Tempting the Artist

by Sharon C. Cooper

  Christina rolled her eyes. “Yeah we’ll see. If you grab the pizza and the wine, I can carry everything else.”

  Christina had turned her third bedroom into a small den with a pullout couch, walnut coffee tables, and colorful floor pillows strategically placed around the room. The fifty-inch flat screen television was a gift from Luke. Apparently, thirty-six inches wasn’t big enough for optimal basketball watching.

  Once they were settled, Luke picked up the remote for the DVD player.

  “Before you start the movie, I made a decision today,” Christina said.

  Luke turned toward her, his arm behind her on the back of the sofa. “And what’s that?”

  “This Sunday I’m going to tell my parents and grandparents about Sasha Knight. It’s way past time, especially with that guy in Chicago taking pictures. I know you deleted them from his camera, but who knows if he has others. I don’t want my family to find out like that.”

  Luke nodded. “I think you’re doing the right thing and I have no doubt they’re going to support you. And even if there are some doubters in the bunch, I’ll always be here rallying behind you in whatever you decide to do.”

  Christina couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across her face. Considering a large part of Luke’s life was spent with him looking out and supporting himself, he had a great handle on what it meant to be there for someone else. What it meant to be a family.

  “So does your decision mean that you’re going to officially let the world know who you are?” He massaged the back of her neck, his touch sending tingles through her body. If he kept it up, there might be another reason why they wouldn’t make it through the movies.

  “No. I’m still going to paint as Sasha Knight, but I want to continue to maintain a low profile. After that conversation that you and I had on our way back from Chicago, about my work becoming more popular, I don’t think I’m cut out to do shows. I’m uncomfortable watching people peruse my artwork and I definitely don’t like the idea of people taking pictures of me. More than that, I don’t want my face in newspapers or magazines. I like things just the way they are.”

  “Hold up. You’re not planning to do any more shows?”

  “If I do a show it might only be one a year and I doubt if I’ll attend.” She placed a slice of pizza on a paper plate and handed it to Luke before getting a slice for herself. “I’ll be meeting with my agent in a couple of weeks to discuss a few things, but I’m open to doing some commissioned work and maybe just sell a few pieces online.”

  “Okay, I’m going to say this, but it’s not that I’m trying to control you or anything like that. As for the commissioned projects, I’m not comfortable with the idea of you doing nudes. Too many crazy people out here and I don’t want you to end up in any compromising situations.”

  Christina nodded. “I agree. My commission work will only include abstract or landscapes. As far as the nudes, I think I might give that up. Not sure yet.”

  “Well, whatever you decide, I’m here for you,” he said in his Barry White voice.

  Christina grinned and shook her head, hoping he wasn’t going to sing. Instead, he loaded their paper plates with food and turned on the movie. But before she could take a bite, the doorbell rang.

  “Are you expecting someone?” Luke paused the movie.

  “Nope.”

  Christina went to the intercom mounted on the wall near the door. She pressed the button that would allow her to see visitors without them being able to see her. When the person came into view, she gasped and her hand flew to her chest.

  “What’s he doing here?”

  Luke peered over her shoulder. “Only one way to find out.” When Christina didn’t make a move to talk to her grandfather through the intercom, Luke did the honors. He gave him instructions on how to reach the top floor and then buzzed him in.

  “He knows.” Christina paced in front of the door. “I can’t believe he knows.”

  Luke grabbed her by the shoulders, stopping her in her tracks. “You don’t know that. Let’s find out what’s going on before you get yourself all worked up.”

  Christina appreciated Luke trying to keep her from jumping to conclusions, but there was no other reason her grandfather would show up especially without calling. He rarely went anywhere at night unless he and her grandmother were attending an event.

  Christina pulled in a deep breath and opened the door just as Steven Jenkins stepped off the elevator.

  “Pretty fancy setup you have here,” her grandfather said and kissed Christina on the cheek. “But you really should get one of the guys at the shop to see about updating that elevator. That deathtrap is an accident waiting to happen. How are you, Luke?”

  Luke smirked at Christina, no doubt enjoying the fact that her grandfather had pretty much second what he’d been saying all along about the elevator. He shook Steven’s extended hand.

  “I’m doing well, sir. It’s good to see you again.”

  “Grampa, what are you doing here? I thought we all agreed that you shouldn’t be driving around at night.” His eyesight wasn’t as good as it used to be and her uncles had insisted that he get a driver or have one of them take him where he needed to go.

  “Just because the family thought that was a good idea doesn’t mean I agreed,” he said gruffly, walking farther into the room.

  “Grampa.” Christina’s hands were on her hips and she narrowed her eyes giving him a similar look that her grandmother used on him. “You know the family is right.”

  “Do you see what I have to go through?” Steven asked Luke.

  “Yes. I know the feeling.”

  “I’m sure you do.” Her grandfather returned his attention to Christina. “If it makes you feel any better, I have a driver who brought me over here. He’s out in the car, but my eyesight is fine. It’s so good that I was able to read this.” He handed Christina The Artist in Us magazine and her heart dropped even before seeing her photo plastered on the page.

