Sirus’s heart rate kicked up, his cock twitched to half-mast, and his pucker started to pulse in a fast beat. “I believe I owe you a piece of my ass in fair trade.” He reached back and slid open his nightstand drawer. “Pick your poison,” he stepped aside, revealing a plethora of sex toys, “and tell me how you want me.” He caught Grey’s gaze from two feet away, and held it. “I’m yours.”
Grey growled and lunged. Rather than going for a toy, he grabbed Sirus and branded him with a hard, hot kiss, and tumbled them onto the bed.
Laughing in between kisses, Sirus didn’t fight the fall.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Grey glanced at the clock on the fireplace mantle, and smiled.
Right on time
.
“Be right there!” he called out, taking just a few seconds to put down his laptop before jumping to his feet. He hadn’t been able to concentrate on work anyway. Not with thoughts of Sirus invading his brain every five minutes … and leaving him hard. He’d already gone to his bedroom and jerked off twice, and he had only been away from the man for five hours.
Won’t be long before you see him again.
Excitement hummed through Grey as he raced to the door and swung it open.
Sirus is going to be so fucking thrilled
.
“Rebecca,” Grey drew the woman on the other side into a hug, “you made it.”
“Of course I did,” the woman answered. Grey stepped back and allowed her to enter the cabin. “You send me pictures of some beautiful creations and then text me that I have to meet this man and see the rest of his work. You knew I would work a visit into my schedule.” She stomped snow off her boots and unwound a black cashmere wrap from her slender frame. As Grey took the cover-up from her and shut the door, Rebecca shot him a pointed look. “You could have told me with the first message that he wasn’t in Raleigh, though, and that I’d have to clear an entire day to drive halfway up a mountain to see him.”
“He’s worth it.” Grey couldn’t keep the pride out of his voice. Rebecca was an old friend from college who now owned a prestigious line of galleries that operated in seven states. She travelled all over the country searching for new artists, but she maintained a home base with her husband and children in Raleigh. “You’ll see that for yourself.”
“Considering you’ve never approached me about who or what to sell in my galleries in the past, you certainly piqued my interest with your photos and messages.” Grey and John had financed Rebecca’s first gallery, and then her eventual expansion. She owned her business outright today.
Grey led the way to the kitchen, and poured Rebecca a cup of coffee. Handing a mug to her, then getting one for himself, he said, “No pressure to take Sirus’s work.” He pulled out a chair at the table for her before sitting down himself. “You don’t owe me or John anything anymore. You know that.”
Rebecca reached across the table and squeezed his hand. “Don’t worry. I didn’t think you were trying to bully me.” She pulled her long blonde hair back and tied it in a knot at the nape of her neck. “Now, why don’t you find me a cookie, or a muffin, or anything chocolate, and tell me all about this talented Sirus Wilder.”
Talented
. Yes. Grey’s insides heated, and he couldn’t keep the goddamned smile off his face. Sirus was talented. In so many ways. Sweet as hell too.
Grey couldn’t wait to introduce him to Rebecca.
“No.” Irritation laced Nic’s voice, and in the background it sounded to Sirus like he moved through a crowd. “I haven’t talked to Mom since before the last time I talked to you.”
“Seems strange that you’re all of a sudden approaching me about my art.” Sirus held the phone to his ear, pacing. He circled his large worktable, his focus on the series of sketches he had scattered all over the surface. “You’ve never shown any interest before.”
“That’s because I don’t know dick about art and never know what to say,” Nic snapped. “Not because I don’t care that you love it. You are my brother, you know. Just because I don’t get to see you that often doesn’t mean I don’t love you and care about the things you love. Look,” Sirus heard what sounded like a car door slamming, “I have to get going or I’m going to be late for a meeting. The offer for the artwork isn’t even a done deal. Building ownership is going to look at the proposals of every artist interested in the commission, and they’ll choose what they want from there. I heard about it, and it made me think of you. That’s why I called. Do whatever you want with the information.
Now, before I have to go, will I see you in May for Diana’s opening concert?”
