Through the Lens

by Sophia Emerson

  Claire had hoped that he had forgotten. “Yes, I know the painter though you should talk to Alyssa. She is the painter's agent as she is the one who sold the painting. Surely you heard how Topher and her met?” Claire said with a smile.

  “Caught. Topher gave me the painting but I thought that would sound weird.” Aidan smiled as he took a sip of the water bottle.

  “Yes. Like you two being gay.”

  Water sprayed across the living room as Claire jumped out of the line of spray. “What?” The shocked and almost angry like sound came from Aidan. But Claire just smiled. She liked to see the emotion, even if it was anger, coming from the man that seemed so well reserved and unattached to everything.

  “Thin walls in my apartment. I know very well that Topher isn't gay.”

  “And me?”

  “Everyone is gay until proven otherwise.”

  “Proven otherwise?”

  “I was taught that my first day of art school.” Claire smiled, loving his uneasiness of the whole situation.

  “Proven otherwise,” he almost whispered to himself as he strode up to Claire. His eyes locking deep into hers, unmoving, as he reach out towards her but Claire took a step back.

  “What are you doing?” She stared at him questioningly.

  “Proving otherwise,” Aidan answered quickly as he slid his arm around her waist. Claire held her breath as she looked up into his eyes almost daring him to kiss her.

  His lips pressed deeply into hers. He deepened the kiss as his hands traveled to her ass, as he picked her up. Her legs going around his waist as she could feel his erection pressing at her center through layers of clothing. He gently sat her on the table underneath the painting. Keeping his body pressed close to hers, his tongue licked the bottom of her lip as she opened her mouth and their tongues met in a rhythm that had her bringing her hands up to his slim waist, fisting her hands in his t-shirt trying to bring him even closer to her. His hands ran lightly up her thighs and up her waist, and into her hair as he pressed himself into her even more as she leaned back towards the painting. His hands traveled back down until his thumbs gently passed over her breasts. Making her give a small moan with him still exploring her deep within a kiss. His hands suddenly disappeared and he broke the kiss backing away from her.

  Claire felt the loss of Aidan's weight the moment it was gone. Claire's lips still tingled from their kiss. Her breathing still labored as she sat there. Her hair messed up, her shirt riding up a little showing a small amount of skin.

  “Do you still think I'm gay?”

  “Gay?... No, definitely not gay.” Claire gave a small giggle as she took in her first deep breath with a huge, true, smile on her face.

  “I should get you home.” He backed away a little farther and looked back to Claire still sitting under the painting. A cocky grin on his face.

  “Home?” Claire asked in a quiet voice. She saw the hardened man she had met on the photoshoot return to his features. She did not argue, how could a man like him like someone as broken as her. She slowly slid from the table making sure not to knock anything off of the table. She looked back at the painting one last time as she followed in the direction that Aidan had disappeared to.

  She followed him quietly into the garage where cars were lined up yet no lines were drawn on the concrete. She followed him until he stopped at a brand new blue Mustang convertible. He opened the passenger door and she passed him, making sure not to touch him, as she slid into the car silently. Gritting her teeth in pain as she slid down the leather chair. With the pain she wasn't able to grab the seat belt and put it on. He quickly grabbed the seat belt and slid it past her waist and into the seat belt hook. He closed the door and got into his side of the car. Pulling out of Ashby Enterprises parking garage, Claire looked out the window to avoid looking towards Aidan. Looking in the mirror she saw Ashby Enterprises for the first time with new eyes. The building was all dark tinted glass and angles. Without the sign, Claire would have thought that is was one of those new posh hospitals. She swallowed as the building became smaller and smaller in the mirror. Today was a first for her. She hadn't kissed a man like that ever and the men she had kissed were not at her choosing or bidding. Aidan was the first person that she could ever see herself being with. She closed her eyes.

  “Are you cold?” Aidan asked. It took a few minutes to process that he was talking to her.

