The Artist's Provocateur: Serano Brothers Novel, Book 3

by L. J. Fine

  Screw it. This dress looked good on her and they were two grown-ass adults. They could control themselves.

  A knock sounded on her front door and she was out of time to debate the issue with herself further.

  Taking a deep breath, she smoothed her hands down the front of her dress and walked down the hall to open the door. It seemed her instinct to wear something a little nicer had been spot on. Adam stood in the hallway as dressed up as she'd ever seen him. Typically, he wore jeans and t-shirts or flannels and Henleys when it got cold. Tonight, well-fitted black pants hung low on his hips and his gray V-neck shirt was tucked in at the front to reveal a silver belt buckle. A soft looking black leather jacket creaked slightly with his movements as he stood back to take her in.

  "Damn," he rumbled, and she had to agree, even if they were talking about different people. His eyes met hers and as a slow, happy smile spread his lips, warmth moved through her. "You look beautiful, Marie."

  "Thank you," she said tucking her hair behind her ears. "So do you."

  If possible, his smile brightened, and she felt like a giddy teenager to know she put that expression on his face. He stepped toward her and cupped her face in his hands, giving her a soft kiss on her lips. The light scent of his cologne hit her senses and his warmth surrounded her. She pulled him closer to deepen the kiss and he went to her willingly, wrapping his arms around her waist and dragging her up against him. The hard length of his growing erection pressed into her belly, and she suddenly remembered that they were standing in her doorway where anyone could walk by.

  Breaking the kiss, she stepped back from him and placed her hands on his chest to stop him from chasing her forward. "Whoa, wait. You were gonna take me out, remember? I didn't get all dressed up for nothing."

  His dark eyes dropped to her mouth as he licked his lips. Closing his eyes briefly, he took a deep breath before he met her gaze again. "You're right. And I made reservations, so we better get going before I say to hell with it all and lock us in your apartment for the rest of the night."

  Clearing her throat, she stepped back into her apartment to grab her purse off the side table. "Yeah, that would defeat the purpose of tonight."

  Once she slid on her coat and locked the door behind her, he surprised her by taking her hand in his as they made their way to the elevator. Neither of them spoke, the silence companionable, but he played with her fingers, rubbing his thumb along her forefinger as they rode the elevator down. She found the gesture oddly calming, and now that they didn't have anything to bicker about, she wasn't quite sure what to say to him.

  Maybe start with the obvious. "Where are we going?"

  Light danced in his eyes as he smiled at her. "I wanted to take you someplace fancy and impressive, but I thought a quieter atmosphere might be better for tonight. So, I'm taking you to Calabrese's. That okay?"

  In anticipation of this date tonight, Marie's stomach had been in knots most of the day and she'd hardly eaten anything. Now that he was in front of her, she felt herself relax and the mention of the Italian restaurant caused her stomach to rumble. Fortunately, it wasn't so loud that he heard. "That's perfect."

  They walked out into the cold of the evening and, like a gentleman, he opened the passenger door of his Charger for her. How had she missed this sweet side of him? Maybe he only showed it when he was after something specific. Disturbing notion. Shaking her head, she pushed it out of her mind. He said he wanted to try with her, so this was her: trying and giving him the benefit of the doubt. No room for sabotaging thoughts.

  The engine roared to life and she settled into the cozy, heated leather seat. "Mmm, this is nice."

  As he pulled out of the parking lot, he looked at her, opened his mouth, clearly thought better of it, then nodded his agreement and turned back to the road.

  "What?' She narrowed her eyes. "What were you going to say?"

  "You and me. We're trying here, right?" He shrugged. "So, I'm not gonna be a smartass."

  She rolled her eyes. "Just because we're trying doesn't mean we have to act like we've had personality transplants. Your smartassishness is part of your charm. So, say what you were gonna say."

  "You sure?" He smirked. "I was gonna make a crack about your POS car."

  "I figured as much." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Fire away."

  "Nah, now that you know it's coming, takes all the fun out of it."

