Hawke

by Larissa Ladd

  It had to be partly because he knew what he wanted, and he was going after it. Even if it meant me losing my job at the gallery to make room for his creative vision, he would most likely pursue it. Where that should have made me angry or hurt, it didn’t. It lit me on fire.

  “Then try things until you figure it out.” Lisa walked back to the kitchen as black smoke billowed from the stove. “And let’s mark one thing off the list.”

  “Oh shit!” I jumped up and ran into the kitchen. “The bacon.”

  “Cooking is not it!” She laughed and turned on the sink as I dumped the pan of bacon under the cold water, cursing the whole time.

  If it wasn’t cooking, and it wasn’t painting, what the hell was it?

  I knew without even thinking another minute on it.

  I missed dancing.

  11

  Hawke

  Monday morning traffic was a bitch on my bike, but nothing could diminish the optimism inside of me. The showing had been a huge success, and some of my long-term artist friends that had never made a dollar on their art had cleaned up.

  The “thank you” texts and calls were still coming in.

  Oddly enough, I felt like a hero of sorts. It was stupid, and my brothers would have given me loads of shit over it, but it felt good. Even better than that, I’d gotten the article writeup in the local paper, and that meant one thing.

  A date with my sexy, uptight manager.

  My whole body reacted to the thought of it. I’d spent most of Sunday thinking through where I could take her and all the things I wanted to do with her, but I needed to back off.

  Chances are, fucking her would mess up our relationship at work. I snorted at the thought. Like we had a relationship at work, but we would. We would build the gallery together alongside Dallen. It would become the go-to place for art aficionados in Seattle.

  It was a tall order to demand of the three of us, but we would get it done. I had no doubt.

  A quick turn to the right, and I pulled up to the back of the gallery. My phone buzzed in my back pocket as I walked toward the door, causing me to pause.

  Kade.

  “Hey, little brother. I see you got yourself in the paper yesterday.” He had a chuckle in his voice.

  I smiled. “Yep. I guess Dad knew what he was doing by giving me this place.” I let my eyes run along the dull brick and shook my head. “I’m going to have to buy a new building with some of the money we got. You can’t tell how incredible the inside is from the outside.”

  “Sounds like a metaphor for most people.” He snorted. “I got my invitation to the board meeting today.”

  “Oh yeah? You excited?” I turned and sat down on the concrete steps that led up to the back door.

  “No. Yes. Fuck if I know. The woman that called to set up the time and date with me sounded like a phone sex operator.”

  “And you know how these women sound because...”

  He laughed. “Fuck you too.”

  “Not my type, but thank you for the offer.” I leaned back and took a deep breath, regretting it. The dumpsters were just to our left, and a small bakery sat next door. Day old yeast was nasty. “Ugh.”

  I got up and walked in to hear Dallen and Jenna talking together down the hallway. Closing the door, I pushed my back against it and listened to Kade go on for a few more minutes about his new business. He was terrified. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been a chatty Cathy about it.

  “Well, I won’t keep you. Congrats on your success. I want to hear the gory details soon.”

  I smiled. “Sounds good, brother. Later.”

  Dropping the call, I started to move away from the door but paused as Dallen’s voice rose a little. He and Jenna had been arguing off and on about something the entire time I’d known them both, which wasn’t too long. I was interested in what it was.

  “Look, you get one life; start living yours,” Dallen pleaded. “If you want to start dancing again, then go dance. You don’t have to prove anything to anyone.”

  “You don’t understand.” She sounded exasperated, tired.

  “Yes. I. Do. No one in my family accepts the fact that I’m gay or that I’m an artist. I get it. I really do, but guess what? Fuck them. I’m a gay artist, and I’m doing what I love.”

  “Like that hot blond that keeps coming in here?” She laughed, and I held back a chuckle. Something about her loosened up the angst inside of me, even when she was being defensive or bitchy.