  “Fine.” She croaked, swallowing and trying it again. “I'm fine. Thank you.” She put on her fake smile and sent it his way, for his benefit, before she turned towards the window again.

  Aidan looked over to Claire. He should never have kissed her, especially the way that he just did. He refused to allow people to get under his skin. The women in his life never stuck around for long, except under a contract. Even then, they were never seen in public with him. This woman though, he felt a protective and possessive need to have her as his own. To show her off to everyone. Bringing her into his life put him at risk of losing more than his façade but his heart. Only his family knew his true self and only with them did he let down his guard but he had done it twice with this woman that sat beside him, unnerving him.

  A large part of him wanted to pull his car over and to take her right here and now, another part wanted to call Max and have him take her the rest of the way home. He refused to take the coward's way out. He could not just think about himself. He had to think about his family as well. He reached over, stealing a glance at the woman, and turned on the radio smiling as Samuel Sim's Emma's soundtrack music filled the car. He needed the simplicity without the awkward silence that seemed to fill the car.

  So many times he started to say something but chose not to. He had never been this way in a business deal. He was always so sure and steady in all decisions. This tiny woman seemed to turn everything inside out. He finally took a deep breath.

  “Do you think that Alyssa would help me procure another painting by the blind painter?”

  Claire looked over. “She might. You should ask her.”

  “I think that I will. I need a painting for my office. I never fill a spot unless I find something perfect and the wall has been empty almost two years.” Aidan tried to smile but it did not reach his eyes.

  “It is smart to wait for the best to come around. A painting should never be mediocre,” Claire stated as she stared at her reflection in the car window. She never thought that she would be happy to see the Bar or her little apartment that was above it. She was almost free of the man that had her emotions on a roller coaster.

  “Thank you for the ride Mr. Ashby.” Claire nodded as she opened the door and got out before he could open his own door.

  “Cla...” He started to call her as she disappeared inside the building without looking back. He knew that he had blown it. He still did not know what came over him. He got back into the mustang, slamming his door in anger as he touched his lips. He could still taste her on his lips.

  Claire took a deep breath with her eyes closed against the closed door of her apartment. Her hand on her ribs that were throbbing from climbing all the steps up to her apartment.

  “Rough few nights?” Alyssa asked making Claire jump and go into a karate stance.

  “Hey Ninja!” Topher said as he smiled, looking over the back of the couch that he was slumped on. “Have a wild night?” He asked, pointing to her hair.

  Claire gave a growl as she stomped over to the mirror and saw the crazy state that her usually perfect brown hair looked. “Yeah, a wild night at the hospital and recouping.” Claire rolled her eyes. There was no way in hell that she would tell them that her hair was this way because of a stolen forbidden kiss. She bit her lip as she walked into the kitchen and threw together a sandwich. She had to forget him. She had no reason to ever see him again. She closed her eyes as she saw the colors swirling. She took her plate into her bedroom and pulled out her largest sketchbook and soon the colors that were swimming in her eyes were on the paper in front of her. She touched the painting
that was mixed of blues, purples, and grays. It was the colors that she felt at the moment and the moment that her blackness allowed a bit of color into her life. She finished the drawing and signed it with her braille machine. She had adopted the signature to hide the truth behind the paintings and drawings. They were a part of a dark past that only rarely shown through. Getting everything out on paper was the only way to cope with the feelings that she was unable to bury within her.

  Claire slowly removed the paper from the holder and rolled it up. Stepping out into the living room, Claire smiled seeing Alyssa and Topher watching a movie, their heads leaning on each other. “You ok?” Alyssa asked as she sat up.

  “I'm good. Can you get rid of this one for me? I know you'll be receiving a call soon.”

  “Call from whom?” Claire just turned ignoring Alyssa's question she knew that Alyssa would know all too soon. Alyssa joined her in the bedroom. “Wait! Does he know?”

  “Of course not. Only you know and I plan to keep it that way.”

