“It is?”
“Your first time should be special and I’m honoured you want it to be with me.”
She relaxed as she saw the look of love in his eyes, the caring, the tenderness.
“I’ll go get some protection.” He began to rise.
“No. I...er…I’m protected.” She quickly improvised knowing she couldn’t get pregnant and not wanting him to leave.
“Are you sure?” At her nod he settled over her again then resumed kissing her until she was lost in a sea of sensation. There was a hard, probing warmth, a feeling of pressure followed by a slight pain and a feeling of fullness and then...then the most amazing experience of all.
She clutched Ben tightly, arms and legs wrapped around his solid body as he took her on a journey to a plane she’d never known existed, one filled with pleasure almost too great to bear, one that had her muscles tightening, her body arching as she hovered on the edge until she lost control and all sensation exploded in pulsing ecstasy.
Afterwards, he held her close, whispering gently as she drifted off to sleep feeling warm and secure and loved in a way she’d never thought possible.
Ben woke the next morning with a smile on his face. That hadn’t happened in ages, but he knew why today was different. After Eugenie had fallen asleep in his arms he’d carried her to bed and now she was snuggled against his side.
He turned his head so he could see her. She was sleeping soundly, her lashes fanned out over her cheeks, her breath tickling his chest. So beautiful. It seemed too good to be true that she’d appeared in his life. What had he done to deserve her?
It was with reluctance that he looked at the alarm clock and realized he had to get up. He needed to get Eugenie’s packages to the post office and he hoped to finish one more piece for the art show tonight.
He kissed her awake which turned into far more than just kisses. As a result, it was some time before, satiated, they finally made it out of bed.
“You can use the shower first while I make breakfast.” He pulled on his jeans and stretched.
“You could join me.” She looked up shyly at him through her lashes and he laughed.
“If I do that we’ll never get anything done today. Now scoot.” He took her by the shoulders and turned her towards the bathroom then gave her a gentle push.
“Spoilsport.” She stuck her tongue out playfully before hurrying from the room.
Grinning, he headed to the kitchen and began to get out eggs and milk and bread. The sun streamed through the window, filling the room with brightness and pushing away the early morning chill. Just like Eugenie, he mused. She was his own beam of sunshine.
After breakfast, he loaded the packages of collectibles onto his truck in preparation for going to the post office. Eugenie planned on staying behind to do a bit more sorting.
“I want to finish that one box first,” she explained as he climbed into the truck. “Then I’m heading home to get ready for your big night.”
“Yeah,” he sighed, doubt filling him again. “I still wonder if this was a good idea. My work is—”
She pressed a finger to his lips. “Your work is wonderful. You just don’t want to get dressed up in a suit and tie tonight.”
“Well, there is that.” He made a face thinking of all the stuffy affairs he’d had to go to with his ex.
“You’ll look handsome. They’ll love your work. Now, go!”
Chapter 14
Eugenie watched Ben drive away, her brow wrinkled thoughtfully. He really needed this show. Not only financially but to boost his self-confidence. Hearing people, complete strangers, exclaim over his work, would be good for him.
Nodding her head, she went back inside, wanting to tidy the kitchen before starting to work in the barn. Sorting through the boxes and piles was almost like hunting for treasure and quite addictive. She’d just started the dishes when Chip started barking which could only mean one thing. Ms. Standish. Darn.
The woman made her feel uncomfortable though she wasn’t exactly sure why. Sighing to herself, she greeted her at the door with, hopefully, a genuine smile on her face. “Good morning, Ms. Standish. Can I help you?”
“Is Benjamin here?” The woman pushed into the kitchen, her gaze darting about the room before pausing at the breakfast dishes. Two plates, two cups. A knowing look crossed her face and her eyes narrowed.
“No, he’s gone into town.”
“Well, that’s a shame. I’m here to see about his carving.” She began to walk towards the back room.
Eugenie hurried after her. “I know he’s still working on one more. He said it’s almost done.”
“Lovely, but it’s the bust I want to see.” She pulled the cover off the carving and tugged out a tape measure.
“What are you doing?”
“Double checking the size.” She measured the height, width and depth before nodding. “As I suspected, it will work perfectly.”
“For what?”
“The centrepiece of his show.”
“Ben’s told you he doesn’t want to display it.”
“What Benjamin wants and what he needs aren’t necessarily the same thing.”
“But—”
“This will bring him the attention he deserves, showcase what he’s truly capable of.”
“I’m sure he—”
“Now listen to me.” Ms. Standish fixed her with a hard stare. “Do you or do you not want him to succeed?”
“Of course I want him to succeed! I was the one who got the whole ball rolling.”
“Exactly. And I’m going to ensure that ball remains in motion.” She picked up the carving and brushed by, forcing Eugenie to take a step back.
“Ben won’t be happy.” Once again, she found herself hurrying after the woman.
“He’ll fuss and grumble, that’s what men do. In the end, he’ll thank me.” Ms. Standish gave her a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.
“Please…” She put her hand on the woman’s arm and was rewarded with a glare.
“Take your hand off me!”
