The Painter's Passion

by Dr. Rebecca Sharp

  Without a single, self-conscious thought, she walked over to the shower and slid the door open; the sound and the rush of cold air had Pierce spinning around in an instant.

  “What the—” His curse halted at the sight of her, a new one forming on his lips. “Christ, Ana.” His black gaze ran up and down the length of her and she could see his desire spark and ignite down his entire body. Before her eyes, his body came alive just at the sight of her and she’d never felt so powerful.

  Her nipples tightened and her desire pooled between her thighs, making her skin moist.

  “Mind if I join you?” she asked coyly.

  “As if I’d let you go now,” he bit out, stepping back so that she could enter.

  Her feet touched on the warm, wet tile floor, sliding the glass door shut behind her. Her hands remained behind her back as he stepped towards her, his hands clasping her face and his lips crushing hers.

  “So fucking gorgeous.” And she believed him.

  His tongue dove into her mouth as his arms came around her, hers rising to lock around his neck. It only took seconds of being against him for her to become drenched – and not just from the water of the shower. His arousal that hadn’t been there a second ago now pressed demandingly into her stomach as he devoured her mouth.

  One hand sank into her shoulder, while the other dropped to the soft flesh of her ass, pulling her as close to him as was physically possible.

  She gasped as she was then spun around, his mouth biting into her neck.

  “What are you doing to me, Princess?” He sucked the soft skin into his mouth.

  “Everything,” she exhaled as his hand closed over her breast, feeling him groan against her.

  “What do you want me to do to you?” he whispered in her ear.

  “Everything.” His name then escaped her lips as the fingers on his other hand sank into her core, teasing the sensitive, aching flesh between her thighs.

  His mouth continued its torturous trail down her neck and shoulders, his hands simultaneously teasing her nipple and her clit. She moaned, her head falling back on his shoulder, the water from the shower running down her chest. Her hips undulated against his hand, both begging for more and teasing his erection that was cradled in her ass.

  “Fuck,” he rasped. Both of his hands moved to clasp her waist. “Bend over, Princess.”

  Following the pressure from his hands, she tipped her torso forward, her hands resting on the cool glass of the shower door.

  One of his hands slid back down between her thighs, teasing her swollen flesh again as she felt the hard head of his arousal pressing at her entrance.

  “Everything…” she heard him muttered as he thrust inside of her, filling her completely.

  She whimpered at the welcome invasion, feeling the tip of him pressing against the deepest part of her, deliciously stretching her aching inner muscles.

  With one hand anchored on her waist and the other rubbing mercilessly over her core, he began to pound into her. Her hands on the shower door caused it to shake with the force of his thrusts; she was afraid that it might break, their movements becoming more frenzied as he brought them closer to release.

  The feel of the water showering down on them only served to overwhelm every other sense of her body.

  Ana felt her body tightening, her knees locking, and her breath becoming more and more shallow as she hurdled towards her release.

  “Now, Princess.” She exploded, screaming his name as her hips pulled his erection even deeper inside of her, drawing his orgasm from him.

  Her name was like a prayer on his lips as she felt his body jerk into hers with his own release. The warmth of his desire filled her as he continued to thrust into her core.

  When their breaths began to mingle with the soft sound of the shower, Pierce pulled her torso back up against him, the hand on her waist sliding around to her stomach, holding her tight to him as he remained inside of her.

  “If I could stay here forever…” he murmured. The mention of the f-word sending a shiver up her spine.

  Ana sucked in a breath. “I think I’m going to start to wrinkle in a few minutes,” she replied with a breathless laugh.

  “I’d still want you.” His words were emphasized with a brush of his thumb over her sex.

  Ana thought that her heart was going to burst.

  Slowly, he pulled himself out of her, turning her to face him again as he kissed her slowly and softly. “Gorgeous,” he whispered against her lips.

  She stood there numb with pleasure as he reached up on the shelf in the shower to grab another washcloth, lathering it up before gently touching it to her skin. Her eyes drifted shut as he gently washed her body, taking time to clean every inch of her flesh, massaging down her arms and legs, lightly teasing over the aroused skin of her nipples and sex, effectively turning her entire body to jello.

  He dried her off before pulling her into his arms.

  “I don’t deserve you,” he murmured next to her ear, making sure he’d caught every last droplet of water that tried to remain on what was his.

  “It doesn’t matter what you think you deserve. I think I’ve fallen for you,” she admitted with her heart beating up into her throat.

  She’d fallen for him. Ana had fallen for him.

  The overwhelming elation he’d felt was now dimmed by the familiar self-deprecating guilt that had controlled most of his adult life. The devil inside of him whispered over and over again that he wasn’t good enough, that he didn’t deserve her.

  His heart fought back – that wasn’t his call to make.

  He could only try to be the man he knew she deserved and hope that was enough.

  What is wrong with you, Pierce? Fucking your best friend’s sister. You are beyond fucked up.

  His body tensed at the reminder.

  And she felt it. “What’s wrong?” Her tone told him that she was immediately wondering if she’d admitted too much – if he didn’t feel about her the way she felt about him.

