“Yeah, of course.”
He alerted his dad, and they all piled into the truck a few minutes later, Rufus riding in the back with Tripp’s dad.
Blaine was waiting on the front porch for them when they arrived at Willow’s house.“Morning.I brought all the gear.Willow, come take a look at everything and let me know if you like it.Or if there’s anything you want to add.We can do more cameras or whatever you want.”
“Sure.”
Tripp hung back while she and Blaine went to the trunk of his Audi.Blaine stood close to her while he explained everything.
There was no stab of jealousy this time.Just a deep, aching longing to hold onto her forever.
“What do you think?”he asked Willow when Blaine was done showing her everything.
“Looks good to me.I’ll feel much better with a security system up and running.”
“Then let’s get to work.”
“What can I do to help?”
“You can paint.”
She blinked at him.“What?”
“Start that canvas waiting in your studio.”
It took a bit of convincing, but eventually she went into her studio with Rufus to keep her company.Meanwhile, Tripp and the others got to work.A few hours later, they were done.
He tapped on the closed studio door.
“Come in.”
Willow stood in front of the easel, brush in hand and wearing a paint-smeared apron over her clothes.She’d finished the underpainting, blocked in the main shapes of the design, and had started on the water portion, mixing her paints on her palette as she worked.
“Wow.You’ve been busy.”
“I didn’t realize how much I needed this until I started.Sometimes things don’t flow for me when I paint, but they are today.”She painted one last shadow under what he guessed was going to be a wave, then stood and studied it critically.“I’m trying not to rush it.I tend to be heavy handed and want to build this up in layers.”
The light coming in through the window highlighted her profile in brushstrokes of gold.She was so beautiful she made him ache.“Looks amazing to me.”
Willow made a considering sound, still studying her piece.
With her attention on the canvas, he reached out and plucked a soft-looking brush from the brush caddy on her desk.Stepping up behind her, he gently drew it down her cheek.
She stilled, her eyes closing.“Are you trying to distract me?”
“Maybe.Is it working?”He drew the brush over the edge of her jaw, down the side of her neck where she liked to be kissed and nuzzled.
“Very much so.”She plopped her brush in a jar of water and turned to face him.“Are we alone?”
“All alone.Blaine took my dad into town.”
“What time is it?”She checked her watch, looked startled.“I didn’t even hear anyone leave.”She reached back to undo the ties on the waist of her apron.
His eyes stuck on the curve of her breasts outlined by the snug fit of her dress as she pulled the apron over her head and set it aside.
One side of her mouth tugged upward in a knowing smile as she looped her arms around the back of his neck.“Usually, I hate being interrupted when I’m in the zone.But for you I’ll make a standing exception,” she whispered.“The brush was a nice touch.I liked that.”
“Take off that dress, and I’ll keep going.”
