An Artist's Kiss [Dark Desires 4] (Siren Publishing Sensations) Read online

  “Anyway, I think I’ve now found plan B.”

  Ian just shook his head and cleared the sketchbook off the desk. He laid out a series of coloured photographs of some of Gabriel’s work.

  “Forget plan B or C or whatever. Let’s get down to these.”

  The two of them spent the next hour looking at each photo. Gabriel marked crop areas on some and dismissed others. In the end they had fifty photographs to choose from that both agreed would be perfect for the upcoming coffee table book.

  “You know the publishers want a photograph of you included.”

  “No way!” Gabriel shouted. “I’ve kept my anonymity all these years. I don’t plan to reveal myself now.”

  “I really don’t know why you’re so touchy about it.”

  “Look, Ian. People have this image in their head of who Archangel is. I don’t want to say, ‘Guess what, I made him up. My name is really Gabriel Milford. I just chose Archangel as a pseudonym.” He waved his hands in the negative. “I want to keep the mystery.”

  “It’s going to come out one of these days. Last I heard there was a pretty handsome bounty for any photographer who could produce a picture of Archangel.”

  “Well, as long as they don’t link me to the name, it’s all good.”

  Ian shook his head.

  “Come on, mate. Let’s go to lunch.”

  Gabriel picked up the sketchbook while Ian put the photographs into a couple of folders. They walked downstairs and out onto the street. Strolling along to a nearby Italian restaurant, the two men went inside and spent a relaxing few hours eating and talking. It was close to four-thirty when they came outside and walked down to where Gabriel had parked his old black Subaru BRZ. He opened the door and threw the sketchbook onto the passenger seat before sliding in behind the wheel. Ian bent down.

  “So, you goin’ to call in on the way home and return her book?”

  “Nope. Going to make her sweat. I’m guessing she would have realised what she’d done and gone back. Now she knows I have it she’ll be expecting me to turn up. I intend to leave it for a day or two. Have a delivery tomorrow so maybe I’ll go visiting the day after.”

  “You’re a nasty man, Gabe.” Ian laughed and shook his head.

  Gabriel raised an eyebrow, a devilish look on his face.

  “I know. Bye.”

  He drove out of the city and back home in high spirits. Isabella wouldn’t be able to say no to him now and if she did, he was determined to change her mind by any means available. Apologies hadn’t work so now he was through playing nice.

  The next day he happily worked in the studio. A delivery of wood for framing canvases arrived so he spent the next few hours making up a few large frames, stretching his linen canvas over them. He washed sizing to each one then a thin coat of gesso. He’d apply a couple more layers of gesso once this first one was dry. Tomorrow after he’d applied another coat he’d drop in on the beautiful but sneaky lady.

  All through the day he couldn’t keep the smile off his face. He sang along to the music that blasted in the studio. He wondered how Isabella was feeling. He had the distinct feeling that she wasn’t spending her day smiling happily like he was. That night he went to bed in a very joyful frame of mind. He had three canvases almost ready for painting and he had the means to get Isabella naked.

  * * * *

  Isabella panicked. There was no other word for it. She’d convinced herself that Gabriel would turn up and had spent the late afternoon on tenterhooks. By eight o’clock she realised there was no chance of him coming that night. Obviously the meeting with Ian had taken all day then he would have the two hour drive home late at night. By the next morning she was too nervous to do anything else but pace the floor of the studio. Glancing at the clock on the wall every few minutes, Isabella worked herself up into a frenzy.

  By four o’clock she was a nervous wreck and went into the house to try and calm herself down. The phone rang and she almost jumped out of her skin. This was it! He’d start at her. Tentatively she picked it up with her heart straining to leap out of her chest.

  “Hello.”

  “Issie! Has he been?” a worried sounding Erica said.

  Relief flooded her.

  “No. Oh Erica, I’m so worried. What’s going to happen?”

  “Why don’t you make a clean breast of things? Go over or ring him.”