  Oh no.

  She skimmed the article, which mentioned her and her work that was on display recently in Chicago. Interestingly enough, she realized that the picture couldn’t have been taken that weekend. She’d had on all black both days. In this particular photo, she had on the red sweater dress she wore in New York.

  She glanced up to find her grandfather staring at her. “I can explain.”

  “Please do. I’m wondering how it is that one of my granddaughters is a world famous artist and I didn’t know about it.”

  Luke stepped forward, his hand at the small of her back. “I’ll be in the family room if you need me, but I think it’s time you two had a talk,” he spoke the words to her, but they were loud enough for her grandfather to hear. Kissing Christina on the cheek, he gave her grandfather a nod and then disappeared down the hall.

  Christina already knew it was well past time for her to tell her grandfather about her other life. What had started as her fun little secret, a hobby that helped relieve stress, an outlet to express herself, had turned into so much more. Another career, but lately a thorn in her side with all of the secrecy.

  She and her grandfather sat on the sofa and she marveled at how good he still looked. They had recently celebrated his seventy-seventh birthday. With his imposing size and head full of hair and no wrinkles, he could easily pass for a man who was twenty years younger.

  “You must have gone to great lengths to keep this a secret. Apparently, you kept it from your cousin Jada too because she hasn’t said a word. And we both know she can’t keep anything to herself.”

  Christina burst out laughing at that. Jada and her inability to keep a secret was one of the running jokes in the family. Normally if anyone told her cousin something was a secret, it didn’t take five minutes for her to find someone to tell.

  “Believe it or not, she’s known since the beginning and I honestly thought she would have blabbed it by now.”

  “Miracles never cease,” her grandfather mumbled and sat back on th
e sofa, his long legs stretched out in front of him. He was one of the most patient men she has ever known and she knew he would sit there all night if need be for her to start talking.

  “I never intended for my art to take off the way it has and once it did,” she shrugged, “I wanted to keep the success to myself.”

  Her grandfather’s brows drew together. “Why? I’m sure the family would have loved to cheer you on and support this endeavor. I know I would have, had I known. I don’t understand why you felt you had to keep secrets.”

  At this moment, her extreme actions did seem a bit childish.

  “I had a couple of reasons. One, I didn’t want any negative vibes interrupting my creative flow. All it would have taken was for someone in the family to tell me that I was wasting my time. Or if someone had criticized my work, I might have put down my brushes. Also, doing art on the side, when you expect me to work and support the family business, it felt a little disloyal. I guess I didn’t want to let you or the rest of the family down.”

  “CJ, I have always taught you kids that family comes first, but I never meant for you to put your dreams on hold. I don’t want you to ever feel as if you have to pick working at the family business over pursuing your career. Your family will always be here for you, always no matter what you do … or what you paint.

  Heat crept up her cheeks, and Christina thought she would die right then and there. What if he knew about the nude paintings? A quick glance at him, his eyebrow raised with a knowing look in his eyes, and she was pretty sure he knew.

  That’s just great.

  She cleared her throat. “Thanks, Grampa. I’m sorry I kept this from you, but I just didn’t want it to be like it was for dad.”

  Her grandfather tilted his head and frowned. “How what was for your dad?”

  “I heard that when he talked about playing the drums professionally, Uncle Carlton and Uncle Ben told him not to quit his day job. They said he would never be able to play the drums or the sax professionally, that he wasn’t good enough.”

  Her grandfather chuckled. “I can’t say that I remember any of that, but it’s probably true. Honey, how often have Peyton, Jerry or even Martina picked on you about one thing or another?”

  “More times than I can count.” She thought back on the night the girls helped her unpack boxes.

  “That’s because that’s what family does. You know that. They say things to you or about you that others can’t get away with. It doesn’t mean they don’t love you or aren’t willing to support and encourage you. As far as I’m concern, it’s your family who helps give you a thick skin, able to handle criticism from anyone who is not kin. And as for your father, his musical skills are nothing like your abilities with paint and a canvas.”

  All Christina could do was shake her head. All this time she fretted over nothing. Of course some of her family would give her a hard time, but she knew that the love in the Jenkins family ran deep. Even if she were to embarrass them with some of her work, they wouldn’t love her any less.

  “And another thing, your father was never as serious about music as you seem to be about painting. Have you ever asked him about that time in his life?”

  “It’s come up here and there, but he never seemed to be all that interested in discussing his music. I assumed it was a sore subject.”

  “Talk to him. I think you’ll be surprised to know that for your dad, playing the drums or the sax was more of a hobby than anything else.”

  Hours later, Christina and Luke lay in bed talking. “How do you feel now that your grandfather knows about Sasha Knight?”

  “Like an anvil has been lifted off of my chest.” She laughed. “I can’t believe I didn’t give him or the family more credit. Granted everyone doesn’t know yet, but I’m sure once they find out, some will be supportive while others will tease me. MJ is going to have a field day regarding the nudes.”

  Christina wished she would have made better decisions regarding Sasha Knight long before now. She almost lost the only man she’d ever loved, and she kept an unnecessary secret from the people who would always love her. She still planned to tell everyone Sunday.