  He bent down, gently placing the lightest kisses on every inch of her scar, he reassured her, “Nothing, gorgeous. Nothing is wrong with you; you are perfect.” He touched his lips lightly to hers before resuming his adoration of her traumatized skin.

  “I’m not,” she whispered back.

  His hand tightened on her waist. “You are perfect to me,” he sighed. “Too perfect for me.” He continued to kiss her shoulder all over her scar, feeling her chest quiver as she drew in a shaky breath because of his words.

  They were the truth.

  “Ana,” he said, “we need to tell Morgan.”

  Her face fell at his words, tightening her hold on her towel.

  “Why? I don’t think it’s a good idea right now.” Her voice was quiet, but firm.

  “Princess, he’s one of my friends and I just slept with his sister; he needs to know what’s going on between us.”

  “But what if…” she trailed off and he raised an eyebrow at her. “What if things don’t work out? Then telling him is just going to piss him off for nothing. Not to mention, it’s not any of his business; this is my life and my choice.”

  Anger rushed through him as she blurted out her insecurities, clearly still unsure of his intentions toward her.

  He dropped the damp cloth on the floor, his hands grasping the sides of her face, forcing her gaze to his.

  “Sweetheart, if you think I’m ever going to let you go, you couldn’t be more wrong – and you know how much I love to show you just how wrong you are,” he replied with a seductive smile. “I didn’t just sleep with you, Ana… you know it’s so much more than that.”

  Her big, golden eyes stared up into his, hope sparkling inside of them.

  “I don’t think you realize just what you do to me. I’d give you the moon and the stars if you asked.”

  “I’m just asking for you,” she whispered as her hand came up to rest on his. “All of you.”

  “All of me is all in pieces, but they are a
ll yours.” His lips dropped to hers, sealing the promise in his words. He just hoped that those pieces didn’t cut her up as she tried to put him back together.

  Ana sighed and he knew there was more coming. “I just don’t want to tell Morgan right now; there’s just a lot going on and I’m tired of him trying to control my life instead of supporting it.” She stepped back, looking around for her clothes and starting to get dressed again. “Plus, I haven’t even heard from him again today. I definitely don’t think we should tell him over the phone; we need to tell him together. In person.”

  Well, he couldn’t argue with that, but it still made him feel unsettled to think that they were going about this behind Morgan’s back – especially considering how much she meant to him.

  “I don’t like it,” he ground out tightly.

  “But it’s no longer just you.” Her hand slid onto his chest. “And he can step off of his high hero horse because he doesn’t have to like it; it’s not his life. He should like it if he’s really looking out for my happiness like he says he is.”

  “He knows me. He’s not going to like this at all. You’re too good for me, Ana, and I will be the first fucking person to admit it.”

  She shook her head. “He doesn’t know you, Pierce. He only knows the person you want everyone to see.”

  His head ducked. She made another good point. All of his intentions had always been masked by the selfish shell that he’d encased them in.

  “It’s easier to be broken,” he admitted. “It’s easier to hide.”

  “Maybe. But it’s definitely lonelier.”

  He ran his hand through his hair. “It was never a problem before.”

  “Well, you don’t have to hide from me.” She stopped and put her finger up. “Let me rephrase. I won’t let you hide from me.” That finger then came to rest on his chest. “I also don’t want to talk about my brother anymore.” Her arms wrapped around his neck, pressing herself against him again. “I don’t want to talk anymore. I want you to take me again.”

  He groaned, his body hardening instantly. “Not fair, Princess.” His protest weakened as his arms immediately reached around her, his hands gripping onto her ass.

  “Mmm… I learned from the best.” She reached up and grabbed his lower lip between her teeth, pulling it into her mouth. “Take me, Pierce.”

  “I just did. Twice. I should feed you or take you out or ask you to watch a movie or some romantic shit like that.” His forehead rested on hers, his right hand dipping between the back of her legs towards the treasure that lay between them.

  “You can do all that later.” She kissed him. “Right now, just take me again. I want to feel that I am yours.” She gasped as his fingers found their destination amidst the slickness of her sex.

  “Fuck.” His mouth ravaged hers. Slamming the bathroom door shut with his foot, his hands gripped her waist, pushing her back against the door as his tongue dueled with hers. Seconds later, he had her legs hoisted up around his waist and his arousal was pressing inside of her once more.

  It wasn’t pretty or sweet, slow or tender. Pierce slammed into her with every ounce of desire that he had for her – all of her. And she responded in kind.

  There would be no mistaking just how completely she now belonged to him.

  The door rattled behind them, only eclipsed by Ana’s moans of pleasure as he brought their ravenous need to release. Again. Her scream tore through the room while he latched his mouth onto the side of her neck, muffling his groan into her skin.

  “Happy, Princess?” His lips moved against her.

  She sighed contentedly. “Elated.”

  “You know I could have you on every fucking inch of this room and it still would never be enough for me?” Her legs unlocked from his waist as he slipped back out of her.

  “How do you know?” Slowly, he let her feet come back down to rest on the cool tile floor.

