The first time

I see

him

it’s Life

            a heart

            beating its first

 

The art gallery lights

turn down low

 

The walls

expand and

contract

with his steps

 

The laughter of those around me

becomes my very first breath

 

He strides from the shadows of a corner

into the flowing of my veins

like the lifeblood

I didn’t know

I urgently

needed

​

​

​

His smirk is cocked like a weapon

 

His dark honey hair

slicked back

            shaved above both ears

exposing two small silver diamonds

 

His white dress shirt is taut

over wide, defined shoulders

framed by two black striped suspenders

and finished off with a blue silk tie

 

His pants are clearly tailored

            narrow through the hips

            and sleek as they taper down to a pair of black Chuck Taylors

 

Not the type I’d usually look at twice

but on him

it works

 

And when he speaks

it sparks something dark

and dangerous

within me

 

“See something you like?” 

 

 

His slightly gravelly baritone

carries more than a hint of sardonic wit

 

I clear my throat before speaking

“Excuse me?”  

 

“The artwork.”

He leans in so close I catch the scent

of his obviously expensive cologne

 

He smells like Heaven

            or what I imagine it smells like

            if Heaven were a campfire on a beach

            a bottle of wine

            and the best sex I’ve ever had

 

His green eyes

penetrate me

as he

raises an eyebrow and asks,

“Did any of the artwork call to you?”

 

I lick my lips

my strawberry-flavored gloss

sweet on my tongue

“I love all Mira’s work. But Study of Light is my favorite.” 

 

He tosses a devilish grin across the gallery

to where a 10x10 canvas takes center stage

dwarfing all the others

“And what does it say to you?”

 

I consider his question

“That she doesn’t just see the human form. She takes it in, lets it consume her, then releases it back into the wild.” 

 

He nods

admiring the canvas’s

swirls of cream

black

and everything in between

 

“Mira is quite adept at noticing the variations of light and shadow,”

he says

“She draws attention to the body’s most intimate curves.” 

 

I don’t even know his name

and yet

I can’t deny the heat

creeping across my skin

as he tilts his head just so and

runs his thumb

across his bottom lip

 

He leans

just a fraction of an inch closer

but it’s enough

to send a delicious shiver down my spine

 

Maybe it’s the way

he speaks

            the words forming on perfectly curved lips

or the way his voice

drips

intimations of what those lips could do

but

everything else fades away

 

Somewhere

in the back of my mind

I try to remember

I have a boyfriend

 

 

​

“Evangeline!”

June’s voice

cuts through my thoughts

like a chainsaw

 

She puts a hand on my arm

“I was wondering where you’d run off to.”  

 

Her laugh sounds off

            strained somehow

as she tosses a sideways glance

at the man before me

 

He

whoever he is

doesn’t seem to notice the chilly reception

or maybe he just doesn’t care

 

“Until next time, Angel.”

His voice

like a slow rumble of thunder

unsteadies me

once more

 

 

​

“So.”

June watches his retreating back as if

he just sprouted fangs and she

has a crucifix at the ready

 

“So what?” 

I shake my head slightly and

force a smile

to my lips

 

“So… I see you had the pleasure of meeting Landon Kelly.” 

Her mouth is tight as she speaks

 

“I guess....”

I glance over June’s shoulder

but he’s disappeared into the crowd

“I didn’t catch his name. Who is he, anyway?”

 

I hope I sound nonchalant

though I get the sense June’s not buying it

 

“Landon Kelly is the owner of this gallery.”

June’s mouth turns down

 

“Wait-”

I rock back onto my heels

“He’s the one promoting your fiancée’s work?” 

 

June sneers

“He’s the one.”

 

“I’m confused,”

I turn to face her

“Earlier tonight you were fan-girling over this gallery but now you act like you hate the owner?”

 

June takes another sip of her cocktail

and looks anywhere but at me

 

“June?”

I put a hand on her arm

“What’s wrong?”

 

“I don’t like the way he was looking at you.”

Her bottom lip

juts out just enough

to be noticeable

“Or the way you were looking at him.”

 

I wrinkle my nose

“Seriously?”

 

“What?”

June lowers her voice and leans in

“He’s total scum. Even if he is making my fiancée famous. He has a reputation for collecting beautiful women like you collect makeup brushes.”

 

“Yes, well, that doesn’t mean he will collect me.”

 

There’s a beat

or two

of silence before she speaks again

“Seriously though, please be careful around him. I want you and Jesse to get married, have babies, and live next to me forever.”

 

I bite my lip

at the sound of Jesse’s name

 

“You don’t need to worry and neither does Jesse.”

 

Even as the words slide out of my mouth

I’m wracked with guilt

 

Not five minutes ago

I’d nearly forgotten

I have a boyfriend at all

 

“I’m just saying,”

she pauses dramatically

“You know I’m as lesbian as they come, but from what I saw just now, he could change even my mind.” 

 

I dip my head

then playfully run a hand

down her back

“Make you change your mind, huh? That’s an impressive man who can do that.”  

 

We laugh then

a genuine laugh

            nearly a decade of friendship solidified

            in one fluid sound

but deep down

I know

the man I just met – Landon Kelly – could change more

than just one lesbian’s mind

 

He could change

everything