  “Right. What should I say?”

  “You have a few paintings left. Show him those or not. I want nothing to do with him.”

  “Right.” Alyssa nodded she peeked into the tube trying to see it. “May I show Topher.”

  Claire turned “Can he keep a secret?”

  “I love secrets.” Topher said as he stepped into the door frame, holding a bag of chips.

  “But can you keep them?” Claire asked raising her eyebrows. She knew that he worked for Aidan and Aidan normally got anything he wanted.

  “Oh, you wound me.” He clutched at his heart but his smile was genuine. “I'm a very good secret keeper.”

  “You can show him. He is the one who bought the first one anyways.” Claire nodded as she pushed them out the door and into the living room. She sat on the couch, the two lovebirds joining her, as Alyssa sat in the middle and unrolled the drawing.

  “You did this?” Topher asked looking around Alyssa to Claire.

  “Yep.”

  “Why don't you sign them? Do you know how much grief I got from Ashby for not getting the artist’s name?”

  “It's signed. It's just in braille and many don't know it. I showed Aidan the signature today.” Claire bit her lip she knew the moment it passed her lips she had said the wrong thing.

  “He took you back to his place? Like the penthouse?” Topher was shocked as he sat back on the couch. “Damn, I'm rarely allowed up there. No one but Max is ever allowed up there except on important occasions. I can't believe it.”

  “Look. You can't say anything to him. He can not know that I'm the artist, no one can know, ok?”

  “My lips are sealed.” He smiled as he pretended to lock them and throw away the key. His corniness matched Alyssa's perfectly. They were great together.

  “While you two are being weird I'm going to get some more sleep. I'm exhausted.”

  “I bet you are!” Topher teased as he wagged his eyebrows.

  “Not like that. I had to be wakened every hour.”

  “Damn. He has that much stamina.” Alyssa teased.

  “Eww you're nasty. Get your head out of the gutter and bring my bestie back. Concussion remember; he said you were at Topher's last night, and working today, and it wasn't responsible to leave me on my own.”

  “Guilty.” She smiled, no guilt was on her face but Claire did not care. She was glad her friend was happy. She deserved it.

  “Well I can say one thing. If you want to sell that, I'll buy it right now just name your price.”

  “I think there is already a buyer. I told Aidan that Alyssa is the seller for the 'blind' artist as he calls him.” Claire smiled knowing that she mislead Aidan on purpose, hoping to throw him off the scent.

  “Aidan is going to call Alyssa? Which is why he's dialed me ten times already.”

  Claire's mouth gaped in shock. She did not think that anyone would be brave enough to decline a call from 'his majesty,' a man who rarely smiled or showed any emotion at all. “You're either psychotic or suicidal.”

  “He's harmless. He won't do anything but lecture me.”

  Claire shook her head as Topher redialed the number and put it on speaker.

  “Where the hell are you? I've called you...”

  “You're on speaker. Heard you were going to call Alyssa. Not cool...” Topher smiled as he put his finger up over his lips for everyone to be quiet, winking. “You can't poach on my girl like that.”

  “Topher you know I'd never do something like that. It's just business.”

  “Oh sure blame it on the paintings. I know you want my girl.”

  “Why do I even bother calling you?”

  “Because I'm your assistant and you'll never find a better one than me.”

  “Want to bet?” Aidan sneered. Claire could tell his foul mood was growing worse since she ignored his call and ran inside the building.

  “I'm looking at an amazing painting right now. I offered to buy it but....”

  “Raise the stakes.” Aidan ordered.

  “Why will you never allow me to finish?”

  Topher's teasing was going to be the death of him if he wasn't careful, Claire thought as she watched from the doorframe of her bedroom.

  “Because you use twenty words when three will do. I want the painting, I don't care the price.” Aidan stated and hung up.

  “Oh he makes me mad.” Topher almost growled. It was the first time that either of them heard him say or act that way. He hit the redial.

