It's my third week working at the gallery and I absolutely love it. The space is historic yet modern, singeing the old with the new. The art is a mixture of the same and a mixture of media as well.

"So, what do you think?" Mandie asks, looking at the picture in front of us. Mandie has been working here for two years. She's been somewhat of a mentor these past few weeks. "What does it make you feel?"

"The brush strokes are short and all over the place. She used vivid color here but it's rather dull over here." I study it, turning my head sideways. "There's a conflict there, you can see it in the circular motions with the bright colors," I point to the left of the canvas, "and the angular, more agitated strokes over here with the dark." I look at the name of the piece. "I would have named it inner turmoil rather than inner peace."

"Sometimes we can channel our inner turmoil into inner peace." She points to one side of the canvas, "you could say she may have started in a tormented place but, ultimately, landed in a place of happiness."

I cock my head to the side seeing it a bit differently, "yeah, I can see what you mean." I glance down at my watch. "It's almost six. We should probably start to close up."

"Really?" Mandie shakes her head. "Where does the time even go these days?"

I shrug but turn around when I hear the door open and a pair of heels frantically clicking on the stone floor. There's Christine or, as she likes to go by, Chrissy, running in. She's got a stunning blue dress on, one that showcases her beautifully long and tan legs. Her brown hair is expertly curled in waves, framing her angular face.

"You look amazing, Chrissy," Mandie says before I can. "But what the hell are you running in here like that for? Are you being chased by a serial killer or...?" She pauses and looks down at Chrissy's feet. "And how the heck did you not fall on your face with those monster heels on?" It's true, she was already tall and now with those things on she looked modelesque.

"Okay okay, guys, am I like a total skank if I have sex on the first date?" She huffs breathlessly. "Like does sex on a first date qualify as one-night-stand material or?"

"That's right, you're on a date with the dream boat." Mandie rolls her eyes. "I knew from the way you were talking about him the other day that you'd give it up on the first date."

"Shut up!"

  "I mean, she's not wrong, Chrissy." I can't help but laugh.

"Ugh, I know." She lets out an exaggerated sigh.

Chrissy told us she'd met a guy the other night while she was out dancing. Apparently, it was love at first sight or at least that's what she said it was. He was everything she'd ever dreamed of physically. His body shape, height, etcetera were perfection to her. She wouldn't date a guy shorter than her so those monster, near six inch, heels were proof that he must be pretty tall too.

"I think it all depends," I say.

"Depends on what?" She pouts.

Mandie puts her hands on her hips, "well, is he take home to mom material or is he just take home to fuck material?" 

"Oh my god, Mandie!"

"Well, what is it, Chrissy?" She arches an eyebrow.

"Definitely number two but I don't know about number one." She fiddles with her hair. "I just... I need both of your opinion."

"What do you mean?" I chime in.

"He's coming here, liiiike any second. He had to go park his truck but I asked him to drop me off so I could make sure you guys stayed open. I told him I wanted to show him the art."

"What you really wanted was for us to check him out." Chrissy only smiles which makes Mandie laugh, "if he agreed to come check out the art then he definitely wants to get laid."

"Shut up, Mandie!"

"Well, it is a gallery," I add.

Mandie's eyes widen. "Oh wow, he really is something." She fans herself, "girl, is it getting hot in here cause oof!"

My back is facing the entrance but I roll my eyes at the both of them. "You guys are so thirsty." I begin to turn, "he can't really be that-" and my mouth shuts the moment he walks through the doors of the gallery. 

He is something, that's for sure. His black hair is slicked back perfectly with his pomade, it's a touch greasy and I know that because I've only run my hands through it dozens of times. He's wearing black jeans and leather boots, with a cuffed button-up t-shirt. His tattoos on full, panty-dropping, display.

You have got to be fucking kidding me right now. This is not happening. This can't be happening. Oh but it is though. Because such is my life.

"I told you!" Chrissy exclaims under her breath. "I'm definitely doing it, him." Of course she is. "I'm doing him. Tonight. It's happening."

She's practically purring like a wanton kitten and I don't need to look at her to know she's looking at him in the same manner. Looking at him like a hungry piranha, she just can't wait until he's deep within her waters so she can sink her teeth into him. Because that's how they all look at him. That's how I've looked at him. His ability to make women a hot pathetic mess is irritating. I hate him.

