Bed of Thornes (Bed of Thornes Trilogy Book 1) (13 page)

Text me later?

Veronica

I put the note on the pillow next to him and sneak out through the door. I get to the lobby and let the front desk know to ring in a wakeup call to the room in time for check out, in case he is still asleep come then. I pull out my phone and call the local taxi service to have them take me to my gallery. On the ride there, I replay last night in my head. The thoughts of it turns me on. I need more, so much more.

I arrive at the gallery and go straight to my studio in the back. The triple 'R's are just around the corner, and I have too much to get done to put anything off. I get all my supplies set up and get to work. It's nice to be painting again, it's only been a few days, but it feels like a lifetime to me. I start where I left off Thursday night, finishing the piece within an hour of starting. The music is blaring, as usual, and my thoughts drift when a song comes on that played last night. The mental picture of Adrian takes over my mind.

Needing a break before I continue on to the next project, I put my brush down and am instantly reminded. How rude of me! I never thanked Adrian for the personalized cherry wood paint brushes he left on my doorstep the morning before. With the excitement of his show and being consumed in our session late last night, I didn't remember to show my appreciation for his gift. I pull my phone out of my purse to text him, hoping he'll see it as soon as he wakes up this morning, if he hasn't already. I don't want him to think of me as ungrateful.

'Thank you for the beautiful gift you left for me yesterday morning.'

I hit send and wait a minute to see if he replies right away. Nothing. He's probably still sleeping. He'll be awake in the next two hours for sure, checkout is at eleven. I set my phone on the stand next to my purse. I look over at the full length mirror I have sitting by the far wall. Here I am, still in my red dress and rose stilettos. In such a hurry to get back to work, I didn't even take the time to change. If I had my car, I'd go home to shower and put on some clothes I can work in. Hopefully the car won't be too bad when Jenna and I go to check it out tomorrow at the shop.

I turn away from the mirror, shrug my shoulders... so what if I'm a workaholic, I can't help that I have passions that I don't easily give up on. Passions for my art, and sex. Forgive me if I sound selfish, but I go for what makes me happy in life. I believe everyone should, it's unfortunate that so many put their passions on hold. I can understand certain reasons, but most just don't go for what they love due to lack of belief in themselves. Not me, if I enjoy something, I'm all in it. There's nothing that will stop me. I walk back over to the canvas, needing to get it done before the end of the day. I would like to complete all of my client's requests this week, before my birthday weekend, that way I can have some free time for once. My phone buzzes.

'Gift?'
A text from Adrian displays itself on the screen.

I reply,
'The paint brushes, they're to be cherished. I didn't get a chance to thank you yesterday, I love them.'

A few minutes pass and another text comes in:

'I know I just woke up, and drank a lot last night, but I'm confused. I didn't send any paint brushes.'

Now I'm confused. I wonder if he seriously forgot about it or what the hell.

'You had a note attached and everything. Are you sure you just don't remember?'

I hope he's not that forgetful.

'I think I would remember that, especially something that seems to be so special to you. Was my name on the note?'

Oh shit. He didn't forget. I'm the one who didn't think twice, and forgot that there wasn't a name. I just assumed it was him. I mean, who else would it be? This is awkward.

'There was no name.'

'Secret admirer, maybe?'
He texts back quickly.

'Funny. You're just messing with me, right?'

'Veronica, I'm not trying to mess with your mind. For real, they aren't from me.'

Alright, someone is fucking with me. If it's really not Adrian, then who? The brushes are very personal, and cost a good penny, I'm sure. Who would put that much thought and money into a gift and not let it be known where they came from? Somebody needs to 'fess up, this will drive me insane until I find out. I can't handle that right now, there's too much on my plate as it is. Plus I'm feeling pretty stupid telling Adrian thanks for something that isn't even from him. There's no telling what he's thinking.

'Where are you?'
He texts.

'At my gallery.'

'I'll be there shortly.'

I get instant butterflies and reply
'I'll be outside.'

I walk outside to wait for him, and sit on the bench by the front door. About twenty minutes later, he pulls up and gets out of his car to come meet me on the bench. He greets me with a hug and tells me he woke up thinking about last night.

"I have to say, Ms. Thorne, I've never done anything like this before. I'm not positive that I can please you the way you need to be pleased. But I want to, I want it more than you know." He says with a fire burning in his hazel eyes. It was those eyes that fueled my desire even more, as if it could get any hotter. If I have never known infatuation before, I possess the definition at this point.

"Adrian, I've already told you, call me Veronica." I smile at him with a return of intense fire burning in my eyes. "It makes me feel old when you say my name so formally. I'm not a cougar, you know, I just like what I like." Shrugging slightly and flirting with my words as I slide closer to him on the bench.

The sun is beaming down its golden rays fiercely. I don't mind, it only makes his Puerto Rican skin glisten with perspiration, that I can't stop gazing upon as tiny drops of sweat slide down his muscular arms. It's the details about him that really turn me on. His hands, strong and manly, but clean. The veins that raise the skin in just the right places. I have had many fantasies about those hands, the parts of me that they can grasp so perfectly.

He breaks into my brief drool session of thoughts. "I don't see you as a cougar, Veronica. Although I am every bit of seven years younger than you." He laughs.

