“You really don’t wear shoes, do you?”
“Nope,” she said before sipping the lemonade. “Where were you last taking pictures?”
“Iraq.”
The swift reply brought her up short. The topic was obviously off-limits, and she didn’t know him well enough to pry. The wooden step eased as he shifted his weight. When his thigh brushed against the side of her leg, she wanted to jump like a wildcat. The slight feeling rocked to her core and made her whole body blush with want. She set the glass on the step and raised her bottom to sit on her hands. She wanted to cross her legs, but knew Tony wouldn’t have approved. Lily remained silent, keeping a tight rein on her thoughts as Adam ran his hand through his thick dark hair.
“He had some rather interesting paintings in the back closet.” Adam looked at her, letting the evening shadows catch the true features of his handsome face.
The strong jaw, lightly peppered with dark whiskers from where he hadn’t shaved, made her want to run her palms over the prickly skin. Vibrant emerald eyes with a touch of weakness from the day’s tensions stared at her as if he were peering deep into her thoughts. Firm lips, curled in a devilish grin, toyed with her. She had to control her eyes better.
“Oh?” she asked.
“Yes. Were you aware my brother painted you?”
Lily’s palms started to sweat. She put her hands in her lap and clasped them tightly together in an effort to stifle their trembling. What had Nicholas done? “I’m sure it wasn’t me. Nicholas had people over all the time to use as models. It’s probably one of them.”
“Maybe so, but it sure does look like you.” The mischievous grin remained on his face. “Lily, I want to ask you for a favor. If I wanted to stay the remainder of the summer, would it be possible? I’d insist I pay rent. I can double whatever Nick was paying. I’d like to take some time off, and this would be as good a place as any to get away.”
“Are you sure you want to do that?” Why did the idea excite her as much as frighten her? Would Tony approve? “I mean, Nicholas said you’re a world traveler. You’d probably be bored out here in the middle of nowhere.”
He stood up and descended the few steps to the grass. “I’ll pay you double. That’s my offer.”
Had she insulted him? Lily was so used to Tony’s even temper, the fact that Adam could change his emotions so quickly made her uneasy. It’d been too long since she’d been around a man other than Tony. The fact that her thoughts even toyed with too long made her nervous. Last time she was involved with a man, it turned out to be embarrassing and disastrous. The only compensation she walked away with was a tattered pride and the flat-screen TV.
“You don’t have to pay double. Nicholas only paid half the time anyways,” she said. “I don’t need the money. You’re welcome to stay.”
“You don’t need the money?” The deep laughs coming from him made his shoulders lift, calling Lily’s attention to their chiseled shape.
“I’m doing fine was all I meant.” Lily felt the heat rise in her cheeks. “If you need to use my car to run into town to get supplies, you’re more than welcome to use it.”
“Thanks. I’ll take you up on the offer.” He rubbed the back of his neck and started to leave. “You know…” He turned around. “I’m sure it’s you. In the paintings, I mean. He couldn’t have painted such emotion into someone he barely knew.”
Lily bowed her head to avoid his inquisitive stare. A tingling flutter began in her belly and spread all the way to her fingertips. She wanted to itch her skin to try to get the feeling out. Surely Nicholas hadn’t painted her. There was nothing special to prompt him to want to use her as a muse. But, oh God, what if he did? She could only pray the paintings were of her laughing or digging in the garden. The art had to be something benign. Please, oh please, let it be something benign.
“I guess I’d better get back,” Adam said, pulling her out of her thoughts. “There’s a lot to get started on. Have a good night.”
“Good night.” Lily waited until he was well down the path before exhaling.
If Nicholas in fact had painted her, well—it would make her more exposed than ever. She’d spent a great deal of time naked when Nicholas was hanging out. Her curves never bothered him. He always said she was pleasing to his artist’s eye, but there was never any sexual attraction there. On one hot afternoon she remembered Nicholas wanting a picture taken of the two of them. The day was blistering hot. Tony had come over, and Nicholas had him take a picture of them sitting on the porch swing.