by Skye Turner
I check off the final item on the packing slip and look up. I smile at her. “It is. Everything is here and unpacked. This viewing is going to be amazing. The artist is absolutely brilliant.
“Once you give me the placement chart, I can start setting up.”
She taps her dark wine lips and stares at me. “I’ll have it to you after lunch. The artist will be here then and he has some suggestions about where he’d like certain pieces to be.”
Huh? She never allows the artists any say in where or how their pieces are displayed. This is her gallery and while she might be trying and a bitch at times, she’s also a genius and knows her shit. Most of the artists are so thrilled to be asked to do a showing, they gladly give her the control.
I’ve worked here for four years and for the most part, I absolutely love it. She’s an amazing mentor, though her general people skills need some work. That’s why she has me though.
I’M JUST WASHING MY HANDS from my lunch when the bell to the door chimes alerts me to a body in the shop. I quickly wipe them and smooth my skirt as I head out to the floor. A balding middle-aged man is in the center of the gallery, perusing over the art on the wall. He has the look of money about him. Placing my “work” smile in place, I walk over to him. The click of my heels on the marble floor alerts him to my approach. As he turns, I greet him. “Hello, Sir. Welcome to Art-mo-sphere. Can I help you with anything today?”
He glances me over and smiles. “Hello, young lady. We have an appointment with Jaqueline.”
We? What we? I only see him.
“Hello again, Ramsee.”
I whirl as Julien steps out from behind a display near the far wall. I shriek before I can stop myself. “Julien! You startled me!”
He walks over and holds his hands out, gently cupping mine as he says, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”
I pull my hands back and hold one over the rapidly beating pulse in my neck. I exhale and then laugh lightly.
“It’s ok. I just didn’t realize there were two people in here. It was my fault.”
The older gentleman looks from Julien to me and asks, “Do you two know each other?”
Julien chortles again. “Yes, Ramsee is a new friend. We live near each other and both have a weakness for divine coffee.”
The gentleman laughs and exclaims, “Ah, another coffee addict.” He glances at his watch. “I think we might be a bit early.”
Julien is here for Jaqueline’s appointment!? He’s always covered in paint. Is HE the artist?
I cover my thoughts and ask both men to wait while I make certain Jaqueline is ready for them. She tells me she is and to send them in. After escorting both to her office, I head back to the floor and start grouping the paintings I’ve just unpacked. Are these Julien’s paintings?
I look longingly at the detailed brush strokes on the many canvases. His talent is not centered in any one genre. He has landscapes and abstracts and some are impressionistic. I’ve never seen such a variety of styles from any one artist and I’ve worked here for years. There are even portraits and a couple of nudes. As I look at the nudes, my cheeks flush and I remember my fantasy from the night before.
I’m so lost in my erotic thoughts, I don’t realize they’ve returned to the gallery floor until I feel a touch on my elbow. I shriek and jump. As I look up, Julien is once again standing there, looking bemused.
“I’m sorry. It seems I’m an expert at startling you.”
I laugh and try to forget the vision of him nude and in the throes of passion in my head. Dammit!
I cough to cover my embarrassment. Julien notices my pink cheeks. He chuckles, but doesn’t comment.
Jaqueline waves me over. “Ramsee. Come here. This is Julien, my nephew. He’s the artist. This is Mr. Joseph. He’s Julien’s agent.”
Her nephew?! Oh shit! Didn’t I tell him she was a bitch or something this morning!?
Hiding my horror, I turn to the group and smile. “Yes, we’ve met. I didn’t realize he was your nephew though.”
Julien’s brows arch and I see him cover a smirk. “Yes, that didn’t come up. I didn’t know you worked here.”
I cough again. “Yes, well, I didn’t realize you were the mastermind behind this brilliant art.”
It’s his turn to cough in embarrassment. We’re staring at each other, both waiting to see what the other will throw out next. The dance is fun. I’m enjoying it, even though if he tells his aunt I called her a bitch, I’m pretty certain I’ll lose my job.
