“What was that for?” Safire asked after their kiss had ended.
“I don’t know,” Darien said. “I’m just glad you’re here. You’re more beautiful than anything I could ever create.”
Safire was touched by his earnestness and reached up to cup his cheek. “These are wonderful, so that’s really saying something.”
As they were about to kiss again, a couple walked in. Safire smiled and turned back to the room. Darien held her from behind, put his chin on her shoulder and looked with her.
“Yes, the theme,” he said. “This room doesn’t have one. It’s miscellaneous—one to grow on.”
It was after seven, and people had started arriving, so the owner called Darien to come greet guests. Darien took Safire’s hand and obeyed, and he kept her hand all night, except when she pulled away to hug someone or talk to someone, as when her family came—Angelina, Jeremy, Philly and Alex. Her friends had also started arriving, as well as people from Benson and Hines. People also came from Jeremy’s job—doctors and nurses—and from Angelina’s—professors and staff. And Jeremy’s friends also came, including ones Safire had met.
“You asked all those people to come, didn’t you?”
Safire smiled.
People also came because of Darien’s efforts—students and parents from the Heritage Center, people from its mailing list, people from some of the places he’d sent flyers to, people from some of the places where he’d put posters up, people interested by his ads in the papers and magazines, his brother and mother, his classmates, his teachers, his friends. His mother had even gotten people from her church to come.
Sold signs started going up next to the title plates for various pieces. For Darien, it wasn’t about the money but about the start of his reputation as an artist. The owner kept busy talking up the pieces and the emerging artist, but she gave Darien the thumbs-up sign whenever a piece was sold. Once, she did it when Jeremy was standing next to her. The two men nodded at each other, and Darien turned to Safire.
“You made him do that, didn’t you?”
Safire laughed. “I don’t have to make anyone get your art, honey. It’s good.”
They hugged and continued mingling.
Two of Darien’s teachers came by at one point, and Darien introduced Safire.
“You have a real artist here,” one said to her. Then she turned to Darien. “You have an A for Figure Sculpture. Come get your final projects so that you can put them in the exhibit.”
The other shook Safire’s free hand and then nodded to Darien. “You can also expect an A for your final exhibition. This should have been it. Is this your first real exhibit?”
“Yes, sir, it is.”
“Come see me next term to talk more about the prospectus.”
“I will. Thank you,” Darien said.
Darien turned to her and kissed the hand he was holding. “I have to keep you with me always,” he said. “You’re my talisman.”
Mr. Johnson came by and hugged them both. And Safire got to see Lawrence and Mrs. James again. Her family also came to hug Darien, and some of her friends met him, as well. Camilla gave her a sly wink and held her hand up like a phone, indicating that they would be talking. All the while, Darien kept her hand in his.
Safire stayed until it was time to close. After Darien spoke to the owner, he walked her to her car, and they went to a late supper. Then he took her home to his apartment. With everything out in the open between them, they were free to be with one another again, and Safire drew Darien into the bedroom.
The wall between them had broken apart at the restaurant, and their new bond had expanded at the gallery. Suddenly, they had nothing left to hide. Suddenly, their lives were intertwined.
Chapter 20
Safire had been busy with Angelina all morning. It was her sister’s wedding day, and she wanted it to be perfect. She crossed the vestibule entry of the church as Darien stepped inside wearing a black suit with a red tie. He was her date, so his tie matched her red bridesmaid dress. There were four bridesmaids, and they all wore gowns made of that same bright red chiffon, each tailored to the style of the wearer.
Safire’s was sleeveless and backless, and the top half fit her like the bustier that she wore underneath it. The bottom half was a short, uneven hem skirt that fluttered about her mid-to-upper thighs. All the bridesmaids wore silver slippers. Safire’s were three-inch strappy heels. Her hair was done up on top of her head, and long silver earrings dangled from her ears, matching her silver necklace and silver hibiscus bracelet.
While the bride carried a bouquet of white French roses, all of the bridesmaids carried red anemones, including Safire, the maid of honor. She dipped at her knees in a curtsy when she saw Darien. She smiled at him like a Cheshire cat, and waved on the sly from her hip. Without a word, she kissed him briefly and then ran off to see about her sister.
Darien sucked in his breath at the sight of Safire and didn’t let it out until she had disappeared. Red was a fitting color for her, and that mixture of innocence and fire was captured in her dress and her curtsy, her smile and her manner. He had stood dumbfounded, unable to say a word as she whisked by, stopping only to get her lipstick on his lips.
Now Darien followed the procession of visitors into the nave of the church and took a seat on the second row with others similarly attired. His mother and brother had come in earlier and were seated farther back in the audience.
It was three days after Christmas, which Safire and Darien had spent together—first at his mother’s house with his family and then at her sister’s house with her family and soon-to-be in-laws. Darien recognized the best man, Alistair, and the other groomsmen, including Alex, from the rehearsal dinner the previous night. There was Eddy, the groom’s brother, and Myron and Rudy, the groom’s friends. Alistair’s partner, Reggie, sat next to Darien.
