“Thank you,” Suzie said, looking into his kind eyes. “This is really special.”
“No, I am going to take you somewhere really special tonight. After supper, it is just me and you. I want to show you something.”
“Sounds like a nice way to spend our last night. We have to go home tomorrow already.”
Hugging her tight, he asked if she minded if he spent some time with his dad for a couple of hours before supper. Suzie told him it was perfect because she was going to be painting with his mom. Happily, he put his arm around her and leaned her head on his chest. They sat and rocked, looking out at the rest of the family. After a while, Jeff walked up and sat on the adjacent swing. He and Jared talked and caught up with the animosity of the previous night. In general, Jeff seemed less agitated and Candy had yet to make an appearance, though Suzie was not sure if the two things were related.
After lunch, Jared and his dad headed out for a walk. Suzie found herself glued to the bench swing as the rocking motion felt relaxing. Sometime later, she realized she had fallen asleep and felt drowsy and unsure of time or place. Warmed by the sun, she stretched and sat up. The sun was getting lower in the sky and Suzie figured it was at least four, or around four as Helen had put it. Heading to the kitchen for a drink, Suzie confirmed it was past four and noted the whole cabin was silent. The older two brothers had just headed out and the rest of them must be hiding somewhere. Thirst quenched, Suzie slipped out the door and followed the stone path to the studio.
The door to the studio was wide open and Suzie could hear music coming from within. It seemed a little too hard rock for Helen but this family seemed full of surprises. Stepping through the door, Suzie smelled the wet paint and looked toward a large canvas. It was unlike any of the others she had seen Helen paint. It was bright, yet dark, emotional and simple. It was one hand covering another, but it went deeper, with the color adding texture and layer. Suzie was entranced by it and was only half done. Behind her a door opened and a shadow moved behind her. Suzie turned smiling. Her mouth dropped into an oh of surprise as Jeff, covered in paint, walked up behind her.
“You’re not Helen,” Suzie said slowly, looking from Jeff to the painting and back.
“Not even close,” Jeff said, picking up his palette and brush and adding to the painting. “She has not been out here yet today.”
“You painted this?” Suzie asked, in awe.
“I am painting it, yeah.” Jeff looked at her puzzled. “Can you not tell anyone you saw me out here though? No one but Mom knows I paint. It is not something I like to share.”
Suzie was surprised by the question as Jeff had not seemed like the type to care what others thought. Nor did he seem like the expressive artist type, come to think of it. “Sorry, yeah. I can go. I was just here to meet Helen,” Suzie said, backing towards the door.
“No, Mom told me you’d be here. I meant to leave earlier, just got carried away.”
“It’s gorgeous,” Suzie said, gasping again at the beauty and raw emotion of the painting.
Jeff laughed and stared at her. “Well come on then, the other easel is still set up; you are here to paint aren’t you?”
Suzie nodded and stepped in front of the easel she was using the previous day. She could feel Jeff standing close by though she could not see him. His painting was less powerful close up and provided a barrier and something to look at other than Jeff’s piercing eyes. Painting silently side by side, Suzie was nowhere near as relaxed as she had been the previous day. Wiggling with pent up energy and feeling a strange new vibe from Jeff, Suzie was uncomfortable. It was an arousing discomfort that made her squirm and reminded her vaguely of her dream the first night she stayed here. Biting her lip and forcing herself to look at her painting, she argued with herself about what she was feeling.
Finally, too riled up to sit still, Suzie crossed the room for a drink of water. Now, standing behind Jeff she did not feel quite so out of breath. She watched him paint and was fascinated by how graceful his thick fibrous arms were as he danced the brush strokes on the canvas. He turned and caught her watching him. She froze as he stared into her eyes, turning the light tickle inside her into a wave of urgent desire. Jeff stretched, still looking at her and stepped back to put down his brush, then he walked over to her. Suzie forced herself to stare at the painting, shocked and unsure at what was going on inside her.
“Hey, am I talking to myself here?” Jeff repeated his question and found Suzie completely unresponsive, focused simply on one goal. Jeff grabbed Suzie’s arm. “Are you okay?”
A shock of electricity surged through both of them as Suzie was able to murmur, “Yes.”
Moving in front of Suzie he put one arm on either side of her, pinning her to the wall. Jeff lowered his gaze, his dark eyes meeting hers. “What are you doing to me?” he growled, his voice low and close.
Suzie licked her lips. She could hear his deep breathing inches away from her, she could feel his heat and smell him but above all else was this electric current drawing her to him. He was all wrong but she wanted him to make her his. A small moan escaped her lips and she brought her hand to her mouth. Still, with no movement but the eyes, Jeff seemed to be having an internal struggle. His breathing got deeper and Suzie moved her hand to touch his face. Moving his face, he kissed her hand and then pushed it aside with his cheek. Stepping closer, Jeff kissed her forehead, smelling her hair and then tilting her face to meet his; he kissed her hard on the mouth and pushed her up again
st the wall. Suzie opened her mouth, her tongue seeking and exploring his mouth. Pulling away with a gasp, she whispered, “No.”
Standing still, Jeff didn’t move. He stood with an arm on either side of her, keeping Suzie pinned to the wall. Her eyes were wide and unsure, like a deer in the headlights. Her mind was panicking, what was she doing here? What was Jeff doing here? He knew she was with Jared, why had he kissed her? Wait, didn’t she touch him first and what was this strong underlying current, sizzling between them? Suzie took a breath.
At that moment, there were footsteps coming up to the studio. Jeff stepped away from her and turned to the door. Helen entered, flushed and out of breath.
“What are you still doing here?” she asked him, and then she spotted the painting he had been working on and gasped. Grabbing his arm, she dragged him over to it. “Jeff. This is amazing. You have a natural raw talent. Why don’t you paint more? Come out here more often, or better yet go to Jacquie’s studio in the city, she…”
Jeff cut her off. “Enough Mom. Nobody knows I paint except you and it is going to stay that way. Besides, Suzie has been waiting over an hour for you so I am going to leave you two alone.”
“Gosh, Suzie I did not even see you there, I assumed I missed you. I am so sorry.” While Helen explained to Suzie why she was late, Jeff gathered his things to leave.
“I was not here today. Got it?” he told them both.
“If you insist, but we are not done talking about this,” Helen said sternly. Suzie could only nod, her mouth agape as he walked out the door.
Instead of painting, Suzie helped Helen clean the studio, put away paint and brushes. All the while, Helen showed Suzie artwork and chatted about painting, nonchalantly describing Jeff as a tough guy with the soul of an artist, though he tried to bury it. Suzie smiled and responded when appropriate, or she tried to. Inside she was freaking out and wanted to run. If only she would have walked away when she saw Helen was not there. If only she had not touched him, kissed him. Trembling as she thought of that kiss, of his muscled arms holding her captive, she mumbled something about needing some fresh air and went outside.
Suzie walked down the trail behind the studio. After she had distanced herself and was surrounded by trees, she sat on a log. Gasping deep breaths she tried to regain her composure. In a minute she would have to make her way back to the house for supper. After supper, Jared was taking her somewhere special. How could she tell him she kissed Jeff? How could she hurt him? Standing up quickly, Suzie jogged a short distance for an energy release, knowing she had to face everyone; she turned around and walked back the way she came.