TITLE: Sweet lips

WATTPAD USERNAME: johannahefer

HEAT LEVEL: Sweet

Blurb:

Aviana is a single mother. She has to do community service at a museum because her son Zeke vandalised a painting when he visited there. Instead of paying a big fine the curator offered that she must work at the museum to pay off the debt. There's only one problem, Aviana and Kace Laurent, the curator, were in love in college. He left for France to finish his Masters Degree in museum studies and they never saw each other again. Will they be able to keep their relationship professional?

***

Zeke looked at the Jean-Baptiste Greuze, French drawing. In some ways, he could relate to 'The Ungrateful Son' in the picture. Misunderstood and not respected for who he was. There was a slight difference between him and the boy, though. In the picture the father was the one fighting with the son to stay home and not join the army.

If it just was his father giving him a hard time... but no, he just up and left them. Now, he had to help look after his eight-year-old sister, instead of going out with his friends. He left Cyndel at home because he couldn't handle her whining anymore.

Zeke wished they had never moved to Vienna, Austria. He hated his father for this. He had had to leave all his friends behind. And for what? Nothing! His father left a year after they moved there, in any case.

Infuriated he focused his attention on the drawing again. The mother in the drawing tried to keep her son from leaving. Why hadn't his mother tried to keep his father from leaving? He had to express his anger before he exploded. Everytime he looked at the mother in the picture he got angrier.

All the rage that had build up inside of him, wanted out. He wanted to feel vengeful and mean. He wanted to do something bad. His fingers curled tightly around his entry ticket, crumpled into his fist. He could feel his fist smashing the drawing to smithereens.

But maybe he could do something totally worse. He pulled at the minty gum in his mouth with his fingers. He stretched it as far as possible, released it and sucked it back. He did it again, but instead of sucking it back into his mouth, he took the piece of elongated gum out.

The father in the drawing needed a moustache. He scanned his immediate vicinity. Nobody. He slowly stuck out his hand and carefully edged the gum closer to the drawing. He stepped closer. Checking again, making sure there were no unwanted spectators. Yes, no-one!

Carefully he squished the 'moustache' in place. As nonchalant as only Zeke could be, he turned around and started to walk away.

"Oh, shoot!"

There, in front of him, with folded arms, stood one of the museum's security officers. The thought of dashing out of the museum crossed his mind. The officer recognised the flight in his eyes and jumped forward before Zeke could react. Within seconds he was knocked to the ground and pinned down. He sat on his back holding his hands behind him, and then the icy cuffs clasped tightly onto his wrists.

***

Kace inspected the handcuffed boy in front of him from his peripheral vision. The boy looked very mature, still young, but he had lost the traces of boyhood. Evidently nervous about his situation he was fidgeting and moving around in his seat all the time. He pushed the handcuffs up and down causing the chain to clang against the cuffs.

His sandy hair dangled over his pale grey eyes. Quite a handsome chap. He was tall for his age and rather muscular. He reminded himself that inside that body was just a boy. He would never know what happened to the kid to react the way he did. Adolescence maybe.

Kace smiled inwardly, knowing that he would let the kid off with just a warning as soon as his mother came. He took joy in leaving him in handcuffs with a threat of imprisonment if they couldn't come up with the money for the fine for his act of vandalism. That should teach him a lesson. Lucky for all of them the gum didn't cause any damage to the painting. But he didn't have to know that.

His office was very quiet, the ticking clock echoed through the stillness of the air. The creaking chair was the only other sound, each time Kace moved, the boy acted like a trapped animal.

His mother was finally called after a prolonged feud to get her contact details from him. It was clear that he harboured some sort of fear of her. The boy visibly stiffened when he heard heels clicking on the tiled floor outside of the office.

When the redhead entered his office in her exquisitely fitting black dress, her beautiful but sad emerald eyes grabbed his attention. Recognition reflected simultaneously through both of them. He cursed inward and started to stand.

Kace extended his hand and invited her to sit, "Good day, Mrs Kyle, please have a seat."

She hesitated and ignored his invite. Her eyes flashed to her son, "Are the cuffs really necessary? He is not a criminal you know!"

"But, Mrs Kyle, intentional damage of an artwork is a felony offence and would warrant cuffs. A hefty fine or even imprisonment is punishment for this act. Are you condoning your son's behaviour?"

