Page 43 of Stroke of Luck

Enzo sighs and takes a moment to really look at what I’ve been working on, and his face changes once he understands what it is. “Holy shit!”

“What’s happening? I feel like I’m missing out on something,” Paolo says as he reaches the landing.

His gaze first falls on me, then takes in the clutter of paints, drop cloths, and the ladder still set up next to the wall before he gapes at my handiwork. “Firefly, that has to be one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen! Oh man, I can’t wait for the others to see this. Othello and Remo are going to shit a brick, but it’ll be totally worth it.”

I grin, looking back at my art, pleased with how it is coming along. “You think?”

“Firefly, you used yourself as the model. How could they not like this?” Paolo asks, cocking a brow.

“You guys willing to keep them away from here so I can work on it longer?” I ask.

Paolo leans against the wall, crossing his arms and watching me with an amused look. “What do I get out of it?”

I pause to think, tapping my chin with the handle of my paintbrush. Then I smirk, knowing I have a trump card. “You get me to play with me all night. I have to go along with whatever toys you decide to play with or test out on me.”

“Is Enzo allowed to play?”

“Um, is the world round? Of course Enzie can join in. I would never turn any of you guys down. Besides, I said you’re in charge, so that’s fair game,” I answer with a shrug.

Paolo grins as he pulls me to him, catching me up in a fierce kiss. “Alright firefly, you have a deal. You get until eight. Remo isn’t back as of yet, so that’s another few hours, but after that your ass is mine.”

“Sounds like fun,” I purr, giving him another quick kiss before I climb back up the ladder.

Enzo gives me a light swat on my ass, making sure not to knock me off the ladder as he passes by. Knowing that I don’t have all the time in the world, I start to focus more on the watercolor portion of the piece that I know will give it the “wow” factor I’m looking for. The other details I can come back to easier and finish another day if they don’t have someone secretly come in and paint over the whole thing. Though after having Enzo and Paolo see it, I’m more inclined to believe that they will love it.

Once again lost in my work, humming to the music in my own head, I fall into a trance. Memories of other paintings I’ve done and art shows where I’ve been able to display my work come flooding back in. What I’m working on now falls exactly into who I’ve grown into as an artist, but this might be one of the best things I’ve done. It is by far the largest, which presents its own challenge, yet I cannot see any other way.

“Coniglietto, do you actively search out ways to get yourself in trouble?” Remo asks, his hands grasping my waist as he pulls me off the ladder and sets me down.

I lean against his body and look up at him, smiling. “Why am I in trouble for this?”

“Something tells me you will be able to get away with this stunt, but only because no one else will be able to see it but us. If it had been anywhere else in the house, I’d have to beat your ass so red you couldn’t sit for a week,” Remo threatens as he rests his cheek on my head, taking in my masterpiece. “No one gets to see you this way but us.”

“Does that mean you like it?”

“Personally I like the real thing better, having experienced it, but this is a close second to that,” he murmurs. “Although the more I look at it, the more I want the real thing. Makes me wonder if you did that on purpose so that we might ravage you more than we already have been?”

I laugh, thinking about how I had more sex yesterday than I used to have in a week. “No, trust me, I don’t need you guys to step up in that department. My poor little kitty is gonna be worn raw with all the petting it’s getting.”

“There’s always the second entrance if things get too sensitive,” Remo whispers into my ear. “It’s only fair to share the attention.”

Hearing his words makes me shiver as my body tightens with need.

“Nope, not tonight, dungeon lord. She is mine to play with,” Paolo interjects, pulling me out of Remo’s hold.

Remo gives me a heated look with a slight smile on his lips. “Too bad. Guess I’ll just have to add these punishments to an IOU for later.”

Fuck me, if he keeps talking like that I am going to end up a hot, needy mess on the floor before anyone even touches me.

“Has Othello seen this yet?” Paolo asks as he pulls the brush out of my hand, setting it on the tray with all my other supplies. I shake my head no, and he grins. “I think it’s time we showed him, don't you? I even got you an extra half hour and you didn’t even notice.”

“Is that why I’m starving?” I muse, now that I’m not distracted by working.

Paolo leads me from the stairs to the kitchen, where a plate all wrapped up with my name on it is set next to two others. “Seems that Tony has taken a liking to you—he made sure that he set one aside for you as well as the others.”

“That man makes some damn good food. I could totally see us being best friends.” I giggle as I put my plate in the microwave to heat up.

Tony has made some yummy looking pasta dish, and I am so ready to binge on all the carbs. Remo unwraps the one that has his name on it while Paolo walks over to an intercom I haven’t noticed on the wall.