His Model Student: A Student-Teacher Romance

38. The painting

[RECAP: Mr Marek's gallery owner friend Lionel just turned up, and Sera is about to see his portrait of her for the first time...]

Sera was torn between admiration for his skill and wanting the ground to swallow her up.

If only it had been of someone else, then she could easily have praised it.

Instead, there she was, naked, with her breasts and nipples and everything exposed, on a huge canvas.

Get over it, she told herself. She sketched nude models every week, it should be no big deal.

But it wasn't the nudity that was the issue. It was the expression on her face. It was so raw. He had captured her nervousness as well as her arousal. She looked like a turned-on virgin, which she supposed she had been.

Please strike everyone in this room blind, she begged the universe. Or make the damn painting melt or burst into flames.

Yet it stood there, immobile, with the two men gazing at it and Sera stricken with self-consciousness.

Lionel drew in his breath. "Christ."

Sera looked at Mr Marek. She saw a brief flicker of doubt in his eyes. It was the doubt that struck every artist, no matter how confident or experienced they were, that someone simply wouldn't get their art. That it wasn't as good as they hoped. That they had failed.

"It's... breathtaking. It's by far the most spectacular thing you've ever painted. And unlike anything else you've done," Lionel added. He looked at Sera, taking her measure more seriously this time. "The first and last of its kind, I suspect."

"Not necessarily." Mr Marek had relaxed now. "There's no reason I can't paint Sera again, do a whole series."

Lionel looked from him to Sera, taking in her robe and wet hair. "Not with that same expression though, I'll bet."

Was it really that obvious? Sera felt her face flush. She thought Mr Marek would deny it or get angry at the innuendo, but he didn't.

"Possibly not. But a different expression might be even more powerful."

"By all means. At least you've broken the drought. Even if you go back to seascapes I can get buyers lined up. Rather than fall out of favour you've only increased your curiosity and rarity value, Tarq. But then you always did have the devil's own luck when it came to art." Lionel viewed the painting again and then ran his eyes up and down Sera. She knew he was being deliberately provocative. "And the devil's luck in more ways than one, apparently."

Now Mr Marek did look as though he wanted to hit Lionel but he kept his irritation in check.

"Anyway," Lionel continued. "I've got a mixed exhibition in the spring, some established artists and some newer names. I'd like to include this, ahead of a new Tarquin Marek exhibition in the summer. If you can produce a dozen or so works by then?"

Sera, realising Lionel probably wanted to talk more detailed business, excused herself to go and get dressed. Mr Marek had put her clothes through the laundry and they should be dry now.

They were. Lovely and warm from the tumble dryer as well. Sera hugged them as she took them upstairs. She dressed, enjoying the freshness of the clean garments. There wasn't much else to do as her hair was still damp and she doubted Mr Marek had a blow dryer; besides she preferred it to dry naturally as it always ended up softer and shinier that way.

She slipped downstairs and went into the kitchen to make another cup of tea. She could overhear their voices though she tried not to deliberately listen.

"I don't know why the hell you had to give Victoria this address," Mr Marek was saying.

"She didn't get it from me. If she said that, she was lying. I expect she forced it out of Biddy." Sera wondered who Biddy was. Hopefully not yet another glamorous ex-girlfriend.

"I sent her packing." Sera, continuing to eavesdrop, was pleased to hear this.

She heard Lionel laugh. "I'll bet that delighted her. Maurice finally threw her out, did she tell you?"

"She told me she'd left him."

"She would." There was silence for a few moments, then Sera heard Lionel ask. "So how old is she, this one? She looks very young." He was obviously looking at the painting again and Sera felt the embarrassment creep over her.

Mr Marek's reply was curt. "She's of age, and it's none of your business."

There was dry amusement in Lionel's voice when he spoke. "She's less than half the age of your ex, I can just imagine how delighted Victoria would be by that. If she found out. Less than half your age too, I'll wager."

"Quit stirring, Lionel."

"As your agent, friend and business partner, I'd hardly do that. I'm just giving you a warning. Victoria's determined to get her claws into you again."

"Just tell her to stay away," Mr Marek told him.

"As if anything I could say would influence her. I'm afraid you're on your own where that woman is concerned. Still, you clearly have ample compensations." From the way he said "ample" Sera could guess he was looking at the portrait again.

She stepped back into the conservatory, pretending to have heard nothing. "Would either of you like tea or coffee?"

Lionel, who had finished his whisky or whatever he had poured himself, declined. "I have to be back in the city around lunchtime." London was a couple of hours drive so he would need to leave soon. "But I'll be back again soon and we'll have dinner," he said to Sera. "All three of us," he added quickly, seeing a dark look flare on Mr Marek's face.

"Thanks, that would be nice," Sera said, not knowing what she was supposed to say.

"Your image will be the star of the show. Everyone will want to meet you," Lionel told her. Before Mr Marek could react, Lionel rapidly said his goodbyes, made his departure and sped off in his silver sports car.

There was silence for some time after he had gone. Then Mr Marek - Tarq - turned to her. "You got dressed."

"It's mid-morning."

There was heat in his gaze. "I liked having you lying around in a robe. Much easier access." He slipped his hand under her top and fondled her breast through her bra. Sera could feel her body instantly react to him. "I should have burnt your clothes so you were forced to stay here, naked." He was only partly joking.

"You'd have had to write me a note for school tomorrow."

"I wonder if they've had 'sexual exhaustion' as a medication condition before."

"Sexual exhaustion?" Sera looked at him, a question and an invitation in her eyes. She felt fully recovered from the previous night and far from exhausted.

"Come here." Once again he commanded her into his arms and Sera knew he was going to do his best to make that condition a reality.

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