7. Dating the author

"Ella...don't, I know you're happy but you don't have to drag me into it. I'm taking the day off."

"What? this is Sunday. It is your day off."

"Yeah, I mean tomorrow, just have fun. I don't feel so good. I want my blankie."

"Is it because of Larry?"

I tried to wake Gemma and have her join me for coffee but she was still cocooned under her blanket and not wanting to be disturbed. So, I gave up and have a cup of coffee while stalking Brice's I*******m feeds. I was trying to see if he mentioned anything about his mystery date with me last night. I was wishfully thinking that he actually liked me, so much so that he would let the world know.

Get real, Ella...

I sipped my coffee and decided to set up my easel and canvas on our small balcony. It was a perfect day for painting, and I suddenly felt the need to start doing so.

It was a weird feeling, haven't had it for years. The strokes were easy, the lines, the shapes were effortlessly drawn. I was smiling like a kid in a candy store when the painting almost finishes two hours later.

The euphoric feeling made me snapped the painting and send it to Brenton, to which he called me minutes later.

"What did you do? who did you kill? it looks so good Ella!"

I giggled and smile so wide until I feel my teeth dried up.

"Damn! Brent, I'm freaking doing this!"

He laughed and told me to get the momentum going and don't stop.

"But I have a lunch date," it slipped out of my mouth and he asked if I have found my muse.

"Muse?"

"Well yeah, the guy you're meeting for lunch. Is he your muse?"

"Uhm, maybe?"

"Great! keep him close, have lunch with him, let him fuel your creative side."

"Okay..."

He laughed again and told me not to be so awkward about it.

"We're artists, we produced arts in different ways, but muses are the easiest one. My Nicolette has been it for me, she was my muse and still is. It can be their features, but it can also be the vibe that we got from them that drives us to feel good about producing our arts."

"Okay,"

"You're too cute Ella, you can do this. I always knew you can pull yourself up."

Brenton gives me another fifteen minutes of a pep talk before he told me to go get ready for my lunch date. I was dreading the date but at the same time, I feel excited wanting to meet him. Hence I was still in my bra when he buzzed the apartment door.

"Ella! he's here..."

"Five minutes!" I was grabbing my blacktop, the safest option in such a short amount of time. Then I put my hair on a messy bun after a quick touch-up of my makeup and finally put on my lipgloss. The over worn wedges were the last to complete my casual jeans Sunday lunch date outfit.

"Hey, sorry I was... working."

"No worries, I can wait."  He gave me his warmest smile while looking incredibly handsome in his washed-colored jeans, white crisps shirt, and dark-colored sneakers.

Gemma was keeping herself busy in the kitchen, smiling widely at me until I give her the look and she smirked then finally leave us to our privacy.

"No, I'm good, I'm done." I hurriedly walked towards him and he lowered his eyes down to the front of my blouse, it took me a moment until I realized that I haven't buttoned up my top.

"Uh, crap," I could feel the heat creeping up from my chest to my neck and ended to my cheeks while he keeps himself quiet and pretends to be busy typing on his phone, though I could see the smile on his face.

"Ok, now I'm ready. Oh wait, I need to take my work inside."

It was not pretty the way I hurried myself to take my painting from the balcony and put it in my room, but he was being the gentleman by not saying anything towards me. Until I finally seated myself in the passenger seat of his sport Range Rover.

We didn't talk much, not until we arrived at Silvio's.

"So, you're working on a painting?" he opened our conversation as we waited for our lunch.

"Yeah, I'm scheduled for an exhibition, I've finished a few but my colleague was disappointed with my work. But when I snapped a picture from this morning's work he was actually impressed, so...that's why I'm behind on our lunch."

"You looked very happy though," his compliment was making me smile even wider, didn't think it was possible, I might make a dent in my face but I was over the moon at that very moment.

"Thank you, I feel extremely happy, so happy that I'm afraid to jinx it."

He laughed and cheers on my work well done.

"And it's me who should thank you, you're taking the time out of your work to have this lunch with me. I don't want to be the one who stops you from your workflow."

"No way, Brenton said you might be my muse."

Again, me and my stupid mouth. I blushed the moment the words slipped out while he told me that he was glad he could help.

We paused when the food arrived and we start to eat and have a small conversation about the freaking weather just because I didn't want to embarrass myself more.

But he was the perfect date and he seemed to like my companion that he decided to set up another date for dinner.

"Do you think I'm coming on too strong? should move the date back to the weekends?"

"What hell no,"

He laughed and told me that he hadn't felt so comfortable talking to someone in a long while.

"So, how about tomorrow I pick you up. We can have dinner... at my place?"

"Uh...yeah sure,"

Dinner at someone's place can only lead to one thing. And losing my virginity to the person that I'm stalking can be a bit too creepy once he found out the truth about me.

"Are you? you don't sound so sure."

"I'm sure, I'm just...I like talking to you, could we not analyze it more and just do what we want?"

"I like the way you think." He took my hand and kissed my knuckles, my insides bubbles with happiness and I feel like I could burst at any given moment.

"I still couldn't get the feeling like I've known you longer than this."

"Yeah?"

He had stated the same thing last night, and I have been itching to tell him the truth and get things over with. But he's my obsession, his words had cuddled me since last year when I found comfort in his words.

He's my honey bun bun and I'm his loyal stalker, he will find out about me. But before that happens, I'll stay and be the crazy stalker that dedicates a special corner in my room for the very handsome and talented Brice Durant.

He adjusted his glasses and smile sexily. We talked for another hour before he was driving me back to my place.

Yet we were both reluctant to part when he parked his car on the basement parking lot of my apartment building.

My blood rushed when he scooted closer and put his hand to my thigh.

"So, I didn't know you have tattoos until I saw you forgot to button up your top before."

"Yeah, it's an artist thing, we can't seem to stop expressing ourselves on just canvas."

"So you design all of your tattoos?"

"Not all, but..."

I didn't get to explain when he moves closer and put his perfect curved lips on mine. They felt better than last night, looked better than the ones I've painted and his hand felt so good on the back of my neck that I let out a moan.

"Um, I'd better go." My voice was throaty when I whispered in between our hot scorching kisses.

"Yeah, I think you should..." he took off his glasses and started trailing his kisses down my neck.

"I really should..." I whimpered as he teases me with his licks and his hot breath fanned my neck.

Never had I wanted someone so bad in my life that I feel crazy enough to pull back and ended his kisses.

"You are going to make this car rock if we don't stop."

He chuckled and rest his forehead to mine.

"I'll pick you up at six tomorrow. Do you want me to walk you to your apartment? cause I think I need time..."

It was my turn to push him back to his seat and kissed my honey bun bun, putting my hand to his front feeling his well-defined chest, thinking how can a successful author have time to workout.

"I'll see you tomorrow," I winked, ended our kiss, and managed to make a safe exit from his car.