Loose Ends

Seven

To say the least it was a little overwhelming inside the art gallery. It was almost packed corner to corner with art enthusiasts, students, and professionals to the art world.

"Am I the only one that feels out of their element here?" Sebastian whispered in my ear.

I smiled and turned to him shaking my head. He laughed and took a sip of his champagne. The tears I saw earlier in his eyes were now clear and filled with light. It pained me that I may have been the cause of that. I leaned in and ran my hand over the muscles connecting his shoulders and neck together feeling tense, taut muscles under the skin. He looked at me wondering what I was doing. There was heat underneath that look. Feeling a cold pain of fear and arousal in my chest I turned away from Sebastian. With him I felt like I was getting closer and closer to jumping over the edge.

Catching a black and white picture across from me, I turned back to him and grabbed his hand saying, "Come." I pulled him over to the picture, where we saw an assorted color bouquet of roses live and dying in the arms of a woman peering majestically at the camera. It looked like the woman's eyes were glowing supernaturally, but I could only account for that being photoshopped. They held so much power and wonder.

"Majestic isn't it?"

Sebastian and I turned to Anderson standing next to us.

"Sebastian! Sabine!" he exclaimed excitedly, throwing his arms out.

"Hey!" we exclaimed in return earning a few stares around the gallery.

"I'm so glad you could make it!" he said, hugging us in turn.

Our replies jumbled incomprehensibly, but they got across.

"So, what do you think?" Anderson asked, as he pulled away gesturing to the gallery.

I looked at Sebastian hard strategically telling him with my eyes to follow my lead and he dropped his eyes in silent submission.

"You have a gift," I answered and looked at Sebastian catching his eyes and nodded with a lift of my eyebrows giving him permission to speak. He smiled slightly enjoying the exchange of power and answered.

"This is great. I might have to take this one off your hands," Sebastian answered, referring to the canvas before us.

"Thank you both," Anderson said humbly, "It means a lot to have your support. A lot of these guys here are students, critics, and the sort. It feels good having someone here who just sees the beauty in the art."

"Anderson you kept this beauty from me." A man with short curly greying dark hair came between us throwing his arm over Anderson's shoulders eyeing the picture. Pulled briefly from his trance with the picture, the man's eyes turned on to Sebastian and I, as Anderson chuckled at him.

"Shannon, -"

"Ah - you're the couple from the photo Anderson showed me! You were good!" Shannon exclaimed.

"Shannon, this is Sabine and Sebastian," Anderson repeated.

"Nice to meet you," Shannon said, shaking our hands animatedly in turn. "It showed such power! Invigoration!"

"Thank you. Thank you," I said for the both of us.

"Please tell me you'll be doing more work!" Shannon pleaded.

"We haven't received an invitation to do more," I replied wittily.

"What?!" Shannon exclaimed, appalled by the mere idea and turned on Anderson. "After that photo you didn't ask them to do more shots?"