"I am not condoning his behaviour. I am merely pointing out that he is not a criminal, Mr Laurent."

Zeke was confused. Why was his mother attacking the curator instead of him? His head whipped to and fro by their bickering.

"Restorations are very costly and time-consuming. Do you know that we have to pull this drawing from the Poussin to David, exhibition? These French Drawings are a great asset to the Albertina Museum here in Vienna. Do you have any idea how much that is going to cost this museum? If you can't keep your child under control, ma'am, I have some bad news for you. Either you pay the fine and leave or I will make sure your child ends up in juvenile school!"

"Don't you dare threaten me, Mr Laurent..."

"This is not an idle threat, Mrs Kyle. Did you know that vandals in the past were diagnosed with personality disorders, like Hans-Joachim Bohlmann. Maybe you should have your son checked out."

"Personality disorder? I think you're the crazy one here, Mr Laurent!"

"Mom... mom...!" Both the adults in the room acting like children whipped their heads in the direction of the boy.

"Mom, what are you doing? Are you trying to make things worse for me?"

Running her hand over her hair and pressing her lips together, she took the seat that Kace offered to her in the first place, "I'm sorry. I apologize Mr Laurent."

She looked over at Zeke and touched his cheek, "Are you okay, son?"

"I'm sorry mom. I don't know what came over me." He lowered his eyes to his cuffed hands and let out a sob.

By now she had composed herself and looked over at Mr Laurent, "I beg of you to please take off the cuffs... Please." She followed him with pleading eyes as he took his seat behind the desk.

He would have taken the cuffs off, but he felt obliged to let them sweat a little longer. What gave her the right to storm into his office and treat him like a criminal? He composed his usual poker face, "There is the issue of compensation, Mrs Kyle."

"How much?"

"Ten Thousand Euro." He knew it was a ridiculous amount, but he couldn't help himself.

"Oh, my goodness! What have you done to this painting?" Her attention riveted on the shocked face of her son.

"Drawing."

"What?"

"It's a drawing, not a painting. It's a collection of poetic love stories, mythological epics, atmospheric portrait studies or picturesque ruins. These are all masterpieces of French Baroque art.

"The collection consists of 70 major works selected from Albertina's rich holdings of drawings. It sweep visitors into the dreamy and multi-layered cosmos of French art from the Baroque and Rococo periods. The works on display include Nicolas Poussin's breath-taking free landscape studies as well as Claude Lorrain's light-drenched depictions of nature, and playful masterpieces by François Boucher and Jean-Honoré Fragonard. And of course... scenes of Jean-Baptiste Greuze, which is now in question."

"Are you mad? I didn't come here for an art class!"

"Mom, please!"

"I... I'm sorry... I... I don't have that kind of money. I am a single parent and don't earn that much." Aviana blurted out.

"So, what do you suggest we do, Mrs Kyle? I can't just let this go. You do understand that, don't you?"

"Yes, I understand. I... I have no idea where I'm going to get that kind of money."

Zeke was sobbing uncontrollably by now. Aviana was holding his cuffed hands in hers and trying to console him. Kace got up from his chair and took the keys out of his top drawer. He slowly made his way over to Zeke and uncuffed him. He vigorously rubbed his wrists and wiped the tears from his face.

Kace sat back on his desk in front of Zeke, "You do know what you did was wrong? And something like this, unfortunately, can't go unpunished."

"Yes." He whimpered.

He got up from the desk and walked over to his leather high-back chair. He swiveled it round and sat down.

"There might be a way you could pay the fine."

"I'm willing to do anything, Mr Laurent."

"My personal assistant is on maternity leave. I need someone to bring the paperwork up to date and keep it up to date until she's back. I understand that you are working during the day and are unable to do it then, but... you could work three to four hours every night."

"I could. But I have a few problems with that."

"What is that?"

"I have another child. Cyndel, she's only eight years old."

"I'll look after her, mom. I promise." Zeke interrupted.

"Like you promised to look after her today? If you had just done what you had to do, none of this would have happened."

Zeke lowered his eyes and rubbed at his wrists, unable to keep eye contact with his mother.

"Are you going to press charges?" She turned back to Kace.

"Not if you agree to the 'community service'." He gestured with air-quotes.

"I don't have my own transport, and I don't think public transport is available after eight o'clock."

"I'll drive you. Any other problems?"

