Cerulean Blue

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Cerulean Blue

Cerulean Blue By: Annmarie Ortega

Annmarie Ortega

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Cerulean Blue

Annmarie Ortega

A Silk’s Vault Electronic Publication, in arrangement with author Annmarie Ortega. Copyright © 2005 by Annmarie Ortega Cover Design and Art by Delinda Jasper, © Copyright 2005 Edited by Stephanie Belveal

Silk’s Silk’s Vault Publishing www.silksvault.com

All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in part or whole, in any form or by any means, without permission from both the author and publisher. All characters, incidents, situations, institutions, governments and people are fictional and any similarity to characters or persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

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Madeline took one look at him and knew she had to have him. There was something about the way he looked, the expression on his face. His light blue eyes held a twinkle, and there was a playful smile on his lips. And his hair was incredible. Just grazing his shoulders, it was dark brown with loose curls, swept over to one side, out of his face. He had facial hair that lightly ran down his jaw to his chin. He was beautiful. From what Madeline could see of him, his body was fantastic. His shoulders were wide and his hips were narrow. The way he was standing she could see his muscular legs. His thighs bulged and looked like they were solid muscle. Yes, she definitely wanted him badly, but did not want to seem too eager. Madeline asked the woman behind the table “How much do you want for him?” She tried to be casual as she pointed, tried to keep her hand from shaking in excitement. “Oh, him,” the woman said, just barely giving him a glance. “How about twenty dollars?” Madeline thought she must have heard wrong and frowned. The woman was almost giving him away. There must be a mistake; she must have heard her incorrectly. “I’m sorry, did you say twenty dollars?” she asked trying to sound nonchalant. She hoped her voice wouldn’t give away her eagerness. She was scared she was going to lose him before she even had him. “Ok, Ok,” the woman sighed back to her. “How about fifteen dollars? But that’s as low as I can go.” Madeline’s eyebrows furrowed together. She hadn’t been haggling, but she snapped at the woman’s offer. “Sold. Fifteen dollars it is.” She opened her purse, pulled out the money and handed it to the woman. The woman

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quickly glanced at the bills before she shoved Madeline’s money into the beige apron she wore around her waist. “Thanks, hon, and good luck with him.” The woman had emphasized the “Good luck” and sounded relieved to be getting rid of him. Madeline couldn’t understand why anyone would be willing to give him up so easily. He was the ultimate vision of the perfect man, and now he belonged to her. Madeline pulled her purse strap over her head and across her chest, and then leaned over to pick up the portrait she had just purchased. It was heavier than she had thought it would be. She shifted the weight in her arms and scrutinized him up closer. No doubt about it, he was gorgeous. Very happy with her purchase, she turned back the way she’d come and zigzagged through the aisles of the flea market towards her car.

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Madeline walked slowly around her apartment trying to decide where to hang the portrait. The painting didn’t really fit in with her modern living room decor. During her frenzy to purchase the portrait, she had never even thought where she would display it. She had just wanted to own him. She studied the painting in her hands and determined it was definitely old. The frame was gilded but had worn away in some spots. In the painting the man appeared to be dressed from medieval times. He wore a dark blue tunic with a thin black belt around his waist and gray form fitting hose covered his muscular legs. From the way he was standing she could only see his legs down to his calves. He was standing in a room, a cottage perhaps. There was a fireplace lit directly

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behind him with a large stone hearth. A wooden straight back chair was to his left, angled towards the fire. He stood holding a paint palette covered with different colors, and his easel was to his right. There was a canvas on the easel with a painting of a beach scene on it. Madeline could see the sky dotted with white, fluffy clouds, and waves were rolling in creating foam at the shoreline. Walking into her bedroom she stopped and looked at an empty wall in front of her. She had found the perfect spot, just across from her bed. She placed the portrait on her bed and went to the kitchen to get her hammer and nail. Once she had the nail securely in the wall, she picked up the portrait and carefully hung it. She took a step back to admire him and smiled. Perfect. A few hours later, Madeline was wearing her favorite cotton pajamas sitting on her bed surrounded by pillows. She held her current book on her lap, open to where she’d stopped reading the night before. After reading the same sentence twice, she still had no idea what she had read. She couldn’t even finish one sentence before she had to stop and look at the portrait across from her yet again. She felt as if her eyes were being pulled towards it, and the man across the room from her was not an easy man to ignore. Madeline finally tore her eyes away from him and closed the book with a sigh. She obviously wasn’t going to get any reading done tonight. As she leaned over to place the book on her nightstand she noted the late hour and decided to just call it a night. She knelt up in bed to turn the lights off on the ceiling fan above her with a pull of the chain. Lying down in the darkness, she fell asleep to the hypnotic hum of the fan motor rotating the blades above her. Madeline found herself in her pajamas standing in the cottage from the painting. She looked around and saw she was standing where the man had been, between the chair and the

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easel. Bending down she took a closer look at the painting of the beach and determined that it was actually very good and she particularly admired the brush strokes. She reached out her hand, wanting to feel the texture of the brush strokes of the sky. “Please don’t touch that, it hasn’t had time to dry yet,” a male voice said softly. Madeline turned towards the voice and saw the man staring out the cottage window. She thought it was strange that she was seeing the whole cottage, not just the point of view from looking at the portrait. The cottage was bigger than she had imagined and actually quite charming. From where she was standing she could see a table and chairs by the window close to where the man stood. There was a bed in the opposite corner with crisp white sheets and a fluffy down comforter piled with pillows. ”I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to ruin your painting. The sky is amazing. I love that shade of blue.” She realized she was talking to the man in the portrait and thought she must be dreaming. “Cerulean blue,” he said. “What?” Madeline asked, looking back to him since she hadn’t heard what he’d said. “The color of the sky is cerulean blue,” he repeated as he finally turned to look at her. Seeing him up close took her breath away, like the air had been pulled out of her lungs. In the portrait he was beautiful; in the flesh he was stunning. “Am I dreaming?” she asked. She knew she was, because in real life she would never have the nerve to even talk to someone as delicious as him. In the real world Madeline would immediately consider him way out of her league. He didn’t move a muscle. “Yes,” he replied. “I thought so. You’re the man in the painting I bought today. What’s your name?”

