Page 30 of Shrouded in the Dark

Jasper walked from behind me and knelt next to Cody, copying his pose. “I, Jasper, with the body of a God, will be the best model you’ve ever had.”

I laughed so hard, my sides started to hurt after a bit. Axel stood and went behind the two and smacked them on top of their heads, which just made me laugh more, although at that point, it was more of a rasping gasp.

“She offered to draw me first. So, I am the best.”

I didn’t hear Seth get up but felt him at my back. “Alright, enough shenanigans. Cody and Jasper, it’s your night for kitchen duty, so put away the pizzas and clean the dishes, please.” Seth put his hands on my shoulders as Cody and Jasper grumbled but got up to start clearing off the table. “Becca, why don’t you go relax wherever you're comfortable? Axel will go with you if you need anything.”

I tilted my head back to look up at him. He really was tall. “What about you?”

His hands moved to either side of my cheeks and smushed them together. “I need a shower.” He smushed my cheeks to make my lips pucker like a fish as he laughed at me. I batted his hands away. Seth chuckled as he walked around me to go upstairs.

I rubbed my cheeks when I looked at Axel. He was trying not to laugh, but I could tell he was going to lose. I scowled at him, shaking my head. “Oh, go ahead. It was kinda funny.”

Axel laughed under his breath as he held his hand out to me. “Come on. Your drawing stuff is upstairs.”

With his hand in mine, I followed him up the winding stair case. He seemed more at ease after talking with me about Felicity. I was hoping that while I drew him, that I could get him to talk about her and their relationship. Any juicy gossip I could get to Felicity was my duty as a best friend after all.

He let my hand go as he grabbed my art supplies from the entertainment center where it rested next to the Xbox One.

“Why don’t we go outside on the deck? I saw a nice chaise lounge that would be perfect for this!” I started to get excited to draw him. I was going to use graphite. That would be perfect to get the details I wanted.

I almost ran into the closed deck door because I wasn’t paying attention, but Axel pushed it open just as I looked up.

“Felicity wasn’t kidding.” He laughed softly as he held his hand over his eyes as he adjusted to the sunlight.

“Wasn’t kidding about what?” I put my supplies on a small table that was near the chaise lounge. It might be better to move the chaise than the table.

“That you space out when you start thinking about art.” His light teasing brought a slight flush to my cheeks but he grinned at me. “I am a little jealous, to be honest.”

“Why? I’m a scatter-brain about it.” I went to the chaise to change the angle of the back so that it was lifted just about half a foot up. “Would you mind moving the chaise lounge a little to the left? I want the sun directly on your face.”

He moved around me, his body brushing my side. He was so warm.

“Here?”

He moved the chaise lounge to the left. I gestured with my hand a little to the right until it was exactly where it needed to be.

“That’s perfect right there. So now, just lay down on your side with your arms above your head, tilt your chin, and if you’re comfortable, you can take your shirt off. If you aren’t, you can leave it on.” I stepped back as I watched him lift his shirt over his head and throw it on the ground without missing a beat.

My mouth went dry as I watched him get into position. The spattering of hair that trailed down his abs into his pants was tantalizing. He laid as I instructed and even tilted his head back just right and closed his eyes. His lips looked like they were pouting from this angle.

“Back to you spacing out about art,” he murmured softly as I pulled up a chair to the table. “I wish I could be so passionate about something that I lose all sense.”

I grabbed my 9H graphite pencil to get a soft sketch to begin with. I started at the top first. “That’s not football? Felicity says you’re one of the school's best, like, that they’ve had in years.”

He grimaced for a brief second. “I might be good at it, but it’s not something I want to do forever.” He had a line between his eyes that I made sure to add to the sketch. It made him look mournful and it was perfect.

“If you don’t want to do it forever,” I wondered briefly if he and Seth ever talked about their futures together, “what do you want to do?”

He was silent for so long, I thought he’d fallen asleep as I continued to sketch him. I was making great progress when he spoke.

“I want to work outdoors.”

“Outdoors?” I paused for a second. “Like landscaping?”

“Maybe? I do take care of the gardens where we live.”

My heart fluttered for a second. This big man who probably could easily squeeze someone to death, gardened and enjoyed it. He really was a teddy bear.