She stopped in her tracks, stunned.
“Wow, thank you. That’s great of you... but I can’t accept it.”
“You loved it so much,” he pointed out. “Think of it as an investment. If he becomes famous one day and his art is worth millions, I’ll take it back.”
“But I thought you were supposed to never see me again,” she joked. “And besides, I wouldn’t give it back to you if it was worth millions.”
They started walking again.
“I thought I’d leave you with something to remember me by,” he said in a low voice.
“That’s exactly why I can’t take it,” she said
“Can you imagine? Here I am having sex with my husband and I stare at the picture on the wall; all I can think of is you.”
The thought of her having sex with Robert drove him mad. “Well, you don’t have to put it in the bedroom, maybe on the fireplace mantel or something,” he joked.
“I just can’t take it.”
“Well, I’ve already arranged for it to be sent to your home.”
She was surprised. “But...” she said “you don’t even know my address.”
“I’m a resourceful guy.”
Angela was at a loss. It was no use arguing with him.
She walked a little more briskly.
“It was nice of you to buy some his work.”
“It’s an investment.”
“Oh yes, I forgot,” she said. “You’ll be knocking on my door in a few years.”
He laughed.
“You must be cold,” he pointed out.
“A little. It’s chilly tonight.”
He took off his jacket and wrapped it around her. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t paying attention.”
“No. No.”
“I insist.” Her body was lost in his jacket but it was certainly warm.
“You’re a nice guy, you know,” she told him.
“I know, too nice for my own good.”
The ground was slippery and she was a little unsteady on her heels. He took her arm. She wasn’t sure if he assisted her because it was slippery, or because she was a little wobbly; probably a little of both, she thought.
He was parked in the far corner of a secluded parking lot sandwiched between two old heritage buildings. It was vacant, quiet and dark; she was quite thankful he was by her side. When they got to the car, they stood on the curb for a few seconds. Between standing on the curb and her four inch heels, she found herself at eye level with him, his face close to hers. She could feel his warm breath.
“I guess you’ll want your jacket back,” she said.
“Hold on to it,” he told her with an intensity in his eyes she hadn’t quite seen before. “I just need my keys and wallet,” he said as he reached into the inside pocket of his jacket, his hand slightly brushing against her stomach.
