LUCAS'S POV
As I stand inside keeping myself from watching them, I keep wondering if I should just give up the fight. Seeing her kissing him like that just made me crumble apart inside. I guess I know how she felt walking out on me and Holly. Only Cadence was just kissing him not getting finger fucked by him. If I feel this shitty I can't even imagine what Cadence must have felt. I really am the biggest piece of shit. Somehow that girl is still willing to give me a second chance and I'm not going to blow it.
I see her walk in and she loops her arm in mine. Suddenly her face drops as she takes in all the art around her. She looked like a kid in a candy store. She starts to pull me through the museum from on piece to another. After an hour I finally tell her I have a surprise for her. I walk her to the office "Hi I'm Lucas Anderson. I spoke with you earlier today." I didn't want to say more then that. I didn't want to give away what was next. "Yes of course sir. Right this way." The short older man lead us to a private section. "Will there be anything else sir?" Cadence is looking at me so confused and I love it. "No thank you. That's it right now." The short man took his leave.
"Close your eyes beautiful." She gives me a glare that wrinkles her nose up a bit. Then she closes them. I guide her over to a spot that I had set up. "Ok beautiful open your eyes." She opens her eyes and is blown away. She standing next to an easel I had set up, with everything she needs to paint, an iPod with bass heavy songs loaded on it, and the best part is she was set up right in front view of 'The Unfinished' installation. It wasn't easy to make this happen but she's worth this and much, much more.
"Luke was is this?" She still doesn't understand. "Baby everything is set up for you to paint while you look at your favorite pieces." She picks up the paint brush and looks back to me. "How did you know these were my favorite?" I don't know why she seems so unsure right now. So I walk over to her. "You told me before we fell asleep that first night. You told me about you're love of painting and these art pieces in particular. So I wanted to do something special for you." She leans forward and kisses me on my cheek before turning towards the easel. I pick up the iPod and put the ear buds in for her and press play.
She starts to paint and swaying her hips with the music. I'm sitting in a chair just watching how at peace she is. Watching like a creep as she swings her hips back and forth. I try to see what she's painting but she blocking the view of it. I must have dozed off because I had the curator waking me up telling me time was up. Damn that was a fast two hours. I walk up and pull the ear buds out of her ears and see the beautiful painting she did. it was a field of sunflowers with a white villa and mountains in the background. I couldn't believe she did that in two hours. She added the final touch with her name in the corner.
"Wow baby. That is beautiful." She leans against my chest and drops her head back as she uses a cloth to whip off the brush she's holding. She seems so relaxed. It's nice to see her so comfortable. "Where are you going to hang it beautiful?" She looks at it and finally says "In my living room." She finishes cleaning off the brushes and I carefully grab her painting trying not to mess it up since it's still wet. As we walk through The Met to get outside I ask her "Are you hungry?" She looked at me then at the ground. "No I need to get home. So if you wouldn't mind taking me to my car at The Shanty I would really appreciate it."
"Why the rush to get home?" I ask knowing damn well he's fucking there! I just want to know if she's going to be honest with me about it.
"Well if you really want to know Stephan is there.I told him I'd be home after so him and I could talk. Why do you have a problem with this situation?" It feels like the wind got knocked out of me. But I suck it up and don't show her how I'm truly feeling. "Of course not beautiful. Whatever helps you listen to your heart. I told you I'd wait." I could feel the bile in my throat. I know this is only the beginning and I don't know how long it will take her to choose but it's already hell for me. A hell I caused myself. I have no one to blame for this but myself. So yes I swallowed it down and put of the biggest smile I could. We walked to my car and I drove her to get hers.
When we reached her car I helped her out of my car and grabbed her painting. I put it in the trunk. She was about the open the drivers side door when I knew I had to taste her. I started to kiss her neck and brush my fingers down her back. She put her hands on her car window to steady herself. I turn her around slowly to face me. "Cadence before you go there's something I have to do." I say as I slide my fingers up and down her arms. "What's that Luke?" I can hear the want in her voice. I can see the lust in her eyes. I lean towards her with my lips close to her. Close enough where she can feel them without them touching her. I move all around. From her ears, down her neck, over her lips, across her chest that isn't covered by clothes. Breathing out warmth as I continue to slowly move over her shuddering body. I move back up to her lips and let my lips touch hers. She lets out a soft moan with her eyes closed taking in every feeling I was giving her without actually touching her. "Talk to you tomorrow beautiful." And just like that I walk away and get in my car.
