Paint Me Curious Bronze [Curious] (Siren Publishing Allure)

by Silke Ming

  She pictured him in bed with Lana, stroking her body the way he stroked hers. Where could he be? Mentally and physically wounded, she paced the room until boredom set in.

  Chapter Thirteen

  When she awoke, it was five thirty in the morning and she was still alone. The sun had not yet put in an appearance, and the moon was still casting its glow into the room. She put his terry cloth robe over her shoulders and went down the stairs. She opened the entrance door and her heart sank. His car was not there. How would he explain his absence? She remembered the shipping company would be arriving early that morning, and in spite of a heavy heart, she thought it was still her job to get everything in place before their arrival. She went to the bathroom and brushed her teeth and went to her bedroom. When she opened the door, she gasped. Seamus was lying prostrate on her bed hugging her pillow. Totally nude and lying on his back, he had a big erection. The door squeaked as she tried to close it and he opened his eyes.

  “What are you doing down here?” she asked.

  “I’ve been here all night. You were sleeping so peacefully when I came in, that I didn’t want to wake you up, so I slept here.”

  “I waited all night for you,” she said. “I fell asleep around eleven thirty and you were not here.”

  “After we had dinner, I went to my car. That was around ten thirty, and the car wouldn’t start.”

  “Why didn’t you call me? I would’ve picked you up.”

  She felt a sense of relief. That accounted for the car not being there.

  “So what’s wrong with the car?”

  “I don’t know. All I know is that it refused to start. When I got in and turned on the ignition, it coughed and sputtered. After trying a few more times, I gave up.”

  “So how did you get home?”

  “Lana insisted on driving me, but I knew you wouldn’t like that, so I took a taxi.”

  “Why didn’t I hear it come up the driveway?”

  “You were probably already asleep when we got here. When I came in, I looked in the bedroom and saw you there with the moonlight shining on your beautiful hair. You seemed so peaceful I didn’t want to disturb you, so I slept here.”

  “So what did Lana have to say?”

  “Yes, Lana. I told her that I couldn’t see her anymore, and she didn’t take it very well. She threatened all kinds of things, but had settled down by the time we left the restaurant. Strange thing, though, she went to the bathroom and when she returned, she said she was going to put the top up on the car because she heard it might rain. I offered to do it for her, but she insisted on doing it herself. I waited in the restaurant and she was gone for about ten minutes.”

  “What are you trying to say? That she did something to the car?”

  “I don’t know what to think. I’ll call the mechanic as soon as he opens up this morning. I don’t want it in the restaurant parking lot all day.”

  “So has it all been settled between the two of you?”

  “I couldn’t make it any clearer than I did last night. Why don’t you join me?” he asked, pulling her into the bed.

  She let the terry-cloth robe fall to the floor and slid into bed next to him. His hands immediately cupped both her breasts and then slid between her legs.

  “You have been waiting for me all night, haven’t you?”

  “No, I haven’t.”

  “Yes, you have. I know because you are still moist,” he said, touching her up and down between her thighs.

  He kissed her and she kissed him back, long and hard. Her nipples rose like two stiff peaks. She had longed for his touch since the previous night. She could feel the wetness between her legs and the movement of his fingers as they moved back and forth inside her slippery tunnel.

  “I want you, Summer. I want you so much,” he said, holding her close. “I came home hot for you last night.”

  “So what did you do?”

  “I did this,” he said, pushing her hand down to his erection and stroking it.

  “Uhh!” she groaned as she felt the magnificent beast in her hand.

  She threw the covers off and gazed at it. It was growing even stiffer to her touch, and staring at it made her even wetter. He watched her, then lay back and allowed himself to melt in her hand. He turned her over and climbed on top of her.

  “Guide it in,” he said, moving his erection to the entrance of her slippery sex.

  She complied with his request, and he felt her muscles flex around it, as it moved deeper and deeper inside her.

  “This must be a quick one,” he said, as his cock filled her inside, stretching her.

  She could feel his balls slapping against her buttocks as he moved in and out of her. She held on to him, and silent tears ran down the side of her face. She was relieved that he hadn’t spent the night with Lana Podesta. At first the thrusts were gentle, but soon they became harder. He exploded inside her, his body jerking wildly, as the last sweet spasm tore through his body.

  “I’m sorry that I couldn’t wait for you,” he said, his hands on her wet clit. “I was thinking about this all night.”

  “We can finish it later,” she said.

  “No,” he said as he worked his way down her body, past her navel and between her thighs.

  He spread her legs and licked her until she submitted fully to him. His eyes were glued to her sweet, wet sex as he furiously licked her. Her back arched as she exploded, calling out his name.

  “I love you, Summer.”

  He lay on top of her, both of them revelling in the love they felt for each other.

  “Time to get up,” she said. “The shipping company will be here in about an hour.”

  “Let’s shower,” he said, pulling her to her feet.

  The warm water revitalized them both as they played with each other’s bodies. He took her hand and placed it on his semierect prick, bringing it fully to life again.

