He moved his arm, shifting the brush so the paint was almost kissing the canvas.
“Aubrey, say something. Do something. If we're going to be together, it has to be all the way.”
“She's not my daughter.”
He moved his other arm up, his hand landing on the canvas on the other side of me, so his body was caging me in against the wall. “Explain.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Sawyer said, “What do you mean she's not your daughter? Who is she?”
The tears welled up in my eyes, but didn't spill over.
I tried to speak, but my voice was raspy and weak.
Finally, I squeaked out, “She's my little sister. She's seven and I'm only twenty-one. I'm sorry I lied to you, but I don't exactly have legal custody of her, and it's better for people not to know.”
He seemed angry, spit flying from his mouth as he practically yelled, “And you thought I would tell your secrets to people?”
“I wanted to tell you.”
Blinking, he stepped back. “That's your big secret?”
I looked down, unable to meet his eyes. “There's more, but I like you too much to tell you.”
“You can tell me everything.”
I didn't answer, and in the quiet, I heard the people downstairs laughing, and smelled the pot smoke floating up. Everything felt real and unreal, and too sharp.
“Sawyer, can we just take it one day at a time? You can meet her. She's actually doing okay, considering all the moving around we've done. I think we've finally found our forever-home here, with our family, where we belong.”
Still mindful of the paint-laden brush in one hand, he wrapped his other arm around my back and pulled me to him. “You belong with me. I knew from the moment I saw you, and I've never had a second of doubt. Be with me and I'll prove myself worthy of your love.”
Love? “Okay.”
He tossed the paint brush aside, on top of some rumpled clothes on the ground.
“The paint,” I said.
“I don't care. I need to have you and I won't wait.” He picked me up and carried me to the bed, my legs wrapping around him. We fell against the mattress, his body heavy on mine. He murmured near my ear, “I'm going to know all your secrets from now on, starting with the taste of you.” His hand nudged between my legs, his fingers finding me bare.
I fumbled with the belt that was over my dress, and then got it undone and helped him pull the dress off over my head. He unfastened my bra and pulled it away, so I was completely naked, lying beneath him.
He tipped his head and raked his gaze over me, seeing everything. He looked over his shoulder at the na**d girl on the painting and nodded. “She'll never be as perfect as you, but I see a few small improvements I can make to the drawing.”
I whispered, “It's a beautiful painting. Nobody's ever drawn me before. I didn't know what it felt like until now.”
“To be someone's inspiration?”
The tears returned, and this time they wouldn't hold back.
I whispered, “To be seen.”
“I see you,” he said, kissing my hand. “I see you, Aubrey.”
The skin of his chest was hot against me, and I reached for his hardness, still in his jeans.
He groaned and pulled back from me.
“Hang on,” he said. “Don't go anywhere. I'll be back in two shakes of a lamb's tail.”
He ran out the door and down the stairs. I stared at his beautiful drawing, but then I had to turn away, before I got all emotional again.
Sawyer came bounding in the door, one hand behind his back with something.
“What are you up to?” I asked warily.
“Close your eyes.”
I closed my eyes and rested my forearm over my face for good measure.
Something cool touched my chest, between my br**sts.
“What is that?” Something smelled sweet. “Honey?”
I heard his jeans rustling as he removed them, then he positioned his body between my legs and began to lick in a line straight up my stomach.
“Mm,” he said. “Real maple syrup.”
I giggled. “You're kidding.”
“We call this The Canadian, don'cha-know, eh?”
“You just made that up.”
“I was inspired.” He moved his hot lips closer to my throat, then took a detour over to my nipple, which he rounded with the tip of his tongue before sucking.
I moaned and squirmed beneath him, but he wouldn't let me get away.
He murmured, “Am I your part-time lover?”
“Yes.”
He frowned and gently bit my nipple. “Am I your part-time lover?” he asked again. “Or your full-time lover?”
“Oh. No, you're my full-time lover.”
“Good. You can open your eyes now,” he said.
I pulled my arm off my face and wrapped it around his smooth, muscular shoulder. My eyes didn't want to open, though. I kept them shut and enjoyed the sensation of him sucking my nipple. The feeling was like a static charge, through my body, connecting my br**sts with every part of me and him.
He kissed my throat and then started the journey down, down the center of my body, licking and sucking and gently biting as he went.
When he reached my navel, I shuddered with anticipation of his mouth on me.
Slow, gentle sweeps of his lips and tongue.
Down he went, and he was kissing me. His tongue parted me and drove itself in, flicking up at the top and making me shudder. His hands were still on me, rubbing my torso along the sides and then moving down to cup my bu**ocks, squeezing me firmly as he devoured me.
My back arched as I drove the back of my head into the bed, moaning in sweet joy as the sensation radiated out from Sawyer's touch.
He murmured into my flesh, “I want to taste you every day, and know all your secrets.”
My breath fluttered in my chest as I circled the edge of orgasm.
I gasped, “Anything.”
“Come for me.”
I reached down and ran my fingers through his hair, then guided him up a fraction of an inch. Not far at all, but it made all the difference.
“Right there,” I murmured.
He licked my cl*t with a new ferocity that set me on fire and curled my toes.
Between licks, he said, “I see you, Aubrey, and I feel you. I've found you, and I'll never let you go.”
I angled my h*ps up and made a sound of encouragement.
He licked again, harder, and slipped his fingers inside me at the same time, hooking his fingertips and catching me from the inside.
I gasped under his touch and came with a sudden strength I didn't know I had. This orgasm slammed into me and shook me. The intensity scared me. Sawyer scared me. I went inside myself to escape, and found no darkness, only white light and love.