"Seven years? Have you forgotten that my birthday hasn't arrived yet? I remain twenty nine as of today, there is a difference, young man." I say to him, defending my age. I am not looking forward to turning thirty. Just the thought of it makes me cringe. I don't feel as though I should be retiring my twenty's yet. Honestly, I could care less that this man next to me is still fresh in his years. At the tender age of twenty three, but he is no kid to me.

"Touchy, touchy. Hey, it doesn't bother me any. I just hope my lack of experience doesn't have you rethinking anything." His self-doubt would be a turn off typically. The difference, however, is everything about him appeals to me.

"Your worry about being insufficient is quite adorable." I say with a wink. "Confidence is sexy, but you make even the opposite sexy."

He looks up at me from the ground, confused. "How is having low confidence sexy?"

"Don't you get it?" I question him as though he should know exactly how he makes me feel. He has no clue. He would soon find out, I'm just hoping it doesn't scare him off.

"You literally make me become the one thing I have always tried to hide, you bring out the side of me I've been concealing for too long. I have a secret, Adrian. There's something you need to know about me, and I can't stifle the urge to let you know any longer. I need you to know."

"Veronica..." He said with fear of what he was about to hear in his voice. "You aren't really a man, are you?" Anticipating my response nervously.

I can't help but burst out laughing. I didn't expect he would think of something so ridiculous. Maybe I was being too dramatic. Not intentionally, but the subject I want to discuss with him is serious to me, to share my deepest secrets with him. I stop. The fear of rejection makes me reconsider letting him in on my darkness. So I decide to keep it in the shadows a bit longer. He's not ready.

"A man? Really, Adrian? You thought I might be a man?" Laughing aloud again. "Am I that unattractive to you?"

"No!" He says quickly, reassuring he is definitely attracted to me, a nice plus. “Though, you do realize there are tons of advancements in the medical field that can make even the ugliest men look as though they are a beautiful lady. But you - you're beyond beautiful, so I'm a fool for ever thinking any doctor could ever perform such a real woman such as yourself."

I think to myself,
'Smooth, Adrian, way to make up for that assumption of what you thought I was going to tell you.'

"So if you're not a man..." He chuckles. "Then what did you want to tell me? Nothing can be as bad as THAT!" He exclaims with a grin.

"When you're ready to know, we will go there. Until then, no worries." I tell him, with shame that I ever brought it up.

"You're going to leave me wondering in suspense? That's unfair, Ms. Thorne."

I look at him sharply, "What did I tell you about calling me that?"

He teases, "You know you like it."

"I'll show you what I do like." I lean into him. "This is a start." I pull his face to mine with my hand on the back of his neck, and lick across the bottom of his top lip. "Just a taste." I whisper. I lean back from his delicious lips. "I have to get back to work for now. I'll see you tonight?" Asking him in hopes that my teaser will assure he comes back for more later.

"Tonight." He says and lightly bites his bottom lip.

It takes everything within me to hold me back from taking him, right then.

A
fter
Adrian leaves, I get straight back to work, hoping to finish at least one more project today. It's difficult to concentrate. My mom calling to talk about how my date went, doesn't help. I keep the conversation brief, but let her know that I had a really great time and will be seeing him again. This pleases her, she's been hoping I would find someone. Only thing I left out is that we're not trying to have a relationship, not the kind she wants for me anyway.

Once I get mom off of the phone, I turn the music back up and finish what I started. The hours fly by when I'm painting. I'm sure it's late now, but I had to get something done. There's been so many distractions lately, I just needed the day to accomplish all that I can. I put away my supplies and prop the finished canvas against the wall to dry along with the other I got done earlier today. I turn off the music and grab my purse, noticing my phone flashing on the stand it's sitting on.

Missed calls from Jenna. She's probably eager to find out how things went last night as well. I call her on the way out as I lock up.

“You know, you could've called me sooner, Ronni. Had me worried, where have you been all day? I've tried calling for the last three hours!” Jenna chews me out before I can slip in a simple
'Hi.'

“Calm down, crazy bitch, I'm fine!” I laugh.

“You're fine. That's it?”

“Yes, I'm fine. I've been at the gallery since this morning, working in the studio, trying to get some of the client's projects finished. Is that a problem with you?” I chuckle.

“Okay, so what about Adrian? How did things go with him?”

“His show was incredible, more so than I imagined it would've been.”

“And?”

“And he has talent that astounded me.”

“Did you get laid or not?”

“Um, well, straight to the point, are we?” I can't help but laugh.

She sighs. “Whatever, you know I need to know, just spill.” She chuckles.

“I didn't get laid. He did though.” I grin to myself.

“Okay... so... he got laid... by who? You, I hope!”

“Of course me!” I laugh at her blondeness. “Let's just say, he did the laying and I did the playing.”

“That's a good thing... right?”

“You sure have given me a good laugh with this call, Playmate. Yes, it's a good thing, it was fun.”

“Well, long as you enjoyed yourself.”

“We stayed at The Adolphus. It was a really nice ending to a wonderful night.”

“Okay, since you're sparing details, I'm getting off of this phone, you're no fun right now.” She chuckles.

“Details, really? You want me to describe how big he is and how deep he got in me? I mean, damn, Jen.” I laugh.