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“Sebastian.” he stated. Clearly he wasn’t much of a talker and he was unnerving her with his continual stare. “I’m Madeline, but you can call me Maddie. All my friends do.” “Can I ask you something, Maddie? Are you afraid to be here? Does it frighten you to be talking to man you know is in a painting? ” he asked in his calm voice, never taking his eyes from her. As he waited for her to answer he walked away from the window towards her, stopping directly in front of her. With him this close to her, she became aware of his smell, a mixture of soap and sandalwood mixed with the faint odor of turpentine. She also saw he was taller than she was, maybe six feet three inches. As he was staring at her waiting for her answer, he seemed to be memorizing her face though Madeline didn’t know why. She didn’t think there was any reason for him to be staring at her so intensely. There was nothing so interesting in her dark blue eyes or pale skin. She had never had anyone look at her the way he did. Her stomach knotted as a result of him being close to her. His stare was so intense, his presence so masculine. She had the sudden urge to touch him, his chest, his biceps, any part of him. She just knew she wanted to feel his skin under her fingers and her feelings surprised her since they were very out of character. “What did you ask me?” she asked since she had forgotten his question. His blue eyes had erased her memory and she couldn’t break away from his stare. During these few minutes she realized he had the most beautiful eyes she’d ever seen. “I asked you if you were scared to be here,” he repeated. Maddie had to make herself really focus on what he was saying as watching his

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mouth move while he spoke was distracting her. All she could think of was what his lips would feel like pressed against hers. “No, I’m not scared,” she said as she shook her head finally answering his question. Her common sense knew she should be afraid of being alone with a strange man. In real life, she would never let herself be in a situation like she found herself in now. Perhaps it was knowing this was a dream and not real that made her feel safe. Something inside her told her she had nothing to fear from Sebastian. If anything, she felt an attraction to him, not fear of him. Hell, all she could think about was locking lips with this guy. “Do you know how beautiful you are?” she asked him out of nowhere. He immediately looked away from her, not answering. Madeline was mortified at what she had just asked and immediately wanted to take back her stupid question. Her dream had quickly become a nightmare in the blink of an eye. Apparently, she had lost her mind in this dream, because in reality she would never ask anything like that to any man. What had made her ask him that? She felt her cheeks turn cherry red, wishing she were invisible. No such luck. “Did I just say that out loud?” she asked jokingly, trying to save face, but she knew it was a futile attempt. This was the most embarrassing moment of her life. Sebastian finally looked at her and his expression made her melt inside. She had never seen such an intense look of desire directed towards her as she did now by him. She no longer had bones, just hot molten lava oozing through her veins. The thought went through her mind that the room was getting hotter. He took another step towards her, then bit his lower lip and finally leaned down to whisper, “Maddie, can I kiss you?” This was not what she’d expected him to say, and her stomach felt as if she had just

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plummeted over the highest crest of a roller coaster. She felt a little breathless, as if the air had suddenly gotten thinner inside the cottage. It was as he reached with his hand to touch her face she noticed he had the hands of a painter. They were speckled and smudged with different colors and there was dried paint under his fingernails. His hand touched her face at her temple and lightly traced it down past her eyebrow, eye, cheek, to the edge of her mouth. Her lips involuntarily opened a little and a slight whimper escaped her. She had to fight the urge to take his finger in her mouth. His touch was so gentle she thought she’d love to feel his hands over her entire body. She felt her heartbeat quicken and an ache started between her thighs. His finger moved to her chin and tilted her face up towards his. He moved in slowly his mouth almost touching hers. “Can I kiss you?” he breathed onto her lips. She thought her body might ignite in flames from the heat she felt radiating from him. He had the power to instantly incinerate her, to leave her as a pile of ash on the floor. “Yes” she replied, not even sure if she had actually spoken the word aloud. This was the best dream ever, she thought. His head bowed down to hers and their lips finally touched. It was a soft and gentle moment. Time seemed to stop. Maddie felt his soft curls brush against her face like delicate butterfly kisses. They both drew back and looked at each other. He traced her bottom lip with his index finger, and this time she couldn’t resist the urge to kiss it. He smiled at her, and she saw he had a dimple she hadn’t noticed before. She reached up and touched his face, feeling the stubble on his jaw which tickled her open palm

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sending chills up her arm. She cupped his cheek and leaned in to him to kiss him again. The ache she had felt before between her thighs had ignited into a small fire deep in her core. She couldn’t believe this was happening to her, even if it was just in a dream. Her entire life, she’d never been this bold with a stranger and as a rule she only kissed a man once on a first date. She was already way beyond her dating parameters. They kissed again, this time with more intensity, their passion escalating. It was amazing to her that without speaking a word, they were communicating with each other. They were both able to sense what the other wanted. It was an erotic dance they had never danced before together, yet they knew all the steps to keep it fluid. She took his face in both her hands as his arms went around her waist, pulling her closer to him so their bodies almost touched. His tongue touched her lips, silently asking her for entry. She permitted him, and when their tongues met, it was like fire touching fire. Their tongues touched and stroked each other, getting bolder with each delicious probe. Maddie’s body released a small shudder she had no control over. She was so aroused by him, and felt herself losing more control. She felt no inhibitions, and it didn’t matter she didn’t know him. All she knew was she felt safe with Sebastian, and desperately wanted him. She nibbled his bottom lip and— Maddie woke to the sound of her alarm clock blasting the traffic report. She lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind and heart racing. She tried to remember every detail before the dream started to fade away, like parts of dreams always do. Aggravated, she reached over and turned off the alarm clock with a slam of her palm. That had been the most intense dream she had ever had. She was so incredibly aroused by Sebastian, and it had all felt so real, smelled so real, and tasted so real. She

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looked at his portrait and felt her whole body humming, sensitive from her want of him. Her nipples were erect, begging to be caressed, and she felt the ache for him and wetness between her legs. As she walked to her bathroom, she wondered what would have happened if the alarm hadn’t gone off. How far would she have gone with him? She turned on the bathroom light and reached for her toothbrush. As she looked at herself in the vanity mirror she stopped with a gasp. She leaned closer to the mirror. On her face where Sebastian had traced with his finger, was dried paint. Cerulean blue. Maddie was barely able to get through the day. She didn’t remember getting dressed and it was amazing her clothes even matched. At work she spent most of the day staring at a blinking cursor on her computer monitor trying to remember every detail of her dream. She barely noticed when people started leaving for the day. Going home, she stood in a trance and just noticed when the train had reached her stop. She got off the train right before the sliding doors started to close. Once home, Maddie went through the motions of preparing dinner for herself, but she couldn’t eat. All she could do was replay her dream in her mind over and over. She finally sat at the foot of her bed drawn to Sebastian’s portrait. Now that he had a name and was real to her, she ached to know him more. He was incredible in person and she wanted to see him again. Finally it was time for her to get ready for bed, and she prepared herself same as she did every other night. After washing her face and brushing her teeth, she was eager to go to sleep. This time though, she felt the excitement of maybe being able to see Sebastian again. Maddie went to the front hall of her apartment to get the briefcase she used for work. She

