Brush Strokes

by R. W. Shannon

  “I followed your career,” she said. “You were incredible. I heard you’re thinking about a comeback.”

  He waved off her comment. “It’s just a thought.”

  “I’ve already told my children about the professional athlete that I once knew. They’re excited to meet you.”

  “How many kids do you have?” he asked, picking up his dust cloth but setting it back down.

  “Three. They’re ten, seven and five.”

  “Where are they?”

  “At the Harbor Hotel with my mom.”

  Mikeli nodded. Setting down her glass, Dionne rounded the bar to stand in front of him. She reached up and placed her hand on his upper arm. He flinched.

  “I realized that I made a mistake,” she said. “I should have married you.”

  “That was years ago.”

  “But my feelings haven’t changed. I still love you.”

  “I’ve moved on, Dionne.”

  “No, you haven’t. I know you’ve been single for the last two months.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “I have my sources.”

  He removed his hand and stepped away from her. Once upon a time, he had wanted Dionne to come back to him. Now, he wasn’t sure. He rested his back against the wall next to the door. Dionne followed him.

  “I was young and naïve,” she said, when she stopped in front of him. “I didn’t know what I had in you. It was magical. We can have that again.”

  With a giggle, she reached out and curved her hand around his crotch. His cock didn’t move.

  “Remember how reckless we were?” she said. “I’ve missed this, Mikeli. I’ve missed you.” Standing on her tiptoes, Dionne pressed her lips against his.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Scarlett’s stomach was in knots. She’d seen Mikeli’s lights on when she returned home from Veronica’s and decided to pay him a visit. After all, she needed to return his grandmother’s quilt. It was late, but he did say she was welcome at anytime. For what felt like years, she stood in the landing of her apartment, mentally going over her outfit choice: a purple tank top, jeans and sandals.

  “Fuck it,” she mumbled and opened the door. She was just returning a blanket. No need to get all dressed up.

  Venti Vicci’s lights were still on. Scarlett reached for the doorknob and was surprised to find it unlocked. The door squeaked when she pushed it open. Her suddenly dry mouth made it difficult for her to call his name. She looked to her left and froze.

  Mikeli was kissing an attractive woman. Reaching up to grip her shoulders, he pushed the woman away, but not fast enough. Scarlett saw the woman’s hand on his crotch. He said something to her in Greek, and then turned to face Scarlett. Scarlett’s heart ached. Truthfully, she had no reason to be upset he was kissing another woman, but a lump formed in her throat just the same. She stiffened when he walked toward her.

  “I’m sorry,” Scarlett said. “I can come back.”

  “No. Your timing is perfect. Dionne was leaving.”

  Mikeli placed his hand on Scarlett’s lower back and guided her away from the door. He then held it open for the woman. Glancing at Scarlett, Dionne said something to Mikeli. Though Scarlett didn’t understand what Dionne said, she didn’t like her tone or how the woman looked at Scarlett with contempt. Scarlett squared her shoulders.

  “Go,” Mikeli said forcefully in English.

  Dionne turned on her heels and left the bar. Exhaling, Mikeli locked the door behind her. He turned to Scarlett. Despite her mixed emotions, her heart fluttered.

  “Do I want to know what she called me?” Scarlett asked.

  “No. And I must apologize. Dionne was a lover from my past. She had it in her head that we could pick up where we left off years ago, but that isn’t the case. She means nothing to me.”

  “You don’t have to explain anything.”

  “I do,” he said, moving toward her. “I don’t want us to start off with a series of misunderstandings. I am nothing if not honest.”

  Mikeli’s gaze was so sincere she had to look away. A new lump formed in her throat.

  “I just wanted to drop this off,” Scarlett said, motioning to the quilt in her arms. “Thank you for letting me use it.”

  “You are most welcome. I’m glad it kept you warm.”

  Scarlett shrugged. “Yeah, well, not like another body would, but—”

  Taking the quilt, he chuckled. “True. Would you like a nightcap before bed?”

  “Sure.”