  “What blond?” I walked away from the back and caught them both off guard.

  “Oh! Shit.” Dallen leaned over and pressed his hand to his chest. “You scared me, Hawke.”

  “Sorry about that.” I grabbed the copy of the newspaper in Jenna’s hand and wagged my eyebrows at her. “Like the article?”

  “Not talking about it.” She spun on her heel and walked toward her office. The free-flowing cream-colored dress she wore was made for her. I had no doubt.

  “Yes. We are.” I jogged after her, catching up about the time she got to her office. I grabbed her arm softly.

  She spun around, putting us almost chest to chest. “I think I’m going to quit.”

  I licked the side of my mouth and tried to breathe with her so damn close. “Quit fighting me?”

  “No.” She moved back and took a ragged breath. Good. At least it wasn’t just me having physical side effects. “Quit working here.”

  My smile faded, and I moved into the office before closing the door. I set my helmet down on her desk and moved close. “Jenna. Come on. You don’t have to go out with me. I’m just interested in you, okay? If it means you leaving the gallery, then—”

  She moved closer, slid her hands up my chest, and pulled me down toward her. I didn’t miss a beat. Her soft lips pressed to mine, and I groaned and pulled her in tightly, resting my hands on the top swell of her ass.

  She tasted like sugary coffee and cherries. My cock woke up and swelled as fast as he could.

  “Wow.” I pulled back before kissing her again. “I’m going to assume you’re not quitting because of the date?”

  “No.” She took another breath and walked over to her desk but didn’t sit down. She pressed her hands to the desk and glanced up at me, her beauty stilling my heart. “You love it here, don’t you?”

  “Yeah. I do.” I moved to the other side of the desk across from her and pressed my hands on the glass. “But you’re part of the reason I like it so much. You and Dallen.”

  She offered me a beautiful smile. “I feel like I left a piece of myself behind when I walked away from dancing.”

  “Care to tell me what happened?” I searched her face and found myself falling hard. There was so much passion bottled up inside of her. I couldn’t begin to imagine making love to her. She had no clue of her power. Of her beauty.

  “Maybe on our date.” She nodded toward my hands. “Why are your fingers always covered in rainbow colors?”

  I moved back and lifted my hands as a smile crept across my face. “I like to work on my art any time I get a chance.”

  “Can I see it?” She looked hopeful.

  “On our date.” Moving around the desk, I slid my hands up her shoulders to cup her face. “Don’t leave here. I want you and Dallen beside me. We can make this place something beyond special. Let’s talk about you going part time and doing what you want to do with your dancing but making your money and impact here until the dancing becomes full time for you.”

  She bit her lip and studied my face. “Okay. Yeah.”

  “Tonight on the date.” I leaned down and nipped at her lips.

  She gasped and gripped my hips. “No. Tomorrow night. I need to find something to wear.”

  “I like what you have on.” I leaned down and kissed her a few more times before smirking. “You wanted me to win, didn’t you? Admit it.”

  “Never. Not in a million years.” She pushed at my chest. “And stop kissing me. It’s not workplace approved.”

  “Give me the policy
. I’ll change that shit right now.” I laughed as she broke out into the sweetest laugh. I was throat deep in trouble with this girl. “Is this dancing thing going to happen here in Seattle where I can come and watch, or are you going to have to move?”

  She sat down in her seat and crossed her legs, looking all sorts of proper. “I don’t know. I started in New York, but I think I can make it work here. I need to think through it a little bit more, but thank you for the options. I wasn’t sure what to think when you showed up that first day.”

  “And now?” I picked up my helmet and walked to the door, still facing her.

  “Now I’m completely convinced that it was a mistake.” Her smile said otherwise.

  “How so?” I lifted an eyebrow and leaned against her doorframe.

  “You’re going to be the death of me.” She winked and pointed behind me. “Get out of here so I can get something done.”