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took out the training manual she had to proofread; but had kept putting off because it was such dry reading and very technical. She figured it should have her out cold in five minutes tops. Climbing into bed, she opened the book to Chapter One- Key Codes and Usage in Data Entry. After a few minutes, as she predicted, the words started to blur and the manual slipped from her hands. She was sitting in a chair, and Sebastian was kneeling on the floor at her feet. His head was resting in her lap and she was brushing his hair back from his face. There was a fire blazing in the fireplace, giving the room a flickering crimson hue. “This is so nice,” she whispered looking down at his profile on her lap. She felt absolute contentment all the way down to her toes. Her body was relaxed and stroking his hair with his head in her lap felt natural. His eyes were closed and he had a relaxed smile on his lips as if he felt the same contentment. He finally opened his eyes and sat back to look at her. “Welcome back, Maddie,” he said softly with a warm smile. “I thought about this place all day today. I know this is a dream, but it’s real too somehow, isn’t it?” She touched her face where the dried paint had been. He sat back, crossed his feet at his ankles, and hugged his knees with his arms. “Where we are now is difficult to explain. You are real, I am real, but we can only meet when you are asleep.” “What do you mean you’re real? You’re a painting hanging on my bedroom wall.” He gave her a surprised look and cocked his head to the side. “You keep me in your bedroom?” He paused as if to contemplate this, and then shook his head to regain his thoughts. “I was born in 1400. I was a painter, the typical starving artist stereotype. I met a

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woman who thought she was in love with me. Now mind you, I did nothing to lead her on, never accepted any of her advances and there were many. I wasn’t interested in her and she was furious that I dared to refuse her. She was jealous of my painting because that was my great love. She thought it was because I had a passion for art that I had no passion left for her. I told her it wasn’t just her; I wasn’t interested in any relationships at that point in my life. I only wanted to focus on my work. I thought I would have time for a relationship later, once I was an established artist. One night, she ended up cursing me into this painting, where I’ve been ever since.” Maddie was incredulous. “She cursed you? How? I didn’t think curses were even real. I thought they were made up in fairy tales.” “Oh, did I forget to mention she was a witch? When a witch curses you, it is very real.” he said like it was a common everyday thing. “A witch? So let me get this straight. You’re stuck here because a witch got pissed off at you?” “Trust me; I’ve thought about how ridiculous the whole thing is. Everyday. For hundreds of years.” “So how is it that I see you in my dreams?” “I appear in the dreams of whoever buys my portrait and the owner is always a woman. I believe the witch did this as punishment to me. Different women have come here for hundreds of years, yet I am not able to have a real relationship with any of them. I am stuck here and when they wake up, they go on with their lives without me. I’ve had owners who were lonely, and we’d sit and talk for hours while they were here. That’s how I learned to speak the same as you do. There was one woman who painted as well and I mentored her

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in her dreams. She was a wonderful artist and painted giant flowers and these fantastic cow skulls.” He shook his head and looked toward the fire. “Sometimes the new owner will come here once, and I’ll never see her again. Sometimes they get scared and will sell the painting to get rid of me from their dreams. Some have even thought that they’d been cursed, which I found ironic since they had no idea. There was one woman who died and my portrait sat for 112 years before a descendent finally found it and sold it.” Maddie was amazed. “You were alone for 112 years until the painting was sold again? That must have been horrible being here by yourself for so long. What did you do for all that time?” She reached out and took his hand in hers looking to comfort him. His loneliness was beyond her comprehension and her heart ached for him. “Yes, I was alone and lonely, and I painted a lot. Every time I complete a painting, it disappears and a blank canvas takes its place. My paints have never run out. I can’t stop even if I wanted to. My love of painting has truly become my curse.” She was amazed he stated it all so cut and dry, matter of fact. In all these years, he had the time to figure it all out, and had come to terms with his fate. Maddie thought it was all terribly unfair and was determined to help him. There must be something she could do to break the curse. It seemed so unreasonable to her that he should suffer so long because of one pissed off witch who lived hundreds of years ago. “Can I dream you out of here?” she asked. She would dream him anywhere he wanted if she could. “No. I asked a woman to try once. I can’t leave this cottage.” He looked around and gestured futility with his hands. “This is my world.”

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She looked at him with sorrow in her eyes and she felt her heart actually ache in her chest for him. “Please don’t feel sorry for me,” he pleaded upon seeing the sorrow in her eyes. “I‘m all right here. I’ve had plenty of time to get used to my situation and honestly, I accept it.” Maddie shook her head disagreeing with him, not able to accept Sebastian’s seemingly easy resignation. She suddenly felt a chill in her bones and wanted to get closer to the fire. She stood up reaching her hand to Sebastian. “Let’s sit by the fire. All of a sudden I’m freezing.” He walked with her hand in hand, and they sat side by side facing the fire. She scooted closer to him and pulled his arm towards her to wrap it around her. He inched closer to her and held her, nuzzling his face in her hair, breathing in her scent. She smelled wonderful to him, like flowers and fresh air. He loved that he could still smell the outdoors on her. It brought back memories long forgotten of his life before this cottage had become his universe. Her smell made his blood rush faster through his veins and exhilarated him. She turned to look at his profile and thought about all the years he’d spent alone. If it had been her, she would have gone crazy. She was amazed at his fortitude. He felt her staring at him and turned to look at her. She leaned in and kissed him softly, noting he still tasted as delicious as he had last night. “Yesterday I wanted to tell you that you are a fantastic kisser, but I disappeared before I could tell you,” she said. Sebastian took her hand in his. “I was worried that you would think I was too forward, kissing you like I did. I found myself drawn to you and I couldn’t help myself. I have never acted that way with a woman I just met.” He held her hand and slowly stroked

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his thumb across hers. “In fact, I’ve never done anything like that with anyone else who has come here. You are a beautiful woman, Maddie, and kissing you felt very right.” Maddie looked at him in utter disbelief and felt the color rise in her cheeks. Shaking her head to disagree she retorted, “You are very sweet, but I’m not beautiful. If you think that, you’ve definitely been here too long.” She sat, amazed that he had told her that he hadn’t been with anyone else in hundreds of years, but for some reason he’d wanted to kiss her. Surely he’d had women here who were more desirable than she was, but at the same time having this knowledge excited her. She felt as if someone had let loose a hundred butterflies in her stomach. “I don’t know how you can say that about yourself. There are many beautiful qualities about you. I think your hair is beautiful.” He touched her hair and followed its trail down to the middle of her back. “It’s dishwater blonde,” she sighed. “It’s glistening with golden highlights. It feels so smooth and I love how it lays down your back, so long.” He took a handful of her hair and brought it up to his nose, inhaling its smell, while looking at her to meet his gaze. Watching him do this made her stomach tighten and she found it extremely erotic. He gently pulled her head towards him by her hair that was entwined in his fingers. She tilted her head up to meet his, eager for his lips to touch hers with that now familiar searing heat. Closing her eyes and parting her lips, she trembled slightly with anticipation, waiting for his lips to touch hers. When she finally felt his lips ever so gently touch hers, she instantly felt the fiery ache in her loins return and saw sparks of light behind her eyelids. He made her see fireworks.