  Mikeli held out a stool for her. Scarlett sat. He put the quilt on a nearby table. As he rounded the bar, she looked around. The tavern was typically decorated with neon signs, wood and mirrors. However, it fit with who Mikeli seemed to be, in that it was a mix of old and new world charm. She watched him pour milk into a saucepan and place it on a hot plate.

  “Have you found artists for your gallery?” Mikeli asked.

  “Yes. I interviewed one this afternoon. She’s going to be my first show next month for the grand opening.”

  “That’s exciting news!”

  Leaning his elbows on the counter, he stared at her. The two top buttons on his red plaid shirt were open, exposing a strip of his dark chest hair and muscular pecs. Scarlett licked her lips.

  “Thank you.”

  Mikeli reached out and covered her hand with his. Her skin prickled.

  “I promised you a ride through the countryside. Tomorrow is Sunday and I’m closed.”

  Scarlett shook her head. “I don’t have a bike.”

  “I have one you can use.”

  “Okay.” She pointed to his trophies. “Are you thinking of making a comeback?”

  Mikeli straightened and turned to fix their drinks. “No. I’m thinking of trying something new.”

  “Oh? What?”

  “A friend suggested I try out for a triathlon.”

  “Are you?”

  “Perhaps. If my knee will let me.”

  He sat two mugs on the bar. Scarlett inhaled the scent of mint and chocolate.

  “What’s in these?” she asked.

  “Milk. Chocolate. Peppermint liquor and bourbon.”

  “Yum. Are you trying to get me drunk?”

  Mischief flashed in Mikeli’s eyes as he reached for the whipped cream. Scarlett stopped breathing. Oh, why did he have to break that out? Shaking the can, he squirted the cream on the hot liquid. She gasped but quickly recovered. What she would give to strip off his clothes and squirt it all over his…

  Scarlett noticed her question went unanswered. When he pulled out a jar of cherries, she almost slid off her stool. He chuckled.

  “One for you,” he said, placing the fruit on top of the melting cream. “And one for me.”

  Mikeli dragged the cherry through the cream and held it to her lips. Opening her mouth, Scarlett curled her tongue around the sweet fruit and snapped it off the stem. When cream stuck to her lip, she giggled. Leaning forward, he licked it off. Her clit throbbed. Damn it. She was two seconds from leaping over the bar. He pulled away and picked up his mug.

  “To tomorrow,” Mikeli said, tapping it to hers. “And the surprises it will bring.”

  Scarlett recaptured her breath and sipped her nightcap. She moaned. Morning couldn’t get there fast enough.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Scarlett didn’t sleep a wink. The feeling of Mikeli’s tongue on her lips haunted her. And the fact that only a wall separated their bedrooms didn’t help. Only after she took matters into her own hands and satisfied the urge between her thighs could she rest. She was amazed she was up and ready at ten a.m. to meet Mikeli out front.

  Dressed in a green spaghetti-strap top and denim shorts, she tied a black hoodie around her waist and left the apartment. She skipped down the steps. Mikeli was waiting for her in front of Venti Vicci. He looked handsome in his gray polo shirt and khaki cargo shorts.

  “You look lovely this morning,” he said, handing her a helmet.

  “Thank you. I thought this w
as a casual ride. What’s with the helmets? And why are you wearing racing gloves?”

  He chuckled. “Safety first.”

  While she strapped the helmet around her chin, he retrieved a pink, green and yellow bike that was leaning against the building. The bike was as light as a feather. Scarlett imagined the black leather seat hugging Mikeli’s tight butt and swallowed. He held it steady while she straddled the seat.

  “This was my first competition bike,” he said. “I won my first race with her.”

  “Wow. I still won’t be able to keep up with you.”

  Mikeli winked at her. “I’ll go slow.”

  He hooked a backpack around his shoulders. Straddling his own black and red bike, he set off down the street. Slow her ass. Mikeli was at the end of the block before she could get her feet on the pedals. Circling back, he rode beside her and held the handlebars.

  “You are rusty,” he commented. “It’s just like making love. How to do it will come back to you.”