  A smile flirted at her lips that she couldn't suppress. "Don't lie. You just didn't want to hear whatever burn I would have shot back."

  "Maybe." He grinned. "Or maybe the only thing I want to hear coming out of your mouth tonight are my praises."

  An easy laugh flowed out of her mouth as she lay her head back against the supple leather of the headrest. "Maybe, but I wouldn't hold my breath."

  Reaching across the center console, he threaded his fingers through hers. "Then tell me more about yourself instead."

  As she stared out the window and watched the snow-covered scenery pass by, she tried to think of something to say and came up blank. "What is there to tell you that you don't already know? We've both been living in this town our whole lives. You know what I do for a living and all about my childhood and family dynamic. Hell, you've probably met my sisters at some point. You know where I live and how I spend my free time. What more can I tell you?"

  "Well, shit." He laughed, coming to a stop at a red light and turning to look at her. "In that case, maybe we should have skipped dinner and locked ourselves in your apartment."

  Biting her lip, she ran her nails gently along the back of his hand and lowered her gaze to his mouth, deliberately teasing him. She didn't know where this playful side of herself came from, but she liked it. "Maybe we should have."

  His eyes darkened, and he let out a low groan. "Fuck me. Don't tempt me. You know I'll turn this car around. Behave yourself."

  "Interesting that you're saying that to me. You never behave, why should I?"

  "Because we're at the restaurant." Looking up, she saw the giant sign with elegant white font declaring the restaurant as Calabrese's. She almost pouted, half hoping that he would turn the car around.

  Part of her reasoned that they could've ordered take out and stayed in bed to talk. That part of her had no place in tonight's events, however, so once he found a parking spot close to the door, got out and rounded to her side, she took his offered hand and got out of the car.

  Tucking her hand into the crook of his arm, he leaned down to graze the shell of her ear with his lips. "And if you don't behave, when we do get home, I'll punish you."

  Punish her? As in spanking? Was that something she wanted? She looked at him, taking in his handsome profile, feeling his strong capable hands as he guided her toward the restaurant.

  Maybe.

  She didn't know if she wanted to push him to that tonight, though, so she straightened her spine, determined to be an adult on her best behavior.

  Only a few cars dotted the parking lot and the small number of people inside reflected as much. The hostess who seated them eyed Adam appreciatively which Marie didn't care for, but Adam seemed oblivious. No doubt women eye-fucked him all the time, and maybe at this point in his life, it all faded into the background. Unless said woman piqued his interest, as Marie somehow had. Not sure what made her so different, but she didn't want to look that gift-horse in the mouth.

  They were seated in a corner booth on a mostly empty side of the restaurant. He waited for her to pick a side of the booth and sit down before he slid in beside her. Not having much choice, she scooched over to accommodate him, but gave him a distinct WTF eyebrow. The hostess handed them two menus and sauntered away. Adam didn't budge.

  "There is an opposite side of this booth. You know, so two people can make eye contact and talk," she said, elbowing him lightly in the arm.

  "I'm aware," he said, ignoring her jab. Instead, he perused the menu in front of him. "But I don't like having to shout across the table to have a conversation."

/>   She took a pointed look around the near-empty dining room. "Oh, right, because it's so loud in here."

  "If I was the whole way over there, then I wouldn't be able to do this." He set his menu flat on the table and dropped his arm across the back of the booth. "This way is nice, and cozy and I'll be able to hear you just fine, darlin'."

  "You're so weird," she said, shaking her head and focusing her attention on her menu. But she would be lying if she said that she didn't enjoy the feel of his heat beside her or the way he idly played with a strand of her hair.

  The waiter approached their table to take their order, and once given, he scampered off leaving them alone once again. Twirling a strawberry-blonde curl between his fingers, Adam turned to her. "In the car you made a good point. We know the basic information about each other. All the typical first date stuff. But that's like reading someone's resume. Knowing who they are on paper. Fill in the details for me. Like how many paintings have you done and what inspires your art?"

