Epilogue
“ O uch! Your knee is in my stomach,” Jenna groaned. “Honestly, why are we all squeezed onto the couch when that thing can fly?”
I giggled, squished between Rae and Jenna on my somewhat small couch. It could fit three people comfortably when they were sitting like normal, but we’d been piled up watching a movie. Jenna shifted more before getting to her feet.
“I’m leaving anyway. I have to work tomorrow. You two have fun doing supernatural shit or whatever you do.” Jenna laughed.
I flipped her off as she grabbed her purse and walked out my front door. Settling back against Rae, I sighed as her cold arm came back around to rest on my stomach.
Jenna finally came around to Rae and in the months since Alex’s death, our friendship was stronger than ever.
She was taking time for herself instead of launching into another relationship like usual.
I was proud of the work she was doing to love herself before trying to love someone else, and I was there to support her throughout it all.
“Thank you for enduring a movie tonight for me,” I said in the dim living room. “Even though you zone out, I still like being with you and Jen at the same time.”
Rae’s hand drifted from my stomach to my side to entwine her fingers in mine. “Anything for you, flame. I can bear it every now and then despite the dreadful sounds and light if it means you’re happy.”
My heart swelled with love for her. A thought flitted across my mind and I remembered my surprise. I shot up from her grasp. “Oh! I forgot something. Come to the guest room with me.”
Bounding off the couch, I led the way to my painting room. Rae floated after me and I threw a sheet over my easel as she passed through the doorway. Turning to her, I clasped my hands over my chest.
“Guess what?” I asked, wanting to play the silly guessing game with her.
She tilted her head in confusion.
“You try to guess what I have to show you.”
She looked around the room. “Since we’re in your studio, I’m guessing it has something to do with your paintings?”
I scrunched my nose. “Yes, but what about my paintings?”
“You painted yourself naked for me?” she joked.
A laugh burst from my chest. “No, silly. Although, that would be a magnificent idea. Try again.”
She sighed. “Love, how could I possibly read your mind and know what you have to show me?”
“You read my mind when you’re between my legs so I’m not sure what the issue is,” I quipped back. As we’d grown closer to one another our teasing and playfulness had become one of my favorite things.
Rae’s lips curled into a wicked smile, something she didn’t do often. “You would be correct about that, little flame.”
She floated across the room and wrapped her arms around my waist before lowering her lips to my ear. “I know exactly what your mind—and your perfect pussy—need from me. I’m more than happy to oblige.”
Sharp teeth nipping my neck, she slipped her cool hand beneath my shirt to rest on the small of my back. A sigh fell from my lips as she brought her face close to mine. “Now, what is it you have to show me?”
My eyes fluttered open, and I didn’t really care about the surprise anymore. “I think we can skip the surprise and get straight to the encore.”
Her coldness was gone in an instant and she was on the other side of the room.
“Hey, get back here. I want more,” I whined.
She shook her head. “No. Not until you show me. Only then can you have what you want.”
I rolled my eyes and turned, gripping the sheet covering the painting. “Fine,” I said, pulling the fabric away to reveal the painting underneath.
Rae floated back into the room and lowered slightly to study the details.
“It’s similar to the one I painted after we met, but this time, I added me in there with you.”
Unlike the last painting, Rae’s hood was down, showing her beautiful hair and face.
The side view of the scene showcased the cracks around the edges of her face perfectly.
I’d opted for the thick brushstrokes like last time, but in addition to the black of Rae’s cloak and dark colors of the forest, deep magenta filled one side of the canvas.
It mixed with the black, my dress swirling with Rae’s shroud in the wind as she hovered with me in her arms.
She reached out a hand and traced the lines with her long gray fingers.
“Do you like it?” I hesitated as my stomach churned.
Rae straightened then turned to me and closed the distance. “I love it, flame. It’s perfect. You’re quite the artist.” She kissed my forehead, her lips chilling my warm skin. “Thank you for putting yourself in it too.”
I grinned, warmth flooding my body despite the coldness radiating from her.
“Besides, a painting without you shouldn’t be a painting at all.”
THE END