We both sigh as I slip out of her. I can’t resist but giving her a little spank on the butt when I look down at her lying there. She giggles, and I grab a pair of shorts and head down to the kitchen to grab a glass. When I return, I find her in her panties kneeling at my most recent painting, a creative I did of the lake during a made-up meteor shower, which is leaning against the wall by the bathroom.
“Whose is this?” she asks, pointing.
“That? Oh, that’s mine.”
“You paint?” Kate asks inquisitively.
“I do it on the side when I’m not taking rich families out on boat rides.” I smile. “One day maybe I’ll be able to do it for a living.”
Kate pins me with a probing look, glances back at the painting, then back at me.
“Seriously? Why didn’t you ever tell me?”
I shrug. “Never had the chance, I guess.”
“This is really good, Christian,” she replies. “I mean…really good.”
I can feel myself starting to blush. I’m really not used to people complimenting my work in person, as up until now the only people who have seen it have been people online from me posting it on social media.
“Yeah?” is my only response.
“Yeah!” she giggles, jumping over to me and wrapping her arms around my waist. “I mean, I know some gallery owners back home that would love this. Is the rest of your work the same style?”
The rush sweeping through me is incredible. No one has ever made me feel this way before, especially about my art. It was always something I did for myself with a distant idea that maybe one day I would get enough recognition online that I would be able to turn it into something profitable.
But Kate means so much to me that hearing her praise is filling me with an incredible sense of determination I’ve never had. And when I look down at her and see her eyes looking up at me, so happy and so encouraging, I know what I have to do. It can’t wait any longer.
“I love you, Kate.”
Her expression changes. Her jaw drops. She looks at me like she’s been waiting for me to say these words.
“I love you too, Christian.”
I take both of her hands in mine and stare deeply into her eyes. “And I can’t let you marry that man.”
“I-I don’t want to.”
“I know.” I smile. “And I also know that compared to him, compared to what you’re used to in your life, I have absolutely nothing to offer you. But I love you, Kate, and I believe that will be enough for us until I can make myself a success. Run away with me, Kate. Run away from it all.”