Page 11 of The Artist

She continued painting, adding trees, rocks, and a small stream.That was on top of the snow she’d put in first.She made the trees, both trunks and branches, look like they had been covered with a light dusting of snow.Then she added a cabin with a wide porch around it and stairs up to the porch.To this she placed a blanket of snow on the roof of both the cabin and the porch and on the steps of the stairs.Last, she painted a full moon, which bathed everything in a silvery light.

While she painted, Peter brought her more coffee and scrambled six eggs for their breakfast.He made her quit painting long enough to eat the eggs.

Then she was back to it.She painted for the rest of the day without stopping except to relieve herself.

Finally, she placed her palette and brushes on the table, stood back and stared at her creation.Then she turned to Peter, lifted onto the balls of her feet, and kissed his cheek.“Thank you.Though I’m more tired than I’ve ever been after painting, this is the best painting I’ve ever done.I know it’s a simple landscape, but it’s so much more.”

Red crept up Peter’s neck, and he ran a hand through his hair.“You’re right.It is more because you put your heart into it.And you’re welcome.”

“Now, I know why you like to teach.You’re very good at it.We’ve been at this for hours and yet I still feel exhilarated.”

He nodded.“That’s the way I feel.When you’re painting something like this, something that is so beautiful it makes you weep, you feel all your emotions right under the skin as though they are there, waiting to be touched and petted.”He placed his hands on her waist.

She didn’t back away.

He pulled her flush against his body.“Stop me now, Alexis, if you don’t want this.”

In response, she lifted her arms and ran her hands through his dark brown hair before wrapping her arms around his neck.

He lowered his head, his lips crashing onto hers.

The ferocity with which he kissed her should have frightened her, but it didn’t instead, she felt a zing and tightened her hold, kissing him back just as ferociously.Ridding herself of her loneliness in one intense kiss.

Their tongues collided and played, circling while drinking from each other as though they were dying of thirst.

He was the sweetest water she’d ever tasted, and she craved more.

When they finally pulled apart, they were both out of breath.

Peter kept his arms around her waist.“I shouldn’t have done that but I can’t be sorry.”

She smiled up at him and ran her right hand through his hair again.The texture was silky to her touch.“I’m not sorry, but?—”

He loosened his hold.“I know.We can’t do this.We still have days here together and as much as I’d like to spend them in bed making love to you, I can’t.We can’t.You know that.”

“I do.I want to have a professional relationship with you, and I don’t do hookups.”

“I definitely don’t want just a hookup, and I don’t want just a professional relationship, either.I want more.We have the opportunity to get to know each other without societal expectations because we’re stuck here for the next few days.I’m just Peter and you’re just Alexis.Nothing else.What do you say?”

She pushed away from him, and he released her.“I’d like that.No expectations.No gallery.Nothing but two people together for a while.”

“We should fix dinner since we haven’t eaten at all today.I don’t suppose you have a bottle of wine, do you?”

“I do.I also have some more of the venison stew from last night to heat up.”She walked into the kitchen, pulled a large pot from the refrigerator, and set it on a burner of her gas stove before turning the flame to high.

“That was really good last night.You must have made a pot full.”

“I did.I tend to cook a lot and eat it until I’m sick of it and freeze the leftovers.I’m glad I don’t have to do that this time.Tonight we’ll finish whatever is left.”

She brought bowls, soup spoons and wine glasses to the table.Then she cut some of the remaining French bread into fat slices, set them in a basked lined with a cloth napkin and folded the corners over, covering the bread.Then she set the butter on the table and set a large trivet in the middle.Once the stew was heated through, she set the pot on the trivet.And retrieved a ladle from one of the kitchen drawers.

“The stew will be better tonight.It’s always better the second day.”

Peter grinned.“I know, you make my kind of stew.I’m a carrots and gravy person, too.”

Alexis ladled both of the bowls full of the savory meal.

Peter poured them both a glass of the dark, burgundy-colored Malbec wine.“This wine is perfect for this meal.”