Page 3 of Paint Me Love
Once again, congratulations. We are very excited to see your sketch come to life at our gallery.
Best regards,
Cassandra, Salinger Gallery Manager
No. Fucking. Way. They pickedme? Out of thousands of great artists? I feel on top of the world, excited, happy and ready to take on anything that comes my way. I can’t believe this. I actually did it! This is the best thing ever—my chance to make a change and get recognized in the art world.
Grinning like an idiot, I shoot Molly a message. She replies immediately, sending me over a dozen emoji and multiple congratulations. She also says she never doubted me.
My stomach flutters and flips as another person who supported me comes to mind. He believed in me even when I didn’t, and he pushed me to take this chance. I’m so grateful to him, but also a little embarrassed about my lack of confidence.
Still, he deserves to know. And I also need to thank him.
So, shooting him a text before I’ve had time to change my mind, I let my Mystery Guy know that I’ll be painting a mural at Seattle’s newest gallery.
2
Daniel
Him:Congratulations.I’mproudof you.
Even though Mystery Guy’s text comes days after I told him my news, it spikes my heartbeat through the roof all the same. I contemplate what my reply should be as the scenery on the way to the gallery blurs past me. It’s Thursday, so I’m meeting Cassandra and the other artists today, and while now is not the best time to get worked up, I can’t just ignore his message. It’s rude. Plus… I’ve kind of missed our chats.
Me: Thank you! I’m so excited. And thanks again for giving me that nudge. I don’t think I’d have signed up for the competition otherwise. I still can’t believe I was chosen!
The bus halts at a traffic light. Two more stops and it’s mine.
Him: I told you, didn’t I?
A surge of heat races down to my stomach. I bite on my lip, debating internally what to say next.
Me: You are right. I shouldn’t have doubted you. How can I make it up to you?
Holding my breath, I await his response. Every second that passes makes my heart beat quicker and my palms sweat more. Shit, I shouldn’t have said that, right? Was it too much?
Him: We’ve agreed faces are off-limits for now, but other parts aren’t.
I swallow hard, my insides twisting and squirming and driving more desire to my core. Shit, what do I do? We’ve mostly been talking, but it would be a lie to say that I haven’t been imagining our conversations going in different directions. He’s flirted with me before, but never so blatantly. If I want to take this strange arrangement further, now is my chance… but I also have never done this before. What if… I dunno, what if I send him a dick pic and he doesn’t like how my cock looks? What the fuck do I do then?
Him: Did this make you nervous? Good. I bet you look delectable when you’re embarrassed.
I fan myself, pulling on my bottom lip. Oh my god. This escalated quickly. But I won’t back down, I’m not a coward.
Me: You wish! Sending you a dick pic is no big deal, FYI.
Fuck, fuck, fuck. Why did I send this? I should shut this down, not encourage it! I’m on the way to the gallery, for fuck’s sake.
Him: Good. I expect it tonight. Treat it as my reward for forcing you to get out of your comfort zone and put yourself out there.
Well, shit. What the fuck do I do now? This is so awkward. But even as embarrassment and second thoughts swirl inside me, part of me hums in anticipation. I love the way Mystery Guy can be a bit bossy. He knows what he wants, and right this moment, I suspect it might be me.
Giddiness fills my chest.Don’t get ahead of yourself, Daniel! It’s no good to have a crush on someone who might ghost you after he sees your dick.
True. But I can’t help it. There is just something so intriguing about this man. And partially thanks to him, I’ll be painting a mural in a famous gallery. It’s no surprise I’m excited to get to know him better then, is it?
With a couple of deep breaths, I flush away the inappropriate thoughts that flood my head as the bus comes to a stop. I’ve arrived, so it’s time to focus. I’ll figure out what to do about the dick pic later. Now I need my head in the game, so I don’t make an idiot out of myself during the introductions.
The gallery is even more elegant than it looks in the photos online, a two-floor space housed within a modern building with a tessellated façade and a neatly kept front garden. White walls and near-black hardwood intertwine in a contrast of colors, while arrangements of couches and chairs in beige and gray make up the relaxation corners scattered around the interior. Standing tables wrapped around metal poles with leaves-like protrusions accommodate mood lights, under which tablets with the gallery’s catalogue can be browsed.
