Dark Masterpiece (Serendipity Series 3) (17 page)

“Excellent choice. And for you, sir?”

Traevyn was grinning more than Evie had ever
seen as he nodded at Seth and replied that he wanted the same.

Seth nodded. “I’ll bring that out
shortly.”

Traevyn glanced over at Evie as Seth
disappeared again. “I think he’s enjoying this.”

She nodded. “It’s scaring me a little. Please
tell me he didn’t do the cooking.”

He made a face. “Lord, no. I wasn’t looking
to kill you tonight.”

She giggled and met his eyes across the
table. She sobered and shook her head slowly. “This is very
overwhelming.”

“Enjoy it, Evie. Seth told me you celebrated
this every year alone because no one else understood. I understand.
I wanted to celebrate with you.”

She averted her eyes,
fighting sudden tears. No one had ever validated her passion except
for the deBoers, and, even then, they only supported her and
believed in her. Traevyn truly
understood
her.

He stood as a slow, Italian melody started
to play and he offered her his hand. “Would you care to dance?”

Her breath hitched at the seductive note his
voice carried. She knew he hadn’t done it on purpose. His voice
resonated sensuality all on its own, but that almost made her
reaction to it even more powerful. She braved a look up at him and
her mouth went dry. He was so amazingly elegant, even more so than
usual. Traevyn Whitelaw was the most beautiful man she had ever
seen.

She reached out slowly and placed her small
hand in his, remembering the warmth of it from the night in the
car. He smiled and led her out to an empty space on the floor,
pulling her into his arms so that Evie had to close her eyes and
remember how to breathe. She had tried to forget almost everything
about the night they had been stranded. How she had kissed him on
instinct; how having him sleep so close to her felt so right; how
his touch made her heart beat in strange and erratic patterns. She
had tried to write off all those things as being caught up in such
an emotional moment, but they came flooding back to her at the warm
contact of his body against hers.

“I wanted to thank you for the painting,”
Traevyn murmured.

She frowned in question.

“The one of mine that you finished.”

“Oh…” She looked away, her
face flaming. She had done that on impulse and had almost
immediately thought it had been too bold. He had never said
anything to her about it, which had been more than okay with her,
but she
had
wondered what he had thought. She shook her head. “It was
just—” She made a face. “It was nothing really.”

He stopped dancing and lifted her chin so he
could look into her eyes. “Nothing?” He shook his head. “Evie, it
was everything.”

She stared up at him and
her eyes scanned his gorgeous face. They came to rest on his
perfect lips and she realized that she wanted to kiss him very
badly. That alarmed her. It was easy to deny feelings in normal,
day to day life, but in a setting like this… When had she come to
care for him so much? The realization that her affection for him
was much deeper than she thought swamped her and she had to look
away. What was the matter with her? Was she out of her mind? Like
Traevyn Whitelaw would actually go for someone like her. His
ex-wife had been a goddess. He had said so himself. Elegant and
sophisticated. She was anything but elegant and sophisticated. She
was loud and opinionated and definitely
not
goddess-like. Plus, he was
almost ten years older than her. He probably thought of her as a
child. Was she completely stupid?

“Evie?”

She looked up at Traevyn, who was frowning
in concern.

“Evie, you’re trembling.” He ran both of his
hands lightly across her shoulders and down her arms.

Oh right, like
that
was going to make
things better. “I—uh—” she stammered. “I just…”

“Dinner is served,” Seth announced, returning
to the room.

Evie breathed a sigh of relief and all but
bolted back to her seat. Being in close proximity to Traevyn was
dangerous. It was better if she just sat down. Seth set the plates
in front of them and Evie managed to give Traevyn a small smile. He
gave her a warm look that made her heart somersault and she turned
her attention to her food.

“You made this?” she asked as she took a
bite.

He nodded. “I hope it’s not too awful.”

She shook her head. “No,
it’s delicious!” Her eyes narrowed. “You can cook like this, and
yet,
I’ve
been
making all your meals?”

He grinned. “I never said I couldn’t cook. I
just don’t like to.”

