One to Love (One to Hold #4) (22 page)

My phone went off again.
Text me when you get here.

I smiled.
Just pulled in.

From the corner of my eye, I saw his door open, and he stepped out wearing dark jeans and a white tank. The sight of him made my chest swell with happiness. He was so gorgeous with that light scruff on his cheeks, his muscled arms bent with his hands on his hips. A smile touched his lips, making him look even sexier, and I wanted to run across the parking lot and jump into his embrace. Instead, I opened the door and walked to him.

“Hey,” I said.

He still had that sexy grin on his lips, and he reached for me, tracing a line from my forehead down my cheek to my neck. Energy buzzed through my entire body.

“You were only gone twenty-four hours,” he said quietly. “It felt like you were gone a week.”

Reaching forward, I held his neck as I rose on my tiptoes to kiss him. He quickly wrapped his arms around my waist, scooping me against him in a kiss so full of emotion it stole my breath. His lips moved to my cheek then up to my eyebrow, and I tried to calm my breathing.

Leaning back, I traced my thumbs over his cheeks. “What did you do while I was gone?”

“Worked yesterday. Today Rook made me an official trainer and gave me a raise.”

“Hey!” I laughed. “Sounds like I need to go out of town more often.”

“No way. I’d rather have you here.” He smiled before leaning forward to kiss me again, right at the base of my ear.

“What did you want to show me?”

With one more squeeze, he released me. “Come on.”

Instead of going into his apartment, he led me in the direction of the pier. I didn’t understand, but I followed him until he stopped abruptly causing me to bump into him.

He laughed. “Sorry.” Catching my cheeks, he kissed me quickly again, and happiness filled my chest. Leaning down, he caught my ankle, slipping off my shoes as I held his shoulders. Then he stood up again. “Close your eyes.”

I wrinkled my nose, and he took one of my hands, lifting it to my eyes. “Close them.”

I did as instructed, and he led me slowly over the sand to the wooden boardwalk. A light breeze blew off the water, and I was glad I’d worn a cardigan for our impromptu beach stroll. Only we didn’t go to the beach. As I followed him, I recognized the sounds. We were walking on the pier.

“You’re going to stop before we get to the end, right?” I teased.

“Stopping... now.” He pulled my hand away from my eyes, and I blinked, looking all around. “Look down.”

My eyes went to the wooden planks in front of us where two large pads were arranged with three small plates holding red, blue, and yellow paint.

“I... I don’t understand.”

“It’s finger paint.” He stepped carefully across the setup still holding my hands. “Sit. We don’t have a lot of daylight left, but you can show me how it works.”

My mouth dropped open, and I sat slowly across from him with the two large, empty sheets between us, slipping my arms out of my sweater.

“I don’t have any fine art books, but I figured nature is a pretty good substitute.”

It was all so unexpected and amazing and sweet. “Yes, I mean, definitely nature is the best subject.”

“Except naked women, of course.” He gave me a sly grin, and I laughed.

“I’m pretty sure we’d get arrested out here.”

“Too bad.” He sat forward, and in the light tank he wore, he might as well have been shirtless. “Blue and yellow make green, right?” He held up a white plastic bottle, tilting it side to side. “I have white here, but I ran out of plates.”

“What do you want to start with? The ocean?” Leaning forward, I dipped three fingers in the dark blue paint and slid them across the paper in a wavy motion.

He’d flattened his whole hand in the yellow and sat back. “Wow. You really know what you’re doing.”

“I’ve finger-painted a time or two. Watch it! You’re dripping!”

He looked down at the paint trickling down his forearm and quickly put it down at the top right corner of his page. “The sun.”

“Nice. I might’ve missed it if you hadn’t told me.”

“Don’t be a snob.” He grinned and moved back to dip his index finger in the red. “I have a better idea for a subject.”

I watched as he started making lines.

“Keep in mind your medium,” I said, lifting the white and pouring a drop on my fingertips, blending it under the wavy blue lines I’d made, creating a lighter blue. “You can’t be very precise with this type of painting. Go for more broad strokes.”

Slayde didn’t even look up. Wrinkling my nose, I studied what looked like a big red triangle.