  “Tomorrow night.” I turned and walked out. I might not be the death of her per se, but I was going to put an end to her innocence. She needed more than a dance floor to express her passion on. She needed a canvas of lust.

  I would be happy to offer myself up.

  12

  Jenna

  The kiss from the day before lingered in my thoughts, as did the conversation. I sat at the bakery next to the gallery for breakfast by myself, lost in thought. My phone ringing on the table beside me was a less than welcome distraction.

  “Mom,” I answered, using the most unemotional voice I could.

  “Jenna. Was that your gallery in the paper this past weekend?”

  I would have been excited that she noticed, but her tone was haughty, rude, which was normal. No way in hell she noticed the posting on the gallery in the paper. My father must have mentioned it.

  “Yes.” I reached for my coffee and leaned back.

  “Well, congratulations, I suppose. Weird that the city would be excited about you bringing homeless, starving artist riff raff off the streets and into your place of employment, but it is Seattle.” The disgust in her voice caused me to smile. She would never change. Not in a million years. Like many times before, I felt sorry for my father for having to live day in and day out with her.

  “Did you need something, Mom?” I asked, hopeful that the conversation was almost over. A good healthy dose of dissatisfaction with my life was about all my mother was good for.

  “No. I wanted to tell you that I bumped into the president of the Dance Academy here in New York at Del Fonte’s yesterday. He’s willing to let you come back in and audition again, thanks to me.”

  A cold chill ran over me. There was a chance that I could get my position back alongside one of the greatest academies in the United States, if not the world? Is that what I wanted?

  “How did that conversation go?” I half mumbled. “I’m curious.”

  “Speak up, please. You know your murmuring drives me insane. Lift your chin.”

  New York. Back where my mother was and would be waiting to jump back into my life.

  “Thanks for the information. I need to run, Mom. Something just fell off the wall.” I pressed the off button and set that phone back down. It rang three more times, but I ignored it.

  There was no way I could go back to New York. I’d made friends and a life in Seattle.

  “Hawke,” I whispered. We were planning to go on our date later that night, but even if things didn’t go the way I hoped they would, we were still friends. He had included me and Dallen in his future of making the gallery great. His words the day before stirred something in me. I wanted to be part of something that people would fall in love with.

  It was half the reason I loved to dance. The Academy had been my mother’s dream for me, but that was her effort to vicariously live through my swollen ankles and bruised ego.

  However, somewhere underneath all of the pain and frustration, I still loved expressing myself on stage.

  “Maybe I’ve made a mistake?”

  “Who are you talking to?” Hawke leaned on the building next to me.

  I jumped and laughed. “I’m going to tie a damn bell around your throat if you keep sneaking up on me.”

  “Not sure you’ll get real far with the bell thing.” He sat down next to me and smiled. “You look good today.”

  “You say I look good every day.” I lifted an eyebrow, challenging him. His lips lifted and my heart fluttered. I was in deep trouble.

  “You do look good every day.” He leaned back. “I think I want to do something new for the next showing.”

  “Oh yeah?” I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. Thank God he was moving away from my looks and back to work.

  “Yes.” He nodded toward the street. “What do you think of that art over there?”

  I turned and looked over my shoulder. “I love graffiti. Most people look at it as if it’s vandalism, but I think it’s beautiful.” I stood and walked to the edge of the street so I could get a better view of it. Unlike the masterpieces I’d seen around town, this one was rather gang-like, but even still, the colors and designs showed perfectly the artists intent. Anger. Passion.

  “Do you, now?” He moved up beside me, pressing his shoulder to mine. “What do you think that artist is trying to say?”

  “Hear me,” I whispered and turned to face him. “What kind of art do you do?”

  “I’ll show you soon.” He reached out and tucked my hair behind my ear. “Why were you upset last week? I felt a thick tension between you and Dallen.”

  I glanced down, looking at my hands. “He wants me to follow my heart and go back to dancing.”