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“Don’t ever think you are not beautiful. I think you are, and we can argue all night, or we can call a truce with a kiss,” he whispered in her ear, his breath giving her the chills. Maddie pulled back and opened her eyes to look at him. He grinned at her, showing off that killer dimple making her stomach flip. “Truce,” she murmured as she leaned in to kiss him again. It was as if they had picked up right where they had left off last night. In a few moments of kissing and touching tongues they had each other in a frenzy. Kissing was no longer enough for either one of them. They had both grown hungry for more, and their bodies demanded their hunger be fed. As they kissed, Maddie grabbed at Sebastian’s tunic and tried to pull it up, over his head. “Wait,” he chuckled. She was disappointed he had stopped her. Had she done something wrong? “I need to take this off first, love. Otherwise, you may choke me to death.” He undid the belt from around his waist and placed it on the floor next to him. “Now try,” he instructed her, flashing the dimple. She took it by the hem and pulled it up over his head, his arms sliding out of the sleeves. She froze, stunned by the sight of his naked chest, and tried to take him all in. Her eyes danced over his chest and abs, not sure where to rest. She had seen photos of ripped men before, but never quite like this and definitely never up close and personal like now. He was amazing to say the least. He didn’t have a six pack, he had eight. She had been more than correct yesterday guessing he was muscular, he was solid muscle. Sebastian pulled the tunic from her frozen grip and threw it beside his belt. Just from those simple movements she could see his muscles flexing under his skin. Apparently in his

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spare time besides painting, he had been working out. Looking at him took her breath away. Sebastian didn’t say a word; he simply let her feast on him with her eyes. He took her hand in his, and all the while looking at her, guided her hand towards the center of his chest. “Touch me,” he instructed her. Her hand trembled in his as she licked her overly dried lips. She found it difficult to swallow and wished for a glass of water. Suddenly it seemed the fire in the fireplace had made the room incredibly hot, like a furnace. She felt a trail of sweat slowly start to roll down her back. Her mind was trying to comprehend that he asked for her to touch him. She forced her lungs to exhale as she thought somehow things were backwards here. She should be begging for him to touch her. As her hand reached his chest, she saw a light scattering of brown hair. Her open palm touched him and she felt his muscles contract under her fingertips. Just touching his chest made her hips ache to move towards him. She looked at his face and was surprised to see he had closed his eyes. This was by far the most erotic moment of her life. She longed to trace her fingertips over his abs, but she suddenly felt self-conscious. This was all so different than anything she had ever experienced before. Her mind reeled with the knowledge that no one else had touched him in so long. He wanted her, and had chosen her for whatever reason. Part of her brain told her not to over analyze the situation, to just go with it, yet she didn’t want to disappoint him either. As if sensing her insecurities, Sebastian opened his eyes. “Maddie, don’t be shy. Touch me,” he said bending down to murmur in her ear, a comforting smile on his face. He pulled back. “I want you to.” Seeing the desire burn in his eyes, she couldn’t refuse him. His raw need made her decide she would give him everything he wanted from her. She bit her lower lip as she ran

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her fingers from his neck down his well defined abs. Her fingers burned a blazing pathway as they skimmed over the top of his hose. With his tunic off, she could see how form fitting they were and she could easily see his rigid arousal straining against the material. She gently grazed her fingers back up his chest, finding a nipple and lightly tracing around it with her finger. He breathed in deeply and as his nipple hardened under her fingers. She was in control of his pleasure and at the same time, he was making her aroused by being submissive to her. This was an exemplary example of a win-win situation, she thought. Maddie knelt up in front of Sebastian, placing her hands on his shoulders and leaning into his neck below his ear. She ran her pink tongue down to his shoulder, loving the taste of his skin as it mingled with his scent, making her feel heady. Her tongue traced his shoulder and he turned his head to follow the path of her mouth. He moaned out loud for her, full of approval at what she was doing to him. She started kissing his chest, her hands touching his skin, exploring the contours and ripples of his muscles. The movement of tendons under his taut skin was sensual under her fingertips. Her mouth found a nipple and she circled it languidly with her tongue, and then flicked at it quickly. He hissed out to her while pushing his hips towards hers. She responded back to him by giving the nipple a sudden suck. That was all it took. He came undone. “Oh God, Maddie, do you know what you’re doing to me?” he asked. Without knowing it, she had pushed him to his breaking point. He took her hands and placed them down to her sides, then cupped her cheeks in his palms, his lips seeking hers with a frenzied desperation. Her whole body quivered at how he had suddenly taken over control from her.

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He kissed her as if he needed her lips and very breath to survive. His tongue claimed hers with a new fervor that she reveled in. She broke away from his kisses, confused. “Did I do something wrong? I thought you wanted me to touch you.” Sebastian reached for Maddie’s pajama top, pulling it up. “Maddie, you did everything exactly right. I just don’t know how long I can control how badly I need you. I want to go slow and savor every inch of you, but it’s been a long time for me.” When she looked into his eyes, she saw that fierce desire for her again and it made her dizzy to feel so wanted. Maddie raised her arms as he slid off her pajama top. She now knelt in front of him naked from the waist up, but she made no move to cover herself with her arms like she would normally do. Kneeling there exposed to him, she wanted him to take her in with his eyes, to see how aroused she was just for him. How her nipples were erect and her skin was flushed and ruddy. He had made her feel desirable and knowing he thought she was beautiful only empowered her more. “Never let me hear you say you are not beautiful,” he growled low to her as he moved himself closer. They knelt so they were now face to face; her erect nipples brushed his chest, scorching them. “Lay back for me, Maddie,” he commanded. Maddie stretched out on her back as he lay down next to her on his side, his head resting in his hand propped on an elbow. His free hand touched her stomach and Maddie felt her muscles contract under his touch. He leaned over her to kiss her mouth that was now swollen from his barrage of kisses he had rained on her moments before. “Close your eyes, Maddie. Just feel my touch,” he whispered to her. She looked into his blue eyes one last time before she lowered her lids.