“Sorry.” She pulled back surprised at the woman’s sharp tone. Chip appeared at her side and growled.
“That animal is vicious!” Ms. Standish backed away.
“No, he isn’t. Really.” Eugenie bent and placed her arms around Chip, petting him soothingly.
“Hmph!” The woman gave Chip a wary look before turning on her heel and leaving.
Eugenie watched her drive away, a sinking feeling in her stomach. Ben wasn’t going to be happy, she was sure of it. Why hadn’t she done something more to stop the woman? She could have...well, there really wasn’t a lot she could have done that wouldn’t have exposed her as not being human.
Giving Chip a final pat, she rose to her feet and returned to the kitchen to start the dishes. It was probably her imagination that the sun wasn’t shining as brightly as it had been moments earlier.
That evening, she stood in front of the dresser mirror looking at her reflection with a critical eye. The time spent watching fashion videos on her tablet had been worth it. Her dress was simple but flattering to her figure; black with a sweetheart neckline, the bodice overlaid with lace ending in short sleeves. There was definitely a knack to wearing the right clothes and she thought she had been quite successful for her first try. Her mind wandered back to the last time she went to an art show at a gallery. Then, she’d been the ugly duckling; was she now a swan? No, perhaps not a swan but certainly a handsome bird of some description.
Her appearance gave her some confidence, but she was still nervous. So much so that her stomach was churning away. What would Ben say when he saw the sculpted image of her on display after having said he didn’t want to sell it? He had insisted it not be included despite Ms. Standish saying it deserved to have a place of pride. She should warn him before they got to the gallery.
A glance at her watch showed Ben would be arriving soon. She’d told him she would meet him there but he’d insisted on picking her u
p. As if her thoughts had conjured him, she heard the sound of his truck pulling up out front. After giving her appearance a final glance, she hurried to open the door. From the expression on Ben’s face when he saw her, her dress had been a good choice. His words only confirmed her assumption.
“Eugenie, you look gorgeous.”
“It’s not too much?” She nervously ran her hand down the front of her dress.
“God, no. Though I doubt anyone will be looking at the artwork; all eyes will be on you.”
His exaggeration created a warmth inside her and she smiled. “You look really good, too. It’s the first time I’ve seen you in something other than jeans.”
“I’d rather be in denim, covered in sawdust.” He made a face and plucked at his tie. “These things aren’t comfortable.”
“Well, you look very handsome.” She reached up and kissed him on the cheek.
Ben cleared his throat. “Well, shall we?” He gestured towards his truck.
She opened her mouth to tell him about the sculpture and then paused. It was obvious from the way he was jingling his keys that he was already nervous. Should she add to his stress? Maybe he wouldn’t be too upset when he saw the carving on display. Nibbling her lip nervously, she made her way downstairs.
On entering the gallery, Eugenie had a strong sense of déjà vu. The art on the walls, people gathered in small groups, hushed laughter and the background hum of voices; it was almost exactly the same as when she’d gone to Jonathan’s show. The only difference was instead of a piano there was a sound system that emitted gentle jazz. And she still felt like an outsider despite the feel of Ben’s hand at the small of her back.
She relinquished her coat to a young man who gave her a numbered ticket in return which she placed in her purse. Taking a deep breath, she turned to smile at Ben only to freeze at the expression on his face.
He was angry.
No, angry was too insipid a word.
He was livid.
His eyes were almost snapping with sparks of fury.
She followed his gaze to see what had made him so enraged, although she could already guess. Sure enough, there, for all the world to see, was the carved wooden likeness of her resting on a pedestal in front of a large, and artistically arranged, display of Ben’s work.
“Ah, here is one of our guests of honour, Benjamin Davis.” Ms. Standish’s voice rang out as she approached them. It felt like all eyes in the gallery were focused on Ben and her and, indeed, there was a soft round of applause in response to Ms. Standish’s announcement.
Ben’s hands clenched and unclenched at his side, his jaw clamped tightly shut. Eugenie placed her hand on his arm, silently begging him not to create a scene. Finally, he gave a small nod of acknowledgement. The crowd seemed satisfied with the gesture and returned to their private conversations. The gallery owner gave a satisfied smile and signalled to a waiter who quickly arrived with a tray of champagne flutes. Ben shook his head and Eugenie was about to do the same when Ms. Standish took two glasses off the tray and gave them no choice but to accept them.
“I see you’ve noticed that incredible piece of artwork of yours is displayed. I know you said you didn’t want to sell it, but you never said anything about not displaying it as an example of the type of work you are capable of producing.” Daphne Standish had picked up a third flute from the server’s tray and took a sip from it.
Turning his back on those gathered, Ben spoke in hushed biting tones. “I thought I’d made it perfectly clear I considered that piece private and you couldn’t take it.” He rounded on Eugenie, his face reflecting his anger. “You knew about this, didn’t you?”
“I...” She only managed to utter that one word before he continued.
“How could you have allowed it to be brought here for display?”
A sick feeling washed over her at the knowledge Ben would believe she’d betrayed his trust like that. She opened her mouth to defend her actions, but before she could say a word Ms. Standish cut across her.