“Mondrian liked to use large fields of color in his art,” I added, hoping to be encouraging.

“Which guy just threw paint everywhere?”

“Jackson Pollock?” I squinted up.

“Yeah, I’d like to try his technique sometime.”

“Yves Klein covered nude models in ultramarine blue and then had them roll around on the canvass.”

Slayde’s eyes flashed to me. “Why the hell did I set all this up out here? We need to take this back to my place. You’ve given me a great idea.”

“Oh, yeah?” I grinned, leaning across the canvasses. He met my lips halfway, and I put my painted hand on his cheek.

Pulling away a fraction, he laughed. “You’re going to get it now.” I felt his yellow-covered hand sliding down the neck of my floral sundress.

“Slayde! My dress...”

“It’s washable. Look.” He held up the bottle, and sure enough,
Washable
was printed on it.

“I guess that means the gloves are off.”

“You’re speaking my language now.” He sat back quickly, plunging both hands into the plates. “Get over here.”

Jumping up, I snatched the blue before taking off running down the boardwalk. He was right behind me, one hand dripping red the other bright yellow.

“Slayde!” I screamed, but he caught me, hands sliding up my thighs to my bare stomach beneath my dress.

“Where would be the most unexpected place I can get paint?”

The blue was open now, and I poured it on my hands. Too much gushed out, and it ran down my arms, but I spun around, pushing my hands under his tank. It was up and off, his torso, which was now covered in dark blue.

“All you need is a canvas,” I laughed.

In a sweep, I was over his shoulder, and he charged straight into the surf. The water was like ice. I screamed again, but he held me tight against his body, warming me with his heat. We were panting and laughing, my arms around his neck, our noses almost touching.

“It’s all washing off in the salt water.” I made a sad face, looking around us at the rainbow.

“It’s also non-toxic, so the fish are safe.”

“You thought of everything.” I grinned before kissing him hard on the mouth.

His hand moved behind my head to hold me still while he kissed me slower, parting my lips so he could find my tongue. Heat blazed between my thighs, and I shifted my body so my legs wrapped around his waist.

A small groan rumbled in his throat, and he turned us in the water so he was facing the shore. “Looks like nobody else is out here.”

My lips moved to his ear, and I nibbled his earlobe. “Aren’t you worried about our artwork?”

“No.” His voice was a raspy whisper as his hands slid up my thighs. Jerking aside my panties, his fingers sank deep into my core.

“Oh!” Flexing, I lifted up against him.

“I want to roll you in blue paint and make love to you on a canvas.” His mouth moved along my jaw, kissing and pulling small bits of skin between his teeth. I shivered with every little nip, his words sending desire straight to where his fingers were massaging me.

“Yes, please,” I moaned, my hips moving with his hand.

“But I’d like to be inside you here first.” His mouth moved to mine and a splash of salt water went with it. As he moved me around, the ocean mixed with the minty flavor of him.

“Mmm,” I moaned, feeling his hands working at his waist. His erection was at my thigh, and in one swift motion he sank deep inside me, teasing me to the next level of pleasure as the waves lifted our bodies together.

“You feel so good,” he whispered in my ear. “Nothing’s like being inside you.”

The salt water mingled with his words, intensifying his thumb still circling, his teeth nibbling at my jawline. The light hairs across his chest teased my nipples, and my head swam with all the sensations. It wasn’t long before I was hitting the edge.

“Oohh!” My inner muscles tightened so hard, and tremors broke through my legs as the orgasm spasmed in my core. I cried out again, lifting up, holding his shoulder as I rocked my hips faster against him.

His muscles were tense, and I knew he was fighting to hold back. I couldn’t hold back. Waves of pleasure racked my body, and I moaned through the intense sensations.

“Finish, baby,” he breathed in my ear, his free hand trailing lightly over my ass under the water. That tingling move sparked another, harder aftershock in my core.

“Oh, my god, Slayde.” I gasped, riding it again until with a low groan, he quickly lifted me off of him, pulling out.

Fumbling my hand down, I quickly found his rigid shaft beside my thigh and pumped my hand up and down him quickly.

