Leo picked up his fork, then set it down. “Well, to be honest, I can’t really afford to do much in my downtime.” He hadn’t wanted to tell Aud the whole truth about his situation but couldn’t see a graceful way not to. “I do tech support at the Hewlett-Packard call center and barely make enough to pay for my rent, food, and car. It sucks.”
“I can understand that. When I was saving to open the gallery, I didn’t do much other than draw and paint for eight to fourteen hours a day. Every penny I made that didn’t go to bills went to art supplies. Back then I didn’t have the money for the gym, and eating out meant the dollar menu.”
His confession helped Leo relax even more. “Exactly. Felix and Julie want to go to brunch tomorrow. It’s gotta be cheap. I don’t plan on being poor forever. I’m just not sure how to get out of it right now.”
“It’s not easy.” Aud reached for his glass. “And sometimes it’s even harder to keep things once you have them. It takes a lot of focus.”
“But first I have to find that focus. Maybe that’s where not being sure what I’m passionate about hits.” As he spoke, Leo’s brain churned.
Is that the key? Finding passion and then focusing on it to make a change in life?
“Could be. If I wasn’t so passionate about art and bringing it out to other people, then I don’t think I would’ve had what it took to get through those first few years of doing portraits. It would’ve been easier to just go get a job flipping burgers and hope that something better came along. But I wanted to share my love of art with other people…. Wait a minute.” Aud grinned mischievously. “Are you trying to get us back to talking about me again?”
Leo grinned back. “Not on purpose. It just kinda happened. But I like hearing about you. You’re inspiring me.”
You’re helping me see you as more than just a really sexy face and hot body.
“You’re supposed to be inspiring me on how to draw you.”
“But you sound a lot more interesting than I am.”
“I learned a long time ago that everyone is interesting in their own way. The catch is figuring out what that way is.”
Finding the passion in the person. Somehow I think you’re going to end up stirring my passions to a boiling point if I let you. Right now, I want to let you, Aud. I really do.
AUD FORCED
a breath out slowly as he unlocked his small house and opened the door
. It’s still clean. There’s no reason it shouldn’t be. I’m just being silly.
“Come on in.” He gestured to Leo as he flipped on the lights.
After an interesting dinner where Aud’d spent way too much time talking about himself, he was enjoying Leo. He seemed really sweet and more than a little fun. So different from the men Aud’d gone out with in the past who were more obsessed with their looks than their minds. Not that he thought there was anything wrong with Leo’s looks.
“Wow. Great place you’ve got here.” Leo glanced around the living room.
“I know it’s not very large, but I don’t spend a ton of time here, and I like cozy.” Aud closed the door.
“I’ve never understood the need for a really large place.” Leo continued to look around. His eyes didn’t appear to light on anything for very long.
“Don’t mind the artgasm. Lots of stuff catches my eye.” Aud motioned toward a series of lithographs by one of his favorite artists who was very adept at capturing scenes of gay life in vivid colors. “This guy works out of California. I talked him into coming to Colorado Springs a couple of years ago. We had a one-night showing at the gallery. We managed to sell everything he brought with him. He was happy and sent me these prints as a thank-you.”
Leo looked at the signature on each one. “Wow, and he autographed them for you too. That’s cool, but I guess it’s fairly normal in your line of work.”
“Yeah. Most of the art in my personal collection is signed. One of the perks of being a gallery owner.” Aud walked over to his desk. “So would you like to look around a bit, or would you like to get started with your sitting?”
“I don’t know.” Leo turned and a soft, innocent look encompassed his features. “I don’t really know what I’m looking at, but I know I like some of it. Maybe we should start the sitting, and if your hand gets tired of drawing me or I just prove to be a boring subject, we can stop and you can explain some of the art to me.”
Aud picked up his drawing tablet and a couple of pencils. “In case you haven’t noticed already, I can spend a lot of time talking about art. If we go until I get tired and then talk about things, you might end up here all night.”
And I don’t think I’d complain about that.
“With Felix and Julie wanting to have brunch tomorrow, I better not stay out all night.” Leo grinned sheepishly.
“Then let’s get started.”
“Where do you want me?”
“How about on the couch? Relax, but sit up straight.” Aud rolled his desk chair out so he had a clear view of the couch and Leo. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to turn my desk lamp in your direction.”