  “I can’t.” She whined, “I just can’t do it. I know I should but I’ve turned chicken.”

  “This isn’t like you, Issie. You normally wouldn’t give a damn. I’ve seen you stand up to people without batting an eyelid.”

  Isabella wiped a stray tear with the back of her hand.

  “It’s him. It’s all his fault,” she complained sternly.

  Erica giggled.

  “I don’t think you can blame him for sneaking over to his house and then being dumb enough to leave evidence behind.”

  “Don’t remind me!”

  “Maybe he’ll just forget about it. Maybe he doesn’t know it’s your book.”

  In a tiny voice Isabella replied, “It had my name on the front. It was a new one. I bought it last Sunday and I’d doodled ‘Isabella’ all over the front.”

  “Oh, Issie,” Erica’s giggling voice spluttered over the phone.

  “Stop laughing, Erica, this is serious.”

  “I’m sorry but one day you’ll look back at this and see the funny side.”

  “Well, that’s not at the moment. All I can see is trouble ahead,” she prophesied sagely.

  Isabella hung up with Erica’s laughter still ringing in her ear. By ten she was so tired but when she went to bed she tossed and turned all night. Maybe Erica was right. Perhaps she should just face Gabriel and own up. Get it over and done with. She knew he would never forget it so maybe if she apologised he’d accept it and not ask for anything in return.

  When she got up the next morning she wasn’t at all surprised to see dark rings under her eyes, the result of a few nights’ restless sleep. Sometime during the night she’d decided to face the music. Dragging on a pair of jeans and a black button-through shirt, she dragged her hair into a high ponytail then picked up her purse, phone, and keys. After grabbing a jacket Isabella went out to the car. It was almost nine o’clock. If he was home he should be awake.

  Pulling into his driveway, Isabella felt physically sick. She parked the car where she’d parked it the first time. As she rested her head on the steering wheel she took a dozen deep breaths, trying to pluck up enough courage to face Gabriel. When she opened the door she got to her feet then straightened her shoulders. Walking into the studio she felt like she was walking into a lion’s den as she stopped at the doorway and peeked in. Gabriel had his back to her and was putting a layer of gesso on a huge canvas.

  This was it.

  She closed her eyes and counted slowly to ten. When she opened them Isabella was so tempted to just back away. Instead she almost crept in.

  Chapter Seven

  “Excuse me.”

  Gabriel turned around. She’d have to be blind not to miss the grin of delight on his face as she walked slowly closer. He never spoke. Instead he watched her intently, the smart-arsed smirk on his face getting wider with her every step. Isabella wanted to run away as fast as she could. Somehow she wanted to wipe that smile off his face. Bravely she stopped about two feet away from him.

  “I’ve come to apologise. I should have told you I was coming rather than sneaking in when I knocked and discovered you weren’t home.”

  He still hadn’t spoken and Isabella could feel herself shaking with fear. What was he going to say?

  “Um… I’m sorry.”

  “As you should be,” he said soundly, very much like an adult chastising an errant child.

  His words suddenly made her angry. She tightened her lips and glared at the handsome face before her.

  “You told me I could see the bull anytime.” Isabella straightened her shoulders. “You never said I had to ask you
.”

  He cocked his head and raised one eyebrow.

  Bugger, that makes him look even sexier.

  She tried vainly to push the thought from her head.

  “Polite people ask.”

  That made her see red. She raised her voice and put her hands on her hips.

  “Polite people? Polite people don’t try blackmail.”

  He just grinned back at her.

  Furiously she stormed at him, “You. You arrogant bastard! Who the fuck do you think you are?”

  He didn’t answer. Instead he took a step closer to her. Isabella could smell his unique masculine smell—an odour of oil paint and soap. He looked down at her. She realised he was much taller than she first thought, maybe six feet six or seven inches. She felt short beside him and yet she was five foot nine.

  He still didn’t speak. She suddenly felt flustered.

  No, that was wrong, she felt alive at his nearness. Her anger evaporated but she wrapped her arms around herself in case she was tempted to wrap them around him.