She rolled her eyes and he chuckled. They
lapsed into pleasant conversation as they ate and Evie was certain
she had never seen Traevyn smile and laugh so much. It warmed her
heart. What progress he had made in such a short amount of time.
Perhaps he had just needed someone to actually care, and take the
time to listen.

Dessert was raspberry crème brulee, which
Evie loved, and when everything was finished, she was stuffed and
content. “That was fabulous, Traevyn,” she said with a stretch.
“Thank you.”

He smiled and dipped his head in a nod.
“Would you care to keep me company up in my bedroom?”

Her eyes bulged and the air slammed out of
her lungs as she stared at him.

Traevyn closed his eyes and cleared his
throat. “Forgive me, that came out…” —he frowned— “slightly
different than I expected. What I meant was, I have a fireplace in
my bedroom and it’s cold tonight. You and I spend many evenings
reading together. Would you like to join me in my room instead of
the office?”

She gave him a curious frown, wondering why
he sought to prolong the evening.

His smile was almost bashful. “I find myself
reluctant to part with you,” he admitted, his voice so quiet he
almost couldn‘t hear his own words. How could he tell her that,
when he was with her, the pain that plagued his heart seemed
lessened? And the shadows receded?

Evie grinned as a soft blush touched her
cheeks. “I would love to. We can bring the wine.” She giggled as
she grabbed the bottle of red that Seth had left on the table.

He chuckled and stood. “Just give me a
moment. I have to tip the waiter.” He gave her a playful wink,
delighting in how she laughed.

Traevyn entered the kitchen where Seth was
lying on the couch drinking wine directly out of the bottle. He
frowned. “Decided to help yourself, did you? To my finest bottle of
Peanut Griggio?”

Seth glanced up at him lazily. “Hey, I
dressed up in this ridiculous outfit and served you all night.
Plus, I made an idiot out of myself because reading those wine
labels was like reading Greek. I think I at least deserve to drink
your booze.”

“You’re only seventeen,” he reminded him.

Seth raised an amused eyebrow. “You gonna
call the cops?”

Traevyn sighed. “Don’t be ridiculous. Just
don’t drink too much. If you throw up anywhere other than the
toilet, I’ll make you clean it.”

Seth chuckled.

“Tonight went well,” Traevyn said with a
pleased smile.

Seth grinned. “Yeah… You know, you’re pretty
cool, dude.”

Traevyn raised an eyebrow. “Well, thanks…
Look, I’ll give you fifty dollars if you clean everything up.”

Seth groaned. “I take it back.”

Traevyn chuckled.

Seth sat up with a sigh.
“Look, I’ll clean up, but I am
not
moving the furniture by myself. I’m strong, but
I’m not friggin’ Hercules.”

Traevyn nodded. “Agreed. Thanks for your
help, Seth.”

“You gonna make a move on her?”

Traevyn frowned. “Pardon?”

“On Evie. You invite her to
your
bedroom
with
the
fireplace
and
you don’t plan to make a move?”

He blinked in bewilderment. “It’s not like
that at all. Evie and I share stimulating conversation.”

Seth raised an eyebrow. “Is that what you
call it? Stimulating conversation? I’m sure you find lots of things
stimulating, especially given the size of my sister’s gazangas.” He
made a mountainous gesture with his hands.

Traevyn opened his mouth to speak, but
resulted in a short sigh. “Seth, that is a very disrespectful thing
to say.”

“Oh, like you haven’t noticed.”

“That’s not the point.” Of course he had
noticed Evie’s…assets. It was impossible to miss them… He shook his
head and let out a frustrated growl. “Why were you listening to our
conversation in the first place?”

Seth snorted. “Like there’s anything else to
do back here.”

Traevyn folded his arms. “I respect your
sister very much and have nothing but honorable intentions.
Besides, I highly doubt that Evie thinks of me as anything other
than a mentor and friend so ‘making a move,’ as you say, would be
greatly overstepping boundaries.”

