Becoming Us (COMPLETE)

*Thirty Three*

Vivian greeted us as we entered Spectacle. "Tre, darling!" Her eyes roamed over me and then Carey standing behind me. "And beautiful friends, welcome."

"Hi, Vivian." Tre pecked her cheek. "You remember Gemma, and this is Carey."

She held my hand between her thin, cold palms. "Of course!" As she turned to Carey, her pale blue dress flowed around her legs, and the backless cut showed off the delicate flower tattoo that covered the length of her spine.

Carey's eyes widened as he took in the striking woman that could pass as an art piece in her gallery. She reached for his hand and his mouth curved up on one side. "Nice to meet you."

"You too, darling." Vivian beamed. "Tre has the most attractive friends." She spun to face Tre. "You'll find—"

"That's okay, Viv." Tre shook his head. "We're just here to look around."

One black eyebrow arched, and she glanced at me again, but smiled. "Of course. Let me know if I can be of help." Crossing the room, she disappeared through a door in the back.

That was strange. Why did Tre interrupt her? Before I could ask, Carey turned to me. "Does she remind you of a really stylish praying mantis?" he whispered, making me giggle.

A huff of laughter slipped from Tre, but he shook his head. "She's just eccentric." He leaned closer to us and muttered, "But if we hear she eats her lover's heads, I wouldn't be overly shocked."

I covered my mouth trying to stifle the inappropriate laugh that burst from me, but Carey cracked up without even trying to hold back. Tre grinned, seeming not to care that we were causing a ruckus in the quiet gallery. "Come on. Let's check things out."

Tre took my hand and started toward one wall as Carey moved away from us, toward another. He appeared to be interested in a large abstract painting, and I tried not to think he was looking for space away from us.

"Don't be sad, baby." Tre kissed my temple. "He's just looking around."

"Yeah, I know."

I smiled up at him, and he ran his thumb over my lips before kissing me. "What do you think?"

I followed his gaze to the tiny painting before us. It was the smallest one in the room, barely larger than my hand. A pink and white flower with two large petals and an opening in the middle where a dark pink center peeked through. My brow furrowed as I tried to decide what I was really looking at.

"Someone thinks they're Georgia O'Keeffe," Tre whispered. I didn't know who that was, but apparently her paintings resembled private parts. I wrinkled my nose, unsure how I felt about the painting. Tre smirked before moving to the next section around the corner.

Two canvases covered the wall. The first one was average size and square—a black and white close up of a set of full lips wrapped around a bright red strawberry. It was pretty and the pop of color gave it a modern vibe.

The next was not as tall, but three times as wide—a faceless woman lay on her side with her long hair fanned out around her. She was nude, but the painting style didn't leave her exposed.

Smooth, thin paint strokes in overlapping shades of blue and purple shaped her body—from her shoulder, down to the dip of her waist and then back up the sensual curve of her hip. Round breasts and darkened colors at the apex of her thighs made her sexy form easy to see, but not detailed enough to recognize.

She could be anyone, but she wasn't. This wasn't just a body, there was emotion here. Someone who'd loved this gorgeous woman created this.

In the bottom right corner, I spotted what I was afraid of—a tiny angular mark that included the initials TW—Tre Williams. My heart sank to my toes. He'd loved this stunning person.

"You painted these?" I asked, hoping I was wrong.

Tre smiled but didn't take his eyes from the painting. "I did. They're not quite as spectacular as the real thing, but I think I got pretty close."

My stomach soured, but I tried not to react. Of course, he'd loved people before we met. There was no reason for me to freak out.

"Yeah, you did." Carey appeared beside me, and when I glanced up at him, he was practically drooling. "Nice job, Tre. Hot."

"Isn't she?"

I sighed and crossed my arms. Of course they could admire someone's beauty, it didn't mean anything. Still, embarrassed heat raced over my skin.

Tre's finger brushed my cheek, then lifted my chin. His brows drew together. "Baby? You don't like them?"

Before I could answer, Carey leaned down to my ear. "You know that's you, right?"

My mouth fell open as my gaze darted back to the woman. I shook my head. "No way."

"I should've known that was the problem." Tre chuckled and ran his hand over his face.

"Those lips look almost as good there as they did wrapped around my dick," Carey whispered, patting my butt, "and I'd recognize those curves anywhere."

I shivered, and he winked before walking away with his focus on a sculpture across the room. Tre's arm went around my waist. "Remember the first morning I made you breakfast?"

"Pancakes and strawberries." My lips pinched to the side as I tried not to let my grin get too huge.

"I couldn't get that image out of my mind." He stepped behind me, hugging me to his chest and resting his chin on my shoulder. Angling us toward the other painting, he said, "Now, this one, took longer." His palms slid down my sides until he was cupping my hips. "It took time to do this body justice, but I tried my best."

"It's beautiful, Tre. I can't believe that's me." I studied the paintings. "Whatever you did, you made me look amazing."

"Baby, I made you colorful and smudged the edges so everyone can't see you as clearly as I do. Other than that," he looked up, admiring his work, "that's you. My stunning girl."

Knowing that's the way he saw me filled me with confidence and need. I arched my back, pressing against him. The semi digging into me told me he felt the same.

Spinning in his arms, I reached up on my tiptoes to peck his lips. "Let's go to Gravity. We need to get dinner and go home."

"Yes, ma'am." Tre grinned and turned to scan the room, searching for Carey. "Where did he go?"

"I don't know. He's been all over this place. I didn't know he was so into art."

"There he is." Tre pointed toward the front, and I saw Carey standing outside, on his phone. He hung up and strolled inside, crossing the room toward us.

"Okay, maybe he's not into art." I giggled.

Carey joined us, and Tre chuckled. "Did you get bored?"

"No. I ordered burgers from Gravity so we can pick them up and head home." Carey glanced at Tre's paintings behind me and smirked. "I figured we'd be ready to go."

"We were just saying that." I laced my fingers with Tre's and reached for Carey, but he didn't seem to notice as he stepped back toward the door.

"Why don't you two pull the car around and I'll grab dinner?"

"Sure. We'll pick you up in front of Gravity." Tre pulled out his wallet, but Carey waved it off.

"I've got it. See you in a minute."

Carey strode to the exit, and we watched him leave. My eyebrows pulled together. "Was he being weird?"

"I don't think so." Tre bent and kissed my neck, grazing his teeth over my skin, making my heart race.

"I need to get home."

"That's probably what he's thinking too." Tre grinned.

We waved goodbye to Vivian as I gripped Tre's hand and tried not to break into a run. I hoped Gravity had our order waiting for Carey when he got there because I needed to get my men home.

❤️What would you think if you found out you were the subject of your boyfriend's art and it was hanging in a gallery?