  “I want you again,” he said, rubbing his hand between her legs.

  “There’s no time. The shippers will soon be here.”

  “I can’t wait. What will I do with this?” he asked, pressing his erection against her leg.

  “There isn’t enough time,” she pleaded.

  “Yes there is,” he said, fondling her swollen breasts.

  She gasped as he worked his way inside her from behind. The water streaming down on them seemed to make it even more pleasurable. His chin on her shoulder, one hand on her breast, the other between her legs and his erection deep inside her, soon made her body convulse. He drove himself into her, and soon his body collapsed, as the aftershocks tore through his body.

  “That was beautiful, Summer,” he said, his body flopping against hers.

  * * * *

  They had only been out of the shower for about ten minutes when they noticed a truck slowly coming up the driveway. The shippers were there. The men smirked when they stepped into the studio and Rachel’s painting was the first thing they saw. They obviously knew nothing about art. Summer and one of the agents counted and documented the paintings, while the other packed and crated them, with Seamus diligently overseeing the whole operation. When the documentation was done, the other agent joined in the packing and the crating.

  By three thirty in the afternoon, everything was done, and the truck drove away with the precious cargo. There were only eleven paintings left in the studio. Summer stared at the still life hanging on the wall and recalled what she had seen the previous evening. There was a secret room at the back of the studio. Should she ask Seamus about it? She decided she wouldn’t.

  “Now you’ll have to start all over again,” she said. “The room is almost empty.”

  He picked up the painting of Lana Podesta, wrapped it in brown paper, and put it behind his desk.

  “Why are you putting it away?”

  “I just don’t want her face around here to bother you.”

  “She does not bother me. It’s her wanting to dominate you which annoys me.”

  “W
e have an empty room and a daybed,” he said, hugging her. “We can start on your Curious Bronze paintings.”

  “I have no intention of taking my clothes off now,” she replied.

  “I can think of something else we can do, if you took your clothes off. Something we would both enjoy.”

  His telephone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out and looked at the number.

  “Hello,” he said.

  She watched him as he listened intently.

  “Yes. Yes,” he kept repeating.

  “Thank you very much. Can I pick it up tomorrow?”

  He listened again.

  “Yes. Yes. Thank you.”

  After the phone call, he sat down and stared at Summer.

  “You won’t believe this.”

  “I know it has something to do with the car. What is it?”

  “The muffler was plugged with yards and yards of toilet paper.”

  Summer started to laugh.

  “Why do you find it so funny?”

  “You must say that she is original. What did she hope to achieve by doing that?”

  “She probably thought I would have had no choice but to remain in town, and since Fred is away on a business trip, it would’ve been the opportune time for us to have fun.”

  “She must’ve been angry,” said Summer.

  “I’ve got to pick up the car and we can make a full day of it,” he said, changing the subject. “We can go on that shopping trip.”

  * * * *

  “Are you all packed?” asked Summer as he stood on the landing looking down at her.

  “I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. What about you?”

  “I’m packed and ready to go.”

  “There is something I should tell you. I don’t want you to be surprised when you see them. Lana and Fred will also be in New York for the show.”

  “Doesn’t bother me, as long as she stays out of my way,” she replied, placing her case at the bedroom door.

  “The limousine will be here soon. I’ll be down in a minute.”

  Seamus moved the cases by the entrance door and the driver loaded them into the trunk. Then he opened the limo door and waited for them to climb in.

  “Are you excited?”

  “I am,” she said, smiling a smile of love.

  “New York will never be the same. I can’t wait to see you there. I’ll make love to you every single day while we’re there,” he whispered in her ear.

  “That means we’ll only be able to do it fourteen times?” she asked, laughing.

  “You are greedy, Summer Knight!”

  “You promised me that you’ll make love to me every day and I intend to take every advantage of it.”

  “You are lucky that it’s so bright outside. If it weren’t, I would ravage your body right now.”

  They stepped out when the limousine pulled up in front of the terminal and a porter immediately took their cases and tagged their bags. Already checked in, they went to the directly to the business class lounge to await their departure.

  “I don’t believe it,” said Summer. “Look who’s here.”

  Lana and Fred Podesta! Why were they flying to New York so early? The paintings were not yet hung, and opening day was still three days away.

  “Why don’t we look around in the shops?” she whispered to Seamus.

  “You can’t keep on avoiding her. We live in the same town and are bound to run into each other some time.”

  Fred had also spotted the couple, and soon Lana was looking in their direction. They walked over and joined them.

  “Fred, this Winter,” Lana said. “She is Seamus’s new assistant.”

  “Hello, Winter. I am really pleased to meet you,” the bearded man said.

  “It’s Summer,” said Seamus.

  “It certainly is,” the man replied. “I hope we get the same kind of weather in New York.”

  “Her name is Summer, not Winter,” said Seamus.

  “Trust my wife. She always seems to get names mixed up. I apologize,” he said to Summer.

  “Don’t worry about it. I have been called every season of the year. Seamus called me Autumn when I showed up on his doorstep. No one yet has called me Spring, though.”