  Hawke touched my chin, lifting my face until we locked eyes. “And what do you want?”

  You. Now.

  “I’m not sure.” I stepped back and grabbed my coffee and phone. “But now isn’t the time. Let’s get this new idea of yours on paper and see what we need to get in order to highlight the beauty of a graffiti artist. It’s not like I know any, and usually their art is all along the side of concrete walls. No room in our gallery for that.”

  “We’d have to bring in an artist or two and have them paint onsite.” He walked beside me back to the gallery. “Can we order some concrete blocks from the city this week?”

  “We can do anything you want to do.” I smiled and stopped at the back door before walking in just in front of him.

  “Anything?”

  A laugh bubbled up out of me. “Well, within reason.”

  “Like biting?” He moved up beside me and lifted his hands as I gave him a look. “I’m kidding. Seriously. Let’s get some concrete ordered.”

  “Consider it done.” I stopped at my office and turned to face him. “And you’ll find the artist?”

  “I know just the guy. Now, get to work. The owner is here today, and I hear the guy is a prick.”

  I laughed and walked into my office. “A prick that’s taking me to dinner tonight, right?”

  “Yes, ma’am. Reservations are made, and I hope you can sit on a bike in that skirt.” He lifted an eyebrow, and I fell a little bit more in love with him.

  “I brought a change of clothes.” I rolled my eyes and dropped down in my chair. By the time I looked up to comment again, he was gone. The scent of him lingered in the room, though. I leaned back and breathed in deeply.

  My change of clothes included pajamas. Not that I would ever tell him that.

  * * *

  “You ready?” Hawke stopped in front of my open door and smiled. He’d changed from slacks and a button-down into jeans and a nice dress shirt. His dark hair was a bit disheveled, and his eyes filled with adventure.

  “Oh shit. Yes.” I got up and grabbed my bag. “Let me change real quick.”

  “Get to it. Reservations are in twenty minutes, and you know the traffic around here.” He sat down in one of the empty chairs across from my desk as I jogged out of the office, apologizing again.

  After wrestling on my tightest pair of jeans, I put on a pretty pink sh
irt and worked on my hair. A pair of designer boots, some jewelry, and I was back in my office.

  He stood slowly and smiled. “Wow.”

  “You like?” I put a hand on my hip and tried to be cute. The action alone had me laughing. I wasn’t used to trying to impress a boy, much less a man.

  “I love.” He moved around my desk and reached for me, pulling me flush against him. “You sure you want to go get something to eat? We could just go back to my place, and I could spend the night worshiping you.”

  “Biting me?” I lifted up on my toes and pressed my lips to his. How had we gone from boss and employee to friends to almost lovers so fast? When it’s right, it’s just right.

  He nipped at my lips before giving me one more soft kiss. “Let’s go have some fun and get to know each other better.”

  “As long as there is a bike, a glass of wine, and music involved, I’m there.” I reached for his hand and tugged him out of the office with me.

  Dallen glanced up from the back door, the look on his face priceless. “Um... something I should know?”

  “Nope.” I shrugged and dropped Hawke’s hand. “We’re just going out for dinner together.”

  “Holding hands?” Dallen glanced over at Hawke.

  “She likes to bite. I found that out after reviewing her application for this place. After that? I was sold.”

  Dallen broke into giggles, and Hawke laughed as I walked out.

  “I’ll show you bite,” I mumbled and walked toward his bike.

  “Yes! God does hear my prayers!” Hawke yelled comically and moved around me to get on the bike. “My lady?”

  Something about the way he said it left me wanting to sigh like a lovesick school girl. His lady?

  I could only hope.

  13

  Hawke

  Even though it meant we would be late, I took the long way around town. Having Jenna pressed to the back of me felt too fucking good to give it up too fast. Her hands pressed into my chest, and the firm press of her hardened nipples against my back left my cock thick and hard. I wasn’t going to make it through dinner without attacking her.