Beautiful Lies (22 page)

Eventually, I can see the shape of the trunk forming as more shades of brown are added. My hands are a mess but I can’t deny that there is something exciting about this. And something quite intimate. Taylor has never been more than an inch away from me during this whole thing. I can feel the shape of his body pressed up against mine and the feel of his hand guiding me.

“Move like this. That’s what makes it look like it is blowing in the wind.” He says, guiding my hand. He’s right.

“This actually looks good,” I smile, as I look at the leaves that we have begun adding to the branches.

“I told you.”

“It’s only because you’re moving my hand.”

“No, I’ve only guided you. You did most of it yourself.”

“I guess I did,” I smile proudly at the forming tree. I’ve always delighted in the painter’s process, but to be part of it is even more exhilarating.

“What next?” I ask as I see the tree completely formed.

“Now, we need to create the background. The hills...grass.”

“More green,” I instruct.

“Yes, boss,” he teases. I laugh as he passes me a green tube and we get to work.

* * *

“It’s beautiful,” I say, stepping back and admiring the painting. “I can’t believe that we did that,” I gush. I feel so proud seeing it. I turn toward Taylor and wrap my arms around him. “Thanks,” I beam before realizing what I just did.

I’m standing on my tip toes with my hands wrapped around his neck. I lower my heels to the floor and look up into his eyes. He’s silent. He doesn’t utter a word but his eyes say everything. He is staring at me and it is so intense that I can barely breathe. My hands are still loosely wrapped around his neck and I suddenly become very aware of the fact that his hands are wrapped around my waist.

He watches me in the silence and I’m suddenly aware of how heavy my breathing has become. He lifts his hand up to my face and moves the hair out of my eyes.

“I just got paint in your hair,” he whispers seriously.

I shake my head. “It’s ok.”

His hand that is still on my waist pulls me dangerously close and I gasp. My heart is racing and my chest is rising up and down at speed. His breath fans against my lips and I am lost to him. I want him to have me. I want him. I need him. My eyes close and I wait.

“Paige...” He whispers and my lips tingle.

“Yes?” My voice is quiet and barely there.

“I can’t do this,” he says. My eyes open slowly.

“Why not?” I want to scream at him that whatever is holding him back, forget about it, I don’t care. Just kiss me.

“Because...”

“What?”

“I..I...” He is staring at me with an expression that carries many emotions. We both sound like we are gasping for air and neither of us speaks. His eyes are on my lips and I decide there and then that I am not giving up on this moment, especially not for an answer as vague as ‘because’.

“Kiss me,” I whisper. I move my hands to the nape of his neck and pull him closer. His lips touch mine and it’s like an electric surge just passed throughout my entire body. I moan in the depths of my throat just from the contact.
More.
I silently beg.

“Not yet,” he whispers against my lips and I want to scream. I groan in frustration and watch as a smile spreads across his face.

“I got paint on your face,” he chuckles.

“I’ll live,” I smile.

“Paige...you have no idea what you are doing to me,” he says seriously. I have no response to his words, so I say nothing. “Are you hungry?”

“I am now,” I laugh. He smiles knowingly.

“Go and get cleaned up. There’s everything you need in the bathroom. There are towels in the cabinet under the sink, if you want one. Then meet me in the kitchen.”

“Ok,” I nod but neither of us moves.

“Go,” he teases. I snap out of my trance and feel my cheeks getting hot.

“Yeah,” I say, before heading toward the bathroom again. I suddenly feel the cold and wrap my arms around myself, getting more paint on my skin. I can feel him watching me but I don’t dare look back. I lift my finger and touch my lips. Our lips only made the slightest contact, and they are still tingling. I smile to myself like a teenager in love as I replay the last few minutes of my life. I’m probably going to need to make this a cold shower....

CHAPTER NINETEEN

PAIGE’S STORY

I
look down at the paint covered towel lying on the floor and wonder if I should put it in the wash basin or throw it away. I turn to look in the mirror one last time before going to find Taylor. I pick up the towel and finally make the decision to put it in the basin and then leave the room.

I can smell the most delicious scent as soon as I step into the hallway. I smile and wonder if he likes cooking as much as dream Taylor does. I find him in the kitchen fully dressed and setting out food on two plates.

“Hey,” I say, taking a seat at the breakfast bar.

“Hey,” he smiles at me before continuing what he is doing. He has on a pair of light blue jeans and a tight fitting black t-shirt. He looks good. My eyes flicker to the plate and I see rice, chicken and veg. It looks good and if it tastes as good as it smells, then I will be very happy.

“You cooked that?”

“No, I’m just very good at picking the right takeout,” he smirks.

“We all have our skills,” I laugh.

“Come on,” he says, before picking up the two plates and walking toward an open door. I follow him. He leads us to the dining room. I stand at the door and smile. He has laid out the table with cutlery, a candle and a bottle of wine. I guess my dreams weren’t that far off, after all.

“Too much?” He asks, laying down the plates on the table.

“Nope, it’s perfect. It just reminds me of one of my dreams.”

“So I’m living up to myself then?” He jokes.

“Indeed you are, although dream you did all this on a beach,” I raise my eyebrows in amusement.

“Mmm...I’m taking notes.”

He pulls out a chair and I sit. He pours us both a glass of wine before taking a seat himself.

I take my first mouthful of food. “This is good,” I say.

“I told you, I’m good at this,” he chuckles.

“That you are. So, your past is off limits, right?” He nods cautiously. “Then tell me something about your present or your future,” I say, taking in another forkful of the delicious meal.

