Brush Strokes

by Janelle Stalder

  His eyes took me in slowly like he’d never seen a half-naked girl before. I knew for a fact that wasn’t true. He’d already seen me in my bikini, but standing in a bra and panties just felt different. I felt more exposed. I forced myself not to cover any part of me up. I could be brave and let him look. Hadn’t I pretty much done the same to him? At least I wasn’t naked, I reasoned. When his gaze finally returned to mine, my knees went weak with the heat I saw there. I knew he liked what he saw and for some reason the fact that Colt Morgan appreciated me in my underwear made me feel like I could suddenly conquer the world.

  I wasn’t the type of girl to put my self-worth in the hands of a man. Anyone who measured themselves by the opinions of others, especially men, were silly in my opinion. As women we should love ourselves for who we are, no matter what. Definitely no matter what any guy had to say. Even so, that didn’t change the fact that I was really, really happy that Colt, specifically, liked me the way I was.

  Walking slowly, I waded into the water, cringing as the cold liquid hit my bare skin. I couldn’t stop the squeal that came out of me as I went a bit further. Colt laughed at me, just like he had the first time we came to the lake together.

  “Stop being such a baby,” he called out.

  “It’s f-f-freezing,” I complained, my teeth chattering. I wasn’t exaggerating either. I couldn’t stop my teeth of clicking together as I tried to push myself forward. My feet seemed to be stuck where they were, because I hadn’t gone any deeper no matter how much I tried to convince myself to do so. Colt started to move through the water toward me. I held up a hand to keep him away. “S-s-stop there.”

  Chuckling, he completely ignored my order and drew closer.

  “Colt, I s-s-swear t-t-to God, don’t t-t-touch me,” I said, taking a step back.

  He didn’t seem scared. Apparently I wasn’t intimidating enough. Perhaps it was the way I was standing there shaking like a newborn babe. Either way, he kept moving until he was right in front of me. Standing up so the water only reached mid-thigh on him, he reached out and gripped my waist gently. I gasped, his hands chilling against my skin.

  “Just trust me, Olivia,” he said, fighting back a smile. “You have to get used to it.”

  I snorted, trying to push him away. “Easy for you to say.”

  With a slight shake of his head, the smile he’d been trying to hide broke through right before he bit his bottom lip in a way that was suddenly very distracting. In a move that was a complete blur, I felt myself being lifted and thrown through the air. It only dawned on me what had happened a second before I crashed back into the water, my entire body disappearing beneath the surface.

  When I came back up I was sputtering and swearing worse than my Uncle Craig, and trust me, that was saying something. Before I could find him and kill him, he was there, pulling my body into his and wrapping his arms around me. I would have gone through with my plan to immediately drown him, if the warmth he provided hadn’t had me burrowing in closer. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I brought my legs up and wrapped them around his waist, making sure every inch of me could feel his heat.

  I should have been embarrassed, but I was too cold to care at that point. Colt walked us further into the lake until only our head and shoulders peaked over the surface. I finally pulled back to look at him, my eyes narrowed in a way that I hoped would properly express how much I hated him right then. Obviously not, since he started chuckling again.

  “I hate you,” I said.

  “No you don’t,” he replied, reaching up to stroke back a wet strand of hair that was stuck on to my cheek. Unlocking the death grip I had on his neck, I tilted my upper body back and let my hair dip into the water so it was all slicked back off my face. The way I had broken through the surface hadn’t done much for my sexy factor.

  It certainly wasn’t an Ariel moment. This, by the way, when I tried to recreate it, was a lot harder than it looked. Most girls always wanted to flip their heads out of the water, their hair whipping through the air in some sexy, magical way. Yeah, it never worked out that way. What Disney failed to mention was that it wasn’t that easy to move so effortlessly against the weight of water, and wet hair is friggin heavy. Ah the disappointment of childhood dreams.

  When I straightened back up, my hands going back around his neck, I noticed he was suddenly paler than he’d been before.

  “Are you okay?” I asked immediately. Was he hurt? Was I too heavy for him?

  He cleared his throat and gave me a strained smile. “I’m fine,” he answered. “So how come you’re not consoling your boyfriend?”

  I gave him a disbelieving look. As if, after hearing what he’d done, I would still be in a relationship with that douche. If that could have even been considered a ‘relationship’. “You’re joking, right?”

  He shrugged his shoulders, his smooth skin gliding beneath my palms.

  “Why aren’t you with Reagan? Shouldn’t she be kissing your wounds?”

  He stilled. So did I. We stared at each other, the air around us slowly crackling with that same energy that was ever present when I painted him.

  “That was you in the art room that day, wasn’t it?” he said, breaking the silence. I knew what he was referring to, but I played dumb.

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  He tilted his head, giving me a ‘you don’t expect me to believe that’ look.

  “I might have, possibly, walked in on you two kissing,” I confessed, looking away from him.

  “Is that why you started dating Taylor? Because you thought I was with Reagan?”

  I laughed like that was the most ridiculous thing ever, even though I really had turned around and agreed to go out on a date with him as soon as that happened. “If you must know, I never even agreed to start dating Jake. He sort of decided that all on his own. And no, that’s not why,” I said, turning back to him.