Jaqueline breaks the banter with her exclamation, “Yes, Julien is a brilliant artist. He’s truly gifted and I’m so happy he’s finally agreed to allow me to host a showing for him.”
I nod as Julien fidgets uncomfortably.
Jaqueline turns to us both. “Ok then. Chop chop. Julien, you have Ramsee at your disposal. Give her your ideas on where you’d like things to go. She’s fantastic at implementing ideas you throw at her.”
JULIEN IS SO CLOSE TO ME, I can smell his woodsy aftershave. We’re bent over his paintings and he’s all business. He has explicit ideas on how he wants his work presented. I can’t help but admire him and I have to admit, his ideas are sound. We’ve laid out the first area and are working on the diagrams for the other three areas before we start setting them up.
He makes one more notation on the paperwork and then he straightens. His back pops and he groans as he stretches. It’s strangely sexy. My hair has escaped the knot at my nape and whisps are tickling my neck. I feel them rubbing as I roll my neck to get the kinks out.
Julien checks his watch and exclaims. “It’s after five.”
My head comes up quickly. Is it really? We’ve been working on this for over four hours already?!
“Is it really?”
He shows me his watch face. Yup, 5:17. I get off in thirteen minutes and I need to turn all the lights down and get the floor cleared for the janitor. He’ll be cleaning the floors tonight for the showing tomorrow. By the time we walk in tomorrow morning, the floors will be gleaming like they’re made of glass.
Julien leans back once more and grasps the back of his thighs as his back arches. His shirt raises and my eyes widen as I catch a glimpse of his sculpted abs. Oh, dear lord. And… my vagina is now wide awake!
Sheesh stop thinking about him like that, Ramsee. You’re acting like a fool.
Oh who am I trying to kid? I want to climb him like a monkey on a banana tree… and I do love me some bananas.
Get a damn grip! Chill the fuck out.
He’s watching my face with a perplexed expression. I feel my cheeks heat so I quickly turn my head. He calls my name, “Ramsee…” and I reluctantly turn back.
He’s staring at me so intently, I shuffle. His face is clear and he looks very serious as he asks, “What were you just thinking of?”
I look away again. “Um, nothing.”
It’s quiet in the building. Jaqueline must have gone and Mr. Joseph left hours ago. It’s just the two of us in here. The silence is suddenly oppressive. Turning on my heel, I head to the door and turn the lock. As I turn back into the room, Julien is in front of me. My eyes widen and a gasp leaves my throat.
He takes a step forward and I take one back. We mirror the movement and my back hits the wall near the front door. I swallow as I look up at him. His eyes are blazing and I’m almost certain it’s with desire.
He leans down and asks again, “What were you thinking of, Ramsee?”
His lips are so close to mine, if I wanted to I could touch them with the barest movement. I swallow again because my mouth feels like it’s full of cotton. All of the moisture has left it and headed down to my nether region. I shake my head again. His hands settle on either side of my head and his groin presses against mine. I feel the hardness pressing against me. A moan breaks free from my throat.
He leans down and stops right above my lips. His breath bounces off of my lips as he groans out, “Am I reading you right? If I’m not, just tell me. I’ll step
back. But, if I am…”
This is it. I think he’s asking me if I want him. I can tell he wants me. I can feel it. He feels… BIG.
I do want him. I’ve wanted him for months. But I don’t know him. I only “met” him this morning. Sure, we’ve spent the entire afternoon together.
Shit, we have a date tonight. He’s taking me to dinner.
What am I going to do?
Fuck dinner, I want dessert first!
Reaching down, I cup him through his jeans. As he gasps, I stand on my tip-toes and whisper against his lips, “You’re reading me loud and clear.”
He slams his mouth into mine and his hands yank the pins out of my hair. My hair covers his hands and he wraps it around them and yanks my head back. I moan as he ravages my mouth with his lips and tongue. His lips trail down my throat as I yank his shirt up. My hands splay on his back and trail around to his abs. I rake my nails across them and he grinds his groin into mine. My legs part of their own accord, though the pencil skirt hinders the movement. His hands leave my hair and trail down my sides. The chiffon of my top is no hindrance to his hands. He palms my breasts and tweaks the engorged nipples through the material before sliding his hands down my waist to caress my ass.
