Passion.

Chapter Twenty

12pm, The Next Day...
I wake up with a pounding headache. I thought with hangovers comes the urge to vomit, or vomiting, but I don't have either. Thank god. Roan has left the bed, leaving me breakfast and Tylenol. Gosh, I'm grateful. I drink orange juice, and take a couple bites of bacon and a blueberry muffin, and get up. Ugh, the headache just gets worse. Roan walks in suddenly, and is overly excited. "Hi sexy." He smiles, coming over and lifting me up. "To loud!" I say. "Yeah, I heard you dragged yourself home drunk." He says, grin wide on his face. "Yes I did. I was with Demetria." "Oh, you two have fun?" "Yes, we actually bonded. I shouldn't have drank so much though." I roll my eyes, putting my hand to my head. "Did you take Tylenol?" "Yes." "Well get dressed baby, I have an adventure for us today." "Adventure? It's...
I look to the clock expecting it to be earlier, but am faced with reality, it's 12pm. "It's noon." He says. "I see that." I respond, and roll my eyes. "You know what happens when you roll your eyes at me Claire." He says, voice deepened. "No actually, I don't, why don't you show me?" I roll my eyes again. He comes over and picks me up, wrapping my right leg around him. He moves his fingers to my waste and I crave more. Putting his lips to my ear he whispers, "Get Dressed." And walks away. I see his smile before leaving and I yell down the hall, "Oh you're smooth Smith! Real smooth!" I hear him laugh as he walks down the stairs. He's so playful today, so relaxed, it's nice to see. Maybe the Bourbon helped. Eventually at some point today though, I'm going to have to tell him what I allowed Reggie to do to me after David left the Red Room yesterday night. I'm not good at lying, so if I don't say it now, it'll just be blurted out at some point. How I could be so stupid is beyond me. I've just been manipulated. But I promise, to keep my dignity and morals in check, the next time he puts his hand on me he's getting slapped. In fact, if he makes any remark in betrayal of his best friend, I will tell Roan. No, no. I can't do that to him. Plus, Reggie isn't really stealing me away from him. I would never break up with Roan or David, Reggie knows that. This is simply a test of my loyalty. I shower and change into a loose blouse top, tucked into a navy blue skirt. I put on some navy blue high heels, and walk downstairs. Roan's not dressed in his usual suit, or even fancy clothes today. "Mr.Fancy Pants wearing something besides, well, fancy pants?" I sarcastically ask. "Yes. You certainly look nice." He says, eyeing my outfit. He's dressed in grey sweatpants and a black t-shirt. How does he look so good in casual clothes? I see his bulge thick and obvious in his sweatpants, and that's not from excitement, just from size. But, it does excite me. "Now you're the one staring." He says. "I'm sorry. I just can't stop. You're so hot." "If we had time," he steps closer, "I'd take you right here and fuck you up against that railing." All he does is tease me. "And I'd make you cry out in orgasm, watching your clit unfold under my tongue." Oh. "But, I'll stop myself before this gets to far, and we can act this conversation out when we get home. Or in the back of my car. Your choice." "We should get going." I say, eager to leave, so I don't turn into a needy mess. We walk outside and into his car, a black Range Rover with tinted windows, and beautiful interior. He opens the door for me and I hop in. We start driving and he puts his hand on my thigh. I get a tingly feeling all over. His touch always does that to me. It's stupid how his simple touch could do insane things my body. I wrap my hand around his, interlocking fingers. "Where are we going?" I ask. "Somewhere far out of your comfort zone." I hate being out of my comfort zone. However, I took a risk accepting Roan and David's crazy offer way back when, and look where that got me. I'm doing great for myself. But, looking out of the window right now at the shining sun, and empty road, I realize I have so much going on that hasn't been noticed or dealt with. I want my own job, with no help from either of the Smith Men. I want to work by myself, and earn everything I receive. I'm eager to get my own apartment, a safe space, for when being in that giant mansion is to overwhelming and consuming. Not that I feel restricted, I'm just a twenty four year old woman who needs to learn independence skills, since I've never lived alone. With so many thoughts rushing through my head, my emotions overwhelm me as I apologize to Roan, "I'm sorry about yesterday. You drank yourself to sleep, as I did, because you were mad and upset. And you have every right to be. Something else happened with Reggie, but I'm to afraid to talk about it." I knew I'd blurt it out at the wrong time, nothing goes as planned with me. "Afraid of me, or afraid of what may happen?" I speak truthfully, "Both. Only because I don't want you to hurt your best friend." I know he'd never hurt me, not intentionally. "To say I'm not mad at you would be a lie. I've seen the way Reggie acts around women, he's a manipulative prick. But, has he touched you? Have you slept with him?" "I didn't have sex with him. Yesterday, he started kissing my neck, and went down a little further. It escalated to quickly, but I didn't touch him. I also didn't stop him, so it's my fault. You've known Reggie longer than you've known me, don't let this happening affect your brotherhood with him." "If he touches you again, take it up with me. I don't need him in my life that fucking bad." I have to make it up to him. I have to show him how much he really means to me. And because that's through intimacy, tonight will be about us.