“I plan on being there.” Sirus’s chest squeezed thinking about how strained his relationship with his mother might be by then … as well as what might remain of him and Grey. He cleared his throat, but it didn’t quite ease the rawness living inside him.
“Looking forward to it.”
“Me too. Should be good material to tease Di with, at least through next Christmas.”
Nic’s chuckle, one that brought Diana endless torment, filled Sirus’s ear. “Right?”
“Depends on who you’re asking.” Sirus shook his head, wondering if Diana sometimes regretted being adopted by the Wilder family. “Be good.”
“Ain’t no fun in that.” Nic’s chuckle briefly turned into a full-bodied laugh. Just as fast, the humor left his voice. “Seriously, though, think about the commission, and let me know if you want me to send you any further info. I think you should consider pursuing it. Gotta go. Bye.”
Nic hung up before Sirus could say goodbye. Sirus severed the call on his end, put down the cordless receiver, and tried to put his attention back on his sketches. He couldn’t seem to focus on his main piece—the one that kept wanting to turn into an abstract version of Grey—so Sirus had put his tools down and picked up a pencil to doodle some ideas for Noah’s sculpture. Sirus wanted something large, but somehow subtle, that would reflect the quietness inside the big man. Sirus knew in his gut Noah would end up buying the east house on the lake, and he wanted something ready for his new neighbor’s home whenever that day occurred.
His fingers drifted over the dozen papers strewn about the table, but his thoughts jumped from the piece for Noah, to the strange phone call from his brother, to Grey and the two nights the man had stayed at Sirus’s house since the talk about their families.
Grey appeared content and relaxed in Sirus’s home, at least most of the time. There were flashes where Sirus swore Grey looked like he wanted to stay forever. At the same time, Grey insisted on going home every morning and working at his cabin during the day, only coming back in the evening for dinner and to spend the night. Sirus wanted to attribute Grey’s choice to return to his cabin to the fact that they both knew being together would cause endless distractions, such as crawling on whatever surface they happened to be nearest to and fucking until neither one of them could walk. Sirus wanted to believe that was what was behind Grey’s leaving every day, but he couldn’t quite make it happen. He couldn’t quite shake the worry that Grey hadn’t given him even a hint of anything personal since their talk two nights ago.
But he makes love to you like there’s no tomorrow, with a desperation that defies
words. Lets you do the same to him too.
True. Sirus ached for the moments when he was buried inside Grey to the hilt, the man’s body clutching him like he never wanted them to part. The way Grey looked at Sirus in those moments, and in the times when Sirus opened himself and gave Grey the same… God, if only Grey would give him even half the promises of tomorrows he conveyed during sex … only do it when they weren’t in bed.
“Knock, knock.” Grey’s voice broke into Sirus’s thoughts and had him whipping around to face the open shed door. Sirus immediately ate the man up with his eyes, hungrily, as if he hadn’t had Grey’s cock and ass for a meal just this morning.
“I have a friend with me,” Grey said, slipping his arm around an attractive blonde woman. “She’s actually here to meet you, if you have a few minutes.”
Sirus’s focus shifted to the woman, who murmured “Hi,” and wiggled out from under Grey’s embrace. She immediately walked to Sirus’s unfinished “Grey” piece, her interest clear, and the first line of cold trickled down Sirus’s spine.
“Oh, wow, this is going to be amazing,” the woman said. “I want it when it’s finished.”
She said that just as Grey said, “This—that,” he pointed, “is Rebecca Hardy, and she owns a number of prestigious art galleries.”
The wind went right out of Sirus; he felt punched in the gut. He wanted to ask Grey what the hell he’d done, but the woman, Rebecca, had her hands on his incomplete project and demanded his attention first. Sirus moved across the floor to Rebecca’s side and fought the most powerful urge to tear her hands off his work.
Rebecca glanced up, her pretty face open and her eyes piercing. “This is going to be something incredible,” she said as she caressed the half-carved block of stone. “The lines you have half-formed are already beautiful.”
“Thank you,” Sirus murmured. “This piece is very personal to me.” His gaze flashed on Grey, his skin heating before coming back to Rebecca. “Thank you for your interest, but I don’t see myself parting with it when I’m finished.”