  How many paintings had she done? She'd started at such a young age she hardly knew. "It's been a while since I've taken count, actually. All I can tell you is that I pay extra in rent for that garage, but I don't have room for my car in there anymore. As far as what inspires me, it can be anything, really. Books I read, things I see on TV, if I have a particularly vivid dream. Music is a big one, though. It's such a great conduit of emotion and if I get obsessed with a particular song, sometimes I try to paint a scene to depict how it makes me feel." She stopped. Feeling his intense attention to her rambling suddenly made her hyper-aware of herself, and the rest of her words came out awkwardly. "But yeah. My inspiration comes from everywhere."

  "Do you paint in all different styles? Portraits, landscapes, all of it?"

  The waiter returned with their drinks and she took a sip of her wine before answering. "I do all sorts of styles. Whatever moves me at the time."

  He took a pull from his beer, eyeing her over the rim of his glass and she fidgeted under his gaze. "You seem uncomfortable every time we talk about your art. Why is that?"

  "It's not that I'm uncomfortable." She shrugged. "I'm just not used to talking about my own work with anyone. Other artists and their styles and techniques? Sure. My student's work? Absolutely. But my art has always been deeply personal, something I do for myself."

  "Does it bother you to talk about it with me?" He asked setting his glass down on the table.

  Did it bother her? Upon some quick introspection, it surprised her to find that, no, it didn't. Despite her knee-jerk reaction to stiffen up when anybody mentioned her own art, Adam's presence relaxed her. Over the course of the last few weeks, she'd spoken to him more openly about a variety of topics than she had with anyone in a long time. "It doesn't. Like I said, it's not something I'm used to discussing with anyone. Maybe in the spirit of tonight, I'll open up to you."

  Light danced in his dark eyes as he gave her a slow smile, the mischief he wore like a second skin emerging. Good, she'd hoped he would take her double meaning. His hand moved to her thigh, thumb circling over the skin on the inside of her leg. "Does that mean you'll let me see it?"

  His index finger ran a line up her thigh under her skirt, giving her goosebumps and making her squirm. In an almost unconscious move, she parted her thighs as his hand drifted higher and his finger traced the lacy edge of her panties. She felt her eyelids grow heavy as she said, "If you're lucky."

  The waiter chose that moment to return to their table with their entrees, but despite the interruption, Adam didn't immediately disentangle from her. Instead, he slowly slid his hand back down her thigh, thankfully under the table and unseen by the waiter. The smell of the chicken parmesan and the hunger it inspired in her belly took a back seat to the feel of Adam's rough fingers on her skin. Still, he thanked the waiter, pulled away and began to twirl spaghetti on his fork against a spoon like a pro. As if nothing happened, and she was left to compose herself.

  Scooting a few inches to her right, she put some distance between them, cleared her throat and took a fortifying sip of her wine. She cut into her chicken and took a bite, letting out a low moan when the delicious spices hit her tongue. This restaurant may be on the pricier end, but it was worth every penny. Her belly growled again, and she dug into her food with gusto, taking a few more bites of the chicken.

  Licking marinara sauce from her lips, she reached for her wine glass and caught Adam staring at her out of the corner of her eye.

  "What?" she asked after taking a sip and setting the glass back down.

  "That chicken you're eating is making me a little jealous," he said licking his own lips, gaze dropping to her mouth.

  Heat suffused her cheeks as she twirled some pasta around with her fork. "Sorry, I haven't eaten anything all day. I'm hungry and this is really good."

  A line appeared in his forehead as he frowned. "Do you skip meals often?"

  She rolled her eyes. "Are you concerned that I'm malnourished?"

  "I've noticed that you do tend to get consumed by your work a lot and lose track of time. So, it wouldn't surprise me if you made an unintentional habit of forgetting to eat." He ran a knuckle along her cheek. "And it does concern me. I need you to keep your energy up. You're gonna need it."

  "Am I?" She arched a brow and turned toward him to place her hand on his thigh. "Why is that?"

