by Ali Parker
"I love you beyond words, Erica Hall," I whispered against her skin. She moaned and rolled her hips, waking up the monster between her thighs.
I had to two options. Give her what I wanted to give her, or let her rest up. I'd be taking her home later that day. It was time to start our life together, the way we should have before all the shit with Mitch went down.
Open. Honest. Communicating all the damn time.
I kissed her again before getting out of the bed. There would be plenty of time to take advantage of her soft skin and tight body. I pulled a pair of shorts out of my bag and put them on as I watched her. I could paint a million portraits of her and I'd never be able to truly capture just how beautiful she was.
After standing there like a stalker for a little while longer, I pulled myself away from the bedroom and walked into the little make-shift living room they had. A painting stood in the corner of the room, the beauty of it almost stopping my heart.
I walked over and picked up the picture of the two of us that lay on the table beside it. Her painting rag was covered in various colors and crumpled up on the floor. She must have been working on it all week.
"Magnificent," I whispered reverently.
I pulled out my phone and took a few pictures of it. Jonathan would love it. I texted him that he was wrong about her. He texted back pretty quickly that he was relieved to know that and beyond sorry.
He was a good man, and would always seek to protect his friends. I was grateful to be one of the lucky few. He loved the painting and wanted to see it in person when everything settled down between all of us.
I answered Damon and Lanie's texts too, letting them know that Erica was good, and we were on the mend. Their responses back almost felt like a collective sign was happening around the world for us. It was a damn good reminder that we had a lot of people rooting for us.
More than we thought.
After cleaning up everything, I packed up mine and Erica's stuff and put it by the door. It was mid-day before I crept back in the room and snuggled up beside her.
"Morning, baby." I reached around and cupped her tit as I ran my nose up the back of her neck.
She whimpered and jutted her ass out, rubbing her soft curves over me. "What time is it?"
"Time to get up and get moving. I want to take you home tonight. Zek misses you a lot. Is that okay?" I played with her nipple, loving the way it hardened under my touch. I would spend the evening worshiping both of her pretty pink buds if she let me.
"Yeah. I'd like that." She turned over to face me and pulled me in close. "Don't ever leave me again, okay?"
"I won't, Erica, but be open with me. I had no clue what happened." I pulled her in for a long kiss. "Let's just start over, alright?"
"I'd like that." She kissed me again. "Alright. Let's grab a burger to go from the pub downstairs before we go. I want to say goodbye to Sid and Jander."
I snorted and chuckled. "Who?"
"The guys downstairs. One owns the bar, and the other is a local artist. They have been really great to me." She kissed the tip of my nose and rolled out of bed the other way.
I jerked up to a sitting position so I could watch her naked ass as she walked across the room. I whistled loudly.
She glanced over her shoulder, a sexy smile on her lips. "Like what you see, Mr. Bryant."
"I love it. Keep up that sassy attitude, and I'm going to spank you."
She bent her knees and shook her ass, her voice sultry. "Like this?"
"Yeah." I bounded off the bed.
She screamed and ran into the living room. I caught up pretty easily and turned her to face me before picking her up and kissing her senseless. "Get dressed, or we are never going to get out of here."
"There's a bed. Food. Painting stuff, and you." She shrugged as I let her down. "I'm good staying here forever."
"What about Zek?" I gave her a look.
"Right! Let's bust out of this joint."
*
"You really like the painting I did?" She sat beside me in the car, a smile on her beautiful face. She had no makeup on, and her hair was wild as shit, which was just the way I liked her best.
The windows were down in the car, and I could barely hear her, but the feeling of the wind against our skin was needed. Freedom was ours when we were together. It was a great reminder.
"I love it, baby."
"My dad used to love looking at my art, but I usually had to hide it under my bed." She glanced toward her open window. "My mom hated it. Called it a complete waste of time."
"She's a cold-hearted bitch, Erica."
"No. She's just mean. She thinks that things should be the way she wants them, and if they're not, she shuns them. She just doesn't get it."
"How is she? Have you seen her lately?"
"Yeah. This last week. The day you broke things off with me." She glanced over at me. "Sunday?"
"Fuck. Seriously?" I shook my head. "That had to be the-"
"Worst day of my life." She finished my sentence for me. "I'm not going back to the retirement home. I can't."
"I don't blame you a bit, and you should probably delete Leon's number from your phone. He's a horrible person, Erica."
"I agree." She leaned back and closed her eyes. "Anything else on the contract job that you were looking at doing?"
"You know, I don't know. I was supposed to get a file from Jonathan with the people and places that the client wanted to be photographed as part of the portfolio, but I haven't checked my e-mail because of all this stuff with you. Grab my laptop out of my bag and check it."
She leaned around the seat to the back to grab the computer, putting her perfect ass in the air. I couldn't resist.
I reached over and fondled her, running my fingers over the edge of her short shorts until I reached her soft center. I slipped my fingers under her shorts and panties and dipped my fingers into her soft heat.
"Matthew!" She moved back in her seat, her face flustered.