The week before, Darien’s exhibit had closed, having done remarkably well, and the same week, Safire had given her sister’s bachelorette party, scandalizing Angelina with her sexy gift, as expected. Now Safire lined up with Michelle, one of Jeremy’s best friends, and two friends of her sister. Jeremy’s mother was in the audience, but his father was giving the bride away. The ring bearers were Phillip and Tyler, and they were all ready. The violins stopped playing and the organ sounded the first chord, and it began, Safire not far behind Angelina.
As handsome as the groom was and as radiant as the bride was, Safire and Darien spent the ceremony looking at each other and smiling. Darien gazed at Safire over the two bouquets of flowers she was holding—one red, one white—and saw his Safire piece in motion and color. Mostly, though, he looked at her smiling at him and thought about the possibility of their future together.
Safire looked at her hottie and thought about the sweetness and passion of the night before, after the rehearsal dinner. She savored his gorgeous smile and dreamed about what a wedding with him would look and feel like—being filled with love for an amazing man, having his expression fixed on her with that eternal adoration. Could she have a love like that? Could she give it? She thought that maybe with this man she could.
Safire didn’t get to talk to Darien until after the ceremony and the pictures and the toasts, when they were dancing together at the reception.
Held in his arms on the floor of the banquet hall, Safire felt as if it was her wedding, and holding her in his arms, Darien felt like African royalty.
“What are you smiling at?” Safire asked.
“Being with you,” Darien replied, and kissed her.
“We have to get as much of it now as we can because I’ll be watching my baby brother for the next two weeks. I won’t get to see you every day.”
“We don’t see each other every day now, but I’m going to miss you,” Darien said, holding Safire closer. “You know, I can help watch your brother
with you, if that’s okay with your family.”
“You better count on it,” she said. “And they’ll be moving as well, so you get to help with that, too.”
Darien glanced at the bride and groom. “Where will the couple be going on their honeymoon?”
“They met on a cruise,” Safire said, “so they’re going on a cruise at the same time. That’s why they got married right after Christmas.”
“That’s really beautiful,” he said. “Where should we go on ours?”
Safire smiled. She liked that Darien would think of them as having a honeymoon together. “Let’s see. We met at the Law Offices of Benson and Hines.”
They both chuckled, and Darien dipped Safire in their dance. “Don’t be funny,” he said. “How about Palm Beach? That was our first vacation together, even though we argued.”
Safire brought her arm from Darien’s neck and touched his face. “I don’t ever want to fight with you again.”
A shudder moved through Darien’s body, and he was filled with tenderness for this woman. He kissed her briefly because that was all he could do to show what had just filled him inside.
“Thank you,” Safire said.
“You never have to thank me for a kiss,” Darien said softly.
Heat started building up in Safire. Darien’s soft voice always did that to her. She had to shake her head to clear it.
“Palm Beach has sentimental value,” Safire said wistfully.
“That’s what I was thinking,” Darien said and held her.
* * *
Darien caught Safire by the waist before she could sit down and kissed her ear. This made her smile. She poked his hard chest with her finger and turned to him for a kiss on the lips, which he was more than happy to give.
Safire slid into the chair at Darien’s dining table and began eating her eggs and toast. Darien got his cereal and brought juice for both of them and sat next to her. He had on fresh gray sweatpants and a long-sleeved, gray waffle-weave pullover. Safire had on what she wore about the house—blue leggings and a blue racer-back tank top with one-inch sandals. She had just showered, and her hair was pulled back in a ponytail.
“You know,” Darien said, “you can leave some things here so that you don’t have to pack an overnight bag all the time.”
“I might,” Safire said. “And you can do the same thing when you’re over by me.”
“Yes, but we spend more time here.”
“I know,” she said. “Your place is homey, and mine has a roommate.”
Darien smiled and pulled one of Safire’s hands to his mouth to kiss it. “Either one is fine with me,” he said.
Safire stopped eating and leaned toward Darien. “I have news.”
“Tell me.”
“I’ve decided about going back to school next year. I got into both of the programs that I applied to, and I plan to do the Master’s of Science in Curriculum and Instruction in English Education. Then I plan to go to law school and focus on children’s issues and education. I plan to teach and practice law—together.”
“That’s great,” Darien said. “You’ve decided.”
“It’ll take a little while before I’m finished, but—”
“But all that matters is what you love.”
“I love both.”
Darien scooted his chair closer to Safire and pulled her into a hug. Safire had been holding her breath, unsure of how her revelation would be taken. She relaxed into Darien’s embrace and sighed, grateful to have it received this way. It made her surer of her herself and what she hoped to do.
Darien sat back. “I’ve been thinking about some things, as well,” he said.
“Like what?” Safire asked. She wanted to give Darien the support he had just shown her, so she turned to him.
“I plan to put some of my pieces online whenever I can get a website together.”
“Uh-huh. That’s a great idea.”
