Page 22 of Colors and Curves
“I dropped that glass of water on Friday night because of this.” I wrap my hand around the back of her neck and capture her mouth with mine. She gasps, then melts into me as I tickle her soft lips with mine. “You feel it, don’t you? The way our bodies react to each other.” I tease her lower lip with my tongue, and she eagerly responds, entwining hers with mine. She wraps her arms around my neck, and I stroke her back with my free hand.
The hectic world around us disappears.
A delicious hint of mint dances in my mouth and the warm vanilla scent of her hair heightens my senses. She pulls away with hooded eyes and grins. “Wow.”
“Hmm mmm. That wasn’t enough.” I cup her face and kiss her deeper until she consumes my every breath. Electric heat thrums through my body, making me wish we were somewhere else. I’ll enjoy this moment of euphoria as long as it lasts, because I don’t know if I’ll ever get the chance again.
Woof! Woof!Chance nips on my shorts.
Our lips separate slowly. She rests her head in the crook of my neck as she catches her breath. Her left hand rests on my chest.
“I’ve done so many things out of character since Wednesday, but I’ll keep doing them if it means I’ll get to see you again.” I squeeze her to my side.
She lifts her head, then presses her fingers lightly against my lips where I can still taste her. “Shhh. Let me enjoy this moment because it was absolutely breathtaking. And now, I’m going to leave on this high note and hope you’ll watch me walk away.”
With my thumb, I caress her cheek, then kiss her nose. “Do you live far from here?”
Her hand embraces mine and squeezes. “I told you not to talk.” We laugh. “I’ll be fine. Take Chance home.” She lets go and pats him on the head. “Bye, Chance. See ya around, Julius. Thanks for the ice cream. You know where to find me.”
She grabs her handbag off the ground and walks away. I watch her until she’s almost out of sight. She turns and waves, then disappears. I kneel down next to Chance, who has to be exhausted and starving by now. “You like her don’t you?”
Woof!
“Yeah, me too. It scares the shit out of me.”
“Good. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I cut the call and put my phone on the table.
“Knock, knock,” Daisy says, standing in the doorway to my office.
“Come in.” I don’t look up as she approaches me.
“Are you going to hide in here with your cameras for the rest of the night? The studio is set up for tomorrow’s shoot if you want to check it out.”
“Thanks. Look at the camera I’m going to buy.” I turn my laptop so she can see the image.
“Like you need another one.” She leans forward. “Eight thousand dollars! Are you crazy? Wait a second. I know what’s going on here. When you’re stressed or have something on your mind, you buy new cameras or equipment. What’s up? I should’ve known—you’ve been so quiet since you got back after seeing Skylar.”
“Cameron’s going to stick around for a while after the shoot tomorrow. I want to teach him a few things.”
“Okay. Stop avoiding whatever this is.”
I close my laptop and spin in my chair toward my sister. “I told her I’m color-blind.”
She sits down on the stool next to my desk. “Wow. You hardly know her! You’ve never told anyone this before. Other than our dead family members, your teachers, and your doctor, I’m the only one who knows. Can you trust her not to tell anyone?”
“To her, it’s not a big deal. She doesn’t understand why I don’t tell anyone. And yeah, I’m sure she’ll ask questions that’ll dig up the past. I’m not sure I’ll ever be ready to answer them, but maybe it’s time. I’ve avoided it up until now.”
“But why did you tell her? Why her? What makes her so special?”
“I made a comment about wanting to take pictures of her, and she got so pissed. She wants me to see her, not her beauty, she says. I’m probably not saying it right. I admit it—I can’t take my eyes off her, but that’s not the only thing. She’s the first woman I’ve actuallyseenin such a long time. Women come and go during my shoots, and I don’t miss them when they’re gone. I pay attention to them through my lens as objects, not people. She’s the first woman I want to take pictures ofandget to know as a person. I want to take shots of her throughout the day; I want to catch every emotion. I want to show her exactly how I see her. I don’t want to tie her up in a knot so she looks like a mountain peak.”
“How did you end it today?”
I take a deep breath, wondering if I should tell her. She’s the only one I can talk to and is basically my best friend. But I never discuss the women I date with her.
I’m quiet long enough that she takes a guess. Her eyes are wide. “You kissed her. Or she kissed you.” I lift my head, and I guess my expression gives it away. A big smile grows on her face. “Tell me. Who kissed who?”
“I kissed her, and damn if it wasn’t the best thing I’ve ever experienced. I don’t know what the hell got into me. My control snapped, and I had to know what she tastes like or feels like under my embrace. Chance interrupted us… which was probably for the better since we were in the middle of the park. She walked off with a smile on her face, and that was it.”