Page 41 (1/1)

I also take up painting Not because I re, but because I find it both entertaining and relaxing I had enjoyed art classes in school, but I was always too busy with friends and other activities to give painting a serious attempt Noever, I have plenty of ti how to properly draw and paint Julian brings me a ton of art supplies and several instructional videos, and I soon findto capture the beauty of the island on canvas

"You know, you’re very good at this," Beth says thoughtfully one day, co of the sunset over the ocean "You’ve got the colors down exactly--that glowing orange shaded with the deep pink"

I turn and give her a big smile "You really think so?"

"I do," Beth says seriously "You’re doing well, Nora"

I get the sense that she’s talking about"Thanks," I say dryly Should I add that to my list of achieverins in response, and for the first time, I feel like we truly understand each other "You’re welco over to the outdoor couch, she curls up on it, pulling out her book I watch her for a few seconds, then go back to painting, trying to replicate theabout the puzzle that is Beth

She still hasn’t told et the sense that for her, this island is a retreat of sorts, a sanctuary She sees Julian as her rescuer, and the outside world as an unpleasant and hostile place "Don’t youdinner with your friends? Going dancing? You’re not a prisoner here; you could leave at any time Why don’t you have Julian take you with hi fun before you coh atmen put their hands all over"Should I also shop for sexy clothes and make-up, so I look all pretty for thes--should I ain, she shook her head "No, thanks I’ht here"

And that’s as much as she would say on that topic

I don’t knohat happened to ly suspect Beth hasn’t had an easy life When atching Pretty Wo snide co like the fairy tale they were showing I didn’t ask her about it then, but I’ve been curious ever since Could she have been a prostitute in the past?

Putting down my brush, I turn and look at Beth "Can I paint you?"

She looks up from her book, startled "You want to paint e of pace fro on lately--and it et to know her better

She stares at uess"

She see s--just sit there like that, with your book It makes for a nice visual"

And it’s true The rays of the setting sun turn her red curls into a blazing fla and vulnerable MuchI orking on and put up a blank canvas Then I begin to sketch, trying to capture the syles of her face, the lean lines and curves of her body It’s an absorbing task, and I don’t stop until it gets too dark for

"Are you done for today?" Beth asks, and I realize that she’s been sitting in the same position for the past hour

"Oh, yeah, sure," I say "Thanks for being such a good ets up "Ready for dinner?"

For the next three days, I work on Beth’s portrait She patiently models for me, and I find myself so busy that I hardly think about Julian at all It’s only at night that I have a chance to -sized bed as I lie there aching for his eotten me so addicted that a ithout him feels like a cruel punishment--one that I find infinitely worse than any sexual torture my captor has doled out thus far

"Did Julian say when he’s going to be back?" I ask Beth as I’ "He’s already been gone for seven days"

She shakes her head "No, but he’ll be here as soon as he can e He can’t stay away fro to you?" I can hear the eagerness in et? I irl who fell for her kidnapper Of course, I doubt many kidnappers have Julian’s lethal charm, so maybe I should cut myself some slack

Thankfully, Beth doesn’t tease me about my obvious infatuation "He doesn’t need to say it," she says instead "It’s perfectly obvious"

I put down my brush for a second "Obvious how?" This conversation is fulfilling a need I didn’t even know I had--that for a real girl-to-girl gossip session about men and their inexplicable emotions