  His hand covered hers and he moved it upward until she cupped his hard, growing length. "Why do you think?"

  "Mmm," she purred. Actually purred. It felt good, though, to be this sensual and free. Mentally shrugging, she decided to go with it. "If you're planning on keeping me up late again tonight, I should warn you. I have an early day tomorrow and I get cranky when I'm sleep deprived."

  Dipping his head, he gave her a sweet, lingering kiss. "You should cancel whatever plans you have tomorrow, then. I'm gonna take my time with you tonight, baby. Lay you out in a real, honest-to-God bed and map your body out with my mouth and my hands. Make you come over and over." He nipped her bottom lip. "And then one more time before I fuck you hard and fast. You're gonna be exhausted by the time I'm done with you, darlin'."

  His deep voice traveled along her nerve endings and the images he put in her head made her shiver. "Or, we could start right now. Save some time."

  As she spoke, she unfastened his belt buckle, then pulled the leather free. She just popped the button of his pants open when he sat up straight and once again placed his hand over hers to halt her actions. "I thought you said no more sex in public."

  Damn it. She did say that. And for a good reason. This man had a way of getting her higher brain functions to take the day off. Still, she felt reluctant to put an end to their game. The way he made her feel was a little addictive. But she had to get a handle on it and be responsible.

  "You're right," she said squeezing the length of his cock through his pants, making him grunt, before slowly pulling her hand away. "We should wait until later."

  Once again, she moved over in the booth to put some space between them. She heard a low growl rumble from his throat as he sat up and barked out an order. "Finish your food."

  She had to laugh at his surliness. "Delayed gratification makes you a little grumpy, huh?"

  "If I say yes, will it change your mind about PDA?" He eyed her over the rim of his beer.

  "I wouldn't classify what we were about to do as a public display of affection. More like indecent exposure." She smirked as she lined up a bite of chicken on her fork. "So, no. I'm not gonna change my mind."

  "Damn. Figured as much, though." He grinned at her. "I'll repeat. Finish your food. The faster we get outta here, the less delayed my gratification will be."

  "We'll see." The dark look he gave her sent tingles through her body to pool low in her belly. But she refused to be distracted again and shrugged that look, and the feelings it inspired, away. "I mean, this is supposed to be a real date. One in which we get to know the finer details about each other. Tell me something I don't know about you.
Let's have a real conversation and we'll see where that leads us."

  "Hmm," he rumbled, taking a bite of his spaghetti and chewing thoughtfully. "Here's something most people in general don't know. I like watching documentaries about the universe."

  Following his lead, she resumed eating her chicken, this time keeping her appreciative noises to herself. "Things about other planets and stuff?"

  "Yeah, like what the universe is made up of, the latest discoveries in astrophysics, theories on dark matter and binary solar systems. Things like that. I find all that stuff fascinating."

  "Really?" She never would have pegged him as someone to contemplate unfathomable things beyond the here and now. Between this and the romantic story he'd told her at the farmhouse, she was coming to learn that he might be quite a deep thinker. There were all sorts of layers to his personality that she hadn't previously thought possible. "Do you believe aliens exist?"

  "Who the hell knows? Maybe. It's an awfully big universe, and there is so much we don't know." His eyes danced as he smiled at her before taking another bite. "I kinda hope that they do, though."

  "Why?" She reached for her wine glass. "You hoping they'll abduct you?"

  Bobbing his eyebrows, he gave her a boyish grin. "Hell yeah. Think of all the trouble I could get into then."

  "Oh, I can only imagine." Laughing, she set her fork down and rested her chin against her palm. "Tell me something serious now. Something about what makes Adam Serano tick."

  Eyeing her speculatively, he took another pull of his beer. "I suppose you're after some deep revelation into my psyche. Something dark and twisted that I wouldn't share with anyone else, but I gotta tell you, that's more my twin's thing. The best insight I can give you into myself is that I'm happy with the simplicity of my life. I make little tweaks here and there as needed, but overall, I like where I'm at."