“Whatever makes you happy.” Leo settled onto the couch.
“If we had some daylight hours free, it would be wonderful to do this outside under natural light, but this will suffice… for now.” Aud turned on the desk lamp and pointed it toward Leo.
Leo blinked in the light. “Outside would be cool. So do you want my glasses off?”
“No, leave them on. They’re part of your charm.”
“You think I have charm?” Leo cocked his head inquisitively.
It was a perfect look.
“I think you’re very charming.” Aud flipped open to a blank page in the drawing tablet. “Can you keep your head that way? It’s great.”
“Okay.” Leo held his head at the tilt Aud knew was somewhat awkward.
Aud set to work. A fast outline of Leo’s head started off the process; then he filled in details as quickly as he could. Once he began drawing, his hands followed his brain’s signals perfectly to make easy work of memorizing the tiny lines in Leo’s face, the way there were a few freckles across the bridge of his nose, right under where his glasses rested. The little sweep of his hair that dropped down toward his eyes seemed more red than auburn in the bright light from the desk lamp. And behind his thin glasses, his brown eyes sparkled. It didn’t take Aud long to get the basics done, and he thought he would recall enough of the rest to fill things in without any trouble.
“Okay, I think I’ve the preliminary done.” Aud laid his tablet in his lap.
“So that’s all? It only took”—Leo glanced at his watch—“forty-five minutes.”
“Sometimes when I get really into a subject, it doesn’t take me long to get the preliminary stuff down. I can go back and fill in things later.”
“Can I see?” Leo leaned toward Aud.
“I’d rather you wait until I’m done.”
That will give me an excuse, if I need one, for you to come over again.
“Is it going to be that different?” Leo leaned back and draped his arms across the back of the couch.
“It will be a lot more… refined… finished. Right now things are a little rough. Trust me, you’d be able to tell the difference. This a bit harder than drawing the butterflies in class.” He grinned at Leo. “But your butterflies were pretty good.”
“My butterflies looked like something a third grader would put on the fridge until it got covered up with something better.” Leo shrugged. “But that’s okay. I never really claimed to be artistic. It was a fun class. I got to meet an awesome art instructor.”
Aud set the sketchbook and pencils on the desk and walked over to the couch. “Do you mind if I join you here?” He wiped his hands on his jeans, hoping to get some of the dark graphite off his hands before he sat down. He didn’t want to pause and go into the bathroom to wash quickly; there was too much of a chance of breaking the mood.
“No.” Leo still had his arms spread across the back of the couch and quickly jerked them down and put his hands in his lap.
Aud sat down near him, but not up against him. “I’ve had a lot of fun tonight.”
Leo nodded. “I did too.”
“Good. If it isn’t obvious, I think you’re really cute and would like to take you on another date. If you’re interested.”
“Was the sketch just a ploy to get me to go out?”
Aud thought about it for a second, then decided to be truthful. “Sort of. I do like sketching cute guys, but I did want to get to know you.”
“And I take it I passed the test.”
“Oh, definitely.” Aud slid closer to him. “I hope I passed too.”
Leo laughed. It was a happy, relaxed sound that made Aud smile. “I don’t think you could’ve failed it. Aud, physically you’re probably one of the hottest guys I’ve ever met. But you’re also nice, kind, and friendly, not to mention interesting.”
“You don’t have to stop.” Aud’s smile broadened. “You’re helping my ego here.”
“You also make me feel good. I can’t really say how bad a lot of guys have made me feel over the years. But you don’t. I know we’re just getting to know each other, but I think I want to keep learning about you.”
“I agree. That would be a great thing to do.” Aud touched Leo’s arm, and he didn’t jerk back, so he traced his fingers down to Leo’s hand.
Leo squeezed Aud’s hand. “When would you like to go out again? I’m free most nights. Maybe you can keep educating me on art. That would be cool. I’m also off on the weekends, but I bet you’re busy most of the time then.”
“Sometimes. But if I work out something with Heather ahead of time, I can get free.” Warm tingles ran up Aud’s arm, causing his heart to flutter. It had been a while since he just sat on a couch and talked to a man while holding hands. Leo’s hand fit his perfectly.
“Okay. That gives us options to work with.”
“It does.”
“When, then?”