  “Look, I’m really sorry. I know I should have asked you first before coming.”

  The look on his face both scared and excited her. His eyes seemed all black as his pupils dilated. He breathed in and out loudly as he took one more step that had him only centimetres from her.

  He crooned, “You’ve been a really bad girl, Isabella.”

  His sultry voice, filled with promise and authority, went straight between her legs.

  Oh my god.

  With those seven words Isabella almost wet herself. It was as if he’d seen into her hidden dark desires. She couldn’t stop the sudden rush of blood to her cheeks or the loud moan that escaped. Her nostrils filled with the heady masculine aroma that was purely Gabriel. She actually took one long breath, her eyes fluttering closed as if she could feel him deep inside her. She went weak in the knees, stumbled, and would have fallen if he hadn’t put out his hands to steady her.

  Oh please kiss me, please.

  Her thought both terrified and excited her and Isabella knew she was only seconds away from reaching up to him.

  * * * *

  Gabriel knew he’d gone too far but he couldn’t help himself. He loved the way she tried to stand up to him, like a wild animal. Her fury seemed to radiate from her eyes, her hair. Every part of her held sparks of anger and he loved it.

  His little wildcat had to be tamed.

  But now he was surprised at her reaction to his words. It was so obvious that it excited her. He could see the flushed cheeks, the way she’d closed her eyes and drew in the scent of him. With her loud moan Gabriel was surprised he’d been able to resist kissing her.

  Catching her arm meant she was so close, he could feel her tremble. Leaning down slightly, Gabriel sniffed in the fragrance from her hair, the subtle perfume she wore. If she opened her eyes and looked up now she’d see his reaction to her. She’d know instantly how much he desired her.

  Since the first moment he saw her she had filled his thoughts. This woman was no pushover. She was courageous, bold, self-confident, and she excited him like no other woman he’d ever met. She was his ideal. Ever since he’d seen the first painting of her years ago she became the epitome of his woman. He realised he’d subconsciously compared every other woman to her since then. Now, now he had her in the flesh, trembling in front of him, her body so close to his.

  He couldn’t let her escape. He had to do everything in his power to make her his. Every instinct was screaming at him that she liked her men dark and dominant. She wanted him just as much as he wanted her. He could smell her arousal, that sweet delicious aroma teased at him.

  He cocked his head and narrowed his eyes at her reactions. She opened hers and looked into his, her mouth agape as she breathed rapidly. He felt Isabella lean close to him, lift her face to his as if begging him to kiss her. Then she seemed to realise what she was doing and tried to look everywhere but at him. His cock stirred at the way her body sang to him. He couldn’t help it. His caveman desires erupted and suddenly he grabbed her and threw her over his shoulder. He marched forcefully across the room to an old couch. Isabella screamed and fought against him, pummelling her fists against his back.

  “Put me down!”

  “No.”

  He twisted her around and sat, pulling her across his knees.

  “You know what happens to naughty girls. They get spanked.”

  She tensed, her eyes widened as she turned her head to look at him. Those eyes held excitement, delight.

  “You wouldn’t!”

  Even at that moment her voice held desire, pleading with him to continue, but he knew he should let her go. He was about to release her when he felt her sink into his legs and sigh delightfully. That did it. He couldn’t stop.

  “Wouldn’t I?”

  Holding her across his knees, he felt Isabella squirm, trying to get to her feet but he locked a leg across the backs of hers then grabbed both her wrists in one large hand. She turned her head to look up into his face, her eyes blinking rapidly in anticipation. She licked her lips as he raised his hand then brought it down across the cheeks of her bottom—hard.

  She gave a sexy groan then screamed again.

  “Scream all you want but you’re going to take your punishment.”

  Half-heartedly she screamed, “No!”

  “Tell me you want me to stop, tell me this doesn’t feel good and I promise I’ll stop immediately.”

  He waited but Isabella never spoke, she just stared into his face, her eyes burning into his. A full minute he waited but she remained silent. Isabella wriggled again as if trying to get him to release her. Then he heard her whisper.