“It’s not for the money. I have that. It’s because I need to know I can get established as an artist, develop a reputation, a following. If I can do that, then I can open a real shop or gallery somewhere. I’ve already started mapping out the website,” Darien said. “After I finish my MFA, I’m going to start as an ebusiness—both original pieces and some made-to-order pieces, like the lamps. I’d still be working at the Heritage Center and maybe teaching or—”
“That sounds wonderful. Before long, you’ll have a gallery of your own—maybe something in the Wynwood Art District. That would be excellent.”
“Once I get going, I plan to advertise. If I can keep having showings and gaining exposure, it can work—”
Safire got out of her chair and plopped down on Darien’s lap, throwing her arms around his neck. “I’ve seen your art,” she said. “It’s definitely going to work.”
Darien felt blessed by Safire’s confidence. “You know,” he said, “I love having you to dream with.”
Safire pulled her legs up on Darien’s lap, and he pulled her against him, kissing her.
“Are you finished eating?” he asked.
Safire nodded.
“There’s something I want to show you.”
“What?”
Darien lifted Safire and set them both on the floor standing. “You have to see it,” he said.
“Okay,” she said. Safire was intrigued and let herself be guided into Darien’s bedroom workshop.
The shelves were barer than before, but near the center of the room, a sheet covered...something.
Darien didn’t know what Safire would think of his creation, but he took a breath and pulled the sheet from over it. It was the Safire piece, finally fully finished.
The center of the piece was a life-size figure of Safire, and the large surrounding base held smaller figures and relief. It was primarily carved wood, but there was some of everything contributing to the finished sculpture—metal pieces, wood burning, mosaic work, ceramic work, stained glass. Some sections were overlaid with gold foil. Some were painted. Some had inlay work. Some were covered with glass. Various colors of stain were used to give variety to the wood.
“Come,” Darien said. “You have to see it from here—” he drew her to one side “—and here.” He drew her to the other side “—and here.” He drew her to the front.
“Oh, my God,” Safire said. “That’s incredible.”
Darien stepped back as Safire resumed the first station, then the second, then the third. From one side she seemed sweet and innocent. This was because her expression was serene and her hand was open, palm upward, holding a dove. From the other side she seemed sexy and naughty. This was because this side of her mouth curved up slightly in a smile, puckering her cheek, and because her hand on this side gripped her skirt and lifted it up just a bit. From the front, she simply seemed whole—like herself.
“How did you do that?” she asked.
Darien was happy that Safire had gotten what he’d tried to do. “It’s called Sweet Seductress. I hope it works. I tried to capture something of your spirit—soft and sassy, girl and woman.”
Safire bent down and started circling the figure, looking at the base. Darien watched her. The base stretched as wide as the figure was high, and carved into it were family trees, people, relief figures, abstracts—all of this surrounding the central figure, as if she was the guiding angel. Instead of a simple figure, it was an entire narrative, telling the whole African-American story from slavery through the presidency.
“Look at all of this,” Safire said, rounding the figure. “It’s so detailed. It’s unbelievable.”
“I hope you like it. The base took longer than the central figure, but both were difficult to capture.”
“I love it,” she said. “It’s like looking in a mirror and into history.”
Safire came to stand in front of the figure, and Darien wrapped his arms around her, looking at it with her, trying to see what she saw. Safire saw that Darien had understood something of the inside of her, that he had seen her and accepted her. She covered his hands with her own and simply gazed at the piece, thinking of all the time he must have put into it. He must have been working on it when they were arguing and when they were apart.
Darien saw Safire admiring the piece and was satisfied down to the bone. All the work had been worth it if she liked it. No one else mattered.
Darien closed his eyes and smelled Safire’s freshly bathed neck. Although Safire had been the one to initiate their physical relationship, Darien had never been able to resist her, and now that he knew her enough to trust her, he didn’t have to. Her neck had the sultry aroma of her perfume on it, and Darien kissed it.
Safire felt a tingle radiate from Darien’s kiss across her back and down her spine. Then she felt one of his hands move from her waist to her breasts—first one and then the other. Her nipples constricted, and flames shot into her loins.
Darien felt Safire’s hips stir and heard her intake of breath, and his body was lit on fire. His pulse raced and his manhood began to throb. He moved his other hand from Safire’s waist and ran it up and down her outer thighs and then up her inner thigh until he found the center of her body and began stroking her there.
Safire murmured, and her hips began to toil in circles, bringing her both to Darien’s hand and to the sweet swelling behind her. Her sex started to pulse, and she felt moisture soak through her underwear. With his mouth moving across her shoulders, Darien’s hands ravished her until she was panting, until she felt as if she was flying and drowning and singing all at once. His hands filled her with a need so acute that it ached. She couldn’t calm her breathing.
Darien’s body was responding to each signal made by Safire. Every whimper made him jerk. Every gyration made him ready. The rotating pressure of her rump against his groin made him thicken and quicken and leap. When he couldn’t stand any more, he stepped back from her. She turned to him, hungry for his lips, and wrapped her arms around his neck. He lifted her against his body, and she moaned. Then he lifted her off the ground and carried her to his room.
Captivated Love Page 20