  His eyes bore into mine like he was trying to read my most private thoughts. I really hoped I wasn’t giving more than I wanted to away. “So you like him for real then?”

  I scrunched up my nose. “Not anymore I don’t.”

  “Did you?”

  I sighed, looking away. Instead I focused on his collarbone, trying my best not to give in to the urge to lean forward and lick off the drops of water there. “I’m not sure,” I admitted. “We went out on one date, and then the next thing I knew he was acting like we were a couple. It was confusing, but I wasn’t planning on continuing it with him even before he lied about me to the entire school.”

  His muscles hardened. I glanced up to see his eyes had turned cold with anger. “He doesn’t deserve you, I hope you know that. Jake Taylor is the worst kind of guy. He looks all nice and innocent, but he’s a piece of shit.”

  I lifted my head, licking at my dry lips. I watched him follow the movement, bringing that electricity around us up a notch. “Is that why you hit him today after school?” I asked, needing to know for sure.

  “Of course it was,” he replied like it was completely obvious. My heart did a little somersault. He reached out and ran his finger gently along my jaw, his eyes watching his movements like touching me was the most interesting thing in the world. “Someone needed to teach that guy a lesson.”

  My breath hitched when he stroked that finger over my bottom lip. “You didn’t have to do that,” I whispered.

  “I wanted to,” he said, matching my tone.

  “You’re going to get in trouble.”

  He dropped his hand, giving me a mischievous grin. “Trouble I can handle,” he said. Then his eyes roamed over me again and his playfulness turned serious. “It’s pure goodness that I can’t seem to deal with very well.”

  What was that supposed to mean? Colt pulled me in closer and I let him. There was practically no space between us, and we were hardly dressed to be out in public, but for some reason I didn’t care. Anyone could come by and see us, and yet that didn’t matter when compared with just being able t
o touch Colt Morgan.

  “Just so you know, Reagan kissed me,” he said. “And I hated every second of it. If you had waited around, you would have seen me push her away.”

  “That’s not how I remembered seeing things,” I said without thinking. I sounded like a jealous, green-eyed monster.

  “Well then you must of misread the situation, because that’s the truth,” he pressed. “I don’t want Reagan. I don’t want any girl but the one right in front of me.”

  My mouth was ridiculously dry all of a sudden as we stared at one another. “Why did you kiss me?” I asked, my voice dropping to a whisper again.

  “Because I think about it every second of every day. Right before I go to sleep at night, and as soon as I wake up in the morning. It’s all I want to do the moment I see you. I want to be able to walk up to you at school and kiss you until neither of us can think straight, and then do it again and again and again, throughout the entire day so that every damn person in that school knows you’re mine.”

  Well then. That was more of an answer than I had been expecting. My heart was pounding like Stomp had taken up residence in my chest. I was aware of every point of my body touching his. I wanted Colt more than I could ever remember wanting a boy before. My mind screamed at me that this was stupid and I was bound to get hurt, but I ignored it focusing on everything he’d just said.

  “You don’t have girlfriends,” I said, my stomach squeezing at the truth of that statement. Looked like the smarter half of me had reared her ugly head after all. Like rain on a parade.

  One corner of his mouth lifted. I breathed a little easier that he didn’t seem outright pissed I had said that. “Correction,” he said, “I’ve never had a girlfriend before. Things change, Olivia. For the right person, things can always change.”

  Was I the right person? I really wanted to be. That had to be what he was suggesting, right? Of course he was. I wasn’t an idiot. I was just being scared and stupid. Taking a deep breath I said, “I’d like you to do everything you just said,” I confessed. “I want to be yours.”

  I wasn’t sure what reaction I’d get out of him, but the one I got worked just fine for me. Colt’s mouth crashed into mine, taking me by surprise. I gasped at the sudden movement, giving him the perfect opportunity to slip his delicious tongue up against mine. We moaned together as our mouths worked against one another, our tongues dancing in that sensual way that had every nerve in my body on edge.

  His hand reached up to grip the back of my hair, tilting my head so he could deepen the kiss further. It was just like the previous two times. Everything around us fell away as all my senses were overwhelmed with what Colt was doing to me. His other hand moved so his arm banded around my back, pulling me even closer.

  I tilted my hips against him, gasping at the immense pleasure that caused. I hadn’t noticed just how perfectly we were aligned there. I’d also – somehow – failed to notice how excited Colt was. The hard ridge of him was nestled snuggly between us, providing the perfect amount of friction when I moved my hips the slightest bit. He groaned loudly when I tested it out, kissing me deeper still until I thought he would steal the breath right out of my lungs.

  When he pulled back I actually whimpered at the loss. His breathing was ragged as he rested his forehead against mine.

  “You’re killing me,” he said between breaths. How could I tell him not to stop? I wanted more. Needed more.

  “Don’t stop,” I said, my thoughts bursting out. Okay, that’s how.

  He pulled back and looked me in the eye. I could see him struggling to control himself. I should have been making it easier for him, but I’d spent years wanting this with Colt, and now that I knew what it was like, I just wanted more. Colt was everything and more of what I had imagined over the years. I’d already known he was gorgeous and thoughtful when it came to his mom and his responsibilities. Now I knew he was also passionate and protective. The way he held me and looked at me possessively had my blood boiling in a way I’d never experienced.