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He traced on her stomach with his strong fingers. He then cupped one of her breasts and she felt his thumb glide over her nipple. Her nipples were now both hard peaks over soft flesh. Her hips rose and fell with every palmed sweep to her breasts. She willed his hand to move lower down her body where she longed for him to fill her aching emptiness. She wanted him to touch her core, her center of being where she felt an intense fire rage. She felt such euphoria as his mouth worshipped her breasts with kisses, licks, nips and sucks. Her head rolled slowly from side to side as she hissed in profound pleasure. Her body felt like a coil, ready to spring open. Sebastian fondled her nipple on one breast while he suckled the other. Maddie experienced feelings that were overwhelming, her sensations only heightened by her closed eyes. Maddie felt her hips rock forward as her back arched up towards him. He had taken her to her edge, and she wanted to plummet with him now. “Sebastian, please touch me,” Maddie requested breathlessly. Between his caressing and suckling of her breasts he breathed, “I am touching you.” Maddie then realized he wanted to hear her say exactly what she wanted him to do to her, but she didn’t know if she could. She wasn’t used to being vocal with her sexual desires, but then she had never been with anyone remotely like Sebastian before. He made her feel like a licentious sexual goddess. Eyes still closed, she felt him pull at the string to untie her pajama bottoms, bringing him so close to where she wanted him to be. He laid a hand flat on her stomach beneath her belly button, waiting for her instructions. “Maddie, look at me,” he said. Her eyelids fluttered open to find his blue eyes intent on her.

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“It’s all right to tell me what you want,” he said, his eyes heavy with passion, his smile warm. “I’m not embarrassed that you can see how much I want you.” He glanced down to his straining erection, then back to her. Never had she had a lover who spoke to her as he did. He wasn’t just interested in his own pleasure, but hers as well. He kept amazing her. She took his hand in hers. “I want to feel you touch me here,” she whispered as she guided his hand to the hot juncture between her legs. He moved over her to kneel between her legs, and she unconsciously opened them wider to accommodate him. “Lift up your hips,” he instructed her and pulled off her pajama bottoms. She was now lying totally naked with him kneeling between her knees. After he looked at her from head to toe, he leaned forward and placed a finger on her chest, at her breast bone. He let his finger wander down her chest, between her breasts, down to her belly button. He paused for a few seconds to lock eyes with her before his finger reached her mound and dark blonde curls. He gently cupped her moist juncture between her legs and she sighed at his touch with a tremor of anticipation rolling through her body. Her legs opened yet wider for him, granting him permission to enter her. She knew before he even touched her that she was already wet for him. His finger slid into her easily and he moaned at the knowledge that she was dripping wet for him. As he slid his finger slowly in and out of her, she gasped and writhed in pleasure. “Maddie, I want to be inside you,” he said as she arched herself up to meet his thrusts. “But I’m afraid you’re going to be waking up soon.” “No, not now,” she murmured almost delirious with pleasure. Her mind reeled that

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he wanted the same fulfillment she longed for. This fantastic man wanted to make love to her, and God, did she want him. His fingers entered her folds and found a faster rhythm as he discovered her clitoris. Her moans amplified, the grinding of her hips became more exaggerated and pronounced. He sensed her reaching her climax as her body tensed and her muscles contracted around his finger. She cried out his name with a passion he had never heard before. A tremendous wave of release shattered her with such a force it left her literally gasping for air. It was the most explosive climax she had ever experienced. Maddie woke up as her release started to ebb, alone in her room, alarm clock blaring. She was still gasping for air and grasped the comforter beneath her in her fists. Her body was shaken to the core. She was covered in sweat. Sebastian had made her feel this way with just his touch. She could only imagine what it would be like to have his body in hers. Maddie knew she didn’t want to just imagine it. She needed to experience him inside her. Tears suddenly started to fill her eyes as she lay on her bed by herself, crying silently. She cried because he had been right and their time had run out again. She cried because now she was all alone and felt she had been torn from him so brutally. She cried because now he was alone as well, until the next time she slept. And finally, she cried because she experienced the startling revelation she was in love with a cursed man. Reaching over she finally turned off her alarm clock, swearing under her breath. Wiping away her tears with the back of her hand, she realized tomorrow was Saturday, and she would not be setting her alarm. There was no work so she would be sleeping in late tomorrow, and that made her feel better. No alarm clock would mean she’d have more time

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with Sebastian, and that made her smile a slow, wicked smile. All day long at work, Maddie thought about everything Sebastian had explained to her regarding his curse. Being away from him allowed her to think through his situation with a clear head. He had said there was no way to break the curse and that he’d never be able to have a “real” relationship. Through all her thinking Maddie realized she didn’t care, all she knew was she had intense feelings for him and desperately wanted him. After last night she knew the next time she saw him she would give herself fully to him. She loved everything about him and the hopeless romantic in her couldn’t accept that there was no way to break the curse. There must be a way to free him, and she was determined to find it, come hell or high water. She was not about to let this unbelievable man slip away from her. All she had to do was figure out how to break a six hundred year old curse that no one else had been able to. No problem. That night she lay in bed eager for her elusive drowsiness to overcome her. This day had been one of the longest days of her life and at one point it seemed time had grinded to a halt. She thought that maybe her clocks were all broken, for how else could time crawl so slowly? She desperately missed Sebastian and longed to be in his arms again. Only the memories of last night helped her get through the tedious day. She snuggled under the blankets and finally, thankfully, began to feel drowsy. She was lying in Sebastian’s bed, naked on his crisp white sheets. His arm was around her waist, his hand rested on her flat stomach. His leg was wrapped around her thigh and she could feel his chest against her back. She could also feel his rock hard erection pressing against her buttocks. She was ecstatic to finally be back with him in his arms. “Hello Maddie,” he whispered in her ear. “I’ve missed you.” As he leaned towards

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her to whisper in her ear, she felt his hair brush the back of her neck. It gave her the chills and she quivered in his arms. “I missed you, too. I can’t believe I woke up yesterday right when…” she said as she turned to face him. “I’m sorry about yesterday,” he said shaking his head. “I should have realized that we were running out of time sooner. I just got swept away and lost track of time.” “It’s okay, Sebastian. Well, I mean, I hope that doesn’t happen again like yesterday. It kind of sucked waking up by myself like that.” Smiling like the cat that ate the canary she told him her good news. “Hey, tomorrow is Saturday, so no alarm clock to wake me up. I’m sleeping in late. Yea.” Her smiled at her and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. “I hope that means tonight we’ll have more time together. Yesterday you made me almost forget that I’m cursed. These past two nights have been incredible. I never thought I’d feel happiness again in my life and then you appear.” “And not only do I appear, but I appear naked. But I guess that’s okay since it will save us time undressing,” she said with a slow smile. “I’m glad you’re here with me naked,” he said his tone becoming serious. “Yesterday before you left I told you I wanted to be inside you.” He brushed a few stray hairs back from her face, wanting to see her eyes unobstructed. “Nothing has changed. I still want you, Maddie.” Maddie felt a wave of warmth roll over her body. Of course she hadn’t forgotten what he’d said yesterday to her before she’d left him. In fact, the thought of him was what had gotten her through the day. She still wanted him also and the anticipation of waiting to