"No... no, I think that's it."

"Well then. I'll give you this weekend to arrange everything, and then you can start Monday at six o'clock. Does that give you sufficient time to make dinner for your children and get here in time?" With an impassive expression he got up from his chair and opened the door to his office, a sign that the meeting was over.

"Yes, that would be sufficient."

***

Aviana and Zeke entered the two bedroomed apartment just after 6 o'clock. Cyndel ran into her mother's opened arms crying, "Where were you?"

"I'm sorry, baby. I had to go get Zeke from a museum."

"What was he doing there?"

"Well, he decided that today was the day to learn more about art." She glanced sideways to him and noticed that he was dabbing at his eyes with his sleeve.

'Is he going to become an artist like Daddy, Mommy?"

"I'm not sure what he wants to do, honey."

Nina came out from the kitchen with a plate of Apfelstrudel, a typical Viennese speciality that Cyndel loved.

"Mmmmmm that smells divine, Nina."

"Guten Tag, Aviana. Danke schön, I wanted to spoil Cyndel. She was crying for you and Zeke the entire afternoon."

"Aaauh, my baby, I'm so sorry we're late."

They all sat in the lounge eating Apfelstrudel after Nina left.

"Mommy is going to be working late from next week, honey. But Zeke is going to be here every night."

"Why?"

"Because mommy has to."

Aviana knew that Cyndel wouldn't understand now, and that there would be a lot more tears from Monday. To her surprise Nina agreed to stay a couple hours later to make diner and see to it that Cyndel got tucked in every night. She knew it was going to be difficult to adapt, but she wanted to pay off the debt as soon as possible.

After she had tucked Cyndel in for the night and read her a bedtime story, she went to Zeke's room.

"Mom, before you say anything, I just want to apologize for what I did. I am really, really sorry. I don't know how I'll repay you."

"Why did you do it, Zeke? It was extremely irresponsible of you. We are in a lot of trouble because of it. As if we don't have enough problems as it is. If Mr. Laurent hadn't offered to help, I don't know what I would have done, why?"

"I don't know. I was just so mad today. I wanted to go out with my friends after school. I couldn't because I had to look after Cyndel."

"How did you end up at the museum?"

"She drove me so crazy with her nagging, I just left the apartment and started running. Only when I stood in front of the museum did I realize how far I had run."

Aviana breathed out a resigned and weary sigh. She rubbed at her tired eyes, "And then...?"

"I bought a ticket and went in. I remembered how dad loved the drawings the museum exhibited. When I saw the 'Poussin to David' exhibit I couldn't wait to see it. In front of the Jean-Baptiste Greuze, French drawing, 'The Ungrateful Son' I just couldn't help missing dad so much. He always lingered in front of this drawing. And then I got so mad at him for leaving us, I wanted to do something bad." A sob escaped his lips.

She moved closer and put her arms around her son. At sixteen he was still just a child. A child that missed his father tremendously.

***

A year ago when Mark left them and returned to Boston, she had to find a cheaper place to stay. A lot of searching brought her to the apartment in Landstrasse in Vienna. She chose the apartment because it was close to the city centre and she could take riverside strolls along the Danube with the kids.

The sophisticated apartment was decorated with a contemporary feel and stylish furnishings. The white walls helped made the apartment feel bright and spacious. Goodness knows all of them needed something bright to make them feel better. She just needed time to save enough money to go back to Boston.

Aviana couldn't ask her mother for money. After all, she did warn her about Mark, and she wasn't ready for the 'I told you so's', yet. Mark was a rehabilitating drunk that was offered a second chance at a decent job at the Albertina museum. She knew it was a risk leaving her job in Boston, but she had to work on her marriage. It was in shambles after she found out that Mark cheated on her.

And all this suffering was for nothing in the end. One morning when she woke up she found a note on her bedside table. Mark had gone back to Boston to his lover and left her with all the debt. She hadn't been as sad about him leaving her as she was that he left her with all the debt. She realised their marriage was over two months after they arrived in Vienna. But she nevertheless tried.

She slid down into the warm water, allowing the soft bubbles to hug her. The soapy sparkling bubbles cascaded over the rim of the bath. She breathed in the sea breeze aroma of the bubble bath and held her breath for a couple of seconds. Her heart started palpitating. She didn't know if it was due to the lack of oxygen or the memory of a different man that had entered her thoughts.

