Page 50 of Make Me Dream of You

“Hey, I said no peeking!”

“I need to see the steps. I don’t want to fall.”

“Here. I’ve got you.” He’s right behind me now and he puts his hand over my eyes, his fingers warm and just a little calloused from where he holds his tattoo gun.

We walk up the stairs in tandem, his chest brushing against my back, wrapping me in the scent of his day-old cologne.

“This is the last step,” he says softly against my ear. “Ready?”

CHAPTER 10

NOAH

“Ready,” she says.

I uncover her eyes and step aside. My hands are sweaty. I stuff them in my pockets.

Her jaw drops as she looks at the large easel now prominently in the center of the loft.

“This is for me?”

“Yeah.”

She blinks a couple times, mouth still hanging open while my ears become hotter.

“I knew you were only able to get clothes and a few bathroom things from the apartment, and I wanted you to be able to draw and paint while you’re here. If you want.”

Is it too much? It’s too much. I knew it. Maybe it’s the wrong kind. It’s bigger than her other easel. She hates it.

“I can’t believe you did this. I love it.” She walks over to it and touches the wood frame.

“You do?”

“Yes.” She beams at me, her smile radiant.

Relief washes through me like an exhale of cool air. “I also got you these.” I show her the box of stuff behind the easel. A few blank canvases, a new sketchbook, pencils, charcoals, a fresh set of oil paints, some new brushes, and a full can of mineral spirits.

A knowing look passes between us.

“Maybe no candles up here, yeah?” she says, forcing back a grin.

“Agreed.” I refrain from commenting that we’ll be safe as long as she doesn’t flash me what’s between her legs again. And now I’m thinking about that pretty…pink…

Fuck.

I shake my head and try to distract myself from my growing erection.

“I tried to get you all the same things you had before, but I couldn’t remember all the exact brands, I hope I did okay.”

“You did more than okay. This is great. Truly, I think this is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me.”

I smile at her, and her eyes are getting shiny, and I’m not sure what to do so I just keep talking. “We set it up here, so it’d be kind of private. I know you don’t like people looking at your works in progress, but if you want it somewhere else, I can move it. Maybe down by the windows or?—”

She jumps up and flings her arms around my neck. Startled, I instinctively wrap my arms around her waist. Her toes are barely touching the floor and I’m holding her up while all the softest parts of her are pressed against me.

“It’s perfect,” she whispers against my neck. “Thank you.”

Her hugs always feel so wonderful, so genuine, so perfect. So…right.

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