As we race away in the car, a storm of anger and fear swells inside me. How could she be so reckless? How could she risk everything like that?
When the empty road stretches before us, I slam on the brakes, my heart pounding in my chest. I throw the...
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I woke up from my nap, feeling a soft, warm breeze through the open window. The smell of the sea, mixed with the faint scent of fresh paint, filled the air. My hand instinctively reached for Gabriel, but his side of the bed was empty, cool to the touch. Smiling to myself, I knew exactly where he’d be.
I slipped out of bed, stretching lazily, and wandered down the hallway of the cabin. The sound of brushstrokes guided me to him. When I turned the corner into the studio, the sight of Gabriel, completely engrossed in his painting, made me pause. He was standing shirtless, his back muscles moving with each precise stroke. His focus was intense, his hand moving with a grace that always mesmerized me. I couldn’t help it—I wiggled my fingers at the sight, like I was trying to physically contain how adorable and sexy he was all at once.
He glanced over his shoulder at me, catching me mid-wiggle. His lips curved into a playful grin. “Well, hello, sleeping beauty.”
I smirked, walking closer. “Hello yourself, Picasso. Sneaking out of bed while I nap? Not very gentlemanly.”
He chuckled, setting down his brush for a moment. “Couldn’t resist getting a little painting done. You looked too peaceful to wake up.” He paused, eyes twinkling. “Besides, it’s not sneaking if you know where I am.”
I stopped in front of him, looking at the half-finished canvas. “What are you working on?”
His eyes sparkled with mischief, and he didn’t answer. Instead, he stepped closer, cupping my face gently between his hands. The moment his palms touched my skin, I felt something cold and wet.
“Gabriel!” I gasped, realizing too late that his hands were covered in paint, now smudged across my cheeks.
He bit his lower lip, clearly trying not to laugh. “Oops.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, but a mischievous smile tugged at my lips. “Oops?” I repeated, stepping back slightly. “You think you’re funny, don’t you?”
His grin widened. “I’d say I’m hilarious.”
“Well, then,” I said, grabbing a brush loaded with paint from his easel, “let’s see how hilarious you think this is!”
Before he could react, I flung the brush toward him, sending a splatter of red paint across his bare chest. The shock on his face was priceless, and I couldn’t stop laughing.
“Tuono…” His voice dropped, playful but warning.
“What?” I said, feigning innocence as I twirled the brush between my fingers. “Didn’t expect me to fight back?”
The next thing I knew, Gabriel lunged toward me, grabbing a nearby tray of paint and swiping it across my arm. I squealed, dodging and grabbing another brush.
And that’s when the chaos began.
We flung paint at each other, splashing it across the room, across each other—until there wasn’t a part of us that wasn’t covered in color. His chest was streaked with blues and greens, my hair now had splashes of orange and red, and the floor was a beautiful disaster of smeared paint. Our laughter echoed through the studio, each splash of paint adding to the mess, each playful taunt making me fall harder for him.
At one point, Gabriel managed to grab my waist, pulling me into him. His breath was heavy, paint smudged across his face, and he looked at me with that wicked grin I loved so much.
“Gotcha,” he said, his voice low, his body warm against mine despite the paint.
I laughed breathlessly, my hands resting on his chest. “And now what?”
He didn’t answer with words. Instead, he kissed me, hard and full of playful heat. His lips were warm and soft, but the cool paint against my skin made me shiver. I kissed him back, melting into the feel of him, forgetting all about the mess we’d made.
When he pulled back, I gasped, laughing again as I realized his lips had left a streak of paint across my mouth.
“Now you’ve got paint on your face,” he teased.
I shook my head, smiling up at him. “Well, so do you. Guess we’re even.”
We both collapsed into laughter again, the remnants of our playful battle dripping from our bodies. The room was a disaster, but I couldn’t care less. Being with Gabriel, having these moments of pure, chaotic joy, made everything else fade away.
“I think we’ve ruined your studio,” I said, glancing around at the paint-covered floor and walls.
He shrugged, still grinning. “It was worth it. Besides, I like the way you add color to everything.”
I smiled at that, leaning into him. “Maybe you should keep me around for your next masterpiece.”
Gabriel’s arms wrapped around me, pulling me closer. “You already are my masterpiece, Tuono.”
At some point, the paint war slowed, our breath coming in heavy pants, and we collapsed onto the floor together, still laughing. I lay beside him, covered in paint, staring up at the ceiling. My ribs ached from the laughter, but I didn’t care. I turned my head to look at him, only to find him gazing back at me, his eyes soft, his expression more relaxed than I’d ever seen it.
“This is what we’re calling a productive evening, huh?” I asked between breaths, still grinning.
Gabriel chuckled and wiped a smear of green paint from my forehead with his thumb. “Definitely the most fun I’ve had in a while,” he said, his voice warm.
For a while, we just lay there in comfortable silence, letting the adrenaline settle. But as I shifted, something under the table caught my eye. A glint of silver—a photo frame. My laughter faded as I peered at it, a familiar pang of curiosity tugging at my chest.
Gabriel noticed the change in my expression immediately. “What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice laced with concern.
I shook my head quickly, dismissing the feeling. “Nothing,” I replied, plastering a smile on my face as I tried to push down the sudden unease. “It’s nothing.”
But it wasn’t. The sight of that frame stirred something in me—a reminder that despite everything, there were still parts of Gabriel’s life that I didn’t know, parts he kept hidden. And even though he had promised no more lies, that nagging suspicion hadn’t fully gone away. What was he hiding?
Gabriel stood up first, holding out a hand to help me to my feet. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s clean up before dinner.”
I nodded, taking his hand and allowing him to pull me up. But as I followed him out of the room, I couldn’t help but glance back at the photo frame under the table. What had I just seen? And why had it been hidden there? The thought lingered in my mind, even as Gabriel led me down the hall toward the bathroom.
When we reached the bathroom, he surprised me by lifting me effortlessly into his arms, carrying me bridal style. I let out a small gasp, more out of surprise than anything else, and instinctively wrapped my arms around his neck.
“Gabriel!” I protested, half-laughing, half-serious. “You can’t just carry me around like this!”
He grinned, his eyes glinting with mischief. “Why not? I think I’m getting used to it.”
I rolled my eyes, though my heart fluttered a little at how natural it felt to be in his arms. But even as I rested my head against his shoulder, the thought of that hidden photo kept nagging at me. Was he hiding something from me again? Despite all his promises, despite everything that had happened, a part of me still wondered. Was Gabriel telling me the whole truth?
As we reached our room, I looked up at him, my heart conflicted. He had given me so much, and yet... there were still secrets between us. And I couldn’t help but wonder what they meant for us, for this fragile bond we had built.
But tonight, I pushed the doubt aside. Tonight, I told myself, I will trust him.
