God, I wanted to kiss her so bad. Nothing was more torturous than the almost kiss we’d nearly shared the other night. This past month I’d been driving myself crazy, because I couldn’t decide if she’d actually leaned in right at the last second or if I’d just imagined it. I’d never know for sure, and I wouldn’t risk fucking things up again.I needed to go slow, test the waters.
“Well, you survived.” She said with a nervous laugh, filling the silence.
I licked my lips. “We both did.”
She fidgeted. “Let me buy you lunch, you earned it.” But she didn’t move. Neither of us moved for alongmoment.
What the hell was I doing? Liam would castrate me if I tried to kiss his sister again. Maybe he’d be right to, and maybe it’d be worth it.
“You bet your ass I earned it.” I pushed off the wall, breaking the tension. “Was I the best nudie you’ve ever had?”
“Oh, I never kiss and tell.” She gave me a devious look as she reached for her bag.
“Fair enough.” I nudged her with my arm as we headed toward the door, and she nudged me back, lingering for a moment, making my boner come right back.Sigh.
In the hallway, Sara pivoted suddenly, and she was chewing on her lip like she was trying to make a meal out of it. “Can I show you something?”
“What did you have in mind?” I gave her a devilish grin, and hooked a finger through her belt loop, tugging her closer, before I’d even realized what I’d done. She sucked in a breath as I quickly let go, appalled at myself. What the hell was wrong with me.
“Um, do you want to see my work?” She asked breathily.
Knowing Sara, this invitation might have been even more intimate than what I’d had in mind. “Hell yeah, I do.” I smiled wide. “Lead the way.”
Sara looked at me over her shoulder and hesitated for amoment before she unlocked the door at the end of the hallway and slowly pushed it open.
Inside the dark room, row after row of massive canvases were lined up, and I grinned, knowing how much this must mean to her. She’d always been extremely secretive about her art.
“Which one’s yours?”
“All of them.” She fidgeted nervously. “This is my private studio.”
I reached for the light switch, and my mouth dropped open. “Holy shit, Sara, these are really fucking good.”
She was still furiously chewing her lip.
“I’m serious, you’re anincredibleartist.” I scratched my head. “I mean, I always knew you would be, but seeing what you’ve been working on…” I honestly felt a little guilty in that moment. I’d always believed in her, but seeing her work with my own two eyes, I realized evenI’dunderestimated her skill.
“I’m obviously still learning.”
“You could sell theseright now.” I said, already heading across the room to have a closer look. “Have you sold anything yet?” I asked, knowing they were better than some of the paintings I’d recently bought, which was insane.
“No, not yet. I’m not quite ready to put my stuff out there yet. I just feel like it would be humiliating if they didn’t sell. Maybe after I complete my master’s.” Sara brushed a strand of hair out of her face. “I don’t know, maybe I’m not cut out for this, maybe?—”
I turned, looking her square in the eye. “I wanna buy your first painting.”
“Carter.” She rolled her eyes. “You don’t have?—”
“I want. To buy. Your first. Painting.” I practically demanded, because not only did I want to support her, I wanted bragging rights.
She searched my face. “You’re serious?” She clearly had no idea how good she was.
I headed for a medium-sized canvas on the far wall. “How much?”
“Uh, a hundred bucks?” She shrugged, bewildered. “I don’t know.”
I pulled all the cash I had out of my wallet—a stack of hundred-dollar bills—and handed it to her, still staring at the painting. “Consider this a down payment.”
“Don’t be silly.” She scoffed. “I’d just give it to you. Besides, this doesn’t even look like your style at all.”
