Complementary Colors (15 page)

“You should. I don’t say that often, and when I do, it’s because the mouth I’m referring to is wrapped around my dick.” I slumped to the left, and he pulled me upright. Water cascaded over my head and down my face. “What…” I wiped my eyes. Roy had a small pot in his hand. He scooped up water and poured it over me. “Where the—” I snorted to keep my nose clear. “—hell did that come from?”

“What?”

“The pot.”

“I got it out of the kitchen.”

“No, you didn’t.”

“Then where do you think it came from?” Roy watched me with a worried expression.

I rubbed my face. “I must be blacking out.”

“You haven’t quit talking.”

“Doesn’t mean anything.”

“You sure you don’t want to go to the hospital?”

“For a black out?”

He nodded.

“I’m used to it. I do some of my best work when I don’t even know what planet I’m on.”

Roy dumped another scoop over my head. “Finish telling me about the painting.”

My ears popped under the cascade. “The what?”

“You were telling me about the painting Julia stole.”

“When?”

“Just now.” His frown deepened.

I didn’t want to, but I had to ask. “What did I say?”

Roy handed me a washcloth from a stack on the back of the toilet. “You said you begged her not to take your painting. You didn’t want anyone to see him. It was your moment and the only thing you had to give him.”

I rubbed my face. “Did I say his name?”

“No.”

“I can’t remember his name.”

“Who was he?”

“The boy I kissed. I think I was ten.” I hugged my knees with one arm and held the washcloth to my chest. “He looked at me like you do. Like I mean something. Like…”

Roy stroked my head and massaged my temple with his thumbs. Light purples and scarlets burst behind my eyelids, filling my consciousness with a soft music.

The ghost of a boy long gone brushed his lips against mine. I drank down his sigh, and he devoured my surprise.

“Are you afraid he’ll see the painting? Is that why you don’t want it on TV?”

“No one
sees
what I paint. For the world, it’s all about pretty colors and abstract lines.”

“I do.”

Yes, he did. And for some reason, it terrified me. “Even if I wanted him to, he can’t.”
The piece of plywood covering the well made a sucking sound as we lifted it.
“There’s not enough light.”

Roy held my face. “What do you mean?”

I leaned closer to Roy. “I’m not allowed to talk about it.”

“Why not?”

“Bad things happen. Terrible things.”

“What kind of things.”

“Please Julia, don’t leave me.”

“Maybe a few weeks in here and you’ll learn to keep your mouth shut.”

“Paris?”

A heavy weight I hadn’t felt in years shifted inside my chest. I put my finger on my lips. “Shhh—you’ll wake it up.”

“What?”

It was right there. All I had to do was open my mouth. I looked for something to grab hold of. “I’d like to get out now.”

He searched my face.

“Please. I’m tired.”

“All right.” Roy helped me stand.

As I stepped from the tub, my foot caught the edge and I slammed into his chest. Water from my body soaked his shirt. His muscular arms turned to concrete under my hands. Trapped in his embrace, the beat of his heart thumped against my ear. I longed for the studio so I could paint the moment.

“You okay?”

“I’m fine. Just slipped.” I tilted my chin up, and it put my mouth close to his.

The tendons along Roy’s neck strained with the effort to swallow.

I ran a finger down one of the tight cords. “You want me.”

He clenched his eyes shut.

“I can see it.” I inhaled. “I can smell it.” I molded my body to his. His breathing hitched, and his grip tightened. In the depths of his green eyes boiled feral lust. I draped an arm over his shoulder and licked a line along his jaw to the soft spot under his ear. I exhaled against his skin.

“Don’t be ashamed.” I brushed my lips against the shell of his ear. “Whatever you’re thinking. Whatever fantasy is playing in that head of yours. Let it go. Play it out.” He gave me the smallest gasp when I dropped a kiss on his neck.

Roy ran a hand down my back to the crack of my ass.

I raised up on my toes, encouraging him to go lower. “Touch me, anywhere you want. Inside. Outside.”

For a man with such heavy hands, his caress was feather light. And how he cradled me didn’t match the desire in his gaze. I stood there in the safety of Roy’s arms with no idea what to do.

