3 Days To Forever

Chapter 21: The Painting

"Enough, please," Jessy whispered. She couldn't take the teasing anymore. She didn't want to just rise to the cliff and look over the edge.
She wanted to fly over the edge and feel the power as she fell back to earth. "You can kiss me and hold my hand but until you are prepared to make love to me, you can go no further than that. I can't take it anymore, DEAN. I want all of you in every way possible."

DEAN watched as Jessy pulled away, slid back over to her seat and got out of the car. DEAN grabbed the keys and pulled herself up and over the door.
She caught up with Jessy and laced her fingers with Jessy's. She followed Jessy in and to her apartment.

When Jessy stopped at the door and turned to her, DEAN finally spoke.

"I don't intend to stay, but the last thing I want to give you is already inside." DEAN stood there as Jessy turned and opened the door to her apartment. "Go over to the couch and get what I hid behind it." Jessy turned from her and went to the end of the couch.

She pulled out the covered canvas and sat it on the couch. She grabbed a hold of the cloth cover and gently removed it. When she saw the canvas, she almost lost her footing from the surprise.
DEAN was right behind her and steadied her before she could fall. As DEAN starting moving her arm around Jessy's waist, her hand was captured and was pulled up over Jessy's heart.

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"You can do this, but yet, you just paint surfboards?" Jessy asked, tears streaming down her face.

"I've never enjoyed painting in the traditional sense. But occasionally, when the mood strikes me, I will do special scenes." DEAN kissed Jessy's head as the both stared down at the scene of Jessy's childhood home.

"It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," Jessy admitted and turned to look at DEAN. "I will treasure it forever." Jessy gave DEAN a soft kiss and looked up at her. "Can you sit with me for a bit? I'd rather you not leave right away." DEAN gave her a nod, and Jessy pulled away to place the painting against the edge of the bar.

She came back over to the couch and sat down sideways looking at it. DEAN sat down behind her and pulled her back against her chest. Jessy lay back willingly and finally took a deep breath.

"It looks so real DEAN. I saw the scene in person and don't remember it looking that good. You have a great talent." Jessy brought her hand up and let it slide through DEAN's hair as she continued to stare at her home, her mother.

"It's just a painting Jessy. I used the paints and embellished the colors. I tried to paint it as you would have seen it." DEAN was never one who liked the constant praise that always went with the paintings that she had done, but in this case, she was glad that Jessy liked it and enjoyed hearing her admiration.

"Once I figure out where to put it, will you help me hang it Friday?" Jessy asked and looked back at DEAN.
Instead of seeing her eyes, her first sight was DEAN's lips, the lips that tortured and excited her every time they touched her own.
The lips moved but instead of kissing Jessy's lips, they kissed her forehead and held there for a few seconds.

"Do I need to bring anything, or have you got what we need here to hang it?" DEAN asked as she smiled down at Jessy.

"I just need you," Jessy whispered. She turned her head back around to the painting and leaned it back against DEAN. "We used to lose mom.

We'd get up expecting breakfast to be on the table, and she wouldn't even be around. Dad would pick me up, give me a kiss and tell me to go fetch my mother.

She was always in the same place, sitting under that tree with a book in her hands. She would get so caught up in her story or just being there, she would lose track of time. I'd run out there, and her and Rocky would be underneath that tree together.