With a groan, he yanks the material of my skirt up until his hands are touching bare skin. My head is thrown back as his face pushes the constricting material of the “v” of my shirt to the side and he nuzzles the cusps of my breasts where they are heaving over the tops of my bra.
We have way too many clothes on and I only want to touch him, skin to skin. Pulling back, I stop his protest with a yank to his hand. “Come on. Come with me.”
He follows and palms my ass the entire time. We get to a back room of the gallery where there are couches. As we reach the first couch, I shove him. He falls back and sprawls out on the cushions.
He grins wolfishly. “Damn, Ramsee. You have some fire. I love it.”
Yanking my shirt over my head, I fling it and reach for the zipper of my skirt. As it slides down my thighs and reaches my feet, I kick it behind me. “I’m on fire for you, Julien. I want you.” I lick my lips before smiling sexily at him. “Time to fan the flames.”
He doesn’t need to be told twice. Lust overcomes his beautiful face. His hands reach out and trail over all of my exposed skin. As he reaches the simple cotton at my hips, he chuckles and when I frown, he yanks them down. Before I can blink, our positions are reversed. I’m the one sprawled on the couch and his mouth is between my thighs. He wastes no time and thrusts his tongue deep into my pussy.
My thighs fall apart and my hands find their way into his hair. I’m holding his head hostage as he makes me scream. He’s lapping at me like I’m the coldest ice cream on the hottest of summer days. I’m screaming out and just about ready to explode from the sensations traveling throughout my body.
Julien is eating me out. In the gallery. Where I work. In his aunt’s gallery.
My head is trying to wrap around the pleasure occurring, but all I can do is scream his name as I convulse. “Julien!” My thighs lock around his head and he continues to lick and suck as I shatter.
My thighs fall limply to the sides as I come down from my high. Looking down, I see Julien looking at me with wetness all over his face. My wetness. That’s me. This gorgeous man I’ve wanted for months just made me scream his name.
Now, it’s his turn. Wiggling my brows at him, I crook my finger. He looks at me expectantly. “Come here.”
He doesn’t look certain of what I’m telling him. “What?”
I laugh and point at my mouth. “Come… here.”
He looks shocked. You want me to climb over you and put my dick in your mouth?”
I nod and lick my lips. “I do. Now… come here.”
He stands up and sheds his pants. He’s not wearing underwear. His cock is large and thickly veined. It’s bobbing and straining towards his stomach. Reaching out, I wrap my hand around it and stroke it a few times. He groans as I pump him and grasp his thigh to pull him toward me. He makes quick work of his shirt and soon, he’s naked and standing in front of me. Angling my head, I take him in my mouth. Hollowing my cheeks, I suck him. Relaxing my tongue, I take him to the back of my throat. Soon, he’s thrusting into my mouth as I suck and stroke. I want him to get off, but I also want to fuck him.
I’m not quite certain if he’s interested in fucking me or just trading oral.
With one final slurp, I release him. He looks down at me with a strained face. I smile. “Do you want to fuck me, Julien?”
He looks taken aback. “Yes, of course I want to fuck you. But we don’t have to… not just now.”
I think about it. “What if I want to right now? Are you down for that?”
He settles onto his heels as his cock glistens from my saliva, inches from my face. He grins and leans down. Reaching into his back pocket, he grabs his wallet and removes a condom. Tearing it open he removes it and rolls it on. I watch in rapt fascination.
Once he’s sheathed, I pull him over to the couch. He grabs my upper arms and pulls me to a standing position before turning me and pushing me over onto the couch. Positioning himself behind me, he nudges my opening. I’m drenched and aching for him. He rubs the head over my clit a couple of times and I groan and snap out, “Stop teasing me. Get in! I want you to fuck me. Now!”
He chuckles and holds my hips before he drives himself into me to the hilt. I jerk with the force of his thrust. Soon, I’m matching him thrust for thrust and pressing back against him as he pounds into me. We’re both loud and vocal in the quiet of the gallery.