  “I’m thinking we should celebrate this new found freedom you’re feeling now that everything is out in the open.”

  “What do you have in mind?”

  Luke turned off the bedside table lamp and gathered her in his arms. “I can show you better than I can tell you.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  “I’m telling you he’s expecting me.”

  Christina rolled her eyes, barely keeping her temper in check. How many times did she have to keep repeating herself? If she weren’t so hungry, she’d smash the bag of food she was carrying with her and Luke’s lunch, into his assistant’s face. She couldn’t. She had been looking forward to the vegetable lasagna from her favorite Italian restaurant all day, and there was no way she would waste it on this woman.

  I should have brought in my cell phone.

  The woman stood behind her desk and looked Christina up and down, her eyes narrowed and her ruby red lips cocked in a frown. Just because Christina had worn her painter whites didn’t give this woman the right to look at her as if she smelled something bad. Her clothes were clean and didn’t have a lick of paint on them, yet the redhead was judging her.

  That Sunday in Luke’s office, Gary was right. Robin was a looker. Long red hair, startling green eyes, and her pouty lips probably got her plenty of dates, if she weren’t married. Christina hoped she was married. Please be married. The thought of this woman working so closely with Luke made her little green-eyed monster show its wicked head. Luke had never given her a reason not to trust him, but she wouldn’t put anything past this spitfire of a woman, who could easily grace the cover of any fashion magazine.

  “Who did you say you were again?” Robin asked.

  “Christina Jenkins.” Her voice sounded calmer than she felt. With only an hour for lunch, Christina didn’t have time for this nonsense. And where was Luke anyway? He knew she was joining him for lunch at noon, and it was ten after. He should have been waiting in the receptionist area for her.

  “Hmm, you’re not on his schedule.”

  “That doesn’t mean he’s not expecting me. Call him.”

  “I’m sorry Ms. Jenkins, but he’s with a client, and he has back to back meetings this afternoon. Would you like to leave a message for him?”

  “No. I’ll wait.”

  “I don’t think that’s a good—”

  “I’ll wait.”

  “Fine. You can have a seat over there.” Robin pointed to a set of chairs about ten feet away.

  “I’ll stand.”

  “Suit yourself,” the woman murmured.

  Christina turned and glanced around the space. She was definitely under dressed. The majority of the people were men, but there were a few women moving about who looked as if they were participating in a fashion show.

  Humph. I’ll take my painter whites any day.

  While waiting, Christina roamed to the receptionist area not wanting to hover over Robin, but made sure she could still see Luke’s office door. After perusing the artwork on the walls in the receptionist area, she started to return to Robin’s desk but froze.

  “Hello, CJ.”

  Repulsion knotted inside of Christina’s gut at the sight of Leroy Jones. Number one enemy of the Jenkins family and a man she loathed. He stood an arms-length away, and his sleazy gaze traveled the length of her body before returning to her face.

  “Funny running into you here.” He moved closer and Christina took a step back.

  “Hello, Leroy.” Disgust dripped from her words. She hadn’t seen him in over a year, and now she wished it had been longer. Clean-shaven and wearing a suit still didn’t hide the fact that he was a snake. With all of the headaches he had caused her family over the years, it took everything she had not to spit in his face. Instead, she turned and walked away without another word.

  When Christina ret
urned to Robin’s desk, she chanced a glance over her shoulder and was surprised to see Leroy talking to Gary Rouse. It was never a good sign when two jackasses, who looked to be friendly, got together.

  They walked toward the exit, but before they turned the corner, Leroy’s gaze met hers. Christina gripped the bag of food tighter, wanting to look away, but she didn’t. When he winked and flashed that stupid smirk, goosebumps covered her arms and nausea bubbled in her throat. The repugnance she felt toward him rose to a new level. Scumbag.

  Luke’s voice behind her caught her attention and she turned. He was standing near his office speaking with his client in the doorway.

  “As I mentioned before, Miss Jenkins, Attorney Hayden has back to back meetings this afternoon. Maybe you can stop by another time,” Robin said, trying to block Christina’s view.

  Too late. Luke had seen her.

  He looked her over seductively as if she wasn’t wearing her work clothes. His signature grin spread across his lips, and all thoughts of Leroy flew from her mind as her pulse picked up in speed. Christina didn’t think she would ever get used to the way her body reacted with only a look from him.

  He walked his client as far as Robin’s desk and shook his hand, promising to be in touch soon.

  “Hey, baby. I’m glad you’re here. Sorry to keep you waiting.” His mouth swooped down over hers, and she melted into him, savoring his enticing kiss. It was probably a good thing her hands were full. Otherwise, she might have forgotten where she was and did something unspeakably erotic to him.

  The sound of someone clearing their throat brought them both back to reality. Luke pulled away slightly but didn’t remove his arm from around her.

  “I’m starving,” he whispered close to her ear and she knew he wasn’t talking about food.

  “Excuse me Attorney Hayden,” Robin interrupted and glared at Christina, a be-prepared-to-leave-smirk plastered on her face. “Your next appointment should be here shortly.”