Seth snorted again and rolled into a standing
position. “Traevyn, you’re cool,” he said, coming to stand in front
of him, “but don’t be an idiot.”

Traevyn frowned.

Seth held his hand out. “Gimme my fifty.”

Traevyn pulled a bill out
of his wallet and handed it to him, then turned and went back into
the living room, perplexed and slightly flustered. Don’t be an
idiot. What did he mean by
that
?

“What’s Seth doing back there?” Evie asked
with a grin.

“Getting plastered,” Traevyn muttered.

She raised her eyebrows in alarm.

He chuckled. “He’s fine. Don’t worry about
it. Shall we?”

She nodded. “Just let me go get my book from
my room, and I want to change my clothes.”

He nodded. “Come in
whenever you’re ready.” He made his way to his bedroom, removed his
tie and jacket and un-tucked his shirt. He started a fire, then sat
back against the headboard, kicked off his shoes, and pulled his
sketchpad up onto his lap. He sighed and mulled over Seth’s
words.
Don’t be an idiot.
Was he trying to tell him that Evie
did
feel something other
than friendship for him? He frowned, not entirely sure how he felt
about that possibility. The realization that he was unsure was very
unsettling to him. Any other time, with any other woman, he would
have put a screeching halt to anything that might have the
slightest chance of developing into something, but with Evie…
Everything was different with Evie.

A soft knock on the door brought him out of
his thoughts and he smiled. “Come in.”

Evie entered with a smile and she held the
bottle of wine up enticingly.

He chuckled and motioned her inside.

She crawled up onto the foot of the bed and
set the wine on the nightstand. She set her book down, then poured
them both a glass.

“What are you reading now?” he queried as he
took the glass from her.

“
Pride and Prejudice
,”
she answered.

He smiled. “Good choice.”

She sighed and took a sip of wine. “Traevyn,”
she looked up at him, “thank you for tonight. Every year I
celebrate the day I painted my first real painting. You know, one
that wasn’t done with finger paints or those horrible goopy things
you use in grade school.”

He smiled.

“It was an oil painting on canvas. I was
fifteen.” She smiled at the memory. “I celebrate it because, in a
sense, it’s like celebrating the day I became who I am. Everything
I dream of and stand for started that day.” She sighed. “It was
very nice to celebrate it with you.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Don’t forget, a
great deal of credit goes to your misfit brother. He was my partner
in crime all day.”

She shook her head in disbelief. “Seth
continues to surprise me.” She set her wine glass down and opened
her book, lying diagonally across the bottom of the bed on her
side. Sitting next to Traevyn on his own bed just seemed too
intimate to her at the moment. It was something married couples
did. She briefly wondered if Traevyn’s wife had ever sat up and
read next to him while he drew. She sighed and lost herself in her
book.

She read for awhile and Traevyn sketched
away. After a bit she glanced up at him in curiosity, unable to
fake disinterest any longer. “What are you drawing?” she asked.

“You,” he replied with a smile.

She blinked in surprise.

He met her eyes. “I’d like to paint your
portrait, but I need something to go off of. I can’t just paint
from memory like you can.”

She gave him a weak smile. “Why do you want
to paint me?” she queried with a puzzled frown.

He looked up at her again. “Because,” he
said enigmatically.

The firelight reflected for a moment in his
eyes, and it made Evie draw in a soft breath. She looked down and
swallowed hard as her heart skipped a beat.

“In about two weeks’ time I have to go to
Sedona, Arizona,” he stated, changing the subject. “I am opening a
gallery there.”

Her eyes widened. “That’s wonderful!”

He smiled. “I’ll be there for a few days. My
brother Talis lives there, and I would like to visit with him while
I’m in town.”

She nodded.

“I would, of course, like you to join me.
Seth can come too.”

Her eyes brightened. “Really?”

“You are my apprentice. It would be stupid to
leave you here during such a big event.”

She grinned. She’d never been to Arizona
before. She’d never been to a gallery opening either. It all seemed
very exciting.

“It’s going to be a very formal affair,” he
continued. “With mostly other artists and rich people who can
afford to buy our art.”