She remembered his muscles bulging under his dress shirt. Aviana felt a flush creep up her neck. His neatly trimmed full beard and moustache accentuated his square jaw and his buoyant speech still lingered in her thoughts. He spoke so passionately about the art at Albertina. This is how she remembered him. Passionate.

He barely smiled, but when he did it was with ease. A smile she could never forget. His slightly full, pink lips with the cute little smirk at the corners made her stomach lurch. He had always been close shaved, but now his slightly greying beard made him look more attractive than she remembered.

Closing her eyes, she tried to recall his musky aftershave. He used to speak into her ear with his baritone voice. She could almost hear and taste him. She felt like she could drag her fingers through his wavy dark brown hair greying at the temples.

She was forced to the present by Cyndel's coughing. Her last thoughts of Kace before she got out of the bath was his serious facial features. How his dark daring green-brown eyes, looked into her soul. He hadn't change much from when she saw him last. Kace definitely matured, but there was something sad about him.

***

Vienna in February was freezing cold. The average maximum temperature was four degrees. The nights she had spent at the museum so far was very cold. Kace's office was warm and cozy due to the aircon.

She had been working for him for almost two weeks now. Last night he said she had to accompany him to a Valentine's dinner party with the shareholders of the museum. She was reluctant at first but he reminded her that it was her duty as his assistant.

She was getting ready for the dinner party but had no clue what to wear. She opted for a red floaty and elegant sleeveless V neck frill blouse with black wool organza twill palazzo pants.

She flung a black hooded pleated coat over her arm as she struggled to put on a pair of red velvet high-heeled pumps as she ran to get the door. When she got there Zeke had already let Kace in.

"Good evening Aviana. Here, let me help you with that." Kace took the coat from her and behind her back gently spread it above her waist so that she could slip her arms in. He lifted her beautiful wavy hair that graced her neck. A slight shiver went down her spine when his cold fingers stroked her neck.

"You look beautiful tonight." Aviana looked into his green-brown eyes and blushed. Zeke cleared his throat behind them. When Kace looked over at him she saw Zeke nodding his head at him.

"Oh, this is for you. Happy Valentine's day, Aviana." He retrieved a bunch of red roses from the table behind them and handed them to her.

"Thank you, Kace. But you shouldn't have." She smelled the roses and handed them to Nina. She grabbed her red clutch bag and said her goodbyes to the children.

She couldn't help feeling flushed by all the attention she received from Kace. He showed more and more affection towards her in the last week. At first he was very cold and distant. The first week he only showed up at his office when it was time to take her home.

Two nights ago he sang her the song he used to sing to her when they were in College. He was standing behind her chair and softly sang into her ear. At first it was the most awkward feeling. But the more she listened the more she could remember long gone memories and feelings. Well, apparently the feelings returned, because she closed her eyes and leaned into him while he was singing in a husky voice.

Put your sweet lips a little closer to the phone
Let's pretend that we're together all alone.
I'll tell the man to turn the jukebox way down low.
And you can tell your friend there with you, he'll have to go.

Whisper to me, tell me do you love me true
Or is he holding you the way I do.
Though love is blind, make up your mind
I've got to know.
Should I hang up or will you tell him he'll have to go.

You can't say the words I want to hear
While you're with another man
Do you want me to answer yes or no
Darlin' I will understand.

Put your sweet lips a little closer to the phone
Let's pretend that we're together all alone.
I'll tell the man to turn the jukebox way down low.
And you can tell your friend there with you, he'll have to go.

He loved calling her 'sweet lips'. She always thought it a silly song because she never had another boyfriend when she was with him. It was only him until he left for France. Still months after that he would call and sing the song to her. She always cried herself to sleep after that.

***

Aviana, although living in Vienna for over a year, had never been to the 'Passage Dinner Club'. It was a stunning bar, hidden underneath an old underpass. The whisper of a piano could be heard as they made their way down the charcoal steps. After they checked their coats in, they were lead through a short tunnel into an enormous room.

As soon as they stepped into the Albertina Passage Dinner Club, the stylish lounge-like atmosphere made Aviana feel at home. To the left of the entrance the piano music greeted them. The maître-d lead them to their dinner table behind the giant bar on a raised platform. Kace slid a warm hand to her lower back to guide the way. His touch almost made her gasp for air.