  * * * *

  She might be screaming out loud but inside she found herself so aroused, so excited. She wanted more.

  Hit me again. Oh please, hit me and hit me harder.

  Thoughts of being stretched naked before him filled her head. She wanted him to take charge of her, to do all those hidden dirty things to her. She couldn’t deny how wet she felt. With that smack she could feel her desire getting higher and higher. She wanted him to take her right this minute. She squirmed but now her squirming was against his leg, trying to rub herself against him. She tried desperately to give herself an orgasm, anything to get relief from this overwhelming excitement. He was waiting for her to answer, waiting for her to beg him to let her go.

  Shocked but unable to stop her body betraying her she whispered, “Please hit me harder, more. I want more.”

  Oh my god! Did I just say that aloud?

  Aghast, Isabella tensed as she realised what she’d done. He would have heard her! This wasn’t right!

  “No. Please, no.”

  Now her voice betrayed her again—her pleading with him to stop still sounded full of desire. It seemed soft, husky, almost moaning in arousal. She couldn’t believe her own ears. She might be saying “no” but in reality she was giving him approval to continue. She knew he wouldn’t ignore her asking for more.

  She couldn’t answer when he asked her again if he should stop.

  But amazingly after another smack he set her on her feet and stood so close to her she could almost hear his heart beating. Her own thumped loudly in her chest. So unsatisfied, she stood there overcome with her body’s excitement and growing disappointment that he hadn’t gone any further. Somehow she had to get herself under control.

  She clenched her fists so tight her nails dug into the flesh of her palms. Isabella tried to glare at him, appalled more at her reaction than the things he’d done to her. Then she spun on her heels to run out of the room but he grabbed her arm.

  “Where do you think you’re going?”

  “Where? Anywhere. Away from you, you just assaulted me.”

  “Consider yourself lucky. I should have hit harder and given you what you asked me for.”

  Her eyes widened at his words and she moaned again. Shocked and confused, she had to get out of there. His fingers tightened on her arm an
d he pulled her close to him. Without warning his mouth crushed down against hers. Isabella felt powerless but this was what she longed for. Every nerve in her body reacted and she responded. Roughly he kissed her, forcefully taking what he wanted. His beard scratched against her tender skin, making her even more excited. She clung to him, overwhelmed by the strange sensations she now felt, her legs weak. She opened her mouth and let him enter, taking everything and giving her such pleasure, she responded with as much passion as he showed. Finally he lifted his mouth from hers.

  “Next time you’ll behave and won’t come sneaking behind my back.”

  She’d closed her eyes and stood there for a moment then realised he’d spoken. Isabella opened her eyes in surprise then stared at him, alarmed. She rubbed her fingers across her bruised lips as she looked into his eyes. It stunned her to see undisguised desire as he looked at her. She could even feel the hard bulge of his arousal pressed tight against her body. She did the only thing she could think of to stop from throwing herself into his arms and begging him again for more.

  She turned and ran.

  Racing down the hall, she choked back a sob. Then when she ran into the daylight she almost staggered to her car. With shaking hands she tried to open the door but thankfully a masculine hand reached past and pulled it open. She looked up at Gabriel in confusion. He reached out and traced the outline of her lips. Helplessly Isabella closed her eyes. She couldn’t help the groan of pleasure that escaped.

  Suddenly coming to her senses, she opened her eyes quickly. His face was so close to hers, a proprietary look on his face.

  “Go now before I do something else I’ll regret,” he said softly.

  “Go?”

  She felt so conflicted. Isabella wanted him to touch her again. She wanted to be as far away from him as possible. She wanted him to grab her again. She wanted him to drag her back inside and take every part of her for himself. She wanted him.

  “Yes. Leave but know this, Isabella. You will pose for me and not only that, you will be mine. I know. I saw your reaction, I heard what you asked me and I can smell your arousal. You want me as much as I want you and you don’t want nice.”