“You should get some rest.” He took down the towel hanging from the shower rod and wrapped it around me. “After you take a nap, I’ll make you something to eat.” He patted my skin dry.

“Why do you always want to feed me?”

“Because you’re too thin, and it worries me.”

No one worried about me. I curled under the towel, wishing I could disappear inside the folds.

Roy put me in his bed and covered me up. The way he looked at me made me feel so small. He ran his knuckles down my cheek. “If you get cold, just tell me, and I’ll turn up the heat.”

Then he left me there, and I slept.

Outside the cab, the street lamps cut out swaths of orange in the black. Streamers of light broke apart on the vehicles passing by and made stars on the windshields of the ones parked by the curb.

“Are you going to be all right?” Roy said.

To tell the truth, I wasn’t sure. “Yeah.”

“Do you need me to go up there with you?”

I chuckled. “Just because I like it up the ass, Roy, that doesn’t make me a girl.”

His face reddened. “That’s not…I didn’t mean…”

“It’s okay.” It was my turn to be nervous. “I appreciate you letting me stay so late.”

“I don’t mind if you stay the night.”

“Really?”

“I told you to stay.”

“If I do, are you going to sleep on the couch?” His silence pushed me out of the cab.

“Wait.” Roy ran after me. “Paris, wait. Please.”

He caught up to me next to the doorway. The alcove we’d hidden in just a week before begged me to enter. I would have. Hell, I would have gladly blown him right here in front of everyone, but something had changed since then, and I didn’t understand what.

I crossed my arms. The few people out this time of night wore the current club fashions in the form of glittering dresses and skinny jeans.

“I meant it when I said I wanted to get to know you.”

“And I meant it when I said it wasn’t a good idea.”

“At least let me take you out to dinner. One time. A real place to sit down and eat and—”

“No.”

He frowned.

“Now if you excuse me, I have a bottle of alcohol and some little pink pills calling my name.” I went to push past him, and he grabbed my arm. Before I could protest, Roy captured me next to the wall. The sudden closeness, his breath against my ear, the heat of his body radiating through the flannel shirt he’d wrapped me in, made my balls ache and my dick hard.

“There’s a nice dark corner right over there.” I grazed my teeth over his earlobe. “I could lean against the glass, and you could fuck me. No one would ever even see us. But of course, you already know that.”

“Paris…”

“Are you hard, Roy? I don’t even have to look to know you are. I can smell you.”

“Paris…”

“Or maybe you’d rather stuff your cock down my throat until I can’t breathe.” Roy stepped back. The lust in his eyes disappeared under something resembling hurt.

“I should go,” I said. When I tried to duck under his arm, he lowered it, blocking my path.

“I go to the park every Saturday around seven,” Roy said. “I sit over by the fountain near all the dogwood trees.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“I think you know why.”

“Then you’re going to be disappointed.”

He tilted my chin up. I thought he was going to kiss me, but he caressed my cheek. I knew what the hell to do with his mouth, but Roy’s concern confused me.

“Seven o’clock.” He walked back to the cab.

“I’m not coming.”

“Over by the fountain.”

“I told you I won’t be there.”

“Under the dogwoods.”

“Goddamn it, Roy, I will not be there.”

He got in the cab. Mist formed droplets on the window. I thought he turned to look at me, but the cab pulled out into traffic and disappeared before I could be sure.

Water dripped from my bangs and down my cheeks. It wasn’t until it soaked the shoulders of the flannel shirt that I went inside.

Bill didn’t look up from his newspaper when I passed him on the way to the elevator. Closed inside the small box, Roy’s scent thickened. If he’d just taken me to bed, everything would have been all right. But no, he had to go and screw things up by…

I wasn’t even sure.

I took off the flannel shirt with every intention of throwing the damn thing into the corner for housekeeping. Instead, I wound up pressing my face into the wad of material and inhaling. Warmth flowed through my body, but it had nothing to do with carnal need.

I missed him. His touch. His voice. The feel of his hand over mine.

The lift doors opened, and I stepped out.

I didn’t even see Julia sitting on the couch. She stood. “I’ve been calling your cell phone for hours.”

“It was stolen.” I left Roy’s shirt on the chair near the elevator.

“Stolen? What do you mean it was stolen?”

