Part 13 (1/2)
Every nerve ending Harlow possessed jolted in sudden awareness.
”Kimberly, honey.” He used his most devastating tone, p.r.i.c.king Harlow's hackles. ”I need a moment alone with Miss Gla.s.s.” He waited at the door, holding it open. ”If you'll excuse us...”
”Of course.” Kimberly cast Harlow an encouraging smile before pus.h.i.+ng to her feet and walking to the door.
”I think you've gotten what you need for the day,” Beck told her. ”Why don't you head out? I'll pick you up at seven.”
The moisture in Harlow's mouth dried. ”Seven?”
”For our date,” Beck replied.
Kimberly's gaze darted to Harlow. ”I, uh, really need to talk to you about that, Beck.”
”I'm afraid that's gonna have to wait, honey. My meeting with Miss Gla.s.s is urgent.” He gave her a gentle push from the room and shut the door.
”Date?” Harlow croaked.
His features were blank, revealing nothing. ”Earlier today she asked me out. I said yes.”
”She's sweet,” she said, her voice hollow. ”You'll have a great time.”
”I don't want to talk about her.” He claimed the spot Kimberly had vacated, and Harlow felt a stab of something dark inside her, not liking the fact that the girl's lingering body heat now radiated around him. ”I noticed you've been wearing your new clothes, but only the same ones over and over, and not any of the others.” He draped an arm over the top of the couch and leaned back, a pose of rugged relaxation and total seduction. With so many gla.s.s walls and windows, sunlight was able to stream inside, catching on the rich hues of his hair. ”Why?”
Her fingers automatically sought her scars, tracing, tracing. ”They're too revealing.”
One corner of his mouth curved into an adorable lopsided smile. ”Why, Miss Gla.s.s. Are you a bit of a prude?”
When it came to the hideous marks on her body? ”Yes, sir. I am.”
”Well, now. That surprises me.”
”Why exactly does that surprise you?” She'd resisted his allure at every turn. He should wonder if she wore a chast.i.ty belt.
”You're beautiful. I want to see you draped in beautiful things. That's all.”
Reeling...
Suddenly agitated, as if he'd revealed too much, he stood and strode to the wet bar in the far right corner, where he poured himself three fingers of whiskey. ”So. The reason I'm here. West has been hired to design yet another new computer game.”
Okay. All right. Time to get down to business. ”Congratulations are in order, then.”
”Yes, but there's no time for a party. I'm in the process of composing a cast of characters for you.”
Excitement sparked. ”Could you hurry? I mean, I'm not complaining, but I finished the last drawing you requested days ago.” And she'd been itching to create another.
”I'll have it done later today. I was also thinking I would have paints, brushes and canvas delivered to the RV. I'd like to hire you to paint my portrait.”
She almost bounced out of her seat, but caught herself with a single thought. Can't appear too hasty. ”Okay,” she said, playing with the edge of a piece of paper. ”If you insist. And if the price is right.” She'd drawn countless images of him, but the thought of painting him to scale and seeing him in full color intoxicated her. She could play with different shades of gold, brown and bronze, and even a wealth of greens to get the emerald flecks hidden so deeply in his eyes just right.
Maybe Kimberly had nailed it. Maybe Harlow had stared at Beck for reasons that had nothing to do with the job.
”Name a figure.” He slowly, leisurely, walked back to the couch and eased down, the whiskey in hand. ”Whatever it is, lollipop, I'll pay it.”
The new endearment startled her, considering he hadn't used one these past three weeks. The fact that he'd gone with lollipop, something sweet and edible he'd never called the others...
I'm special to him.
Oh, no, no, no. Red alert! Red alert! That was the true danger of him. Somehow, he made everyone feel special.
”That's a daring thing to say,” she stated quietly.
”But true nonetheless.”
She placed her elbows on the desk and leaned forward. ”Very well. The price is...” Inspiration struck, and she smiled evilly. ”You can't have s.e.x for a week.”
His eyes narrowed to tiny slits, but he appeared far from angry. ”Why do you care about my s.e.x life?”
”I care about you, and I think abstinence will help build character.”
He didn't miss a beat. ”Very well, I accept.” No time to celebrate. ”With two caveats,” he added. ”The week won't start until the painting is done.” He smiled now, and it was a wicked one. ”Also, I want the painting to be a nude.”
Her breath caught in her throat, only to exit on a gust. ”I... You... Excuse me?”
”A nude. Meaning I won't be wearing any clothing. If you want to strip down, that'll be okay, too.”
This was punishment for daring to impede his s.e.x life, wasn't it? ”I've never actually painted or even drawn what you're suggesting, and I'm not sure I have the skill.” Or if she would survive.
”I have complete faith in your ability. And as an artist, a professional, I'll expect you to view me strictly through objective eyes. You can do that, can't you?”
”Of course,” she said. She could absolutely, 100 percent view him through objective eyes...if he wore a cloak of invisibility. But even then it would be iffy. ”Why do you want a nude?” she demanded, hoping to shame him into retracting his request.
”Maybe I enjoy the thought of disrobing for you.” His voice had gone low and husky, a caress of unfettered temptation, making her s.h.i.+ver. ”Maybe I like the thought of your eyes on my bare skin and your hands forming the shapes of my body.”
She gulped. Having only ever dealt with boys, never with men, she had no idea how to respond to so blatant a statement.
”Or,” he said, his voice returning to its normal fun, flirty tone. ”Maybe I'm narcissistic and want to immortalize every inch of myself. How is one to know?”
How, indeed. ”When would you like to start?”
”Tonight.”
I'm going to hate myself for reminding him of this, but... ”What about your date? I can't-won't-hurt Kimberly.”
”I think we both know she was about to cancel on me. Which makes me wonder what the two of you were discussing.”
s.h.i.+fting uncomfortably, she said, ”I will never betray a confidence.”