The purple lighting and velvet covered walls with faux snakeskin added to the acoustics club-style. When they arrived at their table, Kace introduced her to his colleagues. Flushed and almost out of breath she took her seat, as Kace never once let his hand down from her back. A sort of possessiveness that made her feel wanted.

All through dinner, the piano and jazz band played their soft alluring music. Couples around the room would get up and dance to their favourite songs. 'Let's Stay Together' poured forth from the band and Kace took her hand and indicated that he wanted to dance.

The pressure of his warm hand on her back gave her a visible quiver. He pulled her body closer to him and she could smell his musky aftershave. Aviana placed her hand on his shoulder and he took the other in his as she closed her eyes in pure enjoyment. They danced silently at first, then she heard him softly murmuring to the song. She thought of saying something but he beat her to it. Louder and close to her ear he sang the words,

"Loving you forever
Is what I need
Let me be the one you come running to
I'll never be untrue,"

A gasp escaped her mouth. He lifted her chin with his index finger when she didn't look up at him. Slowly he pushed a loose lock of hair behind her ear and smiled a genuine smile.

"I missed you." Embarrassed she lowered her eyelashes, and once again he lifted her chin. Looking up at him he could see intense emotion glistening in her eyes.

Just before the song ended he placed a lingering kiss behind her ear. She stood frozen and almost couldn't move when he turned to their table.

Once at their table they noticed that the other couples were away, dancing. This gave Kace the opportunity for some privacy that he was waiting for. "I have a surprise for you."

"Yes?"

"I booked us a romantic horse-drawn carriage ride. Apparently there's a romantic road that winds along the beautiful Danube. I know it's cold and it's probably too late, because the kids..."

"Shhhhh...." She pressed her index finger to his lips, "I would love to go."

He grinned at her like a love sick school boy, stood up and took her hand. After they excused themselves from the party they checked out their coats and hurried hand in hand to his car. He drove them to the Hofburg Palace Complex where their carriage awaited them.

They were handed two thick blankets to cover their backs and legs. Tucked in close together they were ready for their tour. As it was winter and very cold Kace only booked half the tour.

The nightlife was spectacular along the route. Although Aviana felt frozen in the cold she appreciated the gesture. The warmth of his hand holding hers made her glow with warmth. After about ten minutes he turned to her and cupped her face with his hand, "I really missed you, Aviana. The best thing that could ever have happened to me was your son strolling into the museum wanting to vandalize one of our drawings." They both chuckled at his remark.

He leaned closer until their foreheads touched. His lips softly brushed hers. Pulling away he gazed into her eyes. "Aviana." He whispered. She smiled and clasped her hands on either side of his face. He kissed her, slow and soft. His tongue gently parted her lips and her hands slid down to his warm chest. Their breaths mingled and the kiss became more passionate and demanding. He moaned into her mouth as he encircled his arms around her, drawing her closer to him.

Out of breath they broke apart just holding on to each other

"I would very much like it if we could try again, Aviana."

With a sad smile she looked into his eyes, "I would love to Kace, but my life is very complicated and I don't want to draw you into it."

"It's my choice, and I'm willing to give us a chance. Please..."

"Okay... But we will have to take it slow, especially for the sake of the kids."

"That's all I wanted to hear." He pulled her closer and passionately kissed her once again.

***

Thank you for reading. 'Sweet lips' is a planned Romance, Adventure Novelette, maybe longer. If you liked it so far, please come on over to my page and add it to your library.

Thank you to the team at @RomanceSparks for allowing me the opportunity to partake in this Valentine Anthology and thank you to @AdelynAnn for making my beautiful cover. A big thank you also goes out to @DebbieHopkins for editing my piece.

***

I have been on Wattpad for over two years and I can't describe in words what a wonderful journey it has been so far.

From a silent reader to someone that participated in three Wattpad Block Parties, over six anthologies, that included: Romance, Horror, Fantasy, Mythology and poetry. I also participated in writing a collaborated (History) story in a book club. One anthology that I am very proud of being a part off is 'The Decameron' hosted by @rskovach. We were a team of ten that had to write a story with the theme 'Secrets'.

I am honored to be a Wattpad Ambassador where I work on content control. And I also help in the @dangerouslove genre.

Please enjoy the rest of the Valentine Anthology with a group of awesome writers. Thank you❣❣❣