  “What!”

  Topher took the phone off of speaker and got up from the couch to pace the room. “There is more than one painting. Want me to send you pictures for you to choose? I'd like to make sure you get one to complete your annoying blank office wall.” His voice raising.

  Claire couldn't hear what was being said on the other side but Topher's smile was starting to return to his face slowly. She looked over to Alyssa who was trying hard not to laugh. “Have you seen this before?” Claire asked quietly as she sat close to her friend.

  “No, but it's kinda hot,” Alyssa said under her breath.

  Topher closed his phone. “He wants to see them all. Can we take them to his office? Could be a big pay day? Literally you can ask for whatever you want.”

  Claire could feel his eyes on her. “It's up to Alyssa not me. I paint when I'm emotional and let her deal with the rest.”

  “It would be nice to see Ashby Enterprises. I have always been a little curious.”

  “Let's go do it now then I can spend the rest of the day with you.” He said the last word almost as a whisper in her ear.

  Claire had to get out of there. She couldn't handle any more confusing emotions right now. There wasn't enough energy left in her to do another painting at the moment. As she closed her bedroom door she sat down on the bed. The light from outside had dimmed as the night was setting in. Knocking woke her up as she slid from the bed. “Ms. Henderson?” The man asked that stood in a uniform of sorts.

  “Yes?”

  “I have a delivery. I was told to set it up for you.”

  “Who's it from?”

  “There's a card.” He handed her the card as two guys came up carrying a large folding desk. It was a new design that she had had her eye on for months. She had always talked herself out of it when she saw the small empty gallery building beside the art store.

  “Please accept this as a deep apology for my ungentlemanly behavior this afternoon. -A.” Claire read and reread the card a million times it felt like. He had bought her dream desk so she could paint. She looked at the two other cases that sat below the desk full of supplies to paint. Did he know her secret? Did he guess that she was the blind artist? Questions rolled around in her mind as she slowly touched the top of the table, just to make sure it was really there and not just another bizarre dream.

  “Here's the last package Ms. Henderson. Could I please have you sign?” He held out a clipboard and Claire looked it over. She signed her name and handed the
clipboard back to the worker. After they had left she looked at her new desk and smiled.

  “I accept, Mr. Ashby,” Claire said with a smile as she sat down and pulled out a canvas to paint. She hadn't seen his office and she knew one of the other paintings would do that were being presented to him but this time she would sign her name properly to the canvas.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Two Months had flown by since the explosive kiss in Aidan's apartment, the elaborate apology of the designing desk, and her sending a one-of-a-kind painting to his office. Since then Claire had not heard a word from Aidan, nor did she expect to. She had found herself staring at his number in her new phone but she refused to use it no matter how much she wanted to. Of course, she had been so busy that she had to quit her job at the bar as her photography was booked solid for six months at least. Ever since her pictures went live of Aidan Ashby and he had written a praising piece on her professionalism, skills, and posted the picture of him in the snow and the serious one of him in a suit to his own business website she scarcely had time to breathe.

  Her best photography gig was finally upon her. Alyssa's wedding was the highlight of her photography career so far. What could be better than capturing the precious memories of the two happiest love birds that she had ever seen? She had been taking pictures for days at all the special events that lead up to the wedding but today was the big day.

  Claire smiled as she sneaked quietly into Alyssa's hotel and snapped a few shots of her dead asleep in the bed. They had already packed up all their stuff from their apartment. Alyssa moving in with her soon to be husband and Claire was moving to the city. “Wake up, sleepy head. It's time to get you prettified for your pictures!” Claire said with a smile as Alyssa threw yet another pillow at her. She was glad that there wasn't anything heavier near her friends hand or it would have been thrown as well. Alyssa was not a morning person and Claire couldn't blame her. They both were night owls. Alyssa moaned in annoyance of being awoken but the moment the significance of the day dawned on her she sat up quickly as the camera flashed right in her face.