Read Taking Her There for Free Online Page B

cry.” He pulled her into a hug, and, despite her anger and confusion, she slipped her arms around his back and held on.
     
     
    Andre wrapped the towel around his waist and leaned over the sink. Great way to start off the new job. Sleeping with your boss. He stared at his reflection and even rolled his eyes. If he somehow got to keep his job after Angel went back to her rich and famous boyfriend, it was going to be damn awkward driving the pair of them around. As tempted as he was to pack his bags, he hadn’t tucked tail and run since third grade. He’d be damned if he gave Luke Edwards the satisfaction. If the guy couldn’t handle Andre’s presence, it was his own damn fault.
    What he really needed to do was get his mind off the woman. Luckily he had a huge painting in progress. Focusing on brushes and a palette full of paint would be just the thing.
    He stepped into a pair of sweats, then pulled a comb through his hair but left it loose to dry. With one more scowl at his image, he made his way to his living area, which he’d more or less converted to his studio. The canvas took up most of one wall. If it wasn’t due in two weeks, he’d scrap the whole project and start over. But he needed this commission.
    Shape, movement and texture.
    Angeline.
    No! Focus. He didn’t need any more gesso, but it was the first tube he could reach. After squirting a generous amount onto the palette, he picked up his brush, just to make himself feel like he was actually working, but the sun setting through the picture window to his left cast a shadow across his canvas. He turned on his work lights and went to close the curtains but instead stared through his window at the immaculately landscaped back deck of Angeline’s house. From his vantage, he wasn’t even able to see the crowd of paparazzi at her gate, let alone give them a sensational story. Thank God for small favors.
    Unfortunately, he couldn’t see if Luke’s Ferrari still sat in the front driveway either, so he had no idea what Angel was up to.
    He snapped the drapes closed, then picked up his remote and turned on some music. Twenty minutes later, he caught himself with a brush full of fuck-me red, without a single stroke on the canvas.
    Fuck. Stop it! He swiped his broad brush across half the canvas, then froze in place as he realized what he’d done.
    Ruined. His stomach dropped, and his blood ran cold. He shook his head, hoping to deny the fact that he’d just ruined the artwork for the governor’s mansion.
    He took a step back to take in all the damage. Yes, something had to fill that negative space, but a bold red line certainly wasn’t what he needed. This was nothing like his vision. But then again…
    Angel…
    Andre filled his brush again and stepped back toward his almost-disaster. This time when her image filled his brain, he didn’t push it away.
    Distortion…saturation…bring the focal point to…here…
    Vibrant.
    Bold.
    Angeline.
     
     
    Andre answered the knock on the door and squinted against the early morning sun. Though he couldn’t imagine who else it could be, he was still surprised to see Angeline on his doorstep. “Angel?”
    She tilted her head and raised one eyebrow, giving him the once-over as he stood barefoot and shirtless. The blast of fresh air reminded him he hadn’t slept at all and had spent the last ten hours breathing paint fumes. He probably looked like hell, but all she did was smile. The beautiful smile that had gotten her that lipstick commercial last year. The sun’s rays highlighted the gold in her hair and gave her skin a warm glow.
    “Andre. I see I didn’t wake you.”
    He blinked, lifting one paint-smeared hand to drag through his hair. “What time is it?”
    She shrugged. “The sun came up about an hour ago. Or have you been up all night?”
    He threw a quick glance over his shoulder. Once finished, he’d turned his project around to face the wall so it wasn’t visible from the doorway. He relaxed