Trick lets out a roaring laugh. “Deal, sexy.”
*
Normalcy … we fall into it again even though we both know with Trick’s memory and his past lurking at every turn, our lives could change without warning. I’ve resumed my tutoring with Declan, but it’s now at our place—a compromise. Trick has started a new drawing and while he still doesn’t like to show his work until he’s done, he’s agreed to leave the door to the spare bedroom open and work on it no more than forty hours a week, equivalent to a normal job.
“The gallery just called,” I say with a soft voice as Trick concentrates on his drawing that’s facing away from me.
He glances up. “Oh yeah?”
I nod.
“And?
“I told him I didn’t want him to tell me what it went for so we can find out together when we go pick up your payment.”
He covers his drawing and rubs his palms together with greedy friction. “I should get the video on standby.”
“No, you should get ready to delete it.”
“We’ll see. Come.”
We take his bike to the gallery. Of course I’m hoping I win, not just because I want that embarrassing video of me deleted, but also because I want to prove to him that his talent is rare and worth so much more than he thinks.
“My cock’s hard just thinking about watching that video with you.” He adjusts himself as we get off the bike.
I rub my fingers along my shirt over my breasts. “My nipples are getting hard just thinking about you pressing that delete button.”
He smacks my backside. “Get in there.”
The gallery owner smiles as we walk in the door. “Bueno días!”
“Hi, we left a sketch—”
“Si, I know, I know …” he cuts me off. “I feel terrible. I really wish you would have given me longer than a week. I just know I could have gotten so much more.”
Trick bends down by my ear. “I can just see your hand slowly slipping beneath your underwear,” he whispers.
I jerk my elbow back into his stomach and smile at the owner. “It’s fine. Next time we’ll give you longer. So what did you get off this one?”
He wrinkles his nose. “Sorry, only thirty.”
I try not to deflate completely right here in front of him, but I’m just so disappointed and shocked. I assumed with Todos Santos being an artist’s haven that people around here would have a greater appreciation for something as artistically brilliant as Trick’s work.
“Now, I usually take fifty percent commission, but since I feel bad about not getting more for you, I’m only keeping forty percent this time.” He hands us an envelope.
It’s thick. I open it and count the money. “What the hell?”
“I’m sorry, señorita. I needed more time.”
“There’s eighteen thousand dollars in here!”
“Si.”
Trick grabs the envelope from me and counts the money.
“You sold his drawing for thirty thousand dollars?”
“Si. That’s what I said.” He looks at me with confusion etched along his forehead.
I turn and look up at Trick, wearing the smuggest grin my face has ever had. “He sold your drawing for Thirty. Thousand. Dollars!”
Trick looks equal parts confused and shocked, his forehead wrinkled, jaw slack, and nothing to say.
I turn back around. “Must have been a pretty wealthy person who came in. What are the chances?”
“Oh, no. I didn’t sell it here. I sold it online. That’s where most everything sells. It shipped out this morning.
“Lucky me … I mean, lucky us.” I smile. “Thank you so much. Have a nice day.” I turn and practically have to push Trick out of the gallery. He still hasn’t said one word.
“My hero.” I wrap my arm around him as we walk to the car. “I do believe you just paid our rent, utilities, grocery, and gas bills for several months or more.”
He slips on his helmet still in a daze, leaving me to put mine on by myself this time. “I can’t believe it,” he says with an edge of sorrow or disappointment to his words.
“How can you say that? You didn’t think you’d get more than five hundred dollars for it.”
He shakes his head, throwing his leg over the bike. “I’m not talking about the money. I can’t believe I have to erase the video.”
“Oh my God!” I get on behind him and dig my fingers into his sides until he jumps, bringing his elbows in to stop me.
*
“Do it.” I plant my hands on my hips looking over Trick’s naked shoulder … actually his naked body.
“This can’t be undone. Are you sure you don’t want to think about—”
“Do it!”
He grimaces, pressing his finger to the delete key, like he’s about to end all life on Earth.
And … it’s gone!
“Happy now?” He grumbles, closing his laptop.
“Yes.”
He turns, holding his arms out to the side, palms up. “So why did I have to be naked for this? My request made sense, but this doesn’t. The least you could have done was suck my cock to ease the pain of my loss.”