Chapter 8
SELENE
I admire my display, satisfied with the way the colors glow in the dark corner of the gallery. All my pieces are lit up in warm colors of various pinks, oranges, and reds. They look drop-dead gorgeous together.
Damn. I outdid myself.
Looking down at my outfit, I smooth the hem of my brand-new mauve dress that hugs my large hips and soft stomach while showing a tasteful amount cleavage. It’s the perfect dress for a gallery opening; cute, but still classy.
This is the moment I’ve been working toward, and even though my display looks awesome, it does nothing to calm my racing heart. I glance at my watch. Do I have enough time to grab a glass of wine before guests begin to arrive? I scurry toward the open bar and ask for a glass of sweet red and drain it in several gulps. There. That should calm my nerves.
“Are you ready, Selene?” Frederick’s voice interrupts my thoughts from behind.
I grin at him, happy to see a friendly face. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
He places a hand on my shoulder. “You got this.”
My antennae quiver. “You think?”
“I know. ” He gives me a firm squeeze. “But maybe no more wine for the night.”
I flush, my cheeks and neck growing hot. “You saw that, huh?”
Frederick nods. “I understand you’re nervous, but you need to be in tip-top shape for guests. Who knows? An art critic may want to chit chat.”
Shit. He’s right. “Of course,” I say with a firm nod, feigning confidence.
“Great. And we already have someone lined up at the door.”
“Oh yeah?” I cock my head. “That’s pretty cool.”
He nods. “And he’s handsome as heck too. A human with a salt-and-pepper beard and covered in tattoos. Just the kind of man I would go for if I wasn’t already happily married.”
Wait. Covered in tattoos? It couldn’t be Caiden, right? “Frederick, was there anything else identifiable about him?”
“Hmm …” He strokes his long beard. “He looked pretty tall and well built. Oh! And he was holding a bouquet of roses.”
I perk up. Any relaxation the wine gave me zips from me as my heart begins to race again. There’s no way. It would be too good to be true. “Can I get a peek at this this man?”
“Interested, eh? I wouldn’t get your hopes up since he has flowers. He might be here for one of the other artists. But it doesn’t hurt to admire the eye candy.”
Frederick waves for me to follow up and starts making his way toward the entrance. I fight back against the hope blossoming in my chest. It probably isn’t Caiden. The asshole ghosted me. And besides, I don’t think I ever told him which gallery my show was being held at.
Unless he didn’t ghost me. Which would make more sense than if he had. I’ve been wrestling with my anxiety since I didn’t hear from him after our kiss, trying to determine where things went wrong. My brain had decided he was just an asshole, but my heart always felt something wasn’t quite right with that conclusion.
We turn the corner, bringing the glass double doors into view. And there he is. Caiden in all his sexy glory, holding a bouquet of deep pink roses.
I stop in my tracks. Holy shit! He’s really here? And with flowers?
Frederick nudges me with his elbow. “Handsome, eh? But try not to stare. It’s rude.”
“Open the door,” I whisper.
“What?” His face twists in confusion. “We can’t let guests in early, Selene.”
My wings quiver, but I keep my voice calm. “He’s my date.”
“Your date?” Frederick’s brow cocks. “You didn’t tell me you had a date.”
I shake my head, still baffled by Caiden’s appearance. “I didn’t think I would have one either, but I need to talk to him before the show starts.”
“Of course.” My friend rushes to the door, but I remain frozen, debating what to say to Caiden. He brought flowers, but does that really make up for him disappearing on me? I can hear Jade now, telling me he needs a really, really good excuse to justify ghosting me.
Frederick opens the door and says something to Caiden, who points in my direction. When Caiden looks at me, heat rushes from my antennae to my toes and my wings twitch. I can’t believe he’s actually here.
Caiden rushes toward me. I nearly melt when I see he’s wearing a deep red button up with the sleeves rolled up and the top two buttons undone, showing off a peek of his chest tattoo. Fuck. Why does he have to be so sexy?
“Selene,” he says in a low and hesitant voice. “I found you.”
“Found me?” I ask, wringing my hands.
“Yes. I’m sorry you didn’t hear from me.” His explanation is rushed, as if he can’t get the words out fast enough. “I broke my phone but when I got a new one, I couldn’t find Kismeet again. It’s not in the app store. I even sent you an email, but I got your out of office. I had to ask my boss where to find you.”
My eyes widen. So, Caiden didn’t ghost me, just like my gut told me. Wow. I really wanted to assume the worst about him. That wasn’t fair of me, especially considering how he never gave me any reason to think he would be an asshole. He’s not the jerk; I am.
I look down at my feet. “I thought you had ghosted me.”
“I would never,” he says, placing his hand over his chest. “I really want to explore this mate thing more with you. Did I not make that clear enough?”
“You did. Ugh. I feel like such a jerk,” I admit.
Caiden shakes his head. “Don’t. How would you know that I had dropped my phone in the toilet?”
I giggle. “Seriously?”
“Yeah.” The corners of his mouth lift. “Seriously.”
“I’m glad you found me.” I smile back.