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see him had been nearly unbearable. “I want you, too,” she replied back her voice now husky. They lay side by side, looking at each other in silence. Slowly, almost in unison, they leaned in towards each other for a kiss. When his lips brushed over hers, Maddie felt like she was back where she belonged. Sebastian playfully pushed Maddie at the shoulders and rolled her over onto her back. He sat over her, straddling her hips. He leaned down to kiss her, and she felt his thick erection press into her stomach. He was ready for her. He kissed her down her neck, a trail of fire to her breasts. He took his time with each breast, rubbing the nipples with his fingers and kissing them until they were hard peaks. Maddie felt the return of the now familiar throb between her legs, and she could feel the slick wetness there. She was ready for him. Maddie reached up to touch Sebastian’s chest. She circled his nipples with her fingers and felt his skin tighten. Her hands worked down his sculpted abs to his rigid erection pressing across her belly. She took him in her hand and felt his soft skin over the hard muscle. Maddie had had a few lovers, but never one as endowed as Sebastian. Doubt entered her mind if she would be able to take all of him inside her. She felt him throb and felt a drop of moisture on her hand. He closed his eyes and rolled his hips forward, releasing a moan low in his throat. Sebastian slid back to kneel between her legs again and pushed her knees further apart. “Maddie, relax your knees for me,” he instructed. She opened for him and whatever he had planned for her. He lowered his head between her legs, and she felt his tongue brush lightly across her wet opening. His tongue opened her and she felt him enter her, moving inside her. It felt incredible and she wiggled her bottom and moaned for more. He laved her

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bud with his tongue, finding just the right spot to make her crazy with passion. She could feel her wetness oozing out of her. He was making her delirious as he used his mouth and then his fingers inside her. She was astonished with how he kept bringing her to higher and higher plateaus of pleasure. As soon as she thought she’d reached her highest plateau, he’d stop, prolonging her ecstasy. Maddie had discovered the ultimate agony and ecstasy. She felt desperate for a climax, but she longed to experience it with more than just his tongue or finger. What she wanted, no what she needed, was his massive phallus inside her. “Sebastian,” she hissed trying to make a coherent sentence. She was now officially delirious and loving it. He sat up to look at her and knew what she wanted, because he wanted the same thing. Since he had stopped pleasuring her, she was finally able to think a cohesive thought. “Sebastian, please, I need you now,” she murmured holding out her arms for him. Her mind was reeling and her body felt like a bundle of nerves ready to explode. Once again he had overwhelmed her senses with just his touch. He eased himself up the length of her body and she felt sparks where his naked skin lightly brushed against hers. When his chest brushed against her super sensitive nipples, she felt herself reach that high plateau once again. He lay on top of her, his torso supported by his forearms. Maddie opened her legs to him and reached down to take his swollen shaft in her hand. They stared into each others eyes and it seemed they had both stopped breathing to burn this moment into their memories. “Let me,” she requested as she guided him to her glistening open lips. As his tip

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slowly entered her, she swore to herself she would never forget this moment, no matter how long a life she lived. The expression on his face was the purest form of joy she’d ever seen. He seemed to relish his entering her inch by slow inch. “Maddie,” he whispered and closed his eyes as he slid into her further. She wanted to feel him in her to the hilt. She wrapped her legs around him, locking her ankles at his waist, pulling him closer, tightening her thighs. Sebastian buried his face in her neck and she felt his whole body shudder over her. The feeling of her surrounding him with her warm sheath was pure bliss. He had totally filled her. “You feel amazing,” he spoke in her ear. “You are so warm and tight,” he murmured as he stroked her hair, breathing in her scent. Maddie wrapped her arms tightly around his muscular back. She had worried about his fitting inside her, but found was able to take in all of him. The feeling of him inside her was incredible, and she loved the feeling of intimacy they shared. Sebastian slid out of her slowly, just stopping before they lost their connection. Then he slid back in to the hilt, grinding his hips to hers. His sliding in and out, increasing its pace and he finding a rhythm that made Maddie moan to him in approval. He found her breast and sucked the nipple as he pumped in and out of her. As his strokes became accelerated, Maddie matched him with each grind of his hips to hers. She unlocked her ankles. He took one of her knees and held it up to his shoulder to allow him to enter her even deeper. Maddie's breathing became a shallow pant. “I love being inside of you, Maddie.” His thrusts became frenzied, almost savage as they both were almost at their breaking point. Maddie closed her eyes, loving how each

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thrust filled her and made her come that much closer to her climax. She clawed at his back trying to pull him even closer to her, even though at this moment they were already one being. She opened her eyes and saw through her lashes he was staring at her face. She looked at raw masculinity as she climaxed and her muscles contracted around him. She felt him shudder uncontrollably as his tremors took over his body and he exploded inside her. As he climaxed he never looked away from her eyes, even as he gasped her name. “Maddie, that was,” he started, a few heartbeats later. “I know, I know,” she finished for him. He slid from her, and then gathered her in his arms as their bodies relaxed from their waves of pleasure. He kissed the side of her head as his hand caressed her shoulder, their bodies a perfect fit to each other. “If I could, I’d leave here right now and go with you, wherever you wanted,” he said. “I’d propose to you like a normal man, marry you and spend my life with you. It breaks my heart that none of that is possible. This is all I have to offer you, nothing more.” His voice sounded full of regret and sorrow. “I don’t need all that, Sebastian. All I need is your heart,” she replied taking his hand in hers. “You had that the first time we met,” he whispered in her ear. His response once again gave Maddie the chills. Knowing he loved her just as she loved him, she felt more determined than ever to break the curse that bound him to this cottage, and her dreams. Later they lay together, sated yet again, limbs entangled together with the sheets. Maggie rested her head on his chest as Sebastian played with her hair, brushing strands across his lips.

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“Sebastian, I just keep thinking that maybe you can remember something about breaking the curse?” As she spoke she felt her throat tighten. Sebastian hugged her close. “I don’t know a way to break it. Trust me; I would do anything to be with you.” He had never hated the curse the way he did now. Now he had a real reason to want out of this place. “Well then,” Maddie said swallowing back her tears, “I wish there was a way I could stay here with you then. I wouldn’t go back.” Maddie felt Sebastian’s body stiffen after she had spoken. His heart skipped a beat after she had said the words he had thought she would never say. “Actually, there is a way you could stay here,” he said slowly contemplating if he should even tell her. Maddie rolled over onto her side to look at him. “What? Really? How? Why didn’t you tell me before?” Her voice was full of disbelief. He knew how badly she wanted to be with him. Why would he have kept this information a secret from her? “I couldn’t say anything to you about staying. It’s part of the curse. To have a woman stay here with me, she would have to want it and wish for it of her own free will.” “Has anyone ever told you they wanted to stay with you?” she asked. “No,” he said softly looking into her eyes. “You are the first.” She was the only lover he had had here and no one else would want to stay here with him just to be friends. She sat up in the bed. “Well then, I’m lucky the other women who have been here were idiots. What do I have to do?” Part of her was scared to hear his answer. She hoped she wouldn’t have to do something painful, though to be with him forever she was ready to endure anything.