“Fuck,” he groaned, and I felt him jerk, coming in the waves that rocked us. His hips flexed as he thrust into my fist several more times. His eyes were pressed closed, and I kissed him against the temple, down his jaw, as his movements slowed.

He whispered something inaudible against my hair, and I hugged myself closer, pressing my lips to his. He consumed me roughly in that kiss, like he’d been held back from me and was finally released. He held me against his chest, and the emotions moving through me with every heartbeat were almost painful.

We were both breathing hard, melting into each other as the waves continued rocking. Now they were like a lullaby, easing us to calm.

His chin moved, and he kissed my cheek, still holding me firmly against his body. “I could do that a lot.” I breathed a laugh, and he continued. “I’m sorry I had to pull out on you like that.”

Leaning back, I held his neck. “I started the pill Friday, so we’ll have backup in a few days.”

He looked deep into my eyes. “I’ll get tested so you don’t have to worry about anything. I mean, you don’t have to worry now, but just so you’re confident.”

Nodding, I traced my fingertip over his brow. “I trust you.”

“Until then, we’ll be safe.”

Looking up, I noticed the sun setting. I thought about the fact that he was holding me here, shirtless in the water, and I wondered if that meant he was ready to reveal everything.

“Why don’t you head up to my place and get dry. The door’s unlocked. I’ll clean up the paints and meet you there.”

Chewing my lip, I understood he wasn’t quite ready. I nodded. “Are you sure you can get them yourself? We kind-of got paint everywhere.”

“Yeah,” he grinned, kissing my jawline. “I still want to try that sex on canvass technique.”

“That can be our next finger-painting date.”

We were slowly making our way out of the surf. My sundress was soaked and sticking to me, and he scooped up his paint-covered tank, holding it against the front of his body.
SLAYER
was clearly visible at his neck, but whatever he was hiding was further down, on his ribs, where the white tank was pressed securely under his arm.

“See you in a minute.” I caught his chin and kissed him, determined to show him how safe he was with me. “If you need any help just leave it. I’ll only be a second.”

––––––––

I
watched her walk up the shore, the red floral sundress she wore clinging to her wet body and her long violet hair swaying in beachy waves down her back. Damn, if I didn’t get a semi just watching her walk.

Last night, while she was gone, I’d returned to my old routine of cold meat and white bread for dinner followed by a walk to the shore with that behemoth book. I wasn’t even really keeping track of the story so much anymore as consuming the words to pass the time.

When it got too dark to see the text, I lowered it and looked out at the water, wondering what I’d be doing if I hadn’t been out here, running away from my demons that night. She said I’d saved her, but the reality was she was the angel who saved me. Now I was trying to hold onto her—as if I could be that lucky.

Walking slowly toward the boardwalk, I savored the memory of being inside her for the first time with no barriers, just her and me. Glancing around, I adjusted myself, glad I didn’t have an audience. I looked down at the painting she’d done. It was a skilled artistic rendering even if it was finger paint. She’d swept waves across a blank sheet of paper that rivaled the ones behind me hitting the shore.

I stacked the paint-filled plates on top of one another and collected the four bottles. It wasn’t much to carry, and she was rubbing a towel in her hair when I walked through the door.

“I was just coming to help you!” She lowered the towel and looked a little sad.

“I told you I could get it all. Here.” I held out my painting to her. At the top of the red triangle was a yellow circle and from there, several purple lines hung down.

“Is this me?” she exclaimed as if it were the
Mona Lisa
.

I grinned. “How did you guess?”

“You have hidden talent, Mr. Bennett. I think you should be promoted to the advanced class.”

Shaking my head, I held up her ten-second masterpiece. “This is really good. You shouldn’t be taking a break from college. You need to keep this going.”

Her eyes warmed, and she looked down. “Maybe next semester I’ll get it going again. I had just sort of... lost interest.”

“I’ll be glad to help you find it again.”

“You already have.”

Putting the paint-filled plates in the sink, I touched her cheek briefly... and left a spot of paint. “I’d better get cleaned up before you’re covered in paint again.”

Stepping into the closet-bathroom, I switched on the water. In time it took me to shower and wash my hair, she’d cleaned the dishes and put everything away. I smiled watching her move through my tiny space in her bare feet and my oversized tee.