Nodding, Rebecca rubbed Sirus’s forearm, and then began to peruse the rest of his pieces. “Of course it’s personal, Mr. Wilder,” she said. “It’s all personal, or they wouldn’t be any good. Grey wouldn’t have contacted me to come take a look at your stuff if he wasn’t damn sure I would be interested in selling it. He retains the nuts and bolts knowledge of every business he ever helped create.” She flashed Grey a fast smile. “Mine included.”
Grey held up his hands, waving off Rebecca’s words. “I don’t have any financial stake in how you run your galleries anymore.” His attention slid to Sirus, the amber chips sparking brightly in his eyes. “I saw something in Sirus’s work, and I thought you two might be able to form a partnership.”
Of course you did. Son of a bitch.
Sirus’s entire body itched to ram Grey into the wall and take a swing at his face.
You might not directly financially benefit from my art,
but you’ll get something you want out of it, and you know it.
Sirus looked from Grey to Rebecca, light dawning, and every nerve ending inside him lit like the flint tip of a match.
His heart plummeted right into his stomach.
Question answered; I’m not quite good
enough for Grey after all.
“All of your stuff is very good,” Rebecca said, swinging Sirus’s focus back to her.
“Although I will be honest and say I wouldn’t be able to sell a lot of it through my storefront. This more literal stuff isn’t really what my clients are interested in purchasing.
Although, damn,” she stooped down and ran her hands over a life-size rendition of a bobcat, “this is insanely good technique and interpretation. I almost think he’s going to arch his back if I scratch him behind the ears.” She rubbed the cat’s head and stood back up. “There is definitely a high-end market out there for work like this as well, even if it’s not with me. I will leave you a few phone numbers for gallery owners who carry them.”
“Thank you. That’s very kind.” Sirus bit his lip and behaved with the good manners his parents had instilled in him, even though all he wanted to do was turn around and yell “Bastard!” in Greyson Cole’s face.
Rebecca walked to Sirus’s main worktable, and her eyes immediately lit up as she spotted his array of sketches. “Oh, now these ideas all have a ton of potential.”
Possessiveness slammed Sirus hard. He wedged himself between Rebecca and the table, partially blocking her view. “These are ideas for a specific piece, for a friend of mine.” Sirus turned, gathered the papers up into a neat pile, and slid around to the other side of the table with the sketches trapped beneath his hands. “Whatever I end up creating from them will be a gift for him.”
Rebecca’s eyes widened, but just as quickly, she schooled her features and slipped into a professional smile. Her attention quickly shifted behind Sirus to Grey, then came back to Sirus, and Sirus could tell she now understood that Grey had never mentioned her visit.
“Listen,” Rebecca said, her voice kind, “I have to turn right around and drive back home, so I really can’t stay, but I thank you for allowing me to view your pieces. You have real talent, Mr. Wilder.”
“Sirus, please.”
Rebecca dipped her head. “Sirus, then.” She pulled a business card case out of a small purse and produced a card. “My number is already on here, but I’m going to add two more for dealers that I believe will be interested in some of your work.” Leaning across the table, she snagged one of his pencils and scribbled a few lines on the back of her card. “Take as long as you need, but I would ask you to seriously consider giving me a call so we can talk.” Understanding fused her voice and softened her eyes, giving her beauty a surprisingly motherly appeal. “If you choose to, and if you like, I can tell you more about what I do and how I work. If you find you’re comfortable with me, I’d really love to sell some of your pieces.” Rebecca pressed the card into Sirus’s hand and curled her fingers around his, applying a light pressure. “Please think about it. Can you give me that?”
“I will think about it,” Sirus answered. He had to. Hell, it wasn’t this woman’s fault she’d been thrown into the middle of a manipulation. “Thank you for understanding. It was nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too,” she said. They exchanged a firm handshake. “I’ll show myself out.”
Sirus turned, watching as Rebecca walked up to Grey and rose up on her tiptoes, giving him a hug. She pressed her cheek to Grey’s and gave him a kiss, then whispered something that made Grey’s brow furrow and his focus shoot to Sirus. She pulled away and gave them both one last smile and wave as she walked away.