The Arrogant Artist : A Billionaire Boss Romance (International Bad Boys Set Book 2), стр. 47

I can’t believe what I’m seeing.

He’s painted so many canvases, and he’s concentrating on another one.

He’s dressed in his paint-splattered jeans and nothing else. Every muscle in his back is moving as his paintbrush glides over the canvas. The floor creaks under my foot, and he swings around. He looks different. A huge smile falls across his face when he sees me.

“I made you coffee.” I’m not really sure what else to say. “Here.”

Louis takes it from me and puts it down without taking a sip. “What do you think?”

“You’re painting with color.” He nods in agreement. “They are different from your normal work, but the colors, they are there again.”

“Someone new has inspired me.” He takes my coffee from my hand and places it beside his. Louis walks me backward until my back hits the wall. Large palms caress each side of my face, soft lips touch mine as he kisses me slowly, seductively. His hands pull off my T-shirt, and he discards it onto the floor. He gets on his knees and pulls my sleep shorts down.

Louis stands again, his lips meet mine as he kisses me then pulls back. “I need you, Emily.”

Oh my goodness, I can hear his need by the tone of his voice.

“I’m all yours.” My fingers fumble as I unbutton his jeans, they fall open at his hips, and I realize he’s not wearing underwear. My hand reaches inside and pulls him out.

Louis lifts me, my legs wrapping around his waist as he walks me across his studio then places me on the paint-splattered velvet couch. My legs widen for him as I feel his hard body pressed against mine. Then, without warning, he’s inside me, stretching me. I’m still sore from last night, but I don’t care, he feels so good, and this feels so right with him being inside of me.

“You’ve inspired me.” I gulp down my feelings as he continues to move against me. “You… I never expected… I’ve been waiting for you.” He looks down at me in awe. The shield that has been wrapped around my heart begins to break, it starts crumbling with each forceful thrust inside of me. “You’re my muse, Emily. You.” He kisses me forcefully.

I’ve never been anyone’s muse before, let alone a freaking genius like Louis Marchant.

“I need you, Emily. I need you to help me stay in the sunshine with you. I don’t want to sink back into the darkness.”

“I’ve got you,” I tell him as he pushes himself deeper inside of me.

Moments later, we’re both falling over the edge.

Louis moves the hair from my face. “I’m so thankful you came into my life.”

Damn him. He needs to stop saying these things. They are giving me hope, and I don’t know if I want hope because we only have the summer together. Plus, he’s Louis Marchant, I could never keep a man like him for long.

“I’m glad I can help.”

Louis frowns at me, we’re still joined together. “Emily.” His thumb rubs over my cheek.

No. This is all a little much.

“I better go clean up.” I push him away from me. “And let you finish your work while you’re feeling inspired.”

He moves away from me, and I quickly jump up and grab my clothes.

“Talk to me, Emily.” I turn and see he’s dressing while I slip my T-shirt on over my head.

“About what?” I try to play it cool, but I see Louis’ assessing eyes.

“Was this too soon for you?”

I laugh his question off pretending everything is fine. “I’ve got some emails I have to attend to.” With that, I turn on my heel and rush out of his studio.

“Emily, wait!” Louis comes after me, his arm reaches out and spins me around. “What did I do? Tell me, please? You have always been honest with me.”

I have but, right now, I have no idea why I’m freaking out.

“Is it the muse thing?”

I look up into his blue eyes. “I don’t want to be blamed for ruining Louis Marchant’s comeback.”

“What?”

“I’m only here for the summer. What happens when I go back to London? Who will be your muse then? What happens if you can’t find someone? I can’t… that’s too much pressure to put on me. I can’t ruin you.” He looks at me and smiles, which kind of freaks me out.

“You’re pulling away because you’re worried about me?”

“You’ve just started to come back to the art world, I don’t want to be responsible for you going back to the way you were.”

“Then I guess you’re going to have to stay.”

I shake my head slightly because I’m not following him.

Louis pulls me to him. “Whatever is happening between us, Emily, I’d like to see where it goes.”

What? I’m stunned.

“I like you.”

“Only because I’m your muse?”

“No. Even if you hadn’t inspired these paintings, I’d still want you.”

“You want me as what? An assistant?”

Louis shakes his head. “I want you, Emily. In my bed, in my home, going on bike rides, taking selfies in front of sunflowers. I want to spend time with you. You make me want to be a better man.”

Boom. The last crash of armor around my heart fails and falls directly onto the floor.

“So, would this be like… an exclusive kind of thing?” I won’t share him.

He smiles. “Damn straight it is. I’m not sharing you with anyone. So what do you say? Wanna give a washed-up artist a chance?”

“Yes. I guess I do.”

Louis pulls me into a kiss, and it feels right. I’m going to give Louis Marchant a chance. This might be the stupidest decision I’ve ever made, or it could be the best. Who knows?

“Good. Then come away with me. Just the two of us. Away from being my assistant. Away from all this.”

“But you’ve only just started to get it all back.”

“I can paint anywhere.” He grins. “I have a house in Ibiza. Let’s go. Let’s get to know each other as Louis and Emily.”

“But what about the show in New York. You need to prepare for