Jamais Vu

Chapter 14

"You live here?" Nessa said again.

"Yup," answered Dan for the third time, grinning at her shock. "Not bad, huh?"

"Not bad?" Nessa looked around the spectacular black and white penthouse, her gaze travelling up to the twenty foot ceilings and over to the gigantic windows spanning the entire wall, the city twinkling fifty floors below them like spilled glitter.

She'd pictured him living in a basement apartment with three other near-homeless artists. She'd expected their first night together to be on a grimy mattress with the noise of a TV blaring somewhere behind a thin wall as they both tried to keep the sounds of their passion muffled. That's what they say about assumptions. "Dan... How are you living here?"

"Well, it's not mine, obviously," he said, leading her through the magnificent living area. "I'm long-term house sitting for an art collector I met a few months ago."

"I thought you said your apartment was dark?"

"It is, during the day." Dan pointed up at the wall facing the window, which was covered in expensive looking artwork. "The guy who owns this place is paranoid about his paintings fading, so I can only open the blinds at night time. It gets pretty claustrophobic, but hey, it's a good trade. I don't have to work a crappy job just to make rent, which means I can spend more time painting, plus I'm surrounded by art, and I can save my cash for the things that really matter."

Nessa pulled him to a stop and kissed him, dazzled by his secrets. "You're amazing," she said, brushing his messy hair away from his eyes.

"Because I live in a fancy-smancy penthouse?" he said, affecting a posh accent.

"Nope. Because you're adaptive and innovative." She slid her hands around behind his back, holding him close. "Your dad kicked you out on the streets only a few years ago, and you aren't using it as an excuse. You're just following your passion, and making the best of everything as you go. I'm in awe of you."

He kissed the tip of her nose. "I'm pretty awed by you too, so that makes us even."

"Where's your room?"

"This way. Be warned, it's not as luxurious as all of this."

Dan's room was simple, a guest bedroom on the lower floor. It was easily double the size of her bedroom at James' place, but almost every free inch of floor space was covered with sketches, canvases, brushes, charcoal and pencils. The bed was shoved up against the window, directly overlooking the same incredible view as the living room.

"In case you're worried, I'm allowed to have guests," said Dan, threading a path through the art gear to the bed. "Mr. Van Allan is actually pretty cool. He originally wanted a couple for the gig, but I convinced him I was his guy."

"There's no one else here?"

"Nope. The maid comes during the day once a week. It's just us."

"Perfect," said Nessa, wrapping herself around Dan and kissing him thoroughly.

They fell to the sheets, laughing and kissing and exploring. Dan's taste was so familiar on her lips, Nessa felt the lines begin to blur between this as her first time with him, and everything she already knew about his body.

As they began to shed their clothes, Nessa paused. Each time she'd been with Dan in the future, he was always in shadows. I don't want any mystery here. "Dan, do you have a bathroom?"

"Just there," he said, nodding at a door in the corner. "Take all the time you need."

"Actually, I want you to come with me."