  Scarlett glared at him. She didn’t need to be reminded just how long it’d been since she’d had sex. The seat rubbing her crotch didn’t help, either. Putting her head down, she grunted and pedaled as hard and fast she could. Soon, she was coasting down the cobblestone street. He let go of her bike and zipped ahead.

  An hour later, the quaint village landscape turned into a quiet countryside. Scarlett’s legs were becoming jelly. When Mikeli signaled they were going to take a pit stop, she couldn’t have been happier. Panting, she followed him to a spot that overlooked the ocean.

  “This is beautiful,” she said.

  “It’s not what I wanted to show you, but it’s a good place for a snack.”

  From the backpack, he pulled out two bottles of grape-flavored sports drinks and a bag of trail mix. Scarlett took off her helmet. The warm sun pressed down on her shoulders. The air held a fresh, clean scent. A cruise ship glided by on the clear waters below them.

  “What brought you to Rhodes?” he asked.

  “A chance to start over.”

  “Thing weren’t going well in New York?”

  Scarlett sipped her drink. She shook her head and swallowed. Her legs wobbled. Sitting on the ground, she stretched them in front of her. He followed her lead. The closeness of his body comforted her.

  “No. I realized I was stuck in a job I didn’t want. My mother had died and I broke up with my fiancé.”

  “What happened?”

  “With my mom or fiancé?”

  “Both.”

  “My mom had breast cancer.”

  “I’m sorry.” He reached for and held her hand.

  “Thank you,” she said.

  “Why did you break up with your fiancé?”

  “I couldn’t stand him anymore.”

  Mikeli chuckled. He squeezed her hand.

  “Seriously,” Scarlett said with sigh. “We had been together for five years. And one day, I walked in on him brushing his teeth. I’ve done it millions of times, but that day, I realized I couldn’t stand another minute of watching him do that. A month later, I called off the wedding.”

  “Wow.”

  She looked at him. “Your turn. I can’t believe a guy like you is single.”

  He smiled. “I’ve been married to my career for a long time. I haven’t met someone who could understand that.”

  “You will.”

  Mikeli gathered her into his arms. “I hope that I have.”

  Leaning forward, he pressed his lips against hers. The whiskers on his chin tickled her cheeks. His musky scent was just like the one on the quilt. Scarlett savored the taste of his mouth. The sensation of his tongue on hers was unlike any kiss she’d experienced. She wrapped her arms around his neck.

  Scarlett rolled back against the grass. Mikeli kneaded her breast through the material of her top, and she felt her nipple stiffen. He released her mouth to kiss her neck and suckled on the skin over her collarbone.

  Her heart beat strongly in her chest. Though her story was different than Grace and Veronica’s, her need for him was no less urgent. She didn’t have to return to America because she was in Rhodes to stay. Yet she worried that there were more Dionnes out there. Did she have what it takes to keep a strapping professional athlete at her side?

  Straddling his thigh, she pressed her wet crotch against his leg. She writhed against his solid muscle. Scarlett threaded her fingers through his damp hair. Mikeli’s hands roamed her ass, her back. He pushed down the strap of her top to capture her nipple. His moist tongue danced on her skin. Groaning, he moved to lie between her thighs.

  The rise of his crotch rubbed against her clit. Scarlett gripped Mikeli’s shoulders, and wrapped her legs around his waist. Her climax fluttered down her spine. Arching into him, she let it go. The intensity of her orgasm brought tears to her eyes. If dry humping him made her this emotional, how would she react when they were naked? She glanced away, but Mikeli brought her line of vision back to his.

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

  “Don’t apologize. Your body needed the release. I’m honored to provide it.”

  Mikeli twisted onto his side and gathered her in his arms. Scarlett closed her eyes. She fought off the notion he was too good to be true, and dozed in the warm afternoon sun until it was time to ride back to town.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Three weeks later, Mikeli sat at his dining room table and stared at the entry form in front of him. It was for a triathlon race which was two months away. According to his trainer, Mikeli was coming along fine, and the trainer had suggested, or rather ordered him to enter. With an exhale, he filled out his name and address.

