As soon as they were both in, Bennett raised the garage door, and they were off. Neither said a word until they were halfway home when Bennett said, "Can I ask you something?"
"Yes," replied Poppy in a small voice. She could feel a change in him since the kiss, and Poppy did not know why.
"That was your first kiss, wasn't it?" asked Bennett incredulously.
Nodding, Poppy replied, "Yes, I knew I did it wrong. Is that why you pushed me away and stopped it so suddenly? I am sorry I messed it up."
Giving out a sharp bark of laughter, Bennett quickly replied, "No, Red, you did not do it wrong. You couldn't have done it more perfectly. I pushed you away because you are in high school. I don't care that you are eighteen and legal. You are still too young to be messing with a guy my age. If you were my sister, I would kick my own butt for how I handled things tonight. You deserved better."
"Well, you don't have to worry about any big brothers coming for you. I am an only child. But, if I thought your butt needed kicking, I would do it myself. For the record, you handled it great. My first kiss was everything I ever imagined it would be."
Grinning, Bennett said, "I am glad. I hope it wipes the memory of your wardrobe malfunction from your mind forever.” Bennett knew it would never leave his mind. In fact, he was pretty sure it would have a starring role in his nightly activities for weeks to come. Pervert that he was.
"Oh my, speak of that awful moment no more. It is gone. Banished from my mind," she replied.
"Good, but I have to ask, though, you are so gorgeous. No boyfriends? No kisses? What's wrong with the boys at Searcy High School? I would have been all over you," said Bennett honestly.
"You would have?" Poppy smiled hugely at that. "My grandparents were really conservative, and it would have been such an ordeal if a guy had ever asked me out. Truthfully, I never found a guy that I thought was worth the effort it would take to date."
Poppy said, “Only one guy ever really got my heart racing, seeing him in the nude."
"Really, was it strange having naked people model for you?"
"The first time in class. Yes. So weird. But surprisingly, not for the models. They get paid really well, and it seems like no big deal to them."
"Wow! I did not realize those classes even existed. I am totally regretting not taking more art classes in college."
"Well, they are not easy classes. The human form class was tough.”
"So why are you taking college classes when you are still in high school?"
"Oh, my previous high school art teacher suggested it. My college professor and high school teacher have been complimentary and said I have talent. I guess we will see."
"That is so cool that you are so talented." Reaching out and patting her knee, he added, "I am glad you are over being upset about what happened earlier. It was not a big deal."
"Yes, I am over it. But, honestly, I think it was Karma."
"Karma? What are you talking about?"
"Well, I have seen you naked many times. I guess it was only fair you saw me naked."
"What?" Bennett nearly had a wreck. Pulling the car off to the side of the road, he said, "Explain."
So Poppy did. She told him about watching him swim nude last summer and how that had inspired her to draw him. Leaving out the part about taking his photo at Thanksgiving, she told him how he inspired her "Adonis Series." She told him about using it as the main part of her portfolio.
"So you're telling me that people all across the country are going to have naked drawings of me?"
"Yes, and paintings. I painted you in watercolor. I took photos of all my pieces and submitted them with my applications."
He could feel his temper rising, feeling exposed and much like she must have felt earlier. "Are you crazy? You can't just go arounddrawing and painting people in the buff without their permission. What if someone recognizes me? I told you I have a political career ahead of me. I can't have those pictures floating around out there. We have to get them back immediately."
"Calm down. No one is ever going to know it is you."
"How can you be so sure of that?”
"Because I cut your head off."
Seeing the confusion in his eyes, she pointed to his head and said, "That head. I left it off of all the pictures. I only concentrated on your body."