"What?" I licked at my fingers. "I'm a gentleman until you belong to me. Good luck to you now." I winked as she swatted at me. I laughed. "Fuck, I love you."
"You're so naughty." She turned on my computer. "I love it."
"Good. I’m not going anywhere. Neither is my naughtiness." I turned and focused on the road. As much as I tried not to think about Mitch and all the shit that happened to us, I couldn't help it. Worry filled my stomach, and I glanced over at her. "Did you ever find out anything about whether or not Mitch was involved in your mugging and hit and run?"
"No, but I can't imagine that he was. I'm letting it go. He's not a thug. Just a lonely billionaire with too much money and time on his hands."
"He did act a lot like my brother would have before Bethany. Bastards."
"You're a billionaire too, silly." She pulled up the file and tilted her head to the side. "Matt... who's the client for this job?"
"No clue. Why?"
She turned the computer toward me. It took me a minute to realize what I was looking at. Various members of my family popped up on the screen, then the office down in Seattle and a few other iconic locations.
"What the hell?" I pulled off the road into a gas station. "Why would someone want pictures of the places and people I love?"
"Do you think Damon is the client?" She reached over and snatched the computer back.
"Maybe so. My father doesn't really do art, even though he supports me in doing mine." I shook my head and reached for the phone.
Jonathan answered on the first ring. "Matthew. What's up?"
"Hey." I glanced over at Erica as a smile lifted my lips. "Who's the client on the project you just sent over?"
"Why, your father." There was a deep chuckle, and I couldn't help but laugh too.
My dad did believe in my art, but he still lacked faith in the fact that I could make a living out of it. He had me at M&B so I could be me and he could pay me.
Now he was paying me to paint pictures that he would probably never put
up. It was almost bittersweet.
"Thanks, man. I'll get on it next week."
"Excellent."
We hung up, and I reached for Erica's hand. "I got you something, or I started to. It will be ready in a few weeks. You need to pack up your place. I'm not living alone without you anymore."
She nodded. "Let's pack up the whole damn place tomorrow. I don't want to waste another minute without you."
"Good answer." I brought her hand up to my lips and kissed her, breathing her in and falling in love all over again.
She was mine, and that's all that mattered.
Chapter 18
Two weeks later
Erica
"Why don't you just tell me where we're going?" I glanced over at Matt as we rode toward the mountains. The last two weeks had been fast and furious. I had moved into his place, both me and Zek. It was bliss, and the time we had together just strengthened the truth that we belonged together.
I had started to paint again, mainly just to shut Matt up. He was after me to find myself, to explore my soul and learn who I wanted to be. He was happy to fund my me time for as long as it lasted.
The only thing he complained about most days was how fast I painted compared to him. He was embarrassed by it, which left me wanting to go even faster. Silly man. I wasn't rushing. It was my natural pace to move with efficiency. There were too many pictures to paint and not nearly enough time in the day.
"Be patient, beautiful." He took my hand and laid it on his leg before dragging it up to the thick bulge between his legs. "You're turning me on."
I snorted. "What? I'm not even doing anything."
"You don't have to." He pulled up to a huge house mostly made of glass. My heart almost stopped in my chest.
I yanked my hand from him and moved up in my seat, letting my eyes take in the splendor. Red and yellow flowers were all over the property, and the lush forest behind it was deep green.
"What is this?" I whispered and reached for my door. I wanted to go closer, to experience whatever it was that he was showing me. Maybe a new house that Jonathan bought for his wife? Maybe just a place Matt rented out for dinner?
I walked up the white stone path as my breath caught in my throat. He wrapped his arm around me from behind and kissed the side of my neck.
"Come on. I brought you out here for dinner tonight."
"I love it." I turned and smiled up at him. "You're being romantic. What do you want?"
"You. Naked and sweaty."
"You could have had all of that without this." I kissed him before turning in his arms and leaning against him. He had quickly become an obsession to me. The need to feel his arms around me, his body against mine, his loving words spoken aloud all around me. It scared the hell out of me to rely so much on one person for my joy, but I couldn't help myself. I'd been looking for peace and contentment my whole life, and I found it with him. I'd cling to it as long as I was able to.
"Well, then this is just an added bonus. Come on. Let's go check out the place." He took my hand as we walked up to the front door. The glass was etched with different carvings. I stopped and reached up to trace one of them.
"Wow. How incredible is this?" I glanced over at him.
"You like it?"
"Yes. It's so detailed."
"It took hours." He walked into the house, leaving me to wonder how the hell he knew how long it took.
"Matt. Did you do that?" I moved closer to him as the smell of salt water and the ocean filled my senses. I paused and breathed in deeply. "What is that?"
"Dinner. No more questions." He pulled me flush against him. "Just enjoy the night. I'll answer your questions later."
"So mysterious." I lifted to my toes and wrapped my arms around his neck. "Are we alone for dinner."
He lifted his eyebrow. "Yes. Stop anticipating and come on. Let's have dinner and spend some time together."
"I like the sound of that." I walked into a large dining room, the table in the middle over the top elegant. The dark cherry wood was an odd shape as if there had never been a table like it before and never would be again. "Wow. I love this." I ran my fingers over the top of it.