  “I know. Trust me.” He grabbed another washcloth, running it under the sink.

  “I mean…” She grabbed it from him and placed it gently between her legs, rubbing softly over the sensitive flesh.

  She was enjoying what the image was doing to him.

  “I just think that maybe we should make sure before you make a statement like that.”

  He raised an eyebrow at her, a hungry smile spreading over his face.

  Only his Princess.

  Pierce placed a hand over hers that was holding the washcloth, stopping its tease over her core.

  “I’d be more than happy to, but first, we’re going to eat something.” He gave her a quick kiss before pulling the door open, turning her around, and giving that delicious ass of hers a smack as she walked through it.

  He walked into the closet, rummaging for one of his t-shirts. She was already half dressed by the time he found one.

  “No. Take it off.” She looked up as she was about to pull her pants back on. “Put this on.”

  “Tash is back. You want me to walk around wearing just your t-shirt?” In spite of her protest, she took the shirt from him when he stopped in front of her.

  “Pretty sure Tash knows what’s going on. And if she didn’t know before a few minutes ago, she definitely does now. We weren’t quiet, Princess.” He kissed her forehead. “Plus, I’m going to go make us food. You are going to stay here until I get back.”

  “Oh, am I?” She raised an eyebrow. “Then why do I have to put a shirt on?”

  “Because,” he growled. “I’m trying to be a fucking gentleman and if I come back up here to you naked…” He tore himself away from her – just the thought was enough to make his skin tingle again.

  For the first time in his life, he was annoyed with his body’s ability to recover so quickly from sex. It wasn’t usually this pronounced and the old Pierce would attribute it to the fact that he just hadn’t had sex in several weeks. The real Pierce admitted that it was because of her; he wanted to consume every part of her because she made him feel whole.

  “Please.” He was begging.

  Ana unfolded the shirt and tugged it over her head, but she left her pants off, crumpled on the floor.

  It was a compromise that he could manage.

  “I’ll be back.”

  Chapter 30

  Her eyes fluttered open.

  She was dreaming.

  It was an odd thought to have when first opening her eyes, but it was how she felt. She woke up against Pierce’s chest, his arms around her holding her tight to him. She’d woken up into a dream – if such a thing was possible.

  Ana glanced up at his sleeping face, so calm and peaceful – the complete opposite of what he’d been just a few short weeks ago even just being in the vicinity of a bed. She smiled, thinking just how much had changed – how different he was because of her.

  And how different she was because of him.

  She remembered how she’d been yesterday – with the shower and then the bathroom. Never in a million years had she imagined that she would feel so comfortable and confident in her body after what Shane had done to it. Until Pierce. He hadn’t just told her that she was beautiful, he’d shown it to her every time she literally brought him to his knees with desire for her.

  And after yesterday, the poor man would probably need knee-pads.

  He’d made them a gourmet delicacy for dinner last night – which meant mac and cheese. A smile came to her face again just thinking about it. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had it and he’d managed to do a pretty decent job.

  While they ate, she’d asked more questions about his life after what happened with his mom. Hearing the stories of his foster homes broke her heart. Then, he began modeling, using the money to put himself through college, and afterwards, using the connections to get him into the film industry.

  Then they’d talked about her – about school, a little bit more about Shane, about her job now. Obviously, a big part of that conversation also dealt with her brother. A twinge of guilt twisted inside of her stomach
.

  She knew that Pierce had a point about wanting to tell Morgan right away. The longer they went, the greater chance it was that he would somehow found out on his own. But, she knew her brother was far too protective to even think about being happy for her – at first. And she didn’t want to argue; she didn’t want to feel like she was disappointing him with her choice in men again. She just wanted to enjoy this dream – right here, right now. She wanted to enjoy this dream, because for the past three years, that’s all this ever could have been.

  Being with a man, finding one that she wanted to be with, wanted to share her heart, her body, and her scars with – all of these things had been classified as out of reach for her until Pierce. And forget about finding pleasure in sex, forget about realizing that her body was, in fact, made to enjoy this and could enjoy this. That thought definitely had not even crossed her mind. Looking back now, she wondered how, after everything that he’d done, she could continue to believe such a huge lie about herself.

  But then Pierce’s words from last night floated back to her: ‘It’s easier to be broken; it’s easier to hide.’

  She gave herself some credit; she’d put a lot of herself back together after Shane. But for some reason, that part of her was just easier to hide from.

  It hadn’t taken long after they’d eaten before his t-shirt had come back off of her. However, it was in the name of art – at least for a little bit it had been.

  He’d continued his painting of her while she asked him about the Guild, about what would happen if they didn’t recover the painting.

  Morgan.

  She realized that she hadn’t heard from him at all last night or this morning. She needed to call him; it was unlike him not to keep her informed. Maybe she should send Tony to the hospital.

  No, not a good idea.

  Tony knew about her and Pierce and, not that he would do it out of spite, but out of concern for her, she wouldn’t put it past him to mention something to Morgan. No, she needed to go down there and find out just what was going on with her brother and this mysterious woman.