Page 58 of Brooke's Bliss
Then she’d obviously come to this point in the timeline ofhis book because it was her sitting in the booth at Stella’s, the sun on herface as she studied the menu.
The loneliness was back, the feeling that the subject of thedrawing was hiding something.
He saw way too much.
She stared at that last picture.Odd how she was far moredisturbed by that piece of art.And yet he’d made her beautiful.He’d made herwarm, her softness a base for the work.It was the sorrow he managed tocapture.And… “Max does not have fangs.”
Bay grinned.“Of course he doesn’t.That’s Rye, baby.”Hesobered.“I can try to not draw you if you don’t like it.Or I can at leastpromise no one will ever see them.”
Did she want to hide such gorgeous artwork?Was she sohorrified that someone had seen her, acknowledged her pain, and still thoughtshe was beautiful and worthy of drawing?
The truth of the matter was she kind of liked the version ofherself that Bay caught.She looked back at a couple of the ones he’d drawnfrom her socials.In the photograph version, she’d carefully controlled theimage, putting filters on and cleaning up the imperfections.He’d somehow putthem back.Like he knew her face well enough to give her back her laugh linesand the wrinkle she got on her forehead when she smiled.
“Are you okay?”Shane asked, and she noticed he hadn’tmoved.
He was worried.He thought she would think it was weird.
It was.It was weird and wonderful and Bay had the kind oftalent that echoed past the artist’s own age.She looked up at him.“Am I yourmuse?”
Bay’s expression tightened as if he was trying to controlthe emotion he felt.“I’ve never drawn anyone the way I do you.You shouldunderstand that I’ve painted a couple of those, and I have the deepest desireto sculpt you.You take up space in my head and in my hands.”
“You take up space in my soul,” Shane said quietly.
Could she ask for more?It was overwhelming because shewasn’t sure she could give them what they needed.Not long term, but she couldbe what Bay wanted tonight.She closed the sketchbook and handed it back tohim.“Where do you want me?”
Bay’s eyes widened.“What do you mean?”
She leaned back against Shane’s chest, letting her arm driftup.“Draw me like one of your French girls.”
She felt Shane relax behind her, his lips kissing her head.“That’s our girl.You might be his muse, but you’re mine, too.”
His to take care of, to think about, to center his lifearound.
It wasn’t so bad.
“I don’t think I drew any…” Bay stopped and flushedslightly.“Is this a random pop culture reference that I don’t get?”
Shane chuckled, and she felt his cock against the small ofher back.“It’s only one of the most popular films of all time.It’s okay,baby.I’ll watch all the things with you.She’s telling you she wants to beyour muse.She liked the drawings.”
“I liked how he saw me,” she admitted.
“Then lay back against him.”Bay changed positions, hispencil in hand.“I wish I had charcoal, but this will do.Give me a minute.Shane, wrap your arm under her breasts.”
She laid back and let Bay do his work.
Chapter Nine
Monday
Brooke liked living at the G.The firstcouple of days had been peaceful.She’d met with Cleo and gone over the designsfor the play—which were terrible.She wasn’t even sure what the other designerhad been thinking, but she was glad they hadn’t gotten to the actual sewingstage.Cleo was kind of the luckiest director in the history of time.If Brookehadn’t come along, Cleo would be forced to pull from the existing wardrobe, andthat would have been a disaster.Brooke understood the concept of modernizingThreeSisters, but did the other designer even read the play?She made Olga looklike she was from an 80’s soap opera, while Irina was just… She knew sheshouldn’t use the word slutty, but putting her in micro minis didn’t modernizethe character.It merely let her know the other chick didn’t understand her.
Three Sisters.It was about being stuck and havingno way out.She understood that all too well.
The problem was she was starting to feel…not stuck.Comfortable.A bit excited some days.
“Hey, you need some coffee, baby?”Shane walked into thesewing room he’d put together for her with a mug in his hand.“You’re upearly.”
Oh, he said the room was a gift from him and Bay, but she’dfigured them out over the course of a couple of days, and Shane was the one whotook care of the everyday things.Shane kept things moving, and it was fuckingdelightful.