"Good. Come sit down here with me." He took me to the end of the table and pulled out my chair. "We'll get a full tour of the house here in a little bit."
Several people walked out of a door at the end of the dining room, each carrying a tray of something. They laid them out in front of us and pulled off the tops to reveal several different seafood dishes. My stomach growled loudly. Matt and I shared a short chuckle over it.
"I have tons of money." He reached out and took two plates, putting one in front of me. "I thought to myself, why the hell am I not spending it on the woman that makes my world go round?"
"I don't need you to spend-"
He lifted his finger and pressed it to my lips before leaning in and kissing me with more passion than I could remember feeling. I was glad to be sitting down as my legs would have grown weak.
"Hush. I want to spend every fucking penny I make on you. Money means nothing to me, but watching you get excited about this place, the food, the art... that's all worth it."
"I love it, but I'd be fine in a cardboard box for dinner if you were there." I picked up my fork. "This looks incredible."
"Good. I hope you enjoy it. I tried all of these last week." He picked up his fork and dug into his food.
"Wait. You've been here before?"
"Yeah. I had to work on the glass out front."
"Work on the glass?" I lifted my eyebrows and set my fork down. My hunger dissipated in the face of our conversation. "You're saying you did all of those etchings?"
"Yes. For you." He reached out and touched the side of my face.
"For dinner tonight?" I leaned back as shock swam through me. "Why?"
"Not just for dinner." He laughed. "You're not going to enjoy the food until I explain are you?"
"Probably not." I reached for my wine glass, finding it full of white wine. I downed it. "What's going on?"
"Come on. I'll show you." He stood and put the tops back on the food, but grabbed a handful of rolls. He handed me two. "Snack on these."
"What are we doing?" I almost swallowed one whole. Why hadn't I just shut up? I was starving to death and thanks to my questions, it looked like I was getting my official tour of the place.
"I want to show you around." He took my hand in his and smiled down at me. "I love that dress on you. The blue brings out the color of your eyes."
"You always worry me when you get too sweet."
"What? I'm a total sugar bear. You know this."
"It's a ploy. I know it is." I snuggled up beside him. The house was incredible, like nothing I'd ever seen. It was almost as if every artist in Seattle had taken a room and made it beyond brilliant. The colors, designs, and decorations echoed the desires of my soul.
I stood at the entrance to the last room, the bedroom already having taken my breath away completely. I envied whoever lived there. They must have been friends of Kent's. There was no way Matt knew someone with that kind of money and I hadn't met them yet. No way.
"Matt. What is this?" I walked in to find two separate painting areas. Large canvases set on the stands, but all along the walls were small paintings and drawing, each of them framed.
"Is that..." I walked up to the wall closest to me and covered my mouth as a soft yelp left me. It was the red painting I'd done as a teenager. "This is mine."
I glanced over my shoulder to find him watching me. He nodded. "Yeah. It is."
"Why is my painting in here?" I turned and put a hand on my hip. "Why are all of our paintings in here?"
He turned and walked around the corner, leaving me standing there in shock. "Come here, baby."
"What the hell is going on?" I walked around the corner and stopped short. The large painting of me nude hung from the ceiling, taking up the entire wall from floor to ceiling. The beauty of it stole my voice. Tears filled my eyes, and I t
urned slowly to look at the room again.
"Matt. Is this place for us?" I turned back to find him standing directly in front of me.
"Yeah. I had it designed based on everything I knew about you, everything you loved." He reached out and touched the side of my face. "It's for you. A gift from me."
"It's too much." I pressed my hands to his chest and molded myself against him. "I don't need all of this."
"This isn't about need, Erica. All I need is you, but this space is what we want. Hush and enjoy it. It's yours, baby. It's ours." He leaned down and kissed me until I clung to him.
Never in my life had I felt so adored, so loved, so noticed.
It was a moment that would stay with me forever.
Chapter 19
Two Months Later
Matt
"Please tell me again why the hell you two made me come to this." I glanced over at Erica and back at Bethany. It was mid-January in Dallas, which beat Seattle for sure, but being out and shopping for wedding dresses with two very girlie girls had me wanting to fake diarrhea.
"Because we need a male perspective. Come on. It's going to be fun, and you're my only sibling. Jeez." Bethany slipped her arm into mine. "And Erica is here because the two of you are inseparable."
"And because you need someone with an eye for the arts." Erica wagged her eyebrows and slipped her arm into my other one. She glanced up at me, stealing my heart for the millionth time. "Are we inseparable?"
"Yeah. Especially when we do it like dogs. You know, they say that-"
"Matt!" They yelled together and let me go.
"Gross. Good grief." Bethany slipped her arm into Erica's as they walked to the dress shop, leaving me standing on the sidewalk by myself.
I pulled out my phone and texted my brother that he owed me big time. Him, Karen and my dad. What the fuck? Like I was cannon fodder for the wedding.
"Matt. Come on, baby." Erica held the door open and moved back. "Let's go. Bethany wants you to tell her what Damon might like or not like about these dresses."