Reaching down, I play with my clit as he pounds me and finally I once again start to shake. His thrusts get even harder and he soon follows suit.
As he shouts out with his climax, I hear the chime from the back door. Looking at him quickly, I laugh and say, “Shit. That’s the janitor. He’s doing the floors for tomorrow.”
Julien laughs along with me and scrambles to find all of our clothes. We quickly right our clothes and I stuff my panties into my fist just as the janitor walks in. He stops with a start as he sees us in the room. “Excuse me. I’m sorry. I didn’t think anyone was here. I’m just going to start on the floors if that’s ok.”
I nod and try to smother my laugh. “Of course. We were just going over a few things for tomorrow. We’re heading out now. Goodnight.”
He nods and looks at us curiously but doesn’t comment as we quickly exit the room. I head to the back and quickly grab my purse and Julien and I exit through the front doors.
As we get outside, we both burst into laughter at almost getting caught.
JULIEN WRAPS HIS ARM AROUND my waist as we walk back toward the coffee shop and the vicinity of our homes. I’m staying silent because honestly, I have no idea what to say. I just fucked the object of my infatuation at my place of business and we’ve never even gone on a date. What’s the protocol for that?
Shit. What now? Do I go home? Do I follow him to his house? Do I mention the fact that we just has sex at the gallery? Do I stay silent? What the hell am I supposed to do here?
You just fucked, Julien! And it was goooood! But you don’t know him. Not really. Is he even single?
Shit. Shit. Shit.
There’s a reason I don’t deal with this shit. I don’t know how to handle it!
He asked me out though. Would he have asked me out if he wasn’t single? Don’t be a dolt, Ramsee! Of course he would have. Some dudes don’t care about that shit.
And you fucked him. Shit! What if I just had sex with someone else’s man!?
Julien finally breaks the silence. “Ramsee…” He stops walking and I’m forced to stop walking, too.
I look up with apprehension. Is this where he’s going to tell me that he has a girlfriend? A wife? Shit! A boyfriend?!
He chuckles. “I can read your face, you know?” I shake my head in denial. He leans down and stops right in front of my face. He taps my nose. “I can. I can tell exactly w
hat you’re thinking right now. Just like I could tell what you were thinking at the gallery.”
My face burns as his words register.
He chuckles again. “I’m single. Are you?”
Whew! Shit, he’s single. Yes!
I nod. “I am.”
He leans down and looks into my eyes. “I think we did this shit ass backwards. I asked you out this morning. I’ve been wanting to talk to you for months. I thought you were interested, but I could never be certain. So, I talked to you today to figure it out.
I asked you out and you said yes. I didn’t know you worked for my aunt. You didn’t know I was the artist whose event is tomorrow night. Then after spending the afternoon with you today and then just now…” His eyes light up and fill with mirth. “The sex between us is incredible. We have great chemistry and hot ass sex. We already know that… but now since I asked and you said yes already anyway… Can I take you to dinner tonight?”
Ha. Julien is asking me out AGAIN. Even after we’ve already had sex without him taking me out. Hell yes, he can take me out.
Reaching up, I pull his head the remainder of the way down to mine and kiss him. He returns the kiss before he shivers. “It’s fucking freezing out here. Where do you want to go? We can go to my place or yours. Do you need to change? We can go someplace to eat or order in. Whatever you’d like.”
I laugh and hold out my hand. My panties are in it. “Well, I need to get to my place. I need some underwear and some pants. What happens after that is fine with me either way. My ass is just pretty much frozen right now.”
Julien throws his head back and laughs. The street lights are reflecting off the darkness of his hair and his blue eyes are sparkling with what could be described as happiness. He says, “Well, I know a way to warm your ass up. But, can we eat first? I’m starving!”
I laugh along with him as my place comes into view. I pull him into the elevator with me and we make out like teenagers as we ride to my floor. As the elevator dings, we break apart. This morning, I was convinced today was going to be the day I talked to Julien. Only by the end of the day, a shit load more than talking happened.