“You know, when someone takes something from you that doesn’t belong to them? Sound familiar?”

She followed me into the kitchen. “I want you to know your little stunt back there almost ruined your career.”

I took out the vodka and orange juice from the fridge. “Well, since you haven’t pushed me off the balcony, I can assume you worked your magic and all is well.”

She crossed her arms. “No thanks to you.”

“You never thank me, Julia.” Even when I deserved it. Which I admit, was rare.

I sipped my drink. “Is there a reason why you’re in my apartment other than to yell at me?”

“Ms. Amelia Thorn has invited me to attend a private showing at her chalet up north.”

The people in Julia’s circles never had homes, they had manors, lodges, and…chalets.

“And she is?”

“The President of the American Feminist Society. She organizes a two-week retreat every year that’s invitation only. Some very important people will be there.”

“Sounds riveting.”

Julia sneered. “She’s expressed an interest in your painting from the interview.”

I knew better than to show weakness. “It has a title, you know.”

“A very inappropriate title.”

“My Vagina is not inappropriate.”

“Mrs. Thorn likes it, so that’s all that matters.” Julia twisted her fingers together.

“I like it too. In fact, I think it’s perfect. My Vagina. It even has a nice ring to it.” I swirled my drink in between sips.

A tick jumped in Julia’s jaw.

“If she buys it, maybe she’ll enter it into the Women’s Choice awards.” I gave a dramatic sigh. “Just think, Julia. If she did, My Vagina could be seen by people from all over the world.” I emptied my glass. “And God, what if it won?”

Greed and revulsion fought a battle in Julia’s expression.

“Is there a reason you don’t like the title?” I tried not to smile. But not too hard.

“It’s vulgar.”

“What’s vulgar?”

“That word.”

“You think the word vagina is vulgar?”

“It’s not a word to be thrown around in mixed company.”

“Why not? It’s a medical term. If I’d named the painting My Pancreas or My Lungs, you wouldn’t be offended.”

“It’s not the same.”

“It is.”

“No, it’s not.”

“You really can’t say it, can you?”

She narrowed her eyes at me.

“You can’t say the word vagina.”

“That’s irrelevant.”

“Now, Julia.” I crossed my arms and gave her a long look. “Need I remind you that you actually have one of those?”

She jerked her chin up. “I’ll be leaving tomorrow afternoon.”

“C’mon, Julia. Say it.”

“I’ll call you when my plane lands.”

“Vagina.”

She glared.

“Vagina.” I sang it like an injured seagull.

“Stop it, Paris.”

“Va-gi-na.”

“Paris.”

“Say it with me, Julia. Just once.” I loved the rage burning in her eyes. I loved the jump of her pulse in her neck.

“I will do no such thing.”

“Vagina.”

“Last warning, Paris.” She clenched her hands.

The smile on my face was slow to form, and it was as satisfying as drawing out a wicked blade.

I met Julia’s gaze, and said, “Vagina.”

She charged me. I ducked to cover my face, and she landed the blow to my ribs. A kick to my legs took me to the floor. Another shockwave blew through my lower back and was followed by a searing burn in my knee.

Two or three more punches to my shoulders and back and she quit. The deep throbbing left behind guaranteed bruises.

“Get up.”

I unwound myself. A sharp jab in my side made me gasp.

Julia hobbled over to the counter. “Just great.” She took off her shoe. The heel flopped from the end. “Do you have any idea how much these cost?”

“Maybe you shouldn’t kick me. Then they wouldn’t break.” I stood, and my knee screamed.

“I was going to wear these to the retreat. Now I’ll have to go by Raphael’s and get another pair. And you’d better hope they still have them.” She threw her shoes into the sink. “Now thanks to you, I’ll be up all night packing so I can make my flight.” She walked out of the kitchen. A few seconds later, the elevator dinged.

I counted to three and then at the top of my lungs yelled, “Vagina.”

As I put on a pair of black jeans and a dark blue cashmere sweater, I told myself I was not going to the park. No matter how many times I said the lie, out loud or in my head, I’d yet to believe it.

I found a pair of ankle boots in the back of the closet. I had no idea where they came from, but they were fur lined, it was cold outside, and I despised wool socks no matter how warm they were.

What if Roy didn’t even show up?