  He wasn’t worried about finishing, or even winning, the race. The problem was that this race was in California. If he decided to continue with it as a career, he’d have to move to Arizona and train until the Olympic qualifying races began. Those were six months from now. With a heavy sigh, Mikeli ran the palm of his hand over his face.

  Things with Scarlett were going well. But would she understand why he’d have to go away? And would she be here when he got back?

  A knock sounded at his front door. Mikeli glanced at the clock on his kitchen wall. Eight p.m. He wasn’t expecting anyone but hoped it was Scarlett. They hadn’t had time to schedule another date since the bike ride. Clad in only a white towel that was wrapped around his waist, he rushed down the stairs and opened the door.

  His breath stilled. She was a vision in a simple white T-shirt and pink sweatpants. Her dark hair was pulled into a bun. The curve of her full mouth begged him to kiss her, and he did.

  “I hope it’s not too late. I wanted to bring you dinner,” she said.

  “It’s never too late for you to drop by. I was about to decide what to eat. You’ve saved me.”

  Mikeli took the casserole dish and led her up the stairs to his apartment. After setting the dish on the kitchen counter, he collected her in his arms and pressed his lips against hers.

  “I’ve missed you,” she confessed, wrapping her arms around his neck. “I know you’re busy training, but I wanted to see you.”

  “As have I, dear Scarlett. What have you prepared for dinner?”

  “Lasagna. I’m sure Stephano will be proud of me.”

  Mikeli laughed. With one final kiss, he released her to get plates from the cabinet. Jazz flowed from the radio while he dished up the meal. He briefly thought about covering his nude body but decided against it. The way she looked at him while he moved around the kitchen sent a shiver down his spine.

  She almost knocked over her wineglass when he turned to bring the plates to the table. He chuckled. While they ate, he learned more about Scarlett’s life. She was an only child. Her parents had divorced when she was eleven but remained close, though her father had remarried.

  Mikeli, in turn, told her of his father being mayor of the village and the villagers wanting Mikeli to continue in his father’s footsteps. He declined. Not only because of the upcoming Olympics that year but becaus
e he didn’t think he was worthy of the honor. The people named him honorary mayor, anyway.

  Scarlett’s face lit up as he spoke of his humble upbringing. By the time he ended his tale, they were finished with their dinner. He reached for her hand. It was refreshing to be with a woman who wasn’t interested in him for his money or his status. One of his favorite songs, a bluesy rendition of “A Song for You,” came on the radio right at that moment.

  “Would you like to dance?” he asked.

  She nodded. “Sure.”

  They moved to the living room. When he wrapped his arms around her waist, butterflies swirled in his stomach. It was a sensation he had never experienced before. He took notice of the way his heart fluttered, of the lightness of his limbs, and his soul, as he held Scarlett. Her soft touch on his bare shoulder sent a jolt of electricity to his cock.

  Closing his eyes, he inhaled her coconut-scented aroma. With her head on his shoulder, she swayed in rhythm with him. Mikeli’s cock pressed against her hip. His arousal wasn’t going to go away, and he didn’t want it to. Leaning away from her, he tilted her face toward his and swept her mouth in a kiss. Scarlett’s soft, pliable lips illuminated the darkness he had encased his heart in when Dionne left. As the song ended, Mikeli discovered his desire to open his heart to Scarlett.

  “I’ve missed you,” Scarlett confessed against his shoulder. “I know you’re busy training, but I wish I could spend more time with you.”

  Mikeli smiled. He wanted to make love to her, very slowly, until their bodies melted together. In a flash, he remembered how he’d once broken his rule of “no sex before a race” with Dionne, and the results were disastrous. Although he couldn’t blame losing the race on the one night of passion, he didn’t want to take that chance again.

  However, his desire for Scarlett consumed him, the way fire consumed wood, and he wasn’t ready to say good-bye to her tonight. Or, possibly, ever.

  “Will you stay the night?” he asked her.

  “Of course.”