
“Well...” She crosses and uncrosses her arms nervously.
I honestly hadn’t realized how much she actually cares what I think about her work until this very moment. She wants my approval, even if she’s not willing to admit it.
“It’s amazing,” I admit, not able to tear my eyes away. And it is.
“Thank you.” She moves to remove the portrait from the easel, but I wrap my fingers around her wrist, halting the movement.
Seconds later, wide green eyes meet mine.
“Thank you... For listening. You’d be surprised how few people I actually talk to about my family and just life.”
“Of course.” I can hear her breath hitch as if it were my own and while every single fucking part of me wants to tug her closer and kiss her the way I’ve thought about kissing her a thousand times over, I force myself to release my hold and take a step back.
Whether she’s disappointed or relieved by the action, I’m not sure I can fully tell. Maybe a little bit of both. Funny enough, I know the feeling.
“Anything I can help clean up here?” I ask, gesturing around the room at nothing in particular.
“No, I’m good.”
I nod.
“So I’ll see you Tuesday?” I confirm, taking another step back.
“Yeah. Tuesday.” She nods slowly, her eyes following me as I turn and grab my bag from the floor, having come straight from a practice session with Ryder.
“See ya.” I tip my chin, desperate to leave and yet even more desperate to stay.
“Yeah, see ya.”
With that, I spin and head straight for the door like someone just lit a fucking fire behind me. I’m pretty sure I don’t take a real breath until I’m out of the building, breathing in the damp evening air, little droplets of rain peppering my shoulders.
I turn my face up to the sky and let them hit my face, not sure how long I stand like that before I hear a door open and close behind me.
“What are you doing?”
I spin around to see Rory standing under the awning that covers the door, watching me with both confusion and amusement.
“Can I walk you home?” I ask abruptly, saying the opposite of what I actually meant to say.
“I’m not going home, remember?” She shifts her weight from one foot to the other.
Right... Fucking Tigs. That jealous fucking monster comes back with a vengeance, clawing its way up my back, making sure I feel every single one of its talons.
I think it’s safe to say that I’m very unaccustomed to the feeling. I honestly can’t say I knew what envy and jealousy felt like until Rory Hensley entered my life. Now, every time I walk by and see someone talking to her—guy and girl alike—I’m jealous.
I’m jealous of everyone and everything. Hell, I’m even jealous of the rain that touches her skin as she steps out from underneath the awning, making her way toward me.
“Where are you headed?” I force the question from my throat.
“Um, Hank’s Pizza. Do you know it?”
“I do.” I have to resist the urge to wipe away a raindrop that trickles down the side of her face. “Can I walk you there?”