  “That’s what happens when you have such an exotic name. We were about to get a glass of champagne. Let’s start the celebration early,” Lana said, walking ahead of them.

  “I don’t like that woman,” Summer said between gritted teeth.

  “Pay no attention to her. She’s jealous of you,” Seamus said, taking her arm.

  After half an hour in the lounge, the passengers were asked to board the flight. Summer walked ahead and took her seat, and Lana took the seat behind her. Then Fred took the seat beside Summer.

  “I think you’ve got the wrong seat,” said Seamus.

  “I thought it the perfect time to get acquainted with Summer,” he said, getting up and sitting next to his wife.

  Chapter Fourteen

  The flight to New York was uneventful, with Lana and Fred sleeping most of the way, allowing Seamus and Summer to enjoy each other’s company. The two-and-a-half hour flight ended with a bit of turbulence because of bad weather over New York. Summer was disappointed because she was looking forward to getting out on to the street and exploring a bit of the city. She knew that in the coming days there wouldn’t be time, because they would be occupied with the exhibition.

  “We can still go out to dinner tonight,” he whispered.

  “Alone!” she replied.

  They collected their luggage and walked out of the terminal, where a limousine driver was patiently waiting for them. Summer was not very happy about sharing a limo with the Podestas, but she also didn’t want to dampen the atmosphere by being in a bad mood. She stared out onto the exciting city with its wide streets and unending traffic. In the background she could hear the babble from the other three, but did not join in their discussions. She watched the street performers doing impressive and unbelievable contortions with their bodies. She recognized the names of some of the subway stations as they drove by. She envisaged crowds of people being stuffed into hot trains and wondered how they could ever find their way in that maze of underground tunnels. She saw the Hudson River and, in the distance, the Statue of Liberty. She had never seen so many people in one place. There were hordes and hordes of people of all nationalities. Whitney had a mainly white population, and only occasionally would one see an Asian, perhaps the owner of the Chinese restaurant in the town, but in New York it was the complete opposite. It was a very cosmopolitan city where foreigners of all hues found refuge. She now understood why it was every young man’s and woman’s dream to move to that city. She saw Broadway and the theatre district with its neon lights. She was in New York with a handsome man and a man she loved.

  “We are here,” Seamus whispered to her.

  “Is this our hotel?”

  “Yes.”

  “It looks small,” she said, peering out the window.

  “You’ll see the beauty of it when you get inside.”

  At the reception desk, Seamus gave their names. They had the reservations, but he was disappointed because he was on the fifteenth floor and Summer on the fifth.

  “Is there anything you can do?” he asked the receptionist. “I would prefer to have her on the same floor.”

  “If there are any cancellations, I will let you know,” she said with a wide smile.

  Unfortunately the hotel was fully occupied and there was nothing they could do about it. Of course Lana and Fred had a room on the fifteenth floor adjoining Seamus’s.

  “It doesn’t matter. We can sleep in my room or in yours.”

  “I bet I know who’s behind this,” she replied.

  “Let’s not worry about it. We’re here to have a good time, and we’ll beat Lana at her own game.”

  He was sitting at the desk in his room making a phone call, when someone knocked on the door. He opened it to find a member of the roo
m service staff standing at the door. He was carrying a tray with a bottle of champagne and two glasses.

  “I didn’t order anything.”

  “Compliments of the hotel, sir!” said the young man. “You and your travelling companion have been inconvenienced, and we want to apologize.”

  “That’s very nice. Thank you,” he said, stepping aside and allowing him into the room.

  Summer joined him, and together they finished the bottle of champagne. Down in the lobby, the concierge had made a reservation for them at an upscale restaurant. He ordered a taxi for them and was handsomely rewarded. They held hands in a candlelit restaurant, sipped wine, and whispered sweet nothings to each other. Midnight found them walking hand in hand along the streets of New York, staring into store windows and just enjoying all that the city had to offer. After spending half an hour trying to get a taxi, they were back in their hotel, where they settled in for the night in Seamus’s room.

  They turned on the television set and lay across the bed watching the Jay Leno show. He heard her shallow breathing and knew she had fallen asleep.

  “Summer,” he whispered, but she had already fallen asleep.

  He kissed her, snuggled close to her, and turned out the light.

  The following morning, she awoke full of vigour.

  “Why didn’t you wake me? You promised me two weeks of romance.”

  “You were very tired,” he said.

  “Any news from our travelling partners?” she asked.

  “Nothing. Perhaps they are annoyed because we didn’t ask them to join us for dinner.”

  “That woman never takes no for an answer. I don’t think you’ve really gotten rid of her.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Even after the talk you’ve had, she’s still hanging around making a nuisance of herself.”

  “Let’s get moving,” he said.

  “Must we go right now?” she asked, flirting with him.

  “I would like nothing better than to stay here with you, but we must go to the gallery to see how things are coming along. It’s only five minutes up the street. That’s why we…I thought staying at this hotel would be a great idea.”