“Oh, don’t blame the girl. She totally lacks the sophistication to know what is passable and what is quite exceptional. You weren’t available when I came by your place earlier today so I convinced your little friend here to let me take the bust.” Daphne hooked her hand around Ben’s arm and steered him away from Eugenie leaving her standing alone.
Once again Eugenie had a feeling of déjà vu but this time she wasn’t some innocent miss floundering like a fish out of water. No standing on the sidelines for her. This time she had back up! Wandering over to a painting in which she pretended an interest, she muttered a call for Zeke under her breath. It was only a matter of minutes before a cold draught of air signalled the opening and closing of the front door and then her Heavenly friend and colleague was standing at her side.
“You called, Babe?”
She turned to look at him and her jaw dropped. The usually dark-haired angel had blond streaks and a diamond twinkled in one ear. “What have you done to yourself, Zeke?”
“Your man saw me in my natural state as the snow plow guy so I thought I should disguise myself a bit. What’s up?”
“I don’t know. Something doesn’t feel right. The owner of the gallery, Ms. ‘Call me Daphne’ Standish makes my skin crawl. She’s up to something and I could do with some help figuring out what.”
“Which one is she?”
“The blonde with her arm hooked through Ben’s as if she’s afraid he might escape her.”
Zeke grinned as he turned his back on the room and faced Eugenie. “I think I know why your skin is crawling.”
“You do? Why?”
“I think you’ve had a visit from a certain green-eyed monster.”
Eugenie stared at her fellow GA. Did he mean what she thought he meant? “Are you saying I’m jealous?”
“If the hat fits…”
She fell silent as she searched her inner feelings. Was she jealous? Or was there something else bothering her? Looking up into Zeke’s handsome face she decided the only way he could help her was if she was absolutely truthful with him. “Perhaps, if I’m honest with myself, I am a little jealous. But I’m fairly certain it’s not what’s causing my unease.” She stopped and tapped her lips with her forefinger as she considered Ms. Standish. “When I stand near her, I get an odd feeling. Almost as if there’s evil in the vicinity. No, not evil exactly but I don’t know how else to explain it.”
“Babe, your GA instincts are starting to develop. Never disregard those feelings. Tell you what, I’ll have a wander and see what I can pick up. After all, as I’ve mentioned before, I was created to be a GA, not a human, therefore my instincts are in-built.” He patted her on the shoulder as he left her side to mingle.
Eugenie sipped at her champagne and examined the various paintings hung on the walls while surreptitiously keeping tabs on Zeke and Ben. It did hurt that Ben had left her to her own devices even if he hadn’t left her of his own accord. And, as far as she could tell, he hadn’t tried to escape Ms. Standish’s clutches. Should she just march up to him or wait for him to come back to her?
It felt like hours, but, in reality, it was probably only fifteen minutes or so before Zeke returned to her side.
He grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and took a large swallow before starting to talk. “Well, you were spot on, Babe, with your feeling that there’s something not quite right about that Standish woman. The vibe I’m getting isn’t evil, however she is covering up something. And, no, it’s not that she’s out to steal your man. Although there’s some of that, too. It’s more like there’s not just art sales and deals going on here.”
“She’s considerably older than Ben. He can’t possibly want to be with her, could he?”
“Oh Babe, how old are you?”
“You know my age doesn’t factor into anything.”
“I’m just ribbing you, Eugenie. Yes, she’s got to be at least fifteen years older than him. But I don’t think you have anything to w
orry about; he’s not interested in her other than as an art dealer.”
“Good. I don’t want him to get hurt.” She watched Daphne Standish leave Ben’s side to go and talk to a well-dressed grey-haired man whose very stance screamed wealth. “What do you think is going on then, if it’s not only art that’s being sold here?”
“I have absolutely no idea. I think I should do some invisible snooping. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.”
Eugenie watched Zeke leave the gallery and seconds later watched him walk through a wall back into the showroom, invisible to the humans present but very obvious to her angelic eyes. He winked at her as he unfurled his wings and hovered over the heads of the guests.
Thinking he would need some time to do some eavesdropping, she went to where Ben was standing in front of the display of his artwork. He was finally free of Ms. Standish and Eugenie hoped she’d be able to talk to him, explain about how the carving had ended up in the show.
“It must be exciting to see your name on an exhibit.”
“It would be, if it wasn’t being spoiled by Ms. Standish’s constant nagging about the carving of your ancient relative.”
“Nagging?”
“She wants me to sell it.” He said the word ‘sell’ as if it left a bad taste in his mouth.
“Sell?”
“Yes.” He barely glanced at her but his eyes were cold. “I still can’t believe you allowed her to take it.”
“I didn’t exactly allow her take it.” She tried to explain.
“But you didn’t stop her either, did you?”
“I...” She replayed the encounter in her head. She’d tried her best to stop the woman...hadn’t she? Taking a deep breath, she relayed the event to Ben. “Ms. Standish appeared and started talking and somehow before I knew what was happening, she was leaving with it. You weren’t there and she promised it would only be used for promotion.”
He looked away, his mouth tightly compressed.