I see her still standing there trying to process what I just did. Then I realized I just got her flustered and hot before sending her off to see him. Fuck I'm an idiot. I quickly jump out. I walk over to her. "Are you ok Luke?" She is still so flushed. "No but I will be." With that I press my lips against hers and push her body against her car. I grab the bottom of her ass and pull her up so her legs wrap around me. I open the door to her backseat and lay her down with me on top of her. She takes my shirt off as I press against her center. Since she's wearing a short skirt I'm able to feel the warmth coming from between her legs. I keep pressing harder as she bites on my shoulder. Until she moans out letting me know she's about to come. This time I don't say anything. I just move in circle grinding as hard as I can against her. "Oh fuck!!!" She screams out as her legs tighten around me. I feel her body tense and then relax. I lean down and kiss her again. "Now I'm ok." I say sitting up adjusting myself. I got her off not myself. She threw her hands over her face "Fuck, fuck, fuck. I'm so fucked up." I could hear her start to cry.
I quickly pull her up and against my chest. "No you didn't baby. Please don't cry. You didn't do anything wrong. We didn't have sex beautiful. I never touched your bare skin." She looked up at me looking pissed. "Really Luke? I still had a fucking orgasim. That's not ok. I told him I wouldn't do that. I wouldn't have another man make me scream out in pleasure." I'm trying my best not to get pissed. "Baby listen. You are trying to figure out what your heart wants. Putting restrictions on it like that isn't fair to yourself. I think you need to figure out how you want this to work. With your rules. Not his and not mine. Whatever you decide I will respect. If you don't want me to give you pleasure like that again I won't. I will do whatever you want until you decide. From what I can tell about Stephan he will too. You're the prize baby so it's your rules."
She calmed down and kissed me before throwing my shirt at me. I get out and help her out. "I'll talk to you tomorrow ok?"
"Good night Luke." And with those she gets in the drivers side and drives off.
STEPHAN'S POV
When I get to mon amour's house I am blown away. She has a beautiful house that is right next to the ocean. When I walk in and turn off the alarm. I see her bright white living room that leads out into a terrace. I walk around a little more and come across her studio. To say I'm blown away by her talent is an under statement. It's one of the most beautiful studios I've ever seen with paintings everywhere. It has so much natural light. I knew she was talented but this talented. Wow!! I wonder why she doesn't want to share this with the world?
Walking through her house I'm getting such a feel for who she is. Her house has so many windows opening it up to the beautiful views. She doesn't have dark colors in her house. It's all very light and airy. I knew she had that in there somewhere. That piece of shit ex added so much darkness into her life. I start walking to the kitchen and I see a couple pictures on the wall in the hallway. They are of Cadence and I'm assuming her ex Trevor. She looks so happy in them. I can see the spark in her. How could he do that to her?What I wouldn't give to see that spark in her.
I'm torn between leaving them up or taking them down. I went with the latter. I don't want to take a chance of them making her sad. So I go through her house taking down any pictures of them and putting them in a box I found in her studio. I hope I'm not over stepping but I want her happy and not to take any steps backwards.
After I finish collecting all the pictures, I find the kitchen wanting to start making her dinner. Of course there is no food. She's been traveling and stayed at her friends house before that. But she does have a very nice wine selection. I decided to run to the store to get stuff for dinner. I wasn't gone very long but when I got back there she was. Sitting in her living room reading a book. She took my breath away. She walks up and takes a bag from me and starts walking towards the kitchen without saying a word.
When we reach the kitchen she finally talks. "So Stephan I've been trying to figure out how this is going to work. I've come up with some rules. You may not like them and I'll understand if after I tell you them if you want out. No harm no foul." Before I have time to respond she hands me a piece of paper.
My Rules:
1. My dates with the other person are not to be interrupted.
2. No saying I love you's before I pick.
3. No getting jealous.
4. No leaving marks on my body.
5. My promise I made is no longer in play. If I want to be with one of you I will be.
6. Full disclosure, meaning if you ask I will tell you the truth.
If you aren't comfortable I understand. In order for me to figure out what I want I need to do it without restrictions.
I look up at her as she looks at me anxiously waiting for me to give her my answer. I don't know what to tell her. The idea of sharing her kills me. But the idea of not having her makes me even more sick. "Stephan I know this isn't going to be easy. I really don't want you to leave." She walks over and puts her arms around me. "So can you be ok playing by my rules?"
A/N YES!!! It's time to play by Cadence's rules now! She's finally taking control. But will Stephan stick around to play? After the last two chapter what do you think of Lucas? If you liked this chapter press that little star to vote for it. Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Until next time XOXO