Page 58
Story: Art of Convenience
“Anyway, on a scale of one to ten, where does this rank on the most romantic thing you’ve done for someone you’ve dated?”
“I don’t know, what would you rate it?” Her eyes narrow as she cocks her head to the side. I lean my head back on the headrest. “I’ve never dated before, Camila. I’ve never had someone I wanted tospend all my time with. Someone who I want to know all their waking thoughts. I’ve never wanted someone to confide their desires and fears with me and vice versa.”
“You want that with me?” Her eyes are glassy but her smile is so beautiful my hand itches to hold her face and kiss her.
“Yeah. I want it all with you. I can’t promise that I’ll be great at the relationship part because I have nothing to compare it to. But I can promise that I’ll give you my everything. And you’ll never just be anaccessoryto me.” I grab the back of her neck and kiss her forehead lightly before whispering against her skin. “I see many more dates like this in our future.”
Her body sinks against mine and if I wasn’t holding my breath I would have missed the soft sigh that escaped her mouth. “I would rate it a ten.”
“Oh Camila, I’m just getting started with you.”
Camila
Today is the day.I feel it in my bones. My last interview would normally have been enough to break me. I mentally give myself a pat on the back for showing some serious growth in getting back at it. Physically I give myself a little shoulder rub and do some neck rotations. I’ve been working hard on this presentation—from renovation ideas to projected cost to income and revenue. The last couple days I’ve been up early and staying up late working on this, and I’ve finally found a potential investor for the art studio. It wouldn’t bemystudio but with some stipulations I’ve put in, with any luck I’ll still be able to help facilitate it. This feels like an appropriate small step for me. I would be closer to a job that I love but without the risk of failing and disappointing anyone.
I’ve been living with Miles for a month and a half now and even though we’ve moved into relationship territory, I don’t know what it means for us in regards to our annulment. It seems crazy to stay married when everything is still so new but does going through with it say that this is just for fun, and maybe he still never plans on being married? Either way, I still need to figure out my next move. Whether I’m able to get an investor on board today or not, I’m trying. I’ve missed too many calls from my parents. With only a responding text claiming to besuper busy.I want to get back on my feet and today is the day.
My fingers hover over the keyboard of my laptop as I review my PowerPoint. The familiar ding of the elevator has me poking my head up over my laptop. Miles crosses the entryway with his shirt draped over one shoulder. My eyes instinctively go to his thigh tattoo before I trail his body. His thick ab muscles flex in and out with every deep breath he takes. When my eyes land on his face he hits me with that sexy-as-sin smirk as he closes the last bit of distance between us.
“Good morning.” His wet lips kiss the side of my face and I pull back.
“Listen I love…this,” I wave my hand around him, “but you’re very sweaty.” His rumbly laugh vibrates against me and it’s almost enough to distract me from the fact that I think I almost just told Miles I love him.
“Okay well I’m going to go shower, and then I want to take you somewhere.” I almost don't register his words as my thoughts swirl around my head.
“Don't you need to get into the office?”
“I let Jonas know this morning that I would be in later.”
“Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise. Let’s go shower.” His eyebrows wiggle as he pulls me out of the chair and drags me down the hall.
I take a breath and try to process how I almost just had a Freudian slip.
MILES
“What are we doing here?”
A strong breeze blows past us on the sidewalk as I unlock the storefront. I open the door for Camila and follow her inside. As soon as the door closes behind me, the silence is deafening. Slowly, she turns around to face me, arms crossed and her eyebrows raised. “Miles?”
I have half a second to wonder if I’ve made a mistake or if I’ve overstepped. Truthfully I probably have, but that’s never stopped me before. I take one look at her and I know with every fiber of my being there was no other choice. So I lift my chin and say, “I bought it.”
Her eyes go wide and her mouth hangs open. “What do you mean you bought it?”
“I mean, you kept saying you wanted someone to buy this space and open an art gallery, so I bought it.” I slowly begin closing the gap between us. “Now, I don’t know shit about art but thankfully I know someone who does.” I stop half an inch in front of her, her head tilts back and her wide eyes are a mix of panic and confusion.
“Why would—” Her breath catches as liquid forms in the corners of her eyes. She begins shaking her head and I grab hold of her face to look at me.
“Camila.”
“Why would you buy this place?”
“Because I believe in you. I believe in your vision and I want you to believe in it too.”
“Miles—” she closes her eyes tightly and a lone tear slips down her cheek. “This is, this is too much, not to mention it woulddefinitelycomplicate things.”
“We’re already complicating things.” I shrug my shoulder and wipe away her tear. “And nothing is too much for you.” The tears she was desperately trying to hold back come out in full force as she smiles, cries, and lets out a small laugh all in one. I kiss her cheeks where the salty streaks stain her face. I know just buying this studio isn’t going to erase all her fears and worries, but my hope is she’ll at least be on the path.
