Page 57 of Paint Me Love
I take a pull from my cigarette and channel my most professional voice. “Yes, I assure you, all systems are working fine now. I just got off a call with the engineers,” I tell Alexander again, wishing this day to be over.
He huffs, but thanks me and hangs up. Fucking finally! I take another pull and extinguish the rest of my cigarette into the ashtray I’m holding. What time is it even? I glance at my phone screen. Shit, it’s past midnight. The exhibition is over and I have zero calls from Daniel, so he must be home and asleep already.
I rub my forehead and grab my jacket, heading out as I turn off the lights. Shit. I really wanted to tal—
“Hi…” a shadowy figure says from the door.
I jump, my heart trying to launch into space. I stagger backwards, pressing my back against the wall. Or where the wall should be, but I miscalculate the distance and end up falling on my ass. “Jesus Christ!”
There’s an audible gasp and movement as I scurry to turn the lights back on. The moment I do, my heart beats like a wild beast for an entirely different reason.
Daniel rushes over, apology written all over his pretty face. “Shit, sorry for scaring you. Are you okay?”
He offers me his hand. I take it, but instead of letting him help me up to my feet, I pull him down. He yelps and lands in my lap, his breathing agitated.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” I demand, confused but also happy to see him.
The smile drops from his face. “Shit. I shouldn’t have come? Sorry. I just… You left, and you never came back and I really wanted to see you and talk, but…” He pins his gaze on the floor. “Sorry for bothering you while you’re working… I’ll go home. We can talk tomorrow.”
He tries to stand up, but I don’t let him go, pulling him closer to me instead. “Where do you think you are going?”
“Out of your way,” he says meekly, whispering almost.
“Who said you were in my way?”
His eyes finally meet mine, twinkling with hope like stars in the night sky. “You didn’t come back… And then my phone died and I couldn’t call you.”
Ah, that explains why there was no word from him. “How did you get here?”
The corners of his lips tilt up as he waves an access card at me. It’s Adams. “I got help from a friend.”
I smirk, shaking my head. That fox really can’t keep his nose out of other people’s business. But it’d be a lie to say I wasn’t thankful. He sent my little cute artist right to me as if he knew it’s the only thing that could fix my evening after the almost disaster we barely avoided. The stupid bug could’ve been the end for both Alexander’s company and Salinger Tech.
Inhaling Daniel’s addictive scent, I hug him tightly. My body relaxes immediately, tension leaving me in waves. My cock hardens, suddenly craving the heat of his body. His presence is like a balm to my nerves, calming and titillating at the same time.
“I missed you,” I confess, kissing his neck. “And I’m sorry for being a lying piece of shit. I know it’s not an excuse, but I thought it was the only way to tie you to me. I was afraid you might leave, and I wanted to trap you. It probably doesn’t make sense to you, but it seemed like the only way to make someone as bright and nice as you part of my shitty, fucked-up world.”
I mean every word. I feel awful for what I did to the one person that brings joy and excitement to my day. I’ve had enough time to reflect, and while I am happy Daniel was willing to choose me even if he thought doing so was getting between me and Adam, what I did is unfair to him.
“You are right. You shouldn’t have lied to me. But I’m not as pure or innocent as you think I am, Derek. I was willing to be with you, fully aware you weren’t single. I was willing to do anything so that you wouldn’t leave me. So, we are even.”
I nuzzle my nose along his neck, letting his sweet scent engulf me. “From now on, no lies. I promise. You and me… I want us to be a team. A real one. I… I’ve never met a person like you, Daniel. You make everything ten times better, you makemewant to be better, you make me believe there is still good in the world. God, do you know how many years it’s been since I touched a pencil? You made me do that too, and you didn’t judge me or bring me down or laugh at me.”
“Because I know that deep down you love it and miss it. I won’t push you, but I’d love for you to reconcile with that part of yourself. I think you’d love that, too. I know you’ve taken up the role of an asshole, but I’m telling you that you are in a position where you don’t have to maintain it anymore. You canbe ambitious, stern, goal-oriented, but you can also let yourself be nice to people. You can put a bit more trust in them.”
“I don’t know about that.” I laugh into his skin. “Look how I screwed up and almost ruined us.”
“But you didn’t. You realized your mistake and reflected. And now you will grow from that.” His hands cradle my face, stroking it fondly. “I’m not asking for immediate change. That would be silly. But little by little, you can show the world the real you. And I’ll be with you every step of the way.”
We kiss, his lips wet and hungry. He welcomes me inside his mouth, desperate and greedy to taste me. My dick strains inside my pants, needing to feel him. I melt into the kiss, let him take charge until the beast within me awakens fully, starved and ready to pounce.
“Fuck. I’m really turned on,” he whispers into my ear, nibbling on the tip. “I’ve been so lonely these past few weeks. My fingers aren’t enough. You’ve trained me so well only your dick can make me come.”
I growl, catching fire. In one fluid motion, I pin him down to the floor, caging him under my body. He looks up at me, licking his lips in an erotic invitation. “I want to suck you. Please, Derek.”
How can I say no when he’s pleading so nicely? But I’m dying to taste him too, so I decide to teach him a new trick.
I slip my hand under his clothes and drag my fingers down his abs until I’m grasping the base of his cock. The tip is already wet and his hips buck when I give his shaft a slow but firm stroke.