He looks amused. “Ok, well right now I’m a freelance artist, as you know. My social life kind of sucks and I pretty much spend it painting and going to art galleries. My future...I don’t think much about that. I’m more into living each day as it comes. You?”

“Well, I work in a gallery, as you know. I sell and find new art and artists. I love my job. I adore being around art. In the future...I would love to travel the world. Meet new people; discover new types of art and artists. Maybe even open my own gallery one day. That may be a bit presumptuous though.”

“Not at all. Every successful person started with a dream. Without a dream you have no goal. And without a goal there is no movement.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” I admit.

“I am,” he winks before taking a sip of his wine.

“What made you build a house like this then?”

“I saw something very similar on a trip to Thailand and promised myself that one day I would build something like it.”

“Wow, you’ve been to Thailand. What was it like?”

“Beautiful. It’s like no where I’ve ever been before. It’s almost magical. I didn’t get to see as much of it as I would have liked to since I was there on business, but what I saw was beautiful.”

“It sounds like it was. You were there on business?”

“Yes, I sold a couple of pieces out there. It was an experience.”

“So where did you see the house?”

“It belonged to the man who bought my paintings. It was much bigger than this one and far more exquisite. My house could probably fit in his at least five times.”

“Sounds surreal. Did he have a big family?”

“No, just him and his wife. He has children but they are all adults with their own families. I have no idea what they do with so much space.”

“Perhaps they do a lot of entertaining,” I suggest.

“That would be the most logical explanation wouldn’t it,” he smiles at me.

“So where else have you been?”

“Many places, my family travelled a lot when I was younger, hence why I was home schooled.”

“That makes sense.”

“How so?”

“You seem...I don’t know...experienced, like you know the world. It’s something that high school doesn’t quite give you. Only the real world offers that.”

“That it does. I’ve learned a lot on my many excursions. Enough about me, tell me more about you?”

“What do you want to know?”

“Everything,” he grins and I feel the butterflies swirling around in my stomach.

“I don’t think that tonight is enough time to tell you
everything
,” I tease.

“No...then I guess that I’m going to have to see a lot more of you.”

“I guess you will.”

I can’t wipe the ridiculous smile off my face. I would be embarrassed if he didn’t have the exact same expression. I lay my cutlery on my plate. I don’t even realize that I’ve finished. I drink the last of my wine before noticing that Taylor is just watching me.

“What?” I ask nervously.

He laughs and shakes his head. “It sounds weird but I just like watching you.”

“You’re right, it does sound weird,” I giggle. “But, I guess our whole situation is kind of weird, right? So what’s one more weird to add to the pile?” I raise my eyebrows and smile.

“I couldn’t agree more.” He suddenly stands to his feet and holds out his hand to me. “Come take a walk with me.”

The way he says it excites me. It’s like he’s asking a question that I can’t say no to. He already knows that I’m going to say yes anyway, but asking is just the right thing to do. I nod my head before resting my hand comfortably in his. His hand is warm and he squeezes mine a little as he lifts me to my feet.

“Where are we going?” I ask as we walk out the front of his house.

“Somewhere that you’re going to love,” he smiles down at me.

“Always with the mystery.”

“I thought you liked it?” He teases.

“Did I say that?”

“I’m pretty sure you did, yes,” he chuckles.

We walk down a path right next to his house and I’m longing to know where it leads. I’m surprised to see a whole bunch of trees. I feel like I’m in the midst of the Amazon rainforest, as he clears branches and leaves out of my way. “We’re almost there,” he tells me, as we continue to make our way through.

We walk in silence the rest of the way but his hand remains in mine. We finally come to a part where there are no more trees. I see a lot of rocks on the floor and try to carefully direct each footstep. Taylor’s hand leaves mine and he places his hands on my hips, guiding me carefully between the rocks.

“Watch your step,” he says, as he pulls me on top of a rock. I’ve been so focused on not falling, that I never once looked up the entire walk. His hands remain on my hips and I stand on top of the rock. “I’ve got you,” he reassures me, as I wobble slightly. The rock makes me taller than him but I can still feel his body flush against the back of mine, stopping me from falling. “Look,” he whispers, once I’ve finally found my balance by leaning into him.

I look up and see buildings for miles. It is dark and all that illuminates the sky are the lights from the buildings and the stars.

“It’s like a sea of light; it’s beautiful,” I gasp, as my eyes focus on it.

“I know.” We’re speaking quietly. No one is around but it’s so quiet that it feels strange speaking any louder. “I love coming out here. It’s like my own private viewing of the world, yet no one knows that I am here.”

“I can see why you come here. It’s breathtaking. I could stare at this for hours.”

“Me too. It’s crazy to think that a world that is filled with so much evil can look so beautiful. Standing here all I can see is beauty. That’s why I come here. It makes me realize that when you’re surrounded by bad things all the time, you forget to see the good in something. You don’t realize what you’re missing out on.”

I listen to his words while just staring ahead of me. He is right. It is easy to forget about the good stuff.

“Yeah,” I whisper.

“I’m not used to this, Paige. I’m not used to letting someone in,” he says. I listen to him silently. “But I’m trying. With you...I’m trying.”

“Thank you.”

“I’m not ready to let you all the way in though. I need you to understand that. But I’m not ready to let you go either. This whole thing makes no sense to me...it’s crazy. I just want you...more than I should.”

“I want you, too,” I say. He doesn’t respond. Instead, he snakes his hands around my waist and holds me tighter. I feel his head pressed against my back and I relax. I love this private moment. Just me and him.