CHAPTER 1
The majestic view of snow-capped mountains in the distance, their tops flaming from the setting sun, did little to settle Alyssa Roy’s nerves. On a normal day the stunning view would have set her artist’s heart racing, her hands itching with inspiration. But not today. Today her leg bounced and her hand tapped her knee in an offbeat as she stared absently at the blurred green trees through the car window. The low sun created long, dark shadows that stretched across the road as it played through the trees. As they sped along, shadow and light created a flashing strobe effect in the car that did nothing to ease her nervous stomach.
A warm, large hand wrapped around her knee, skin on skin, squeezing it.
She jumped, giggling. When she was nervous she became extremely sensitive and ticklish. Nerves also started her giggling uncontrollably at times. It could be extremely embarrassing, which would only make her giggle more. Pressure was not her strong suit.
“Calm down. Relax. You’re as nervous as a whore in church. You’re about to jump out of your skin,” her boyfriend Walker said, his voice deep and smooth. His words like honey - thick, slow and sweet.
“I know, I know. I’m so freakin’ excited, but also nervous. What if everyone hates it?” she asked, nibbling on a rose painted lip. The lipstick was making her lips feel sticky.
“Sweetheart, you have nothing to fear. The piece is spectacular and a perfect representation of everything that is Castle O.”
“How can you be so sure? I love the piece so much, but I don’t know. Maybe you swinger types won’t appreciate it.” Alyssa smiled as she threw him a sly sideways glance to see his reaction.
“Us, ‘swinger types’ have a great appreciation for art, especially beautiful, sexually charged art. Anyway, you know I’m right. It’s the reason I recommended you to Kali. She had a clear vision and I knew you were the best person to bring her vision to life. I have known Castle O and Kali and Kent for years. There was no question in my mind that you were the artist for the job. And based on the raving phone calls I keep getting from Kali, she agrees with me.” Walker smiled, a crooked grin that gave him a boyish charm, but promised of a man’s desire and confidence.
Walker Craige owned It Figures , a studio and gallery that was known for specializing in figurative work. Nudes, according to most of the public, although he had faced his fair share of criticism that called the work he supported, porn. Some people simply could not see beauty in the human body, in all its shapes and forms, the way Walker did. And Alyssa. It was through a workshop hosted by It Figures that Alyssa and Walker had met. Alyssa, ten years his junior, had still been an arts major at college during that first encounter. In the beginning Alyssa resisted, trying to keep their relationship at the ‘friend’ level only. Walker was not shy about his history. She knew he enjoyed going to swinger, oh sorry, he preferred the term Lifestyle, clubs. Along with his previous partner, he had been a fixture on the scene.
On the other hand Alyssa had been a virgin. Not by conscious choice, it was just that none of the boys she had ever met had made enough of an impact on her. The sexually charged Walker had definitely seemed way beyond her comfort zone. The intense magnetic draw she felt to this man with the dark hair and piercing light eyes proved to be exactly the kind of impact that had eluded her with other men. She just could not stay away from this funny, sexy, amazing man, and the unbelievable things he did to her body. Two years later they were still completely devoted to each other.
This job, to build an enormous sculpture for the Castle O entrance hall, had been her first gentle brush with the Lifestyle that Walker had loved so much. A glimpse through the slats of a shuttered window, that she had to admit, left her intrigued. But first she had to survive the big
The majestic view of snow-capped mountains in the distance, their tops flaming from the setting sun, did little to settle Alyssa Roy’s nerves. On a normal day the stunning view would have set her artist’s heart racing, her hands itching with inspiration. But not today. Today her leg bounced and her hand tapped her knee in an offbeat as she stared absently at the blurred green trees through the car window. The low sun created long, dark shadows that stretched across the road as it played through the trees. As they sped along, shadow and light created a flashing strobe effect in the car that did nothing to ease her nervous stomach.
A warm, large hand wrapped around her knee, skin on skin, squeezing it.
She jumped, giggling. When she was nervous she became extremely sensitive and ticklish. Nerves also started her giggling uncontrollably at times. It could be extremely embarrassing, which would only make her giggle more. Pressure was not her strong suit.
“Calm down. Relax. You’re as nervous as a whore in church. You’re about to jump out of your skin,” her boyfriend Walker said, his voice deep and smooth. His words like honey - thick, slow and sweet.
“I know, I know. I’m so freakin’ excited, but also nervous. What if everyone hates it?” she asked, nibbling on a rose painted lip. The lipstick was making her lips feel sticky.
“Sweetheart, you have nothing to fear. The piece is spectacular and a perfect representation of everything that is Castle O.”
“How can you be so sure? I love the piece so much, but I don’t know. Maybe you swinger types won’t appreciate it.” Alyssa smiled as she threw him a sly sideways glance to see his reaction.
“Us, ‘swinger types’ have a great appreciation for art, especially beautiful, sexually charged art. Anyway, you know I’m right. It’s the reason I recommended you to Kali. She had a clear vision and I knew you were the best person to bring her vision to life. I have known Castle O and Kali and Kent for years. There was no question in my mind that you were the artist for the job. And based on the raving phone calls I keep getting from Kali, she agrees with me.” Walker smiled, a crooked grin that gave him a boyish charm, but promised of a man’s desire and confidence.
Walker Craige owned It Figures , a studio and gallery that was known for specializing in figurative work. Nudes, according to most of the public, although he had faced his fair share of criticism that called the work he supported, porn. Some people simply could not see beauty in the human body, in all its shapes and forms, the way Walker did. And Alyssa. It was through a workshop hosted by It Figures that Alyssa and Walker had met. Alyssa, ten years his junior, had still been an arts major at college during that first encounter. In the beginning Alyssa resisted, trying to keep their relationship at the ‘friend’ level only. Walker was not shy about his history. She knew he enjoyed going to swinger, oh sorry, he preferred the term Lifestyle, clubs. Along with his previous partner, he had been a fixture on the scene.
On the other hand Alyssa had been a virgin. Not by conscious choice, it was just that none of the boys she had ever met had made enough of an impact on her. The sexually charged Walker had definitely seemed way beyond her comfort zone. The intense magnetic draw she felt to this man with the dark hair and piercing light eyes proved to be exactly the kind of impact that had eluded her with other men. She just could not stay away from this funny, sexy, amazing man, and the unbelievable things he did to her body. Two years later they were still completely devoted to each other.
This job, to build an enormous sculpture for the Castle O entrance hall, had been her first gentle brush with the Lifestyle that Walker had loved so much. A glimpse through the slats of a shuttered window, that she had to admit, left her intrigued. But first she had to survive the big
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