  “If we don’t stop now, I’m not going to be able to,” he said pointedly.

  Right. Getting it on out in the open of the lake wasn’t what I had in mind. Nodding my head, I willed my pulse to slow down. With a growl he swooped in again, catching my lips with his before I had a chance to cool. My heat flared up instantly as I met his movements with my own. My hands gripped his hair, holding him close. He broke away again, our breath mingling with our heads still close together.

  “We really need to stop,” he said. I nodded, biting my lip. “That doesn’t help,” he all but groaned. Laughing I forced myself to create more space between us so it was easier. Letting my legs drop, I slid down the front of his body, completely not helping the situation. “You’re dangerous, Olivia Banks,” he said, looking down at me affectionately.

  I raised both eyebrows in surprise. What a silly thing to say. Me? Dangerous? Hardly. “I believe that’s my line,” I said, taking in his piercings and tattoos. That lip ring had felt delicious against my lips. I wanted to trace my tongue over it, explore the smooth, shiny metal. Focus, Olivia. Focus. On something other than parts of Colt.

  He grabbed my hand and tugged me after him as we made our way to shore. There he picked up the old blanket and wrapped it around me. I tried not to think about what could be on it. Pulling me close, he looked down at me, his mouth relaxed, his eyes lighter than they had been when we’d gotten here. He looked – happier. The thought that it might be because of me had me feeling all warm and tingly inside.

  “I hope you realize that your ass is mine now,” he teased, gripping said body part. I squeaked, rising up on my toes, crushing us together more. “And I’m going to make sure everyone knows it.”

  Oh dear.

  Twenty-One

  Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep. – Scott Adams

  Colt

  I needed to get hold of myself. Olivia’s hand felt soft and tiny within mine, reminding me how fragile and good she was. She wasn’t like any of the other girls I’d been with before, in so many ways. Most importantly she needed to be treated properly, and stripping her right here on the shore while I devoured her and lost myself in every inch of heaven she offered was not the way.

  I had to do right by her for once in my life. I might have gone through most of my adolescence using girls, and being used back, but it was different with her. Olivia made me want to be better and I was going to prove myself to her. She was just so unbelievably sexy and addictive. The worst part was she probably didn’t even realize it.

  When she had leaned back in my arms to wet her hair, her hips pressing into me and her breasts straining against the thin, lacy material of her navy bra, I just about lost it right there. One thing had been certain, there was no way I was letting her go without tasting her again. I hadn’t been lying when I said kissing her was all I thought about. I literally dreamt about it every night.

  Being with Olivia was the closest I was going to get to paradise, and I was soaking up every minute of it. But if I didn’t get us back into some clothing I was afraid all good intentions would fly out the window.

  Holding her against me, the blanket between us, I rubbed at her shaking body cursing myself for even suggesting swimming when I knew the water was too cold. Her lips were blue as she looked up at me with a shy smile. I swallowed the groan that wanted to burst free just at the sight of all that innocence and acceptance in her eyes when she stared at me. The girl had been kissing me back just as hungrily as I’d kissed her, and yet now she looked almost shy about it.

  The smile that stretched across my face was strained, solely for the reason that I’d rather be dropping to my knees before her and worshipping all that smooth, pale skin than standing here acting like I had everything under control. No other woman had ever literally brought me to my knees the way this girl was threatening to.

  “You’re shaking,” I said, rubbing her harder in an attempt to warm her up.
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  “It’s f-f-freezing,” she chattered back. Fuck, I was such an idiot.

  “Come on,” I said. Grabbing our clothes, I hurried us over to the car and held open her door for her. Running around the front, I cranked the heat as soon as I had the car turned on and angled all the vents her way. “Here,” I said, passing her clothes.

  We both got dressed in the front of my car. As soon as she was clothed again her shivering lessened and I felt like I could breathe a little easier. “Better?” I asked.

  She looked over and nodded her head. “Much,” she replied.

  “You hungry?”

  She nodded again. Throwing the car into reverse, I headed to my favourite local restaurant to grab some take out. Leaving her in the car, I ran in to place our order and went back out to wait with Olivia while it was being made. Seeing her sitting there in my car, knowing she was my girl now, because there was no doubt in mind that she was, made me feel like I was on top of the world. If she didn’t already know she was mine now, she was going to soon.

  I opened her door, and reached in to twist her so her legs were outside of the car, fitting myself between them. I wrapped my arms around the back of her, pulling her close. She came so willingly I felt like beating my chest in some primal way. Her hands landed tentatively on my shoulders. I loved the feeling of her touching me. After watching her from afar for so many years, it was almost impossible to believe we were here with each other now.

  “So, did I break his nose?” I asked, smirking. My heart flipped at the way she fought her own grin. She tried to give me a stern look but I knew she was secretly happy I’d smashed Jake’s face in, even if she didn’t want to admit it.

  “No,” she replied. “But it was probably pretty close. He’s definitely going to have a good black eye tomorrow.”