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“Maddie, you don’t know what you’re asking,” he started, sitting up in the bed next to her. “Think about it, you could never go back to your world. You’d be cursed here in this cottage with me forever. I couldn’t ask you to do that. I won’t let you do that.” He was staring at her and his eyes almost looked angry with her for even thinking about joining him there permanently. “I’m cursed living a life where I can only be with you for a few hours at a time. Forever here with you is not a curse, it's heaven.” She took his hand and kissed his knuckles. She was putting herself out on the line. He could tell her he didn’t want her right now, and it would break her heart. “If you don’t want me, just tell me, because I would do anything to stay with you.” He had tears brim his eyes as a slow smile spread across his lips. He lovingly touched her face and she noticed his hand tremble. “Of course I want you. I just don’t want you to give up your life for me.” “I want to stay with you, really. Please let me stay.” She ran her hand through his hair, loving the feel of his curls. “Please.” He placed his hands in his lap and looked down at them. “For you to stay I have to paint you,” he stated softly. He didn’t look at her as he spoke. “You mean a portrait?” she asked looking at him. That sounded easy enough. Sitting to have a portrait painted would be easy. He shook his head no in response. “For you to stay I have to paint you.” He finally looked at her as he explained. “I have to have you naked in front of me and paint your body. Every inch.” She stared at him wide eyed, stunned speechless. This was certainly not what she had

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expected. As what he said sunk in, the idea of him painting her nude body made her cheeks flame. The whole thing was so erotic. He would have to see every inch of her skin; nothing would be hidden from him. She swallowed a gulp of air as if she had been underwater and needed a saving breath. She had said she’d do anything, and she’d meant it, even this. “Can you start now?” she asked him. He looked surprised at her question. She wanted him to do it, to paint her. “No, not now. I don’t think we’d have enough time; you’re going to wake up soon. Think about everything and we’ll talk about it tomorrow. You really need to be sure you want this. Once we do it, there would be no turning back after, or changing your mind.” “I already know how I feel. I don’t need time to think it over. Can you just hold me now until I wake up? I want to stay in your arms as long as I can.” They lay back in the bed and he wrapped his arms around her as if protecting her from the outside world. She nuzzled against his chest and he let out a sigh of contentment. Then she was gone. Saturday, Maddie stayed home just sitting in front of the TV waiting for the night to come. Maddie was once again anxious to see Sebastian, but this time was different. This time when she went to him, she wasn’t planning on coming back. She was going to stay with him forever. When she finally slept, she found herself again lying with Sebastian, naked like the night before. Maddie didn’t want to waste any time so she cut right to the chase. “Are you ready to start?” He looked directly in her eyes seeing her determination blazing. “Only if you’re sure. Absolutely sure. No doubts, Maddie.” “No doubts. I have never been surer of anything in my life.” She leaned over and

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kissed him. He tucked her hair behind her ears as they touched foreheads. “Let me get dressed and get my paints ready,” he said. Her heart leapt in her chest. They would do this, and they would have forever together. He grazed a kiss on her cheek, and then got up from the bed. “Go stand by the fireplace where it’s warmer and I’ll be right there.” She rose off the bed and walked towards the fireplace. She paused to turn towards him and asked, “Sebastian, can I pick the color?” He looked over to her and smiled as he pulled a tunic over his head. “Let me guess,” he replied grinning. “Cerulean blue,” they both said in unison. Maddie stood in front of the fireplace waiting for Sebastian. The fire warmed her cool skin and she shifted her weight from one foot to the other, full of nervous anticipation. “OK. I’m ready if you are,” he told her with palette and brush in hand as she turned towards him. He was struck by her beauty and said “Maddie, you are so beautiful there.” “Thank you,” she replied feeling a blush warm over her entire body. She was trying to mentally prepare herself for what they were about to do. “I’m ready. Just tell me where you want me,” she said looking at him for direction. “I think if you just stand where you are you’ll be the most comfortable. I don’t want you to freeze to death standing in one spot while I paint you. The fire should keep you warm. I’m going to start with your feet and work my way up.” Maddie was grateful he had a plan because she was so nervous she could hardly think. Sebastian got down on his knees in front of her then paused to look up at her. When she saw his eyes full of love for her she knew without a doubt she was doing the right thing. He swirled the brush through the paint on the palette and started to paint on the tops

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of her feet. “I’m sorry if this feels cold,” he apologized to her. “No, its fine,” she replied. The brush was soft and tickled her feet. When he painted the sides of her feet, near her arch, she let out a giggle. “Sorry. My feet are very ticklish,” she explained to him with a smile. “That will be good to know for the future,” he replied back with a wicked grin as he mentally plotted against her. He worked around her ankles up her shins and calves. When he reached her knees he noticed a birthmark he hadn’t noticed before. He traced it with his finger before he covered it with the blue paint. He realized that by the time he was finished he would in fact know every inch of her body. The thought of painting her everywhere aroused him and he had to tell himself to stay focused on the task at hand. When they were finished they would have all the time in the world for making love, but it was still hard to control himself with her so exposed to him. “I’m going to start your thighs now, Maddie. Are you ok?” he asked her. He looked at her and she didn’t say anything, just bit her lower lip and nodded she was alright. He knew that they were both going to be very uncomfortable as he continued painting up her body. As Sebastian started painting her thighs, Maddie could fell her muscles quiver under his brush strokes. He was being extremely gentle, and the painting inside her thighs made her start to feel a heat she didn’t feel before. It was as if the temperature in the room had risen, she no longer felt the chill she had earlier. There was a fire that started burning inside her, between her legs, as her body yearned for his. She closed her eyes for a moment trying to find the strength to endure what she knew was going to come. Feeling Sebastian’s brush slowly working its way up her thighs as he knelt in front of her was almost unbearable. As his brush worked its way up her legs she became more and

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more aroused. She could feel the wetness between her legs as she thought this was the most erotic thing she’d ever experienced. It was all she could do to not ask him to stop and make love to her then and there. At this point she wanted him so badly, but she knew once they finished they’d have forever. “Maddie, could you please, just, open your legs a bit wider for me?” he asked looking up at her. She broadened her stance and let out a long breath, clearing her lungs as Sebastian put more paint on his brush. He started painting the folds of her throbbing sex and Maddie let out a moan she couldn’t control. She ground her teeth together and closed her eyes again as her whole body trembled. “You know I wish it was me between your legs and not my paintbrush,” Sebastian said. “You and me both,” she was just able to reply to him. She felt weak in the knees as he moved behind her and continued by painting across her buttocks and her back. The brush tickled at her shoulder blades and she wiggled her shoulders back and forth. Maddie started to feel herself regain control of her body again and felt more relaxed as he painted her back. Sebastian then moved back in front of her up on raised knees and brushed across her stomach. Maddie mentally told herself they were more than half way done. As his brush swirled inside her belly button she felt a charge of electricity move from her stomach to between her legs. She sucked in a breath, telling herself the end result was going to be worth everything she had to endure now. She really didn’t want Sebastian to know how hard this was for her. She was frightened that in his concern for her, he might decide to stop and they’d already come so far. Sebastian looked at her eyes again, trying to read their emotions. He had felt her suck

