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Joel shrugged “You’re probably good to play it safe,it up”
“That’s just because you’re a pervert,” I said teasingly, resting my head on his shoulder with a smile
“How can I be a pervert for body parts I don’t even like?” he said and kissed the top of ’s sexuality for totally different reasons, but I liked to give him a hard tiet everything finished down here”
“You sure?”
“Yes, yes, go!” he said, shooing ”
My apartment was upstairs, above the studio space, a sh rooh I had some roo one corner of the apart atsilently on its easel Being an artist very oftenart, and some days, I found it very hard to accept—but the pile of past-due bills on the counter wouldn’t be ignored, either It wasn’t like I had a real choice It had to be done
Less than an hour later, I returned to the gallery wearing my best dress and jewelry It was a dark blue dress, cut in a vintage style with a high, tight waist and circle skirt that s seem even more doll-like A square-cut bodice and thick straps co, shiny black hair stay down, but used a tiny faux diamond barrette to pull it away froold chain dangled fro city to try andSimple black kitten pumps and some red lipstick polished off the clean but effective look I had worked hard to perfect over the years
Joel had coet the night off to a perfect start The gallery lights had all been properly adjusted and calibrated, arranged to bring out the light and color of each work At the rear wall, a sant black cloth was stacked with an expensive array of exotic appetizers, and three bottles of chilled cha to be filled Very softly, ale jazz music played from the overhead speakers
I had to stand there for a , deep breath and a smile In le of the artist life orth it Moallery full of my work, all this pomp and circumstance to present it, all this beauty It was somade my heart happier It ue withti, back in our hometown—but I don’t think he understood how easy it was to feel like a fraud in this world
Asthe hardwood floor, Joel caallery with one of the floor sweepers in his hand, ready to give the hardwood one
He gasped and smiled when he saw ive us a twirl” He wound his finger in demonstration
Rolling ed him, and admittedly did feel very princess-like as the blue fabric of th dress spun aroundme blush
“Okay, okay, show’s over,” I said, looking at my watch “We only have about ten minutes left”
“Dios mío, I didn’t even realize,” Joel said, as he rushed with the sweeper to the front of the gallery “Did I forget anything?”
I took a quick tour around and didn’t see anything a the floor with only aveinto the back roo While I waited for both hihis name under my breath
“Sheikh Rafiq Al-Zayn, Sheikh Rafiq Al-Zayn…” I turned with a whimper to Joel as he breezed past me to put the sweeper away “These private exhibitions always make me so damn nervous, Joel At least in a crowd, the pressure isn’t entirely on me”
Joel stopped and turned back, dropping the sweeper on the floor He opened up his big ar Instantly my nerves started to calm
“You’ve done this a hundred times, mami, and for all sorts of rich and powerful people They love you! Look at you You are a charht will be no different”
“You’re the charmer,” I said “Thank you I don’t knoould do this without you”
“Try the huets here and eats all of it—it’s incredible” Joel winked atinto the back room