Aud didn’t want to wait too long before he saw Leo again. “I close the gallery at five on Sunday. How about six? We can go to dinner and maybe a movie. I might even have the sketch done by then. It just depends on how busy I am in the gallery tomorrow and Sunday.”
Leo brightened up. “You really think you could have it completed by then?”
“It all depends on time.” Aud wanted to say how Leo’s happy face made him feel good too, but he held his tongue.
“Okay, then. I guess we can go out on Sunday at six.”
With his heart pounding like crazy, Aud gazed into Leo’s sparkling eyes. “Good. If you like, we can meet here again, or if you want to go for five and not six, we can meet at the gallery.”
“Here’s fine. I don’t like to intrude too much on people’s workplaces.”
“Probably a good policy.” Aud continued to gaze into Leo’s eyes. “You know, I’ve been wanting to kiss you all night.”
Leo leaned closer to Aud. “Good. I’ve been wanting to kiss you too.”
Their lips met. A strange feeling of energy and peace flowed through Aud. Leo’s lips were soft and he smelled faintly of the spicy sauce he’d gotten with his dinner. It was a good feeling. Aud wanted to melt into those lips.
They sat there kissing on the couch for longer than it had taken Aud to do his preliminary sketch. Finally Leo pulled back a bit. “Look, I should probably go soon. If I don’t, I might not.”
Aud combed his fingers through Leo’s hair. “And that’s a problem?”
“A bit. I try not to do too much on the first date.” Leo swallowed. “I like to take things fairly slow. I’ve been burned a few times.”
Having been there himself, Aud nodded. “I understand. But we’re on for Sunday.”
“Oh yeah.” Leo’s smile lit up his whole face. “I don’t think wild dogs could keep me away from here on Sunday.”
“Good. ’Cause as you probably noticed, I don’t have any wild dogs.” Aud leaned in and kissed Leo again.
Leo let out a long, slow breath as the kiss ended. “Wow. You’re such a good kisser. I really could sit here and do this all night.”
“You’re pretty good at it yourself.” Aud purposely made no move to get off the couch. He was enjoying himself so much he wanted to see how far he could take it.
“You’re not going to make this easy, are you?” Leo kissed him again. When the kiss finally ended, Leo stood. “I really need to be going.”
Aud rose beside him. “If you insist.”
“Yeah. It’s taking all my willpower not to just throw you down on the couch and tear your clothes off.” Leo slid a shaking finger across the front of Aud’s shirt, pressing just enough to be felt through the cloth. He jerked his hand back. “Yeah, yeah. I need to go.” He wrapped his arms around Aud and kissed him again.
Compared to their other kisses, it was short and to the point. As they parted, Leo had an adorable dreamy look in his eyes.
“Sunday, then?” Aud said.
Leo nodded vigorously. “Definitely.”
They started for the door and paused just feet from it for another kiss.
Aud held Leo tight. Leo’s heart pounded between them and thrummed almost as strong as Aud’s own pulse. It felt right. When their lips parted, they stood there hugging and gazing into each other’s eyes. Aud moved his hand first and opened the door. “I guess if you’re going to leave tonight, we’d better stop kissing for now so you can go.”
With a heavy sigh, Leo backed up a step from Aud. “You’re probably right. I should head home. Felix and Julie will be at my place way too early in the morning if I don’t get to bed soon. The more tired I am, the more questions they’re going to ask. I’m starting to babble. I should go.” With a final quick peck that left Aud’s lips crying out for more, Leo stepped through the door and out onto the front porch. “I’ll see you Sunday at six.”
“Six. I’ll be here.”
“Me too.”
“I had fun tonight.”
“Definitely.” Leo made no move to turn and walk off the porch. Then he sighed. “Okay. I’ll see you Sunday…. Geez, I already said that. Good night, Aud. Sleep well.”
“You too, Leo.”
Aud stood in the doorway as Leo walked down the steps and out to the curb. He paused as he reached his car and looked back. With a wave, he got into his car. Aud didn’t move until Leo had pulled away from the curb and disappeared down the street. The light breeze was chilly when he finally closed the door and went back to look at his sketch. It was one of the best things he’d drawn in a long time. Leo was really inspiring. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a man inspire him or when he’d spent over an hour kissing a man. Normally within a few minutes they would’ve been tearing each other’s clothes off and heading for the bedroom. He really wanted to do that to Leo but thought it was sweet that Leo wanted to get to know him.