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in her breath at her belly button. Despite how Maddie tried to hide her feelings, he knew this was torture for her. He himself was so uncomfortable, being so aroused for her yet not being able to do anything about it until they were finished. He knew she was trying to hide her discomfort as she gave him a smile. “I’m fine, I swear,” she said trying to reassure him that what they were doing wasn’t actually so difficult for her. He finished her stomach and stopped before starting her breasts. He stood and was getting more paint on his brush when Maddie noticed that even though they were more than half way done, the paint on the palette looked the same as when they started. His paint really didn’t run out, and he could paint here forever. He held up his hand to her right breast and stopped before the brush touched her nipple. Her nipples were already hard and straining forward in anticipation of being touched. “Go ahead,” she told him with firm determination in her voice. “I swear, when we’re done doing this and this is all over, I am going to spend at least a week in bed with you. I am just going to make love to you over and over again. I promise.” “I’m actually counting on it. I know you’re a man of your word and I look forward to you keeping your promise.” He smiled at her and leaned over to give her a kiss before he started painting again. The brush skimmed over her nipple. He circled her breast covering the areola, and then made wider circles until the entire breast was covered. When Sebastian was ready to start the other nipple, he bent down and kissed it gently. “We’re almost done. I’ve got to tell you that you are the strongest woman I have ever met. It really means the world to me that you are doing this.”

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“I told you I’d do anything to be with you and I meant it.” Sebastian painted the other breast and stopped at her neck. “Can you hold out your arms out so I can get underneath?” he asked. She stretched her arms out as he painted their length down to her fingertips. He covered her palms with paint and Maddie was surprised to find another body part that was ticklish. She put her arms down as he started up her neck. Even that felt arousing to her, as did his circling her ears. It felt like little whispers inside her ears and gave her the chills. He painted her forehead and as the brush trailed down her nose she got such an incredible itch she had him stop and scratch it for her. He thought she was adorable as she wrinkled her now blue nose at him. Her face was almost completely covered, and when he painted her cheeks she remembered when she’d found the dried paint on her cheek just a couple of days ago. Her life had certainly changed since then, and she was so thankful she’d found Sebastian. All that was left to paint now was her mouth. Her entire body was now covered. “You’re sure you want to do this?” he asked one last time. After he finished, there’d be no going back. “Let’s finish this. I won’t leave you again.” He kissed her one last time, lovingly on the lips, as gentle as a whisper. “I love you,” he said, looking into her eyes. “I love you, too,” she replied, thrilled he had said the words she’d longed to hear. It was the first time either had said those words to each other, and the timing was perfect. She closed her eyes and felt the brush moving over her lips. It was finally done. Maddie suddenly felt air rushing all around her from every direction. She was falling

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and her arms and legs flailed around, reaching for something solid, but finding nothing. Her body hit the floor hard, and she felt something fall next to her, hitting her in the ribs. The air was knocked out of her. She opened her eyes and recognizing she was in her bedroom lying on the hardwood floor. Sebastian lay on the floor next to her, a dazed look on his face. Her mind raced, trying to figure out what had happened. How could they be here? She looked down at herself and saw she was in her pajamas she had worn to bed. There was no paint on her as far as she could tell. Sebastian sat up as he rubbed his shoulder he had landed on. He looked around, not knowing where he was, confused. “Maddie?” he questioned. Maddie crawled over to him, taking him in her arms that were shaking. “Sebastian, we’re in my bedroom! You’re free! You’re out of the painting!” She kissed him, and he kissed her back. “I don’t know why or how, but you’re out.” Sebastian pulled away from her to look at her. “I know why. It was you. You set me free, you broke the curse. God, Maddie, I love you so much, and I don’t ever plan on letting you go.” He grabbed her and pulled her into his arms so tightly her ribs started to ache. “What do you mean I did it? I didn’t do anything.” She didn’t understand how he thought she’d broken the curse. “When you let me paint you, you broke the curse. Your love for me is so strong that you were willing to stay in the painting with me. Your willingness to sacrifice your life for mine gave me my life back. I hated lying to you when you’d ask me if I knew a way out, but I was bound by the curse never to tell you how to break it. You had to love me with your whole heart, and I bet the witch never thought I’d actually have someone fall in love with

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me.” Maddie sat on the floor as tears rolled down her cheeks. Sebastian held her face in his palms and swore to her “I will love you forever. As long as I live there will only be you, no one else will ever be in my heart.” They kissed with a different passion than they had in the dream. Their kisses now spoke of real commitments to each other, of a lifetime together. They finally broke away from each other and Maddie noticed her clock and groaned. The real world came back with a crash. It was Monday morning and she was officially late for work. “Let me call in to work and tell them I won’t be in. I’ll be right back.” She kissed him before she left the room to go use the phone. Sebastian stood up and looked around Maddie’s bedroom. It reflected her personality, soft and comfortable with soothing colors. He noticed his portrait hanging up across from her bed. He remembered she had mentioned she kept it in her bedroom. He walked up to it slowly, not sure he wanted to get too close. It was his cottage, but between the chair and the easel where he once stood, the space was empty. He was truly free. Maddie walked into the room. “I took this whole week off from work. There is no way I’m leaving you alone. We’ll get you some new clothes and get you settled. Of course, you are going to stay here…” Sebastian looked at her and smiled. “I know I just got here, but I have a favor to ask.” “Anything, you know that. What is it?” He pointed to the painting on the wall. “Would you mind if we took that down?” Maddie walked up to the painting and lifted it off the wall, leaving a lone nail. “I’ll paint you a new piece to hang there.” He enclosed her in his arms from behind and bent to kiss her neck. His heart was so full of love for this woman he thought his heart may

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Cerulean Blue

Annmarie Ortega

burst from his chest. It was the most incredible feeling he’d ever experienced. He would spend the rest of his life making her happy. He looked forward to their life together, having her as his wife, them having children. The possibilities were endless and made his head spin. He couldn’t remember ever feeling such a joy in his heart and his spirit soared. The wait for her had been worth all the years of solitude he’d suffered. She was his salvation, his life. “The new painting can be my wedding present to you,” he whispered to her in her ear as he led her by the hand to the empty bed that waited for them. He had made her a promise and fully intended to show her he was indeed a man of his word.