They left the hotel and the party and arrived at his penthouse apartment. The elevator door closing quietly behind them. She took a deep breath, steadying her rattled nerves. His hand at the small of her back guided her through the entrance hall and to the living room.
"Would you like something to drink?"
"Um. Yeah, sure."
"Wine?"
"I don't know, maybe just some water or iced tea."
"Okay. Coming right up." He went to the kitchen and returned with a glass of iced tea for her and a scotch for him.
She was admiring the collection of photographs on the wall, some of them very familiar, since she took them. She didn't know he was the one who bought them, the gallery where she displayed her work, well, more a hobby then work, didn't disclose the buyer. They said he or she wanted to remain anonymous. Now she understood why. Noah was the one who bought them.
Although why he chose these particular ones was a mystery. They were by far her most colorful work, and she would have thought he'd like the black and white collection more, although, they seem to fit perfectly in his living room, as if they brought light and color into the room.
He handed her the glass and she blushed at being caught staring.
"I like how they brighten the room, the color scheme is so vivid. Every time I walk by them they lighten my mood, no matter how pensive I might be at the moment."
It was as if he was reading her mind. When she was developing them and choosing just the right color spectrum for each one, she wondered how she was going to part with them. They felt almost a part of her, and whenever she was feeling down they always cheered her up and pulled her out of her melancholy.
"That's exactly what they're meant to do, what I wanted them to be. A reminder, of happiness, of brighter days, of the rainbow after the storm and the sunshine that follows, that even in our bleakest moments there's a grain of hope, even if we think it's just out of our reach, it's there for us to grasp when we truly want or need it. Also, I like to think, when you look at them they just make you smile. And, if they do that for you, I'm glad. It was very hard for me, to give them up."
"Then why did you?"
"I still have them on my computer and I can look at them whenever I want to. I guess I wanted to bring a little warmth and sunshine to whomever bought them, for someone else to feel the peace and joy as I did when looking at them."
He sipped his drink and just stared at her, contemplating. What, she didn't know, his expression revealed nothing, as usual. He was very hard to read, no matter how much she tried to.
"I didn't know it was you who bought them, the gallery said the buyer wanted to remain anonymous." Why did he keep this a secret?
"Yes."
Yes? What did that mean? He was as forthcoming as ever, and just as frustrating.
"Why?"
"They're an expression of who you are, how you see the world." She was looking at him, willing him with her eyes to share more, even an inkling of his thoughts, to open a slight window into his mind and give her something of himself.
"That one." He inclined his head towards the picture on her right. "You're like the dawn that you caught there. Just emerging, but so bright and warm, tempting me to touch, and yet you're just a breath too far away, just out of my reach."
She caught her breath at his words, but he wasn't finished yet. He guided her to a picture at the farthest corner of the room.
"A rainbow that's about to fade, and yet it still shines brightly. The fire in your eyes, no matter who tries to dim it, somehow, someway, you stay strong. You fight back, even if it doesn't seem like it at the moment, even if it looks like they tore you down, you stand up, your inner strength, your beauty shining more than ever, surpassing the storm your life may become, and emerging on the other side with a smile on those perfect raspberry lips."
She blushed and bit her lower lip. He brushed his thumb across it, releasing it from her teeth's grip, smoothing away the hurt.
She gasped, unable to breathe.
Looking up, she saw his desire, his need increase with every moment passing, and the torturous distance between them getting smaller and smaller, disappearing all together when she felt his breath on her skin, so close, and yet she stood there, motionless, unable to move a muscle.
She wanted this, wanted him, so much. She was afraid to break the spell they were both under. Afraid he would disappear, and this would be but another of her dreams.
As if reading her mind, his words reassured her.
"It's not a dream, baby. This is real. We're real."
He leaned down and softly traced her lips with his. Bestowing a kiss like no other, chaste and yet holding a promise of what's to come. Desire brimmed between them and they were both desperate to quench it.
She lifted on her tiptoes, her hands going around his neck and burrowing in the silky strands. She moaned at the sensation and his tongue took advantage and entered her mouth, mating with her tongue in a dance of passion and desperate desire.
A need so powerful her whole body shook from it.
He felt her tremble and embraced her tighter, his hands holding her close, enveloping around her. His powerful arms a solid reminder of his fierce protectiveness.
No matter what, here, so close to him, she felt his heartbeat thump against her skin, beating in unison with hers, she felt secure and safe, protected from all her fears.
She could finally let go and just feel.
Knowing he was here to guide her through whatever uncertainties she might have.
Her lungs were tight from the lack of oxygen, she needed to breathe, but she would die first before ending their kiss.
A kiss she waited all her life to feel.
He slowly leaned away from, as if reading her mind, but she followed, desperate to feel him again.
"Breathe, baby. I'm not going anywhere. We have all night to explore."
"No, please. I need…"
"Hey." He said softly, lifting her chin with his fingers and looking into her eyes.
"It's okay. I'm right here. We can take it slow. There's no rush. Just feel, sweetheart. Just feel. I'm right here, okay."
She nodded. "Okay. I'm sorry."
"Nothing to feel sorry for. It's just you and me. Nothing to feel wrong here. Just you and me, that's all."
"Okay." She whispered
He smiled. "Okay."
***
Before she knew what he was doing he swung her up in his arms and started carrying her out of the living room through the kitchen and a hallway, up the stairs, through another hallway, all the way to the end where he opened the door to his bedroom.
He leaned down on the doorknob with his elbow and bumped the door with his shoulder so it opened, and he stepped through, still holding her in his arms. He kicked the door to close it and carried her in the middle of the very large room, he stopped before he reached the bed and put her down on her feet.
It was all modern, sleek design with wooden surfaces that radiated warmth. She looked around and found more of her pictures on the wall, these ones were black and white and exactly what she imagined he would buy.
They went with the décor of the room perfectly, complementing the overall feel of the room, dark wood with black and silver attachments. The bedding was surprisingly light though, interchanging shades of brown and blue in the floral design, intertwining with branches of light green and beige.
He smirked at her surprised expression. "Not exactly black satin, is it? Or did you expect silk?"
"Hmm. Something like that, yeah. Just surprised. It's a really beautiful room, very masculine, simple and yet so warm and comfortable and just… I can't find another word other than beautiful. And my pictures." She was without words.
How many of them did he buy? And why? Surely it wasn't just because he liked her work. As if he surrounded himself with them.
Why? To have a small part of her, here, with him, in his sanctuary.
She felt warmed by the thought.
And hopeful, of what it might mean for their future.