Simply because sex isn't always about sex.
Roan used to leave me after we would fuck, naked and alone, stuck with to many thoughts.
But through sex, through that feeling, we grew as a couple. We learned how to love each other and we fell in love with each other. As I did with David.
The intimacy of looking into his eyes and seeing his body and mind react to mine, is the most fulfilling thing I've ever felt. Being loved gives you strength, but loving deeply gives you courage. That's something I've gained.
"I'll make it up to you tonight." I say, briefly.
He doesn't look at me, as I'm staring at the window, but I could hear his smile.
A few moments later we arrive, and I have no idea where we are. "We're here." Roan says, overjoyed. I wonder why he's so enthused. I step out of the car and look to see if there's any sign or something that would signify what this is, but there isn't. "Is this where you murder me?" I laugh. "Yup, cause I would definitely drive all this way so excited to kill the woman I love." He rolls his eyes. We walk in and a nice woman greets us. She's a little older, maybe in her mid 50's, but she's full of life. "What location would you like it Mr.Smith?" She asks. "In the back room." We follow her to a room, a photshoot room. It has a grey back drop, and doesn't look to fancy. There's also no props, so I don't assume this is a photo shoot. "What are we doing?" I ask. "Thank you Sarah, you can leave now." She leaves and locks the door behind her. "What in the world is happening?" I ask. "Not many people know this about me, but I'm an artist. Reggie tells me off all the time for it, but my best work are portraits." He's an artist?
This is so odd. The switch in their personalities. David showed me a rougher side of him, and this afternoon I see a more relaxed side to Roan. "And today, you are my subject." "You're painting me?" "Yes." "Why?" "Because you're beautiful." He sits down in a chair and gathers his canvas and painting materials. I can't help but wonder how many girls he's brought here, how many women he's painted. "Have you ever painted anyone else?" I ask. "Yes. But never women of my interest, and never what we're doing today." I go over to where he has a clear view of me and am ready to pose when he says "No. Nude." "You want me naked?" I say, surprised. "Yes." He stands up and comes over. I comfortably undress myself and he takes my hand and puts it over my head. "Push your hips out to my hand." I move my body into a certain position, and rest one hand on my head and one hand on my hip. I used to hate my body, every inch of it. But now, In the prime time of my sexual awakening, I enjoy what it does for me and to others. I'm learning to be appreciative.
He sits down and I stand still. This is- weird.
But it's nice seeing someone like my body this much. He looks so keen in his natural element right now. Quiet and timid while drawing me.
Two Long Hours Later...
I put a robe on and receive Roan's painting.
Oh my god.
It's simple and modern, yet old fashioned. It's drawn with so much class and detail, that every part of my body is accurately represented. The curve of my breast, the thickness of my thighs, my imperfect stomach, everything down to the birth mark on my ankle, is perfectly painted. The fact that he wanted to draw this, draw me. That's romance, even if he doesn't realize it. "Thank you. It's so beautiful." I smile. "You're beautiful." He says, staring at me with gentle eyes.
I want him. I want to show him that I need him. I need him more than ever. I put my hands on his chest and push him down on the chair he's been sitting on. I passionately press my lips to his and move to take his shirt off when we're interrupted by the ringing of his phone. "Roan, you have to come back to the house. We're being invaded and me and Reggie can't take out twenty men alone. Get home, NOW!" I hear David scream.
And just like that, the perfect moment is ruined.