“I don’t know, what would you rate it?” Her eyes narrow as she cocks her head to the side. I lean my head back on the headrest. “I’ve never dated before, Camila. I’ve never had someone I wanted tospend all my time with. Someone who I want to know all their waking thoughts. I’ve never wanted someone to confide their desires and fears with me and vice versa.”
“You want that with me?” Her eyes are glassy but her smile is so beautiful my hand itches to hold her face and kiss her.
“Yeah. I want it all with you. I can’t promise that I’ll be great at the relationship part because I have nothing to compare it to. But I can promise that I’ll give you my everything. And you’ll never just be anaccessoryto me.” I grab the back of her neck and kiss her forehead lightly before whispering against her skin. “I see many more dates like this in our future.”
Her body sinks against mine and if I wasn’t holding my breath I would have missed the soft sigh that escaped her mouth. “I would rate it a ten.”
“Oh Camila, I’m just getting started with you.”
Camila
Today is the day.I feel it in my bones. My last interview would normally have been enough to break me. I mentally give myself a pat on the back for showing some serious growth in getting back at it. Physically I give myself a little shoulder rub and do some neck rotations. I’ve been working hard on this presentation—from renovation ideas to projected cost to income and revenue. The last couple days I’ve been up early and staying up late working on this, and I’ve finally found a potential investor for the art studio. It wouldn’t bemystudio but with some stipulations I’ve put in, with any luck I’ll still be able to help facilitate it. This feels like an appropriate small step for me. I would be closer to a job that I love but without the risk of failing and disappointing anyone.
I’ve been living with Miles for a month and a half now and even though we’ve moved into relationship territory, I don’t know what it means for us in regards to our annulment. It seems crazy to stay married when everything is still so new but does going through with it say that this is just for fun, and maybe he still never plans on being married? Either way, I still need to figure out my next move. Whether I’m able to get an investor on board today or not, I’m trying. I’ve missed too many calls from my parents. With only a responding text claiming to besuper busy.I want to get back on my feet and today is the day.
My fingers hover over the keyboard of my laptop as I review my PowerPoint. The familiar ding of the elevator has me poking my head up over my laptop. Miles crosses the entryway with his shirt draped over one shoulder. My eyes instinctively go to his thigh tattoo before I trail his body. His thick ab muscles flex in and out with every deep breath he takes. When my eyes land on his face he hits me with that sexy-as-sin smirk as he closes the last bit of distance between us.
“Good morning.” His wet lips kiss the side of my face and I pull back.
“Listen I love…this,” I wave my hand around him, “but you’re very sweaty.” His rumbly laugh vibrates against me and it’s almost enough to distract me from the fact that I think I almost just told Miles I love him.
“Okay well I’m going to go shower, and then I want to take you somewhere.” I almost don't register his words as my thoughts swirl around my head.
“Don't you need to get into the office?”
“I let Jonas know this morning that I would be in later.”
“Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise. Let’s go shower.” His eyebrows wiggle as he pulls me out of the chair and drags me down the hall.
I take a breath and try to process how I almost just had a Freudian slip.
MILES
“What are we doing here?”
A strong breeze blows past us on the sidewalk as I unlock the storefront. I open the door for Camila and follow her inside. As soon as the door closes behind me, the silence is deafening. Slowly, she turns around to face me, arms crossed and her eyebrows raised. “Miles?”
I have half a second to wonder if I’ve made a mistake or if I’ve overstepped. Truthfully I probably have, but that’s never stopped me before. I take one look at her and I know with every fiber of my being there was no other choice. So I lift my chin and say, “I bought it.”
Her eyes go wide and her mouth hangs open. “What do you mean you bought it?”
“I mean, you kept saying you wanted someone to buy this space and open an art gallery, so I bought it.” I slowly begin closing the gap between us. “Now, I don’t know shit about art but thankfully I know someone who does.” I stop half an inch in front of her, her head tilts back and her wide eyes are a mix of panic and confusion.
“Why would—” Her breath catches as liquid forms in the corners of her eyes. She begins shaking her head and I grab hold of her face to look at me.
“Camila.”
“Why would you buy this place?”
“Because I believe in you. I believe in your vision and I want you to believe in it too.”
“Miles—” she closes her eyes tightly and a lone tear slips down her cheek. “This is, this is too much, not to mention it woulddefinitelycomplicate things.”
“We’re already complicating things.” I shrug my shoulder and wipe away her tear. “And nothing is too much for you.” The tears she was desperately trying to hold back come out in full force as she smiles, cries, and lets out a small laugh all in one. I kiss her cheeks where the salty streaks stain her face. I know just buying this studio isn’t going to erase all her fears and worries, but my hope is she’ll at least be on the path.
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