He runs his hand through his hair, a habitual thing he does. A sexy thing he does. I know his mannerisms well and that swagger he's rocking right now tells me he and Chrissy are on the same page about where they want to end up tonight. I can just picture them rolling around the sheets together later on and that thought makes my stomach roll as well.

He looks over in our direction with that dazzling smile, dimples and all. Stupid fucking dimples. It doesn't take long for that charming look to wear off the moment he sees me. He pauses a few feet in front us, me. He's staring at me while Chrissy saunters up to him, entwining her arm with his as she begins to introduce us. She introduces Mandie first and then me.

"This is-"

"Rae." Seth's eyes are still on me, making my stomach do little flips.

"The two of you know each other?" Chrissy questions.

I smile at her reassuringly, "childhood friends actually. Well, Seth was my brother's best friend growing up."

"Oh," she wipes faux sweat off her brow "I thought the two of you had like a thing or something." We both laugh uneasily, awkwardly. Too awkwardly. "Wait, did you?" She looks back and forth between the two of us worriedly.

"No," I reply automatically which makes him look directly at me but I keep my eyes off him as I smile at her in nonchalance. "Nothing like that, nothing. Just friends." Not like he left me alone on his bed after pleasuring me all night long and then didn't talk to me for six months or anything. "But to answer your question from before," she looks at me in confusion, "number two. Definitely not number one." Her face flushes.

"Number two?" I hear Liam's voice ask from the doorway. Wonderful. This is just wonderful. "What are we talking about, love?" Liam rounds the corner with a wide smile that quickly disappears when he eyes Seth.

"Never had a thing my ass." Mandie whispers, "Liam's face says it all, Rae."

I don't acknowledge her I just walk up to Liam, "hey, babe."

He pulls his eyes away from Seth to look at me, "hello, princess." Liam leans down to give me a kiss, "are you ready to go?"

"Yeah." He looks like he's ready to pull me as far away from this building as possible.

"Seth," He nods his head in Seth's direction, "good to see you." But the way he said the word good meant it was anything but good.

Seth clenches his jaw as he gives him a tight-lipped smile, "you too, Liam."

This is fucking awkward.

"Mandie, can you finish locking up or do you need me to stay?"

"No, I've got it." She can clearly sense the tension although Chrissy looks oblivious.

"Good." I go and grab my purse from the side closet and don't give Seth a second glance. "Have fun tonight, Chrissy."

"Oh I will." I can hear the lust thick in her voice.

Trust me, with him, you will. I don't say it, I just take Liam's hand and leave.

✩✩✩

"Oh god," he cries out into the apartment as I ride him harder, as hard as physically possible. "Jesus Christ, Rae! Slow down, love or I'm going to..." his jaw goes slack and his eyes begin to roll into the back of his head. He's losing control of himself, he can't hold it back anymore. "Rae." He cries out one last time before losing himself inside the condom.

My breath is coming out at a rapid pace, I feel like I've just ran a marathon. I feel like I should win some type of medal for the way I just rode him like a fucking cowgirl at a rodeo. But I personally didn't cross the finish line with him.

"Fuck-" Liam rubs his hand down his face "you didn't..." I shake my head no. "I told you to slow down, love."

"It's fine." I swing my leg over him and hop off, heading to the kitchen. "I need something to drink anyway."

"You're an animal." Liam walks up behind me, swatting my ass as I take a sip of water. "You know that, right?" He slips off his condom and tosses it in the trash. He leans against the counter, looking at me.

I finish gulping down a bit more water. "What can I say?" I lean across the opposite counter, both of us naked, looking at each other. "You want to be an animal?"

Liam's blue eyes darken, "only a carnivore." He takes a step toward me, grabbing me by the back of the neck forcefully before devouring my lips. His other hand moves between my legs, "get that sweet ass on top of that counter."

I pull away, "only if you get on your knees."  He drops on his knees automatically, looking up at me hungrily. "Now be a good boy." I lift myself until I'm sitting on top of the counter, spread-eagle. He's looking up at me lustfully. I quirk an eyebrow, challenging him before he slowly places his mouth between my thighs.

I toss my head back, twining my fingers in his hair with a deep moan. His tongue sweeps over me and I close my eyes at the tantalizing feeling. His fingers slowly enter me, pushing in and out. I let him work me, pulling his hair harder as he coaxes me. I close my eyes as I feel myself get closer and closer. I begin to tremble, a loud moan leaving my lips as I'm thrown over the edge and all I can think about is green eyes, black hair, and two arms full of tattoos.