“Do you want cream or sugar?” she asked.
“Sugar, please, two.”
She handed him his cup of coffee. “Thank you for seeing me upstairs.”
“It’s my pleasure. I wanted to make sure you got home safely.” He took a sip of his drink and glanced around the apartment. He could tell instantly that she had done most of the decorating. The rooms had a feminine touch. Most of the paintings on the wall he guessed were drawn by her. There was a sketch of Brad on the far wall. He saw the many conflicting emotions from the drawing. “Did you draw that?” he asked.
He got up from his seat and walked to the picture in question.
“Yes. That’s Brad. I drew that not long after we moved in here. Brad was going through his withdrawal, and he wanted to remember his battle and asked for me to draw him. I love that picture,” she said. He gazed at her as she tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. The action showed him the scar down her neck. Isaac wanted to reach between them to kiss the delicate curve of her neck.
“Why do you love it?”
“Because it shows him how hard he fought to get where he is today. You don’t know him. He thought he couldn’t fight his addictions, and he did.”
“He sounds like an amazing guy.”
“Brad is. He’s the first person who wasn’t repulsed by me.”
“You’re a beautiful woman, Elle. Many men would see that if you gave them time.” Isaac meant every word. He saw her blush and couldn’t help but smile at her innocence. “Can you show me more of your work?” he asked.
She hesitated, her gaze going from him to painting on the wall.
“You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”
“It’s not that. Brad is the only person who has been inside my studio. I want you to see it, but I guess I’m a little nervous.” She looked so young and fragile. When they were in the hotel room he could forget about their twenty year age gap. She was more mature for her age than most women. “You’re staring at me.”
“I’m thinking about our differences in age.”
“Does it bother you being older than I?” she asked.
“No, but seeing you like this makes me think continuing our relationship is a bad idea. I’m old enough to be your dad.” His thoughts with regards to her weren’t fatherly. In fact, he should be shot for the way he was thinking about her.
“You’re not my father, and he’s a lot older than you. Come on.” She grabbed his hand and led him across the room to one of the doors. He watched as she took a breath before opening the door and flicking on the light. “This is where I paint.”
There wasn’t much furniture. Several canvases in different states of painting were placed round the room. Large windows overlooked the city, and he guessed it was for the light. She pressed a switch for blinds to cover the windows.
He knew why she did it and felt sorry for her. On the easel she was working on he saw a portrait of her. The picture was of one side of her face. The unmarked half. He wanted to get her to paint herself one day. Thoughts ran riot around his head of what he wanted to experience with her.
“Thank you for showing me where you work. I think it’s time for me to go.” He followed her to the front door of the apartment. “Stay here. I don’t want you to get cold.” Noelle nodded her head. Isaac pressed his lips to her, kissing her before he left.
His lips tingled from the contact. Thoughts of her would keep him occupied for the remainder of the night.
Chapter Eleven
Brad waited inside Ben’s office while the other man finished the night shift. Brad knew he made Ben uncomfortable, and it wasn’t his intention to make him feel anything but comfortable in his presence.
The club closed early on week nights, around twelve. Ben left to help round up the customers leaving him alone in the office.
Brad allowed his mind to drift, and he wondered how Noelle would cope with another winter being holed up in the apartment. She looked happier most days, and he wondered who the person was she was seeing. It couldn’t be Isaac as he promised he wouldn’t see her anymore. Ben came back in about thirty minutes later. “Sorry about that.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ve invaded your working environment. I’m thankful you’re talking to me.”
“Don’t take this the wrong way, Brad. I’m talking to you, but that doesn’t mean anything has been rectified between us.”
“I’m happy you’re talking to me. That’s all that matters. I can’t change what happened in the past. I can only show you the man I am now.” He rubbed his sweaty palms down his jeans feeling the nerves gather inside him. Ben could throw him out at any moment, and Brad didn’t want that to happen. He loved Ben and had loved him for as long as he could remember. The feelings inside him refused to go away no matter how many times he tried to talk himself out of it.