“Me too.” He clears his throat and holds out the bouquet of roses to me. “These are for you. As not only an apology but a congratulations.”
I take the flowers, press my nose against the silky petals, and inhale. The heady, floral scent envelops me. “Thank you, Caiden.”
He leans in close enough to whisper in my ear. “Who is the satyr watching us like he might murder me?”
Looking around, my eyes land on Frederick, who is indeed glaring at Caiden. “That’s my friend, Frederick. He’s just being protective. Would you like to meet him?”
“Of course I would.”
“Hey, Frederick!” I wave at him. “Want to meet Caiden?”
Frederick puffs out his chest and walks over to us, his hooves clopping on the concrete floor. “Who is this flaky human?”
“Flaky?” Caiden raises in eyebrow.
“You heard me.” Frederick’s eyes narrow. “Selene wasn’t sure if she would have a date. You must be a flaky motherfucker.”
I chuckle. “Not at all! Caiden actually came looking for me after breaking his phone.”
“Is that so?” Frederick continues to glare.
Caiden nods. “It’s true. I dropped my phone in the toilet.”
Frederick turns to me. “And you believe him?”
“Yes.” I take Caiden’s hand and give it a squeeze. “According to Kismeet, he’s my fated mate.”
“Mate?” Frederick’s eyes widen and a smile spreads across his face. “This is wonderful news! Oh my goddess. Congratulations, Selene!”
I beam at him. “Thank you.”
Frederick glances at his watch. “I hate to cut the conversation short, but it’s about time to open.”
“Of course.” Still holding Caiden’s hand, I begin leading him toward my little corner of the gallery. “Do you want to see my display?”
“Please,” he answers, following me.
But as we get closer to my display, dread settles in my tummy. What if he doesn’t like my art? I don’t want to let him down. My hands become clammy, and I drop my grip on Caiden’s.
“Sorry.” I glance at him, trying to judge his reaction. “I’m a little nervous.”
He tilts his head. “Why are you nervous?”
“What if you hate my art?” I ask in a whisper. “What if everyone hates my art?”
Caiden pulls me against him. My face presses against his chest and I inhale his rich mahogany, coffee, and vanilla scent. It instantly calms me.
Once my body relaxes, he takes my chin in his hands and tilts my head so I’m looking him in the eye. “First of all, I saw pictures of your art already on your website and I think it’s stunning. I can’t wait to see it in person. Second of all, I doubt anyone is going to hate your art. But if they do, then fuck them. Your art is cool as hell.”
Caiden’s words make my heart soar. My fried nerves feel as though they’ve been doused in a cooling balm. Who knew the support of my mate would help calm me so much?
I chuckle. “You have way too much faith in me.”
He shakes his head and begins to stroke my cheek with his thumb. “I have the perfect amount.”
“You’re awfully confident,” I tease.
“I’m right.” He smirks. “You’ll see. I would bet on it.”
My wings twitch. “Would you?”
“Yes.”
A smirk tugs at the corners of my mouth. “Let’s bet on it.”
“Seriously?” He quirks a brow.
“Yep,” I say, popping the ‘P.’
“Alright.” His smile is mischievous. “I bet that you’ll sell a piece by the end of the night and impress at least one art critic.”
“That’s bold.”
“But correct. What do I get when I’m right?”
“Hmmm …” I twirl my hair between my fingers. “You get to come to my place tonight.”
He waggles his brows. “Oh yeah? What if I’m wrong? Which I won’t be, by the way.”
“You only get one kiss at the end of the night,” I say, crossing my arms over my chest.
“Good thing I’m going to win.”
“Whatever you say,” I say, rolling my eyes with a playful smile.
Goddess, I hope Caiden wins. It’s a little silly of me because if he loses, we both lose. But his confidence in me is contagious. Besides, even if he loses, that doesn’t mean he can’t come to my place tomorrow night.
Grabbing his hand again, I continue to lead him to my display, my nerves calmer than before.
When we round the corner to my display, a gasp escapes Caiden’s lips. “Oh my goddess! Selene, this is … stunning. Wow! Seriously, they are even more beautiful in person.”
“Really?” I can’t help the large, proud smile that spreads across my face. “Which one is your favorite?”
Caiden holds up a finger, signaling me to wait. I watch intently as he takes his time to examine each piece. He starts at the werewolf before moving on to the centaur. Then it’s the kraken and the ogre. But his gaze lingers longest on the pink succubus.
“I like this one,” he says, gesturing to the glowing neon.
“Interesting.” I rub my chin. “What draws you to it?”
“She has wings,” he remarks, his eyes dragging over my delicate ones.
I shiver, delighted by his attention.
Just as I’m about to open my mouth to respond, the quiet rumble of voices reaches my ears. The show has started.
I spend the rest of the evening chatting to guests about my pieces while Caiden stands silently by my side, a quiet and constant support system. At one point I ask if he needs to go to work at the club and he responds that he took the night off. The smile already plastered on my face grows wider. The fact that he took time off work for the biggest night of my career is not something I would have ever expected from someone I just met, but Caiden is proving over and over again that he’s in this.
As the last guests trickle out of the gallery, Caiden approaches me with a smug smile on his face. “I win. Just like I said I would.”
With a playful roll of my eyes and a smile respond, “You’re so humble, but yeah. I guess you do win.”
He places a hand over his mouth, mock offended. “You guess? Did you not sell the kraken piece to that werecat? And correct me I’m wrong, but wasn’t that minotaur who talked to you about your use of color an art critic?”
“You’re right, you’re right.” I giggle, adoring the way Caiden teases me.
“So … when do I get to collect?” he asks, waggling his eyebrows.
I smirk. “Eager beaver, huh? I have to check with the gallery owner to make sure there’s nothing I have to do first. Meet me outside in say, five minutes?”
He nods, a large grin on his face. “Sounds good.”
I watch him leave with a dreamy sigh, loving the way his pert ass sways in his dark jeans. As soon as he turns the corner, I groan. It’s time to see Sebastian and I am not looking forward to it.
Frederick is showing Sebastian something on his clipboard as I approach, the two deep in conversation. Good. Maybe Sebastian won’t want to talk long. They both glance up at me once I’m within arm’s length.
“Oh, Selene!” Frederick’s face lights up. “How are you doing? Congratulations on selling a piece, and on your first night too.”
“Yes,” Sebastian says. “Congratulations. I’m very impressed.”
Despite him sometimes giving me the creeps, I can’t help but preen under his compliments. He still owns one of the most prestigious art galleries in Nashville. Maybe this means I can have more shows here in the future.
“Thanks.” I beam at him and Frederick, my wings fluttering with excitement. “I’m very excited my piece found a loving home.”
Sebastian nods, his lips curling into a smile. “I had a lot of excellent feedback on your display.”
“Ah!” I clap my hands. “I’m so happy to hear that.”
Frederick places a hand on my shoulder. “I also heard good things and can I just say that I’m incredibly proud of you.”
My face and neck grow hot. Frederick is proud of me? I didn’t expect that, but the compliment warms my heart. Smiling, I reach up and squeeze the hand Frederick has resting on my shoulder.
I turn toward Sebastian. “Is there anything you need me to do before I head out?”
Sebastian lifts an eyebrow. “Need to get back to your date?”
“Umm …” I frown, despite my best efforts to school my features. How did he know I brought a date and why does he care? It’s really none of his business, and I never want it to be.
He chuckles. “Frederick mentioned it, in case you were wondering how I knew.”
I glance at Frederick and he mouths, “I’m sorry!”
With a small smile at my friend to let him know it’s okay, I turn back to Sebastian, squaring my shoulders. “Actually, yes. I do want to get back to my date. So, if there’s anything I need to do, just let me know.”
He shakes his head. “Just be back here tomorrow, same time. I expect a glowing review for the show from critics so it might be even busier tomorrow.”
“Even busier?” I ask, eyes wide.
“Yes, Selene.” Sebastian’s gaze is intense. “This is the big time. Things are different when you show work at a gallery like mine.”
My emotions shift back and forth between hope over the idea of even more people coming tomorrow and dread over Sebastian’s condescending tone. I’m thrilled about this opportunity, but something in the back of my mind nags at me.
“Great job tonight, Selene.” Frederick’s kind voice interrupts my escalating nervous thoughts. “Don’t keep your date waiting.”
Sebastian smiles but it never reaches his eyes. “Yes. We wouldn’t want that, would we?”
I clear my throat. “Yeah. You’re right. Umm … see you tomorrow.” And I turn on my heel with a quick wave and rush toward the exit.
While I wish I could have stayed and talked to Frederick, I had to get as far away from Sebastian as possible. I hate that what started as a very professional relationship now gives me the ick.
As soon as I see Caiden waiting for me under the nearest streetlamp, all my worries melt away. I don’t have time to be stressing about my uncomfortable relationship with Sebastian. It’s time to focus on Caiden and make good on my bet.
“Hey there, beautiful,” Caiden says with a dazzling smile that makes my knees wobble.
“Hi,” I respond, rushing toward him and falling into his open arms.
His lips capture mine in a tender kiss. My wings quiver, aching to release their pheromones. But I can’t. Not yet. That’s a discussion for another time.
As he deepens this kiss, that tingling heat from the first time we kissed roars through my body. I become dizzy and unsteady on my feet as his tongue grazes mine. Fuck. His amazing kissing skills combined with the drive to seal the mating bond will surely be the death of me.
Caiden breaks our kiss to hold me against him. “Are you alright? You felt a little rocky.”
“Yeah. I’m fine,” I answer, breathless. “Kissing you is so exhilarating that it makes me a little light-headed.”
“I know exactly what you’re talking about,” he says with a chuckle.
I smile, pleased. “You do?”
“Yes.” He plants a quick peck on my lips.
I stand on toes so I can press my mouth against his ear and whisper, “I’m ready to make good on my bet.”
When I come back down, flat on my feet, I almost burst out laughing at Caiden’s wide eyes. “Are you sure? You aren’t too tired after such a long night?”
I shake my head. “If anything, I’m even more wired. I need to get all this energy out.”
“Then let’s get the fuck out here,” he replies with a wicked grin.