by Mia Madison
The very least I could do was hear him out. I’d follow my mom’s advice and trust my gut over everything else. I rose from the chair and took his hand. My eyelids fluttered when he intertwined our fingers together before leading me out of the house.
I just hoped I could keep my promise and leave Mark and everything that happened between us in the past.
13
The cab ride was almost entirely silent. I appreciated not having to worry about a nosy driver listening in, but it made me a hell of a lot more tense. The relaxation I gained during breakfast was long gone by the time we got into his apartment.
“Where’s Beth?”
“I asked her to leave. When she refused, I had her escorted from the building.”
He hung up his jacket and reached for mine.
“I’ll leave it on, thanks.”
He sighed. “And your purse?”
It was on the tip of my tongue to say that I’d hold it. What stopped me was the crestfallen look on his face. He was already certain that I’d written him off before he got a chance to explain. Like Mom said, it wasn’t fair to him or to me.
So I handed him my purse. As a sign that I was willing to hear him out, I also shrugged off my coat and hung it up beside his. There was a small smile on his lips and I smiled back, glad to have made the right choice.
“Can I get you a drink?”
“Sure.”
We walked to the kitchen together and I realized why he wanted to have the conversation there. He gestured for me to take a seat at the bar and he walked around it, pouring us both a glass of water before he leaned against the counter that separated us.
If we sat on the couch, he wouldn’t have been able to face me head-on. This was better—and safer without the lack of physical contact. We stared at each other for what felt like an hour before he finally broke the silence.
“When you asked me about my former lovers, I did lie. I said there was nothing substantial to tell, but Beth was a large part of my life over the course of a decade. On and off, like she said.”
“Why did you lie?”
“It’s easier to leave her in the past than to drag back the memories, you know? We haven’t gotten together in over six years and what we had was… complicated. I didn’t even know where to begin.”
“I guess that’s understandable.” I looked down at my hands folded together on my lap as I asked, “Why’d she come back?”
“She’s newly divorced and looking to start another round. I declined.”
“And that’s it?”
“Oh, I’m sure she’ll be back. Not that it’ll do her any good. I’m not interested.” He reached out to lift my chin up just like my mother had done only an hour prior. When our eyes met, he said, “But me not telling you about her wasn’t what really upset you, was it?”
I shook my head.
“There was a time in the early days of our relationship where Beth was everything to me. At the time, I thought she was my soulmate. I would have done anything for her—including lying.”
“I don’t follow.”
“Beth was never my muse, love. She… It bothered her that I kept my art separate from my personal life. So I lied. I brought her to my studio and called her my muse. I did what I could to include her in my art—to make her feel like a part of it, even though she never once inspired me.”
“It really wouldn’t have bothered me if she was your muse, you know. We all have a past. I’m just sick of being lied to. And after we promised to be truthful with each other… it just hurt.” I blew out a breath and let out a humorless laugh. “It hurt more because I had to hear it from some bitch I didn’t even know existed.”
“I’m so sorry, love. For whatever it’s worth, the only lie I’ve ever told you was regarding Beth. Everything else has been real.”
It was the moment of truth. His eyes remained locked on mine and it made it easier for me to listen to what my gut was telling me. My head refused to give up the ghost of Mark, but my heart and my intuition had final say.
He’s telling the truth. I can trust him.
“I believe you, and I forgive you. I hope you can forgive me for the way I reacted. I know it was uncalled for. I just couldn’t stay here and listen to her talk like I wasn’t even here.”
“You don’t need to apologize for anything, Harmony. I should have been honest with you from the start—or at least came clean when we became closer.”
“Water under the bridge?”
“Sounds good to me. If it’s all the same to you, I’d very much like to get back to the conversation we were having before we were so rudely interrupted.”
“And it was rude.”
Landon laughed as he came around the bar. He leaned against the stool beside me and said, “Oh, and I was serious when I said my mother is far more vulgar. Just in a much more British way.”
“Would I even be able to understand British vulgarity?”
“It’s unlikely, but I’d love to watch your face as you tried. I’ll have to take you to meet her one day. She would adore you just as much as I do.”
“Meeting the parents?” I asked, my voice rising as I tried to ignore the pitter-patter of my heart at the word adore. “That’s another big step.”
“Not as big as moving in together. What would it take to bring you around to the idea?”
“What are the benefits?”
“Of living with me? Hmm.” Landon rubbed his jaw as he searched his mind. “Well, I’m a shit cook, but I can order you breakfast and serve it to you in bed. You’d gain the lovely view you enjoy so much. You wouldn’t have to worry about bills and be free to explore whatever interests you at your leisure.”
Even though I had every intention of doing some kind of work to pull my weight, the mental picture he was painting sounded fabulous. It was missing only one thing.
“Oh, and sex. Loads of sex. As many orgasms as your body can handle every morning, noon, and night.”
Landon waggled his eyebrows suggestively and I couldn’t hold back my laugh. I slapped his shoulder, unwilling to let him know how much I liked that idea.
“Those are some big promises. Are you sure you can keep them?”
“Damn sure. Give me a chance and I’ll prove it to you.”
“I don’t know… I’m still on the fence. Is there anything else you can give me?”
Landon cupped my cheek and gently ran the pad of his thumb over my skin. I gasped when he abruptly straightened his spine and stood between my legs, towering over me.
“I’m falling for you, Harmony.”
He kissed me soundly and I knew. I knew it in my bones.
It’s enough.
14
The last thing I wanted was to be late to my boyfriend’s first art show in years. Yet here I was, elbowing my way through crowds of people while simultaneously scanning the room for Landon.
It was his fault, really. He picked out a dress for me at the last minute and insisted I wear it without even considering that it would need to be altered. It took a lot longer than he budgeted time for, but I supposed I was grateful it was done in time at all. The seamstress had to call in a favor from a friend to help out with all the beadwork.
I spotted my parents standing near one of my favorite pieces and worked my way over to them.
“There she is! You look lovely, dear.”
“Thanks, Dad. Have you seen Landon?”
“Not for half an hour or so. He was asking for you. Did you just get here?”
“Yeah, I was getting this dress altered,” I muttered as I looked around for my boyfriend. I smoothed down invisible wrinkles in the beaded fabric, hoping he would like the dress on me as much as he liked it on the rack. “Do you know which way he went?”
Mom waved to a waiter passing by and snagged a glass of champagne. I took one as well and knocked back half the glass just to soothe my parched throat. When I looked back, her glass was untouched and she was watching me closely.
“He coul
d be anywhere by now. You should go find him. He seemed… twitchy.”
“Twitchy?”
She leaned in and whispered, “I think he’s nervous. You not being here on time only made it worse.”
“I texted him,” I mumbled. I dug into my clutch for my phone. No reply to my last three texts. “Shit, I have to find him. Enjoy the show.”
“Come on, honey. I want to pick something before the vultures swarm.”
Dad dragged Mom away just as she rolled her eyes and chuckled warmly. I disposed of my champagne when the waiter passed by again. I couldn’t participate in the party until I found Landon and made sure he was all right.
A flash of blonde hair moving through the crowd caught my attention before anything else. I narrowed my eyes and tried to follow the figure, only to be interrupted by a voice at the shell of my ear.
“I’ve been looking all over for you,” Landon whispered as his arms wrapped around my waist. “Where were you?”
“Getting the dress you picked out altered.”
“It took this long?”
“Yes, and I texted you three times to tell you that.”
“I left my phone on the charger. I didn’t realize it until I was in the car. I’m sorry, love.”
“It’s fine,” I said with a dismissive wave. I leaned in and whispered, “I’m pretty sure I just saw Beth. Is she here?”
“I haven’t seen her, but it wouldn’t surprise me.”
Someone stepped over to congratulate Landon and I watched as he faked a smile to cover his nerves while they shook hands. It pained me a little to see him so frazzled. It was also odd considering how well-received the paintings were. At least I assumed they were based on all the red dots. I wondered if my father would even have a chance to buy anything.
Landon excused himself and took me by the elbow, leaning in to whisper, “Please come with me.”
“Where are we going?” I whispered back, smiling at everyone we passed as he led me out of the party and into the back of the gallery. “Landon?”
He shook his head and held up a finger. We passed by the curator’s office and he opened another door and flicked on the light. He tipped his head and I took it as a sign to enter.
“A supply closet? Landon, what’s going on?”
He closed the door and ran his fingers through his hair, looking more haggard than I’d seen him since the time he became frustrated with his inability to paint.
“I’m… I’ve never been this overwhelmed by a show. Not since the first time, at least. I just need to get away—I need to clear my head.”
“And you plan to do that in a supply closet?” I asked with a chuckle. “That’s a little—oh!”
Landon jerked up the hem of my dress with a growl and the reason we were in a closet suddenly became clear. I tried to push him away, my resolve weakening when his warm hands began massaging my thighs.
“Landon, don’t,” I whispered. He grunted and ignored me, reaching for my panties. “What about your show?”
“It’ll wait. Please, love. I need you,” he whispered breathlessly.
The fight was over before it even began. I put the guests and the show out of my mind, focusing only on Landon and the sensation of my panties sliding down my hips. After sliding them off completely, he bunched up my dress and sat me down on the edge of a table, rapidly undoing his pants as he stared at me with wild eyes.
“You look so gorgeous in this dress,” he panted as he shoved down his boxer briefs just enough to free his cock. “I’m so fucking glad you wore it for me.”
Landon sucked two fingers into his mouth and placed them directly on my clit. He rubbed frantic circles over the sensitive bud until I was wet, then he used his other hand to line himself up with my entrance and push in.
In the three weeks that went by, a lot had changed. We moved in together, and after discovering I was on the pill, Landon cautiously broached the subject of unprotected sex. I subtly let him know I was open to the idea. The next day, we went to get tested together.
A week later, after getting our results back, Landon took a weekend off for a fuck-fest of epic proportions. I was so exhausted that I couldn’t even get out of bed Monday morning.
In the present, Landon grunted as he pumped his hips and buried himself deep. He gave me a moment to adjust, but once I tangled my fingers in his hair and dragged him down for a kiss, it was game on.
His fingers moved erratically over my clit in time with his thrusts. Our kisses were sloppy as hell, but necessary to keep us both quiet. Sweat started to bead on my forehead and I clutched his shoulders, resting my forehead on his chest while I cried out against his suit jacket.
“So good. So fucking good,” he panted into my hair. “You’re close.”
I nodded to keep myself from screaming, biting the fabric when he picked up the pace of both his hand and his cock. Just as I was reaching the point of no return—the door flew open.
“Landon, I saw you—”
Beth froze mid-step as she took in the scene. Thankfully, there was nothing graphic showing, except maybe part of Landon’s ass. My legs gripped his hips tighter.
“Get out,” Landon growled.
“I-I… I didn’t—”
“Get the fuck out!”
I startled and clenched him involuntarily. His eyes rolled back and he let out a hoarse groan. I took a perverse pleasure in the horrified look on Beth’s face. I let go of Landon’s shoulder to flip her off, a smug smile on my lips.
She stumbled back on her heels, giving me a murderous look before slamming the door shut. We listened to her steps as they retreated and laughed breathlessly when we were sure she was gone.
“I think that’s the last we’ll see of her for a while.”
“God, I hope so.”
“Oh, and I believe I owe you this.”
He punctuated the word with a rough thrust that made me squeal with a combination of surprise and pleasure.
“Naughty girl. Squeezing me like that while we had an audience,” he murmured lowly as he rolled his hips at a slow pace.
“I didn’t m-mean to,” I panted. “I’m sorry.”
“Oh, there’s no need for that. I quite enjoyed it.”
He captured my lips again and no more words were spoken. It took a bit to get me back to where I was before the interruption, but soon enough, I was clutching his shoulders and whining against his neck. I bit down hard when I came—stifling my own scream but causing a rumbling growl of pleasure to rise from him. He thrust hard a few more times before stilling. His lips were closed tight as his cock throbbed in me, but the sounds were still loud enough to give us away if anyone was close by.
It wasn’t until after his body went slack that I realized the error we’d made. I smacked his chest to grab his attention and scowled when he looked at me.
“You came in me.”
“Yeah?”
“How am I supposed to act normal around my parents now? And how the hell am I supposed to clean up?”
“Paper towels,” he panted, jerking his chin in the direction of the neatly stacked rolls. “It’s better than nothing until you can get to the ladies room. Besides—where else was I supposed to come? On the wall?”
I spluttered at the mental image and Landon joined me, his shoulders shaking with laughter. Once the humor faded, I sighed and pushed him back. He shook his head and tilted my head back, kissing me softly before pulling back to stare into my eyes.
“I love you, Harmony.”
My breath caught in my throat. We’d been dancing around the word for a few weeks—both of us aware of the other’s feelings, yet skipping the verbal confirmation altogether. It was obvious that Landon was waiting for the right time to say the words. Tears welled in my eyes when I realized he chose the perfect moment.
Something about tonight felt perfect. Maybe it was the possibility of getting rid of Beth altogether. Maybe it was seeing the success of the show. All I knew was it was right.
“I love
you, too.”
Landon’s cock twitched inside me and I probably would have laughed if not for the severity of his expression. He was gazing at me with the most adoring look I’d ever seen.
“You’ve made me a very happy man. I wish there was some way I could explain how much you mean to me, but I don’t have the words.”
“You don’t have to say anything. You show me every day.”
Landon was quiet for a long moment before he asked, “Would you pose for me again? I’d like to have another portrait of you.”
“Only if you promise to make one for my dad as well. He’s been nagging me about it.”
“I can accept those terms.”
With a smile and a wince, Landon pulled out and immediately moved my dress out of the way to avoid making a mess of it. He rushed for the paper towels and we cleaned ourselves up as best as we could. I couldn’t tell without a mirror, but I didn’t feel the least bit presentable.
“Come on. We’ll use the employee restroom. It’s closer.”
He led me to the small room and I voided my bladder and cleaned myself up. Standing in front of the mirror, I stared at my smudged makeup and wrecked hair. It was enough to make any sane girl cringe. I was the very definition of a hot mess.
But I smiled instead. How could I not? Because beyond the mess, I could finally see my true self. And I wasn’t a screw-up anymore.
I was the happy, well-fucked muse of a man who loved me more than words could say.
It was a wonderful feeling to have finally made the right choice.
15
One year later…
“Are you almost finished? My back is killing me.”
Landon’s tongue poked out from between his lips and curled up. I could see his elbow moving minutely as he stroked the brush across the canvas.
“Just a moment,” he muttered distractedly. “Almost finished.”
I rolled my neck on my shoulders and did my best to stretch, ignoring Landon when he grunted in annoyance.
Truth be told, I was annoyed as well. This was the fifth time I had posed for him. The first two times were for paintings intended solely for his walls. The next two times were supposed to be for my father. Yet each time Landon finished a painting, he got weirdly possessive of the work and refused to let it go. It was beginning to piss me off.
