I grinned, having enjoyed every second of him losing his shit “a wee bit.” “Don’t apologize. Watching him almost pee his pants was worth losing the sale. Trust me.”
“What did he say to you?” Jared stared over his shoulder as Gunner strode quickly out of the gallery. A shared glance with Michelle told me she wasn’t happy. But I didn’t care.
“He wanted to sleep with me,” I replied bluntly. “Apparently, he thought buying a lot of my art would make it hard for me to say no.”
“What the fuck?” Jared replied a little too loudly.
I hushed him, smoothing another reassuring hand across his chest. It was totally an excuse to feel him up. “It’s not unusual. I’ve had a few wealthy fans, male and female, who have propositioned me for sex. Some are just creepier and more entitled than others.” I gestured to the door where Gunner left. “That asshole decided he wanted something from me and thought his money could get it for him. He thought wrong.”
“I should have knocked his teeth out,” Jared muttered angrily, looking like he was considering chasing after Gunner to do just that.
“Allegra.” Michelle was suddenly upon us, amusement and disappointment mingling in her eyes. “Your possessive hubby might have to stay home at the next showing.”
I flushed with pleasure at the words. “It’s not Jared’s fault. Gunner suggested I should have sex with him in return for all the money he was spending tonight.”
Her face fell. “Oh. Oh dear. Oh, that’s terribly disappointing. He’d picked out five pieces. Including theShetlandpiece.”
I shuddered at the thought of an asshole like him owning that particular work. “Well, no one is getting that piece.”
“Is this your doing?” Michelle teased Jared. “Are you encouraging her to keep her art to herself?”
Jared slid his arm around my waist, pulling me tight into his side. “I’m encouraging her to keep the things that make her happy.”
My breath caught.
Oh, Jared, please don’t tempt me … because I’m kind of scared one of those things just might be you.
We were both tired by the time we returned to the farmhouse, but a tension zipped between us. A tension we’d both been able to ignore thus far. Until that moment with Gunner where real feelings might have popped up to the surface.
“I’m sorry again about losing you the sales,” Jared apologized, even though he really didn’t have to.
We’d stopped at the top of the stairs before each of our bedrooms. I patted his shoulder in reassurance. “Don’t be. Seriously. The thought of that asshole having my work displayed in his house makes me kind of sick, so you did me a huge favor.”
“Okay. Good.” He shifted a little awkwardly on his feet. “I, uh, it’s late and I’m up early so …”
“Jared.” I stopped him as he moved to walk past. “Thank you. For coming tonight.”
Despite the experience with Gunner, it had been a successful evening. A few people at the show had been a little pretentious, and I knew Jared was bored by some of the conversation. But he stood by my side all night.
Out of the twenty pieces on display, we sold ten, which was unbelievable. Michelle would put the remaining pieces up in her gallery and online.
“Of course.” Jared bent his head to brush a feather-soft kiss against my cheek and this time I couldn’t suppress my shiver.
His breath caught and he lingered a second in my personal space before seeming to jerk back as if I’d bitten him.
“Night,” he said gruffly without looking at me.
Then he strode into his room.
I hurried into mine, pressing against the door, willing my pulse to slow and my skin to cool.
A few seconds later, I heard his bedroom door open again and I froze like a statue.
Please knock on my door, please knock on my door.
The floor creaked beyond my bedroom as if Jared had stopped right outside it. I held my breath, knowing if he did knock, my self-control would shatter. I’d welcome him into my room and into my body in a heartbeat.
Crushing disappointment filled me at the sound of him walking downstairs instead. Frustrated, I pulled off the sparkly flapper-style dress I’d donned for my show. As I readied for bed, I heard